Chapter 85: |
The Blood Reaper Ha Gwang-il stumbled back, his entire body bleeding. His eyes were wide with horror.
“To think I’d lose to a young girl who isn’t even a Baek Gun-seo!”
It was an old memory stained with shame and despair.
After being defeated and driven away by Baek Gun-seo, claiming that Korea was too narrow, Ha Gwang-il sharpened and polished his sword, waiting only for the day of revenge.
However, after 20 years, he realized he couldn’t become a Transcendent.
At the age of 60, as aging set in, he understood that revenge against Baek Gun-seo was impossible. Realizing this, he returned to Korea before it was too late.
If he couldn’t seek revenge directly, he would at least destroy everything around him. Ha Gwang-il’s goal was to ruin what Baek Gun-seo valued.
For Baek Gun-seo, the Sacred Group was more precious than his life itself.
Today, he came to capture Baek Gun-seo’s disciple, Jung Da-hyun, whom the other had always favored. Thinking it would be an easy task to capture the prodigy who had walked the elite course of life, but he was mistaken.
Above all, what surprised Ha Gwang-il was the relentless movements that exploited every opening.
For that, Jung Da-hyun did not hesitate to endure injuries to herself.
Even a villain wielding vicious swordsmanship wasn’t at this level.
While most people would cherish their lives, Jung Da-hyun revealed a determination to kill even at the cost of sustaining injuries.
This was not a villain, but a government hunter?
“No, this can’t be, it’s impossible!”
Decades of accumulated practical experience were overshadowed. The unpredictable patterns of various sword techniques, combined with relentless determination, made Ha Gwang-il’s existence seem infinitely miserable.
But that was not the most infuriating thing.
“Fake Blood Reaper, where did the real one go?”
“Kraaaa!”
It was an attitude that even denied his own existence. From the beginning until now, she consistently considered himself as someone pretending to be the Blood Reaper.
For Ha Gwang-il, who took immense pride in his reputation, it was an unbearable disgrace.
“Die! Die! Die!”
Ha Gwang-il began pouring out the remaining strength without reservation. His body was overloaded. In return, his speed increased, and the changes became more pronounced, but Jung Da-hyun didn’t bat an eye and deflected everything.
Blocking every strike oozing with killing intent?
It’s like fear didn’t exist in her.
As Ha Gwang-il observed the myriad changes unfolding before his eyes, he felt a sense of bone-deep fatigue.
How brilliant this talent was.
In front of it, he felt infinitely pathetic.
“Even if you’re impersonating, you should have chosen someone else.”
Being denied of his existence, Ha Gwang-il’s eyes suddenly turned inside out.
“I’ll kill you!”
That was Ha Gwang-il’s final words.
Like a lightning strike, Jung Da-hyun’s sword, which had plunged deeply, severed his throat. In the moment of death, his head, unable to accept his own demise, rolled on the ground with wide-open eyes.
“I kept you alive because you were a fake.”
Without moving from her spot, Jung Da-hyun gazed at the lifeless eyes of the fallen Ha Gwang-il, her expression grave.
“Weird.”
Was he not a fake but a real one?
For someone with such a reputation, he was surprisingly weak.
Um Kyung-young, the deputy team leader, was often dubbed an encyclopedia for villains. Even with the passage of time, it’s hard not to recognize Ha Gwang-il as the Blood Reaper.
Well, how did she win then?
Was it really so easy for a Level 6 to dominate Level 7 like this?
“I don’t know.”
He might be the real Ha Gwang-il, judging by his reaction.
Calling him a fake until the end was just a provocation, but it made things easier than expected.
It felt like villains were more easily provoked by taunts.
“Should I learn some curse words?”
Cursing harshly might shake their mentality more.
The nickname of ‘Crazy Witch’ didn’t bother her anymore.
It was proof that she had killed enough villains and served enough citizens to keep them safe.
Jung Da-hyun, who had put aside her worries, turned to the villains.
“Eek! P-please spare me!”
“I surrender.”
“Please, just spare my life! Crazy Witch-nim!”
The contemplative villains were raising their arms and pleading.
* * *
“Thank you for all your hard work. Was that all intentional?”
“Uhm, it was.”
Jung Da-hyun was feeling awkward when she suddenly received thanks.
In this operation, she captured the infamous Blood Reaper Ha Gwang-il, someone who had a long-standing reputation.
Blood Reaper was a famous Level 7 villain.
One of the worst villains of the previous generation, before there were Berserker, Puppeteer, Executioner, and the Black Reaper.
Jung Da-hyun captured a giant among giants. The news of this feat has already caused a sensation.
Now, a Level 7 in her mid-20s emerged. It was said that at this rate, she would become a Transcendent within the next 10 years, and the promotion of the ‘K-Awakening System’ was already underway.
Why was I in the middle of this?
“Wasn’t it difficult?”
“No, it was actually so easy that I thought my opponent was Level 6. I had confidence that I could defeat anyone at Level 6, thanks to what I learned from Oppa.”
She certainly had a way with words.
Even I could sense the sincerity, and belief embedded in those words.
It’s fortunate that there were positive results.
I had been thinking that my approach so far was wrong.
But she had already reached level 7? It was the moment I realized that my standards were different from others. It seemed people were quite lenient in applying standards to level evaluations.
Jung Da-hyun seemed to think that I was intentionally hiding something, but there’s probably no need to explicitly address the suspicion.
“You did well.”
“Yes. I won’t let my guard down and will work hard.”
“Good.”
Jung Da-hyun was pleased that she would be able to capture more named villains in the future.
The attitude of not being satisfied with the present and constantly striving forward was admirable.
I, too, could find my sanity because I didn’t succumb to the madness of the Blood Master.
Seeing this, I seemed to have a knack for teaching.
I should relax and train Yoon-hee without worry.
* * *
Research on the newly named Double Plus tier monster proceeded smoothly.
The research assumed how much stronger the existing Plus-tier monsters would be if they were more adept in manipulating Force and more free in using Gifts.
The result was a disaster itself.
Double Plus tier was mostly equivalent to a Transcendent. When considering how significant the difference was between level 7 and level 8 monsters, the contrast with the Dounle Plus tier became more pronounced.
Experts running simulations strongly argued that measures should be taken to prevent the appearance of such monsters.
However, even if the awakened individuals’ powers became stronger, it’s a challenging task to push back the places where monsters lived and find the elusive Double Plus monster, whose existence was unclear.
Yet, currently, humanity had not built up enough power to completely destroy the monster ecosystem.
“In the end, the conclusion is to possess stronger awakened individuals.”
“Of course, that’s a given.”
“It provides a justification to invest more in that direction. After all, cultivating awakened individuals ultimately comes down to money.”
“It’s all about money. Money is good.”
Money was a common factor in various situations. Even if people tried to hide it, when you closely examined things, it all boiled down to discussions about money.
For me, money was a means, but for someone else, it became the very purpose of life.
One should just have what they could within their abilities, but some went overboard, stealing beyond their capacity and hastening their demise.
“Yes, with money, you can do a lot. Sometimes, there are things you can’t do, though.”
Lee Se-hee looked at me with a subtle gaze.
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Lee Se-hee, who was smiling brightly, had a different attire than usual. She had lighter makeup and was dressed in a black tracksuit with a white armor vest.
Today was the day I decided to watch Lee Se-hee’s training.
She said she became more motivated after Jung Da-hyun reached Level 7.
Her competitiveness was certainly more evident than that of Jung Da-hyun.
“When the appearance of the Double Plus monsters becomes a reality, young and talented individuals like Da-hyun will become even more valuable. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret since she’s originally from the Sacred Guild.”
“Da-hyun is indeed exceptional.”
“That’s fine. I can be like that too. Jun-ho-ssi will make that happen, right?”
“I’m not the one making it happen; you’re the one who will.”
“Is that so? I haven’t seen anyone more ambitious than me. Probably.”
As the heiress to a conglomerate family, how would Lee Se-hee approach her training?
If I didn’t like it, I would promptly address the issue.
I hoped she had as much determination as ambition.
“You’ll see a person as tough as me for the first time.”
Lee Se-hee said with a twinkle in her eyes.
* * *
At the sound of the wind, the wooden sword cleaved through the air. Even though it was a wooden sword, its power was immense.
It was so fast and its trajectory so unpredictable that even a momentary lapse would inevitably allow an attack.
“Haaa!”
Lee Se-hee took a deep breath. Sweat poured down her entire body like rain, but Choi Jun-ho’s wooden sword never rested.
Avoiding the wooden sword, she rolled on the ground again. Her body, soaked in sweat, was covered in dirt, but she didn’t care. If her attention wavered even a little, a sword strike would follow without fail.
It felt like a magnet was attached to the sword, chasing after her.
‘…This is incredibly tough, like, really, really intense!’
So, did she hate it?
Not at all.
‘On the contrary, I love it!’
Choi Jun-ho showed no mercy when it came to using his hands. Even a slight lapse in concentration or a wrong judgment would result in a swift strike of his sword.
Each time, Lee Se-hee had to squeeze out every ounce of her strength and focus to endure. The pressure was palpable, but with each encounter, she felt her mind sharpening.
The real challenge came next. Choi Jun-ho didn’t allow any room for adaptation. The moment you thought you were adapting, he would strike like a ghost.
In a situation where Lee Se-hee considered herself nearing her limit, getting a hit from Choi Jun-ho’s sword made her realize there was more strength within her to draw upon.
Thunk!
“Ugh!”
Just when she thought she had dodged the previous sword strike, her shoulder was struck.
Despite the pain, which felt like it had shattered her shoulder, Lee Se-hee still lowered her back. A sharp sword blast, accompanied by the sound of a wooden sword, passed above the nape of her neck.
Even then, without a moment to catch her breath, she had to roll backward to avoid the sword that stabbed towards her.
It was an attack that tormented her physically, mentally, and spiritually. Initially, she didn’t catch on, but as she rolled under Choi Jun-ho’s relentless assault, Lee Se-hee became aware that she was moving her body more evenly, using strength in places she normally wouldn’t. She found herself doing this instinctively as she tried to avoid being hit.
It’s about fully opening up the sensations in her entire body and manipulating the Force to the desired places. It’s a completely new sensation for Lee Se-hee, one she had never experienced before.
It was as if she had become a third party, observing and controlling her own body. It felt like a rebirth, allowing her to objectively understand where she lacked and where there was an excess.
‘…This is it.’
Suddenly feeling the realization, Lee Se-hee shook with exhilaration. Choi Junho wasn’t just blindly attacking; he was inducing her to surpass her limits by squeezing out every ounce of her capabilities.
Despite expending her strength, she felt a sense of progress in herself that she had never experienced before.
It wasn’t that her effort was lacking; she had just been doing the wrong training method all this time.
Choi Junho’s pure determination to eliminate the opponent at all costs forced her to employ everything necessary for survival.
Survival advantage meant adaptation, and adaptation meant evolution. Realizing the potential still within herself, Lee Se-hee ignited a competitive spirit to chase after Jung Da-hyun.
From a young age, the two of them had been rivals in looks and talents, often surpassing each other. However, this time, the rival clearly outshone herself.
Mischievously monopolizing this good thing all alone!
Above all, Lee Se-hee’s preference was to treat herself without mercy. She didn’t let her status as the daughter of the Sacred Group’s chairman or the head of the Sacred Guild influence her actions.
She wanted to do it just as an individual known as Lee Se-hee.
“Good!”
For a long time, she had wanted something like this.
She wished he would push her more, use his strength more ruthlessly.
Feeling the sense of liberation as she threw off the burden on her shoulders, Lee Se-hee focused her gaze on Choi Jun-ho’s sword.
However, there were limits to stamina and strength. At the moment her concentration wavered, Choi Jun-ho’s sword struck Lee Se-hee’s whole body without fail.
“Ahh!”
She rolled on the floor with a scream. There was no time given to recover, even after allowing the attack.
Even upon hearing the scream, Choi Jun-ho didn’t blink an eye and continued his downward swing. If she hadn’t rolled to the side, she would have been struck in the stomach.
In Choi Jun-ho’s swordplay, devoid of any emotion, there was no distinction between fairness and foul play.
Struggling to put some distance between them and trying to stand, Lee Se-hee staggered.
“Is it over?”
“No!”
Putting strength into her legs and standing firm, Lee Se-hee looked at Choi Junho with determination. Despite that, her body was trembling. The torn part of her training suit was covered in vivid red bruises.
“Let’s continue!”
Even as the bruises multiplied, Lee Se-hee’s expression continued to brighten.
* * *
The first time I guided Lee Se-hee in training, I was shocked and a bit horrified.
I deliberately increased the intensity, but her ecstatic reaction was novel. Surely, she wasn’t one of those types who enjoyed pain, right?
It seemed like there wasn’t a normal person around me, especially when including that Berserker guy.
Even those who seemed normal, like Jung Ju-ho or Cheon Myeong-guk, exhibited hysteria depending on the condition.
Maintaining normalcy amidst the abnormal seemed more challenging than I thought.
“More than I expected.”
Currently, I was in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
After the possibility of the appearance of a Double Plus monster was suggested, the government cautioned other countries and distributed manuals.
Amidst this, a massive Force wave was detected, and considering it a sign that a level 8 harmful monster might appear, the president personally requested my presence here.
If a new monster emerged, its name would be ‘Garam.’
Quite a cute name.
While it’s good not to fear the monster because of this name, one might also take it lightly.
I entered the monster’s habitat and explored around. The signs that were initially detected gradually faded, and at some point, they disappeared without a trace.
It could be a mistaken observation or that the monster had moved.
“Should I go deeper?”
I pondered.
Kki-eok?
At the sound of a low growl, I turned my head to see a winged lizard with a rough, green body staring at me.
It’s an Earth Dragon.
A level 8 monster previously encountered in China. It couldn’t fly, but it had tough skin, excellent regenerative abilities, and wielded a powerful Gift called Earthquake.
But the guy in front was of a small size, only about 3 meters.
It was an Earth Dragon hatchling.
I sensed a power equivalent to roughly level 5.
“Was it because of this guy?”
He looked at me with the typical reptilian eyes, baring his teeth in a threat.
It seemed this little guy didn’t discriminate between humans and monsters.
Without mercy, I unleashed Blade Storm on it.
Kraaack!
Although it’s a hatchling, its skin didn’t completely split. Green blood flowed from various wounds.
It screamed, thrashing around.
I could kill it right away if I wanted to, but I didn’t act on it.
“Go.”
I decided to let go of the hatchling.
I was not some monster conservationist.
Seeing their wounded cub, its fully grown parents might come flipping their lids and charge over here.
“Should I fetch your parents for you?”
Kyaaah!
But instead of leaving, it revealed its fangs and charged at me.
Why did so many creatures, whether human or monster, seemed to struggle with understanding their own situation?
Avoiding its straightforward charge, I planted a Land Mine in its path and kicked its head.
If they didn’t listen, they just needed some proper education.
But I miscalculated the power I put into the kick.
After being kicked by me, the guy’s head spun around swiftly, not just a bit but quite a lot, completing a 360-degree turn before returning to its original position.
“Uh?”
The hatchling with its tongue sticking out trembled and collapsed like that.
It’s dead.
Hey, should I go get its parents?
Could it be saved? It seemed impossible. I made a mistake.
“Why so weak?”
It was when the taste of failure filled my mouth…
As if to prove that my worries were groundless, a vivid light began to envelop the surroundings.
Being immune to poison, I remained unaffected.
This light, it belonged to a monster with a danger level 8.
If my guess was correct, it’s the adult Earth Dragon.
I cast Blade Storm on the hatchling’s corpse. Blood flowed everywhere. As if urging the monster, who could smell the blood, to come here quickly.
“Looks like the parent has arrived.”
After a while, an adult Earth Dragon revealed itself.
Its gaze fixed on the bleeding hatchling, so I kicked it and handed the kid to the Earth Dragon.