Chapter 8 - Ch 209. Give Me Back My Husband

"Build a road here!"

"Build a road with corpses!"

"The day that road reaches the altar."

"I will gladly return what you have lost."

"Offer a blessed sacrifice."

"Do so, and the one who has reached death will return to your side."

An uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea.

Too barren for human habitation, it was more like a large rock than an island. On this land, there was a gate.

The White Labyrinth. Or, an interior structure with a marble altar at the end of a hallway entirely dyed white, like the entrance to the Fairy Kingdom.

This was a special type of dungeon where monsters did not appear.

"A sacrifice...."

And yet, this was clearly within Greek territorial waters.

Strangely, on the dungeon's altar, a command was written in Slavic.

If a road is built with corpses, the one who has reached death will return to your side.

"A 'blessed' sacrifice?"

Beast had always liked EX-rank dungeons.

It wasn't as thrilling as catching a giant like Nukelabi, but it had its own charm, like a puzzle game.

At first, she thoughtlessly picked up and placed animal carcasses on the dungeon floor.

But nothing changed.

Next, she dug up a graveyard in an unknown border country and tried to build a road with human corpses.

Even then, the dungeon did not change.

"What the hell is 'blessed'?"

Should she kidnap the Pope and have him pray over the corpses?

Just as she was thinking that, Beast finally got her hands on a clue to solve the riddle of this place.

━Sparkle!

On a whim, she cut off a joint of her pinky finger and placed it on the hallway.

Thud.

As if saying this was the correct answer, the dungeon created a red and elegant 'road' where her tissue had fallen.

◈◈◈

Returning to the present.

Beast, whose identity had been revealed, held her trademark bone mask in her hand and pondered for a long time.

What should she do now?

And how did that Earthling find out her identity?

At this moment, Giryeo spoke to Beast, who was standing still, using a translator.

In fact, he wasn't even curious about the other party's answer, but he had no choice but to stall for time.

"I'll say this in advance, I have no intention of revealing your identity, Brooklyn."

"...."

"But just in case… I'm asking this just in case… Why did you do this to Jeong Haseong? What's the reason? Did Haseong-ssi commit some major offense in the past?"

He asked, doing his best to maintain a friendly attitude, with a gambling heart.

Then, Beast tilted her head to one side and spoke.

"Dungeons are mysterious, aren't they?"

The conversation, which began with a somewhat abrupt sentence, soon explained the cause of the incident.

A mysterious EX-rank gate she discovered while wandering alone around the world.

Brooklyn confessed quite frankly that she had been collecting the corpses of awakened ones according to the gate's command, and that's how this happened....

"If you're a hunter, you'll know. Dungeons, at least, don't lie to us."

There was a time when she wished to return to an era without magic.

But the moment Brooklyn encountered an unidentified dungeon and felt the possibility of getting her husband back, she realized.

She didn't want to return to the time before the Dungeon Shock, but simply missed her daily life with her spouse.

Rather than continuing to live a life of such pain, she had wished to return to a time in the distant past when she didn't know happiness....

"There's a gate that said it would return the dead?"

However, the fourth S-rank of Korea showed a negative reaction as soon as he heard Beast's story.

"No, wait. Brooklyn-ssi. Listen to me carefully. You've been scammed."

"A scam?"

"I, I know because I've experienced the exact same thing. It's true!"

The alien standing here was, after all, a great magician who had analyzed souls.

Thanks to that, he knew how absurd it was to revive the dead.

As Brooklyn's explanation continued, he suddenly realized.

That EX-rank gate was a trap set up to manipulate human hearts.

Come to think of it, the phrase on the altar she described never used the explicit word 'resurrection.'

'Perhaps the reward there is at best a crude monster created based on the memories of the raider.'

Moreover, this method of the Gishimche had already been tried on Alpha Uri.

When you work hard to complete the mission presented in the bait box, as mentioned earlier, you would only get some twisted golem from hell as a reward.

The despair that the effort was in vain.

And the sadness that her choice had caused the memories of her loved one to be passed on to such a clumsy monster.

Of course, from the perspective of the Gishimche, who do not understand deception well, they were not trying to deceive her on purpose, but simply used this method because it produced a decent amount of energy, resulting in the bait box being generated in a convergent evolution manner.

In any case, the truth that this was a trap set by an alien creature to devour negative emotions did not change.

But why did Beast fall for such a thing?

"I can guarantee it. What was revived there is absolutely not the person you knew! The gate will just read your memories, create a crude doll, and be done with it."

However, the reaction that came back was a sight to behold.

"Oh, I see."

"Yes!"

"But I don't mind that."

Pause.

Kim Giryeo doubted his ears when he heard the sound from the other side.

But even after calming down and resuming the conversation, the other party's answer remained the same.

"I'm okay with that kind of form. Even if it's a machine that clumsily imitates a dead person, I like it."

"Huh?"

"Not everything in this world needs to be real. After all, I just want to repeat the things that happened in the past."

He didn't know exactly what she meant, but anyway, was she going to harm people just to get a doll?

"No, then why didn't you just pick up any corpse from a graveyard instead of Jeong Haseong...."

Giryeo was flustered by Brooklyn's attitude and questioned her.

However, the woman standing in front of him, with her hair all cut off, only swept her scalp and laughed loudly.

"Hahaha. A graveyard. It's not like I haven't thought of that, but it turns out that an awakened one's body is harder to find than you think."

He hated that he could sympathize with these words.

Giryeo closed his eyes tightly and composed his emotions. Even as he did, the American hunter continued to speak.

"…And, the word 'blessed' written on that EX-rank gate also included the meaning of 'fresh,' so corpses that had been dead for a long time were not considered as road materials."

"Brooklyn."

"So, in the end, I killed awakened ones as the most convenient Beast to supply corpses...."

"...."

"Actually, even if it wasn't that altar, I had a feeling that this day would come someday."

She muttered without any change in her expression. There were also remarks that were difficult for a third party to understand.

"I killed people. To be precise, quite a few awakened ones."

"That's right."

"But I don't feel guilty about this. What does it matter? After all, psychics always use magic as they please. So, I can do 'this' at least once, right?"

"Huh?"

"You didn't expect there to be no accidents when everyone in the world was given machine guns at random, did you?"

"That's…."

"Mana is like this. That's why I hate this mystery. As you can see, after psychics appeared, the world has become even more dog-like."

Instead of whining about just a few people, you should be grateful that I haven't killed every awakened one I see.

Brooklyn, who was spewing out sorcerer-hating sentences in a rough voice.

Giryeo, who heard this, looked like he had a lot to say, but in the end, he couldn't open his mouth. Now that he had not regained his peak strength, he did not have the power to refute other people's opinions carelessly.

"Anyway."

And at this time, when someone's stalling had only lasted about 3 minutes.

"Personally, I'm sad about this. Honestly, I didn't want to bother someone who lived so hard like Mr. Jeong either."

"Then let it go."

"But now, there's not much time left until I receive my gift. The road is all filled, and it's over if I put the 'most blessed corpse' that the altar last requested."

Brooklyn threw the beast mask she was holding onto the floor.

And she began to scan the man in front of her with a strange gaze.

"But for the S-ranks of Korea to enter this dungeon of all places. Especially Giryeo, it's such a waste."

"A waste?"

"I had marked you as a candidate for Beast."

The blonde man paused his actions at those words.

"A psychic whose lineage is unknown, and who is widely recognized as very strong. Oh… aren't those good conditions?"

As she said, Brooklyn Morgan had been keeping an eye on the usefulness of the hunter Kim Giryeo for a long time.

He was someone who, if things went well, could have the suspicion of being Beast pinned on him.

179cm.

The same eye level as her height without wearing high heels.

Similar physical conditions. A sophisticated silhouette. Mysticism.

And even the fact that, according to the registered computer system, they were both top-tier awakened ones.

"The time when an S-rank gate appeared in Japan was when I was the busiest since I was born. The guild demanded a lot."

"…."

"So, it was just a coincidence that I took a break from Beast activities. When I saw you participate in that raid, an idea suddenly came to mind. Actually, I was also pretending not to know English for fun while doing this role-playing. So, it wasn't impossible to put forward a Korean Beast."

Of course, no matter how shallow this method was, it would be no exception if it was caught by the British treasure, Justitia.

Brooklyn was just planning to subtly drive the atmosphere within the limits of what was not a problem.

Deliberately targeting the time when Koreans were sleeping to act.

Learning the [Binding] skill for a future operation.

She was planning to be satisfied with spreading rumors that Kim Giryeo might be Beast.

But today's encounter shattered all those plans.

Kim Giryeo and Beast.

They, who should not be in the same place, had faced each other head-on today.

"Besides, your past is also opaque, so you were a really good candidate for Beast."

She was trying to create a fake Nukelabi Killer.

So that's why she hesitated and didn't attack me at first!

Giryeo understood the series of situations. And at this moment, Brooklyn pulled up the mana in her body and activated one magic....

"Hmm."

Swoosh.

Following her simple gesture, her bare skin returned to normal.

A modernly styled golden bob. And clear, arched eyebrows.

Brooklyn perfectly regenerated the burns on her face and the body hair she had removed with a single gesture. Seeing this, Giryeo immediately recognized the secret of her innate spell formula.

'The process is crude!'

A power that crudely achieves what one desires without proper medical knowledge.

That's right. In fact, that is an act that can be called magic.

The moment Brooklyn saw her husband's corpse, she realized the spell formula to restore her body with the desire to bring him back.

And the yearning that had taken root in her mind because she had lived her whole life suppressing her violent personality.

That is, the longing for freedom led to the acquisition of teleportation.

Whether it was body recovery or space manipulation.

Brooklyn's awakening lineages were unfortunately all wasteful attributes that consumed a lot of costs.

Moreover, because she had realized a miracle by omitting all the principles that needed to be considered, that is, with no knowledge related to magic, the side effects that followed were even more severe.

No matter what skill she used, her mana consumption was twice as high as others.

In particular, if she used a spell formula related to healing on a place other than her own body, which she had barely managed to control, it could attach the wound in the wrong way and cause serious aftereffects.

"Since everything has been revealed anyway, I don't want to be in this form in front of you."

The wastefulness of fuel. And the individualistic spell formulas that could not be used in a sacrificial way.

But ironically, this magic hater was one of the most beloved people by mana in the world.

Her awakening power was slightly higher than even Jeong Haseong's.

[World Hunter Ranking]

[1. Brooklyn Morgan]

That's right. This ranking was a table that lined up the 'mana quantity' of the hunters that were revealed to the world.

So she was able to handle all these problems.

Like thousands of tons of water trapped in a dam, inside her body was a source of miracles that did not require refinement.

"-But since you've indulged me in this boring conversation so far. If you don't mind, would you answer my question as a reward, Giryeo?"

Clang.

Brooklyn grabbed her real equipment, the Battle Axe, with both hands, instead of the rapier for public use, and spoke to the man.

"What the hell did you do in the past?"

"...."

"How did you find out Beast's identity when you can't even follow one swing of my axe with your eyes?"

"...."

"Giryeo. What is your awakening attribute? Is it telekinesis? If so, can you use that binding that you used in Japan again now?"

But the conversation ended there.

Soon after, Brooklyn quickly whispered in a low, thick voice, like a human with a 'switch' turned on.

"No, no. That's enough. It's not worth listening to anymore… I should just kill that one and put him on the altar."

"Brooklyn?"

"That way, it'll be revealed right away whether he's an S-rank or a fraud."

What followed was the sound of an axe striking, like a well-ripened watermelon being split.

"You damn Asian. Who would think that you're not waiting for Ghang's support!"

Crack!

Immediately after, the American S-rank hunter, like a hungry beast, changed and charged with her weapon raised.

And naturally, there was no way for an F-rank to avoid this.

Ch 210: Ego Sword

Clang!

A series of booming sounds occurring in just a few seconds.

Brooklyn, as if cutting through thick old trees, swings her axe repeatedly, relentlessly pushing her opponent.

Of course, the Korean hunter, without a chance to resist, was thoroughly beaten like a piñata on sports day.

Where else could there be a battle with less tension than this?

'Ugh!'

Frankly, if it weren't for the Sacred Tree's blood, his neck would have been separated long ago.

Anyway, what good does changing the lung do?

His total mana is still F-rank, so now he's just breathing well while getting beaten up.

This might look like the item chosen by the Great Magician is withstanding the terrifying onslaught of an S-rank, but.

In reality, if you look inside, it's not a situation that can be interpreted so positively. Again, the 『Sacred Tree Sapling』 has a limit.

To put it in perspective, the limit is roughly equivalent to the durability of an S-rank Defense Type Hunter.

If an S-rank defense type were to be hit so hard that they would suffer fatal injuries and die, eventually the 『Protection』 would also lose its effectiveness.

'Damn it, at this rate, there's no solution!'

Pop!

Even if he opens the 『Surprise Box!』 in his pocket.

Even if he tries to take advantage of a small opening and suddenly pulls out the 『Hydra』, it's all futile in front of a real S-rank hunter.

"Kuh!"

Clang!

As Giryeo takes out a sword from his item box, the dark beast sneers and strikes his F-rank wrist.

Giryeo, as a result, helplessly drops the Hydra he was holding.

There's a saying that if you draw a sword, you should at least cut something. How could he end up like this without even swinging it once!

'No! My Hydra!'

Ting—.

Just as the man's long sword leaves a green trail and is thrown far away.

Brooklyn reveals her teeth and laughs like a beast.

"Haha."

This hopeless powerhouse has now even figured out her prey's weakness.

"You're so slow!"

Brooklyn's voice fills him with a moment of certainty.

Her second awakening attribute was activated immediately after this.

An absolute attack that ignores all defensive functions, as if truly tearing through dimensions.

The casting of 『Designated Incision』.

If he were to be hit directly by this, even with the barrier of the Sacred Tree, he would not be safe.

'This is bad!'

But this time, Giryeo also had a way to resist.

Just before Brooklyn's magic was completed, he applied some kind of treatment to her body.

—Crack!

Then, the incision technique that the Earthling was about to activate suddenly lost its power and crumbled helplessly.

"Huh?"

If even this hadn't worked, he would have tried to drown himself in a bowl of water. Fortunately, it went as expected.

Brooklyn Morgan, due to her innate awakening power, had the same problem as Jeong Haseong.

The enormous power that appeared overnight, like an ocean, naturally made it difficult to have delicate control.

A sorcerer who is not skilled in controlling magic usually experiences great confusion even if the mana in their body is shaken a little.

To put it simply.

When Brooklyn casts a skill, even if she loses a very small amount of mana in her body, her senses momentarily become distorted, and she shuts down the magic she is activating.

That's right. What Giryeo just used was the 『Mana Burn』 that he had completed for the first time since his reincarnation.

'Got it!'

The 『Mana Burn』 that the Alien Great Magician completed had a shocking damage output of only 0.35% compared to the Demilich's Soul Strike…

But this ridiculous manipulation was enough to interfere with Brooklyn.

Because Earthlings are more vulnerable to trivial things than one might think.

They entrust their heart muscles to a very minute current, and die due to just a few grams of potassium.

Perhaps the opponent's recovery magic could also be blocked with this method.

Brooklyn, seeing that her magic had been thwarted, was surprised and widened her eyes, but that good flow was only temporary.

"Cancel the skill…?"

The woman with a sophisticated appearance, contrary to her nickname "Beast," tilted her head and soon changed her tactics.

'I don't know what tricks he used, but that man's body is too tough. I can't tear him apart with skills like I did with Nukelabi.'

Once.

Just like the thought that a certain F-rank hunter had when looking at the Unfulfilled Malignancy.

'Then the answer is water.'

She was reminded that Kim Giryeo was a being who needed to breathe.

'That's right. You're right, Brooklyn. There's no need for a person to always do a half bath with their lower body.'

Thud!

Thud!

The American hunter mutters to herself and quickly seals the stone doors in this room.

Skill stones she had collected while raiding various dungeons.

And among them, the low-level technique 『Water Ball』, which she had been using quite well because it suited her talent by chance.

Brooklyn was planning to fill the entire dungeon room with water by repeating this auxiliary skill 'thousands of times.'

There are many gaps where the liquid can escape, but it doesn't matter. If there is wasted water, she can just consume more energy and pour more water.

Because she had lived a wild life for a long time, she could hold her breath longer than others. At least, she was less likely to drown first.

I don't know what kind of magic he used.

Would that blonde oriental man have prepared for a sudden immersion situation?

That's what she would find out now.

'This is bad…!'

The Beast suddenly stops her actions.

Giryeo, seeing the flow of internal mana that began to boil within her body, realizes something.

'Water attribute magic!'

The fact that the Beast was getting a running start for water torture.

Then, what should an F-rank hunter do in this situation?

The effect of the 『Sacred Tree Sapling』 only reduces physical impact.

If the Beast fills this room with water and tries to restrain him like a water snake with her own body, he would truly be unable to avoid drowning…!

'Oh my god. A being from a sea planet is about to die by water.'

If at least his companion regained consciousness, there might be a chance to change the situation, but the fallen Rank 1 was still not moving.

'Wait.'

But at this moment.

A red one-handed sword suddenly enters his sight.

In front of him, a monster called the Beast is preparing a major technique, and behind him, the owner of a legendary item is unconscious and collapsed…?

—Flap!

His hesitation was short.

Giryeo executed an idea that flashed through his mind. He approached the unconscious Rank 1 and snatched the sword that the young man was holding.

"Ha!"

Of course, the Beast snorted at this.

His posture for holding the sword is so clumsy, even if he were to hold a weapon sharp enough to cut through the skin of an S-rank, what could that slowpoke possibly do?

"Hoo…"

But contrary to expectations, Giryeo did not borrow Jeong Haseong's sword to swing it directly.

What followed was an immediate body modification using the F-rank mana he had scraped together.

Air flows through his lungs.

Kim Giryeo modified his body to be able to sense 'ultra-low frequencies in an audio range that Earthlings cannot hear.'

At the same time, he added transparent magic circles to both of his palms that could generate those waves themselves.

A technique he had prepared just in case since the day he first touched Jeong Haseong's sword.

Then, from now on, he just had to face the truth of a single weapon.

『…Anyway, you won't understand what I'm saying, so I don't know what this means… Sigh, anyway, how did I end up meeting such a pathetic owner, not even seeing a common low-grade magic stone…』

Mutter mutter mutter.

This is a sentence that Earthlings cannot interpret.

Because this sound, called the 'overlapping sound system,' which is impossible for even humans to imitate with their oral structure, was not an Earth language.

Giryeo, who had been listening quietly, firmly grasped the red sword and activated the effect of the makeshift magic circles he had created on his palms.

『Sob sob. My fate~ I have to grow old alone without a companion, it's so sad…』

『Hey.』

『I think it's sad…』

『Hey!』

『Oh my.』

That's right.

『Huh! What, is this animal talking to me right now? Um, excuse me, but can you hear my voice…?』

『Yes. I can hear you! I can hear you!』

In fact, an unimaginable truth was hidden in this red sword.

『Ooooooh!』

The identity of the Sunset Sword that Jeong Haseong carried around was, in fact, an Ego Sword, commonly appearing in legends.

A sword with a will of its own!

[Note: Language used ━ Alpha Uri Language]

However, there was a slightly fatal flaw for it to be used on Earth.

◈◈◈

『What is a Legendary item?』

This is a new item classification stage that began to appear recently, and they were finicky items that all of Earth's top appraisers had declared impossible to analyze.

So, with Legendary-grade items, the only way was for the owner to find out how to use them by experiencing it in actual combat.

One day.

The true value of the treasure was first revealed in Connecticut in the northeastern United States.

An unidentified black book with a complex branch pattern like a decaying World Tree intertwined on its cover.

It was another legendary treasure held by the government of the United States of America.

The actual owner of this item, in order to find out the ability of the magic tool, repeated dungeon raids and accidentally activated its function.

Like the discovery of penicillin, the American unexpectedly uttered the activation words required by the book while talking to a friend.

And the result of this was truly shocking.

He had only spoken a certain word, but an exit suddenly appeared in front of the raiders who were eating sandwiches.

—Woo woo woo.

A type II dungeon where the clear judgment is only given after all the monsters in the nest are defeated.

And a suddenly appearing exit.

The American hunter, having compiled all the information, was shocked.

"Oh, my god!"

In fact, this was a situation that occurred because the light emitted by the book had killed all the monsters within a 1km radius.

Thus, the American Legendary item was given the grand title of 『Book of Annihilation』.

For example, like the Pyromancer Necklace.

This item took time to recharge its energy after using its power, so it took a lot of effort to figure out the exact incantation.

The grade limit of the monsters that can be annihilated, the cooldown time, and other things.

No matter what penalty was attached to it, the value of that rare artifact was worthy of being revered as a legend.

So people had been subtly speculating that Haseong's sword would have some great ability.

But they would never have guessed that the hidden secret was of this kind.

『Master, today's weather is cold and it is expected to rain. But even if I tell you this, I know you're going to go out without any preparation, so I don't know why I'm always doing this. Right?』

The Sunset Sword was a magic tool that could actually communicate with its owner!

In a way, this was a case where the indifference of the alien creatures that created the gates had an effect.

They would roughly throw down treasures that they thought were good in order to lure Earthlings.

But they didn't go through a delicate consideration, so there were often cases where magic tools appeared in a form that Earthlings could not use.

'Come to think of it, the time when they made these experimental works in Alpha Uri was exactly the year when I massacred them.'

But now, finally, a person who could use the function of this Ego Sword has appeared.

His possessed mana is F-rank.

Moreover, a man with no individuality whose strength was at best enough to open a stuck sauce container, was the right person to wield a legendary sword…

◈◈◈

『Yippeeeeee! Oh my god! Finally, someone who can hear my voice! Finally! I'm so happy!』

Shaking shaking shaking.

The Sunset Sword expresses its happiness to the fullest, even vibrating its body.

But, contrary to this, I was sweating profusely with a stiff face.

There was a reason why I hadn't stolen and used Haseong's sword until now.

'Alpha Uri's failed experiment…!'

When I couldn't fix my lungs, I couldn't cast the body modification magic to use when communicating with this.

Right after obtaining the dragon's organ, I was worried that I would be suspected of using an artifact that Earthlings could not use.

And now, I'm reluctant to use it because I'm afraid of the side effects that this experimental work will cause.

But, even so, I didn't let go of the legendary sword.

Whether it's sturdy or rotten, the Beast is growling right in front of me, so I have to grab onto any lifeline, right?

'Damn it!'

Even in this instant, Brooklyn was pulling up mana to fill the room with water.

That awakened one is capable of reattaching a severed arm in one breath, so a few seconds of opening like this might seem unconscious.

There is no sense of crisis.

The opponent is now not even thinking about the possibility of her being instantly killed.

So, this would be the first and last chance for the weak.

'If I can't kill her in one go, I'll die!'

Ugh.

I hurriedly entered the incantation while firmly gripping the Sunset Sword.

『Hey! Forget it, do that thing. That thing!』

『I didn't hear you correctly?』

『You know, the thing you're best at. Do it right now, quickly!』

『Ah ha.』

Since it has come to this, it's all or nothing.

『Okay! Then, I will use the magic that is registered as the first priority in my memory…』

[Warning: The starting mana required for execution is insufficient. If you ignore this and execute the function, the user's]

『Ignore and forcefully execute.』

[Warning: Are you sure you want to execute-]

『Yeah. It's okay, hurry up!』

Even if it's an experimental magic tool, it wouldn't kill its owner, right? Right?

Ch 211: Ego Sword （2）

I tightly closed my eyes.

Then, what I felt was a burning sensation rising up my palm.

But it wasn't a real burning sensation caused by actual heat.

This was merely the intense pain caused by the superior magical tool called the Sunset Sword, which was sucking the mana from my body down to the bone marrow, being expressed as a sensation of heat through the safety device embedded in my nerves.

'I knew it.'

But ironically, this was a good sign.

It meant that the Alpha Uri Ego Sword was carrying out its orders without any problems.

In other words, it meant that the stored magic activation hadn't been canceled.

I'm sorry to say this to any fire sorcerer, but I was actually given a new lease on life thanks to the fact that the Earthlings didn't know how to use this.

Most Ego Swords have a function that slowly absorbs and stores the owner's mana, and since its original owner was none other than Jeong Haseong, wouldn't the amount of basic mana accumulated over time be enormous?

What the Ego Sword possessed was the new type of magic from Alpha Uri that was close to modern times, so it didn't take long for the results to appear.

Gasp!

Just as a fleeting white light flickered on the red blade.

Brooklyn, finally noticing the anomaly, tensed the muscles in her legs, but even a person born with the best talent on Earth was, in the broad view, a primitive in madohak.

━Flash!

The magic that the Ego Sword invoked was in the realm of mystery for them. There was no way even Beast could avoid this.

Soon after, an intense light erupted from the center of the sword.

A flash that would turn even a beast at the top of the food chain into ashes.

This was how the Alpha Uri people created convenient weapons so that even those who were unskilled in magic could end a creature's life with a single word.

"...!"

Whoosh!

The black beast that had plunged the world into fear was engulfed in the magic of that destructive planet and instantly died.

The smell of burning. The stench of blood.

A truly gentle destruction that didn't even leave behind such unpleasant traces.

With a shabby appearance of my arms trembling from not being able to bear the weight of the sword, this was a result close to a siege magic. Anyway, the technology is good.

This was truly a victory for Alpha Uri madohak.

━Fwoosh.

The sword's potential far exceeded the Earthlings' wildest guesses.

If I were in my prime, I would have leisurely enjoyed the process of Beast's body crumbling, but…

'This weak body.'

As expected, an F-rank trash has poor dynamic visual acuity.

When I opened my closed eyelids, the enemy in front of me had already disappeared without a trace. Beast had lost her body after being hit by the Sunset Sword's selective homing missile.

But perhaps because the caster's resources were so limited, the size of the magic was modified to be smaller than the base, and a part of her body was outside of the range.

'Was it on the left?'

Upon closer inspection, a limb of the enemy, presumed to be hers, was lying on the dungeon floor.

It was a miserable sight, with even the gloves that had been protecting her skin completely burned off just from being indirectly exposed to the light.

She died leaving only her hand behind.

Come to think of it, this seems to be the first time I've directly finished off an Earthling. Frankly, I have to say that the Sunset Sword and the mana of Jeong Haseong contained within did all the work, so I didn't feel much of an emotion about it.

'Hmm.'

Anyway, is it resolved?

A sudden sense of relief washed over me as I escaped the fear of losing a future hero and even facing death myself.

Since Brooklyn Morgan was quite a famous S-rank hunter, the chaos that would ensue would definitely not be small… No, honestly, is this my fault?

I didn't want to kill anyone! But what could I do? No matter how I thought about it, just now, the only way out of the crisis was to activate the Sunset Sword. At this point, even her home country, the United States, would nod and acknowledge it as self-defense.

Then, I guess the others can take care of filling the void left by Brooklyn.

'I don't know.'

It was then.

A glint of some object caught my eye.

A jewel cut in a complex structure and a silver casting. A ring.

'Oh, an accessory worn by an S-rank hunter!'

I felt a momentary interest in the object that was on someone's left ring finger.

But this interest turned into disappointment in just a few seconds.

An ordinary cubic ring.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a magical tool but an Earth-style piece of jewelry that didn't contain a single speck of mana.

'Tch.'

Anyway, there's no gain until the end.

I tried to use the 『Imitation City』 to pick up the corpse, but instead, I almost became a corpse myself. And now, I'm forced to speak the Alpha Uri language again, which I hated so much.

I can't help but laugh.

You could say I was careless.

If the suspicion that Beast was a murderer who collected corpses was true, then I should have guessed that the opponent could also be looking for an opportunity in this special gate.

'I was short-sighted.'

Right. After thinking about it slowly, it's also largely my fault.

Of course, the biggest mistake was made by Brooklyn Morgan, who died anyway, but still, who was that madwoman trying to save so desperately that she caused this international mess?

'That left hand and the ring without mana will disappear when the dungeon resets, so there's no need to risk retrieving it.'

An unfortunate childhood.

A lack of human relationships.

Or maybe it's just a genetic problem.

Villains who commit murder usually have their own reasons for their crimes, but…

Personally, I didn't want to go through the past of the person who tried to kill me and Haseong.

In the first place, even if I wanted to, it would be impossible.

Beast died without even being able to utter a common death cry, turning into dust.

I probably won't be able to know Beast's circumstances for the rest of my life.

The madwoman's story, like the past of some great magician, will remain in the labyrinth and the unknown. That's all there is to it.

'Ha.'

…But by the way, am I reaching my limit?

━Thud.

My knees buckle momentarily.

I jabbed the Sunset Sword into the ground to prevent my body from falling headfirst.

But Kim Giryeo's body, with its center of gravity thrown off, couldn't even properly lean on the support, and completely collapsed to the floor on one knee.

It was an expected result, but this is a bit too close for comfort.

'Cough.'

Actually.

I haven't been able to breathe at all since right after Brooklyn collapsed.

This was because I had fallen into a severe mana burn state, where all the mana circulating in my lungs had evaporated…

I didn't even get hit by a mana burn, so why am I suddenly like this!

『New Master-nim! Are you okay? New Master-nim! New Master-nim!』

I rolled my bloodshot eyes and stared in the direction of the sound.

There, the sword with its own consciousness was vibrating slightly to express itself.

First of all.

Thanks to the mana that Jeong Haseong had accumulated sufficiently, the basic functions of the sword were safely activated, but…

Just like how your shoulder would dislocate if you swung a greatsword that didn't suit you, I tried to handle the Ego Sword with my weak body, and I ended up having difficulty breathing.

The power of the light emitted by the Ego Sword followed Haseong's mana, but…

My mana had to pull the trigger.

Since it was closely related to the air, a sorcerer's lungs were surprisingly an organ where mana could easily run out locally. If the mana completely runs out, the organs would fail to function like this.

'Hmm.'

Still, not everything from my head to my toes was burned. As long as life support was maintained, a magician could get out of this state on their own, but…

The problem was the natural recovery of my lungs, where the mana had become zero.

'How many minutes can an Earthling not breathe before they die?'

The possibility that it would be slower than my body suffocating.

This is why I didn't want to use a legendary item recklessly.

'Aish, seriously, I should set a date and go see my fortune sometime in the future. Damn it. Anyway, whether it's my body or my soul that's the problem. What is it about me that every time I go out after reincarnating…'

Mutter mutter.

I deliberately changed my thoughts to forget about the impending suffocation. Then, my mind was filled with various worries.

Thinking about it, now that I've taken care of Brooklyn, is there any need to wait for Kang Changho? Rather, if I get caught doing what I did here, it's obvious that a second incident would be triggered, so shouldn't I quickly get out and pretend to be fine?

And if what that American psycho said was true.

If a dungeon that demands human corpses has appeared somewhere in this world.

This, along with the appearance of the 『Scenario Gate』, is definitely not a good sign.

Perhaps the Gishimche have already started taking their next step.

'By the way, should I be thankful that they're a species that doesn't usually stare at their own dinner table? If they did, I wouldn't have been able to use the Sunset Sword because I'd be too conscious of their gaze…'

As I was having all sorts of thoughts, my lungs finally started to move.

'Oh!'

Hiss.

Fortunately, mana recovery was achieved before someone crossed the Yodangang.

The air of Earth that I met again after about 1 minute and 56 seconds.

The atmospheric molecules that I'm meeting after a long time feel so refreshing. Besides, I haven't wasted too much time, so let's clean up and get out of here now.

'Let's see. The direction of the South Korean exit that I came in from was definitely…'

Clang.

I stood up, picking up the Ego Sword, which I had been using as a support until now.

And I turned around to retrieve the Earthling who was probably knocked out.

Then, what I saw was a black-haired man lying on the ground, with his eyes open, staring at me.

"...."

"...."

Jeong Haseong had regained consciousness.

'Oh my god, you scared me.'

No, if you woke up, you should have made a sound.

◈◈◈

3 a.m.

Haseong, who was lying in bed, opened his eyes due to a familiar discomfort.

It wasn't anything particularly serious.

This S-rank hunter often had trouble sleeping due to the worries and anxieties he felt from time to time.

He was curious about the symptoms he was experiencing after a long time and started his day early.

As someone advised, his first meal was a proper Korean meal, not a simple one.

4 a.m.

Jeong Haseong puts on his gear and prepares to go out.

Since he was the type who couldn't fall back asleep once he woke up in the middle.

Since I'm already awake, I thought I might as well do the dungeon pre-exploration that the government had requested early.

That huge other world that came to be called the 『Imitation City』 was just big. The level of the enemies that appeared were D to C rank.

The top-ranked hunters couldn't be threatened by them.

Haseong had set out on his dawn exploration with a light heart, as if he were going for a walk.

Of course, even at this hour, he expected that there would be other hunters inside the dungeon.

It was the time when people in Korea were sleeping, but given the nature of the round Earth, wouldn't there be office workers actively doing their daytime work somewhere right now?

4:48 a.m.

The fire sorcerer of Korea stepped into the problematic dungeon without any particular thoughts.

But the events that followed were, as you saw, a series of completely unagreed-upon scenes.

"Huh?"

A beast that smelled an S-rank rushed over.

A battle axe tore through the air.

He used a skill to stop it, but Jeong Haseong's personality was, in fact, benevolent and weak.

Even though the weight of the protein he had burned so far was easily in the tons, he was the type who couldn't do the same to his own kind.

His body was cut, and his legs were broken.

Jeong Haseong was flustered by the first fight between S-rank hunters that he had ever experienced, and eventually collapsed on the spot. Despite his skills, he was almost unilaterally defeated by Beast.

"Kuh!"

But what do you know.

If it had been normal, the current incident would have ended with the death of a good person, but…

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

A series of noises, as if hard leather shoes were hitting the hallway, echoed.

And Jeong Haseong witnessed the image of a certain man through the droplets of blood that burst from his wounds.

Bright hair that instantly revealed its presence even within the other world that was shrouded in darkness.

"Kim… Hunter-nim."

It was Kim Giryeo.

The fourth S-rank of Korea was here.

It's 4 a.m. now.

It's 4 a.m. in the morning.

How did that person get here?

…Why?

The thought didn't last long.

Perhaps it was because he relaxed after seeing the ally who appeared, or perhaps it was just that his brain couldn't handle the bleeding. He couldn't maintain his consciousness any longer.

When his lost consciousness returned.

An unbelievable scene unfolded before Haseong's eyes.

A certain blonde awakened one was quietly kneeling in the distance, holding a sword as red as blood.

Ch 212: Ego Sword （3）

A hollowed-out wall. Mana scattered haphazardly all around.

It wasn't hard to deduce that Kim Giryeo had fought with Beast.

If I were to list other evidence, there would be no end to the blatant traces they left behind.

But something was off.

It was because the surviving blonde man looked strangely pristine.

Beast. To have faced such a monster and not have a single scratch on his body.

The only flaw one could find on that fortress-like hunter was the wrinkles on his suit caused by the intense movements.

"....."

Haseong focused his eyes to correct his blurry vision.

After blinking a few times, his mind cleared up.

'Ah....'

It wasn't long before Haseong realized that this wasn't the first time his consciousness had returned.

Like when a drum full of objects is struck.

Or like when a steel hammer hits concrete.

Or like the vibrations that resemble human footsteps echoing on a building's emergency staircase.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

He had definitely heard many loud noises while he was collapsed.

At the time, he didn't have the strength to open his eyelids, so he just helplessly received the auditory information.

Thinking back, the loud noises he heard then must have been the sound of S-rank weapons clashing against each other. It was already proven by various physical evidence that they fought while he was unconscious.

Clang!

Then how intense was the fight between Kim Giryeo and Beast?

It was a fierce burst of sound that covered up the previous one before it could even crumble.

"Hoo."

In reality, what Jeong Haseong heard wasn't the sound of strong people competing, but an alien being brutally assaulted.

'Since it wasn't the sound of flesh being torn, but only the sound of blunt weapons. Does that mean that hunter blocked all of Beast's attacks....?'

It was difficult for the hero, who had been closing his eyes, to know the truth.

So, Haseong solidified his misunderstanding while looking at Giryeo's back.

That blonde hunter was indeed a highly skilled individual.

A battle against the unprecedentedly strong individual who split Nukelabi in half and killed it.

But the man kneeling in the distance was just silent for a moment as if cooling down his body. Even looking again, there were no noticeable wounds.

This was undoubtedly his overwhelming victory.

"...!"

But then.

The man, who hadn't moved, finally showed some action.

The man, who took a deep breath of air and slowly swelled his chest, then repeated something similar to a deep breath, stood up from his spot.

━Swoosh.

The S-rank hunter, holding the 『Sunset Sword』, straightened his crooked tie with his other hand and walked towards them.

And wouldn't you know it, he said something similar to his previous offer to the collapsed Haseong.

"Can't get up? Should I help you?"

It was clear that a different person had experienced hearing this line.

Haseong thought that this situation was somehow familiar after seeing Giryeo's actions. And the reason came to his mind in less than a few seconds.

"I'm fine… Thank you."

Because he had experienced the exact same situation in the past.

A S-rank hunter collapsed miserably and the gaze of the opponent looking down at that hero.

Kim Giryeo spoke in the same calm tone as when he slammed the Rank 1 into the ground with a metal incense burner.

Honestly, back then, that person just felt like an unfathomable weirdo, but now that I've come this far, I understand.

━It's all for you.

The fourth S-rank of Korea had always been telling the truth.

Even under the adverse condition of hiding his rank under the Association's orders, and even though it was obvious that he would be met with hostility from the other side.

The opponent always showed altruistic actions.

Stopping the Rank 1 from self-deprecating and not holding back on direct words.

Going to the top-ranked gate in Japan instead of someone who should protect Korea.

Or his arm.

His arm....

"…I can get up by myself."

Haseong, lost in complex thoughts, put his hand on the ground and got up.

His muscles were finally moving as he wanted, probably because the recovery had progressed quite a bit.

He stood up with difficulty, staggering in place, and Giryeo, seeing this, spoke.

Just in case, let's get out of here quickly. He urged them to leave this dungeon quickly.

"Yes."

And a few minutes later.

Around the time they reached the gate connected to Korea.

"Wait."

Giryeo suddenly stopped walking.

"Come to think of it, there's something I need to tell you."

At this, the Rank 1 hunter of Korea also stopped moving and focused on the conversation.

"More accurately, it's a request. Jeong Haseong. Could you keep this a secret if we go outside?"

"If it's about this…"

"Just everything from beginning to end. We didn't see anything in this dungeon. Let's say we were just investigating the dungeon and happened to meet inside, and then we left the gate without any gains."

He wants them to keep quiet about meeting Beast itself.

For reference, the reason Kim Giryeo made such a statement was because he was worried about Kang Changho's misconduct.

How could a human skill stone sneak into the dungeon during the early morning hours? And even fight an overseas S-rank inside?

If the truth were to be revealed, maintaining the contract wouldn't be easy.

"Haseong-a, honestly, I saved your life this time. Right? So you can grant me this much, right?"

Giryeo reminded the witness that he had done him a favor and demanded silence.

But this offer sounded quite different to Jeong Haseong. The hero didn't know about the contract that the fourth S-rank had.

'Well, if it gets out that he's the hunter who killed Beast....'

The world would become noisy as if it were on fire.

Kim Giryeo was trying to cover up the incident because he didn't want to attract the attention of the international community.

Haseong nodded with a certain misunderstanding. Either way, he was in favor of covering up the matter.

Clearly, the starting point of the fight was the beast's unprovoked attack.

But this incident involved as many as three huge human resources, S-rank awakened ones, so if Beast's death were revealed, the Koreans here would be caught up in a long and arduous interrogation.

By that time, the legitimacy would not be very important.

There was also a chance that Kim Giryeo would be reprimanded for murder.

"Hoo."

Jeong Haseong was a rare altruist, but he wasn't generous enough to cover up even the psychopath who tried to kill him.

So, he soon accepted Giryeo's proposal to remain silent about the beast's death.

"I understand. I will do that."

"Thank you."

"And to hide that we fought here.... I think we need to get our bodies in order…."

"That's right. I was just about to say that. If it's okay, let's recover sufficiently in this corner before going back to Korea."

Peace came soon after.

Jeong Haseong, following Giryeo's lead, leaned against a pillar near the exit and began to quench his thirst with the high-grade recovery potion left in his item box.

After drinking a few sips of the potion, he slightly raised his head.

"Excuse me...."

What followed was a short question.

"But there's one thing I'd like to ask...."

"What."

"…How exactly did you use my sword?"

Even at this moment, the red equipment was quietly held by the hunter looking down at him.

The reason Haseong fully regained consciousness was actually because the unidentified flash that burned Beast to death was the stimulant.

Therefore, he had a fairly clear memory of the scene where light burst out from the 『Sunset Sword』.

Since most of the other processes were a mystery, he soon asked a question.

"And what kind of ability was it? I was out of it, but I intuitively felt that Kim Hunter-nim used the sword's function."

To this, Giryeo answered.

"I don't know."

Of course, it was a lie.

The identity of the hero's legendary was a mado tool based on Alpha Uri language. So, how could he reveal the truth here?

『Yahoo~!』

『It's been a while since I used mana, so all the accumulated rust has fallen off! Master! Let's fight again!』

『And if it's not rude, would you give me a name this time? I don't want much, just something simple yet fancy, classic yet modern.』

Your Sunset Sword is actually a sword with a talkative and frivolous personality.

And I was an alien being who knew the ego sword's native language, so I was able to utilize the sword's function.

Even though it was just a few words of explanation, a certain man couldn't bring himself to say it.

It was practically the Achilles' heel of his soul.

"I don't know either. I just swung the sword and the light burst out. I'm sorry, but I don't know the activation conditions or the exact effect at all..."

So, Giryeo had no choice but to vaguely explain the situation just now.

But the other party's reaction to this was unexpected.

'-He doesn't know himself. I, on the other hand, could tell just by looking at it.'

The national hero, who was resting against the wall, thought quietly.

His expression was stiff and his eyes were serious, as if he had realized something.

For an Earthling to have figured something out. But how, when the Alpha Uri language was completely out of his hearing range?

'As expected of the Sunset Sword.'

A moment later.

Around the time someone awkwardly rolled their eyes.

'...It must have been a sword that tests qualifications.'

Haseong closed his eyelids and thought calmly.

Was it called Excalibur?

Like that sword stuck in a rock waiting for its owner.

A steel sword that could not be wielded by anyone who was not the chosen one. Treasures whose potential differed depending on the user were not uncommon in Earth's traditions.

So, appraisers once considered the possibility that there might be some ability-related conditions required to use it.

'It's been proven today.'

It seems I didn't have the capacity to wield that sword.

Haseong made a hollow expression as he lightly gargled with the recovery potion in his mouth.

This guy couldn't awaken the Sunset Sword even after carrying it around for two years, but Kim Giryeo used its function just by borrowing it for a short time.

'Haa.'

A misunderstanding that the alien could not have imagined.

Haseong assumed that the change in the 『Sunset Sword』 was due to the difference in power between Kim Giryeo and himself.

Moreover, Jeong Haseong didn't elaborate on the thoughts he had just had. He just swallowed the recovery potion and made a suggestion in a bitter tone.

"That sword. Should I just give it to Kim Hunter-nim?"

A shocking statement that he would give away a treasure of the same grade as the 『Book of Annihilation』 for free.

If a real S-rank hunter was standing in this spot, anyone would have bowed down in gratitude, but Giryeo showed a rather lukewarm reaction to Haseong's suggestion.

"Uh, no.... I don't need it..."

It's already heavy enough since it's made of special metal, and why would I want that kind of murder weapon （Self） that causes suffocation even if it's activated once...?

With an F-rank body, he couldn't properly wield the Sunset Sword.

Even if he planned to steal a high-rank body in the future, there were plenty of reasons for an alien to refuse.

"Are you refusing because you feel burdened?"

"No. It's just that I really don't like using blades."

To refuse a legendary just because it was a weapon he didn't prefer.

He was not an ordinary person after all. With that, Haseong nodded at Giryeo's answer and once again acknowledged the other's extraordinary nature.

But unlike the Rank 1's smooth reaction, Giryeo began to sweat cold sweat as he mulled over the other party's suggestion.

'But, why does this guy keep talking about swords since a while ago...?'

Did he perhaps notice that he defeated Beast through a trick?

Or did he witness the tearful scene where he was unilaterally beaten by Brooklyn without being able to lift a finger?

It was unsettling.

If you cut off the explanation and suddenly say you're going to give away a legendary, from Giryeo's point of view, it would feel like it meant, 'You weakling, you need this much to keep yourself alive'.

'Did I get caught after all! Has it been revealed that I'm a fraud?'

Tremble.

But if the fact that he faked his rank was really revealed, there was no way that Jeong Haseong, the victim of the fraud, would have reacted so calmly.

If he asked too many questions, things could get worse, so it was ambiguous to open his mouth carelessly.

So, the only thing he could do right now was to put the item he had stolen without permission back in its place.

Swoosh.

Giryeo held the sword handle in reverse to return the weapon to its owner.

『Ehhh? Are you throwing me away? Are you throwing me away after just a few minutes? No! That blockhead can't even understand what I'm saying! No, no, no, no, noooooo━!』

Even at this moment, the ego sword's words were constantly flowing into his modified semicircular canals.

Giryeo didn't react to the sword's screams.

Because this was an artificial object.

No matter how loudly it talked, it was not a being with a soul after all.

『I'll do well! I'll work hard too! New master! Please, at least look at my beautiful voice...!』

An old-fashioned artificial intelligence made by Alpha Uri.

Did Giryeo feel some kind of nostalgia when he saw it?

The blonde man looked at the sword for a moment with a somehow deepened gaze, and then a familiar native language was created from the magic circle on his palm.

『Wave. White. Current.』

『-Keyword input confirmed. Currently in administrator mode.-』

『Based on the remaining stored mana traces in the cylinder, the owner will be set. And from now on, when the owner's physical damage exceeds 80%, automatic counterattack will be executed.』

『-Using this function will increase resource absorption. Would you still like to turn it on….』

『Yes.』

『-Confirmed-』

『Additionally, ego sword's general conversation setting OFF.』

『-Confirmed-』

『Adjustment completed.』

『-Returning to basic mode.-』

Until now, he couldn't speak his home language because his lungs were damaged. He hesitated to use the sword for various reasons, such as it not being his own item, or being afraid that a clue that he was an alien would leak out.

Now that things had turned out this way, there was no need to be coy.

Giryeo slightly manipulated the basic settings of the legendary item.

So that the owner wouldn't think it was too strange, and yet, somehow, he could naturally protect that hero.

'Later, if he asks why the function suddenly changed, I'll just say that it seems like something was awakened by Beast's influence.'

He was already running out of mana again after just saying a few words.

Giryeo, feeling his lungs constrict, left a final message for the sword.

『I'm sorry that a talkative guy like you ended up with such a taciturn owner. But this is your role, so what can you do. So....』

To talk to an object as if it were a person.

Even if it was a machine that clumsily imitated a living being, was having feelings for it a common trait unique to intelligent beings?

『Please protect Jeong Haseong for a long time to come.』

『…』

『That's a good soul.』

Giryeo said that and returned the adjusted sword to Haseong, and just before the sword handle left his hand, the sword blade trembled slightly and gave some kind of answer.

『I didn't understand well. Please repeat the sentence exactly.』

Well, that's what you'd expect from a cheap artificial intelligence.

Ch 213: Ego Sword （4）

Kim Giryeo and Jeong Haseong emerged from the gate.

They looked as composed as when they entered the dungeon, their clothes perfectly in place.

A sloppy mess made by applying recovery potions on the outside. But even this was enough to avoid scrutiny from the guards watching the gate.

Haseong, with his upper body covered by the only undamaged 『White Scale Armor』, walked out with a slouch.

"Ah, right."

However, just as they parted ways with the association staff who had seen them off.

Giryeo stopped Haseong, who was about to go home, and they talked for a moment.

"Haseong-a, but why did you come to the dungeon at 4 AM anyway?"

"Huh?"

"Are you still going to die if you don't work these days? Isn't it time for you to go to a sanatorium again?"

Of course, the reaction he got back was an ambiguous, lukewarm one, neither affirmative nor negative.

"Are you asking me that question when you were here before me…?"

Haseong was genuinely flustered.

At the same time, he instantly understood how he had been seen by others.

He had never really gotten a sense of it until he was put in someone else's shoes. A hunter going out to raid in the early morning breeze…

Yeah. It definitely looks pretty weird from a third-party perspective. It also made him feel genuinely concerned about his health.

But he wasn't supposed to be like this originally; he just woke up early and couldn't help but come out.

"Hmm."

Wasn't Kim Giryeo Hunter just staying in that dungeon as if he had planned it…?

It wasn't hard to tell that the other party had come to work with a purpose.

The savior who had rescued him had appeared, wrapped in the musty smell of the cave, as if he had been inside that dungeon for hours.

'A dungeon-raiding machine…'

Kim Giryeo Hunter didn't even have a change of expression at this very moment while they were talking.

Haseong didn't show it much, but inside, he felt a sense of alienation that made his back feel cold.

The Beast's attack.

And maintaining his composure even after experiencing all these stimulating events, including killing the enemy after the battle.

Is he even human?

The cold nickname of 'machine' is more suitable for that kind of hunter.

'....'

Haseong was observing the other party's reaction and organizing his thoughts alone. At that moment, the problematic blonde thought to himself.

'My hands are still trembling. Ugh, scary… As soon as I get home today, I'm going to lock the doors and not come out from under the blanket.'

As you can see, Giryeo was actually terrified and in no state to care about his expression.

Frankly, killing an Earthling wasn't a big deal for a Great Magician who had taken many lives with his own hands.

Brooklyn, who had rushed in as if to tear apart the 『Protection』 effect of the Sacred Tree.

The imposing mana of an S-rank hunter. His slow limbs that wouldn't move as he wanted.

The situation just now was definitely enough to drive an alien into fear.

That's why this man had maintained a stiff, expressionless face until now.

"…I was sorry before."

"Hmm?"

A situation that looked like a cold-blooded side to a third party.

Haseong, who was fixing the returned 『Sunset Sword』 in its holder, lowered his gaze.

"When I didn't know anything, I used to criticize Kim Giryeo Hunter-nim for not fulfilling any of his obligations. I even said he was so selfish."

"Uh."

"Looking back now, those were really presumptuous words."

"That's...."

"Kim Giryeo Hunter-nim was the kind of person who went out on raids even at this early hour."

Sirens. Kagoshima. And even today's incident.

The National Hero mulled over the things the hunter standing next to him had solved, and raised the corners of his lips.

It was a rather complex smile that also showed remorse.

"Do you know that I've been living much more comfortably thanks to you these days, Hunter-nim?"

Jeong Haseong said that and raised his head.

The shadows that had fallen on the young man's face had already receded.

"Come to think of it, Kim Hunter-nim's gate raid scores are generally low. But seeing that you start your hunter-related work from dawn…"

"Huh?"

"You must be busy doing other important things that the nation asks you to do."

For some reason, Giryeo tightly closed his mouth and remained silent.

"I think I know why you were always so worried about me. Meeting another hunter in the early morning makes me think a lot."

"...."

"I hope you don't overdo it too much, Kim Hunter-nim."

But even though he didn't get an answer from the other party, Jeong Haseong continued to speak as if that was the case.

"Anyway, thank you for saving me today. Really, thank you always."

Haseong expressed his gratitude several times, saying that he had been saved by Giryeo.

He also made a self-deprecating criticism of his own skills.

He was flustered by the sudden attack, but how could he have been so unilaterally defeated even after using the highest-grade potions?

At this rate, even after all the classes to transfer know-how are over, wouldn't it be impossible to team up with that person?

"Haha...."

As he said that, Haseong was sweating cold sweat without realizing it, due to the rising anxiety.

But the teacher's reaction was indifferent.

It wasn't because this Fire Sorcerer lacked skills that he lost.

The Alien Great Magician decided to directly address his disciple's small weakness, taking today's events as a lesson.

And some time later.

The weekend returned.

Giryeo said that they should try a different kind of practice in this class than usual.

He said he didn't know you were so weak in one-on-one battles, and came up with a new curriculum.

"Huh?"

The method of overcoming weaknesses that the Great Magician prepared was to practice burning people.

He thought that you had lost because you had a weak disposition that prevented you from harming your compatriots.

In the future, in order to gain an advantage in duels with the Awakened Ones, he suggested reducing the aversion to using abilities.

And the target for this training would naturally be the body of a certain sanpaku-eyed man.

"Now you're telling me to use my abilities against Kim Giryeo Hunter-nim."

Hearing that, Haseong expressed his refusal with a face that had turned half-pale.

But his will, as always, didn't have much of an impact on the class.

"Then what, are you going to just stand there and get beaten up if some crazy human like the Beast rushes at you next time?"

Giryeo wanted to make sure to teach Haseong how to protect himself this time.

"Excuse me, but I think Kim Giryeo Hunter-nim doesn't know that this isn't normal…!"

"I know."

"Huh?"

"Now I know everything and I'm still making you do it?"

And so, Jeong Haseong was forced to overcome his weaknesses in a very rough way, unable to resist the instructor's intimidation.

The alien creature watched the Fire Sorcerer, who was now able to burn people, and sent him a satisfied compliment.

It was a somewhat twisted form, but it was his way of taking care of his disciple.

◈◈◈

Monday returned.

"Hmm."

A time when others were busy going to work. I finished preparing an early lunch, putting the simple homemade meal I had just made on a small table.

As you can see from this, I have safely returned to my daily life.

Since Kang Changho hadn't woken up yet, I had cleaned up the incident, so I wasn't questioned.

The evidence of the battle would also have been completely destroyed by the dungeon reset time of 6:30 AM, so all the problems I was worried about had been resolved.

From now on, all I have to do is rest and avoid getting caught up in unnecessary accidents.

'Somehow, it seems like something unfortunate happens when I try to get something.'

Of course, it's a shame that I didn't achieve my intended goal, but since I've already acquired the lung, I'll have plenty of time from now on.

I can think more about how to get the corpse later.

And so, I decided to stay home and continue making the dummy to deceive the contractor.

『Breaking News.』

The 8th day of the lunar month returned.

To be precise, it was about 24 hours after Brooklyn's death.

Around this time, breaking news announcing the clear of the 『Imitation City』 was playing on the phone I had turned on, but frankly, I didn't feel much about it.

『… The Imitation City was a method where the boss monster appeared when a specific trap was broken.』

'Right. It's only a C-rank dungeon. There's no way it wouldn't be cleared if the Earthlings tried hard.'

That dungeon had a special escape system called 'transfer,' so when the boss died, it forcibly returned all the raiders inside the dungeon to the outside. In short, it caused a transfer that had only been shown in a certain gate called the 『White Tower』, etc.

The announcer celebrated the safe raid of the gate and poured out all sorts of information, but in the end, the whereabouts of the Beast were not mentioned anywhere.

'Brooklyn Morgan.'

However.

'Hmm.'

No matter how quiet it is right now, there is definitely someone in this world who knows about Brooklyn's death.

'Are they hiding the information…?'

Because Brooklyn Morgan had a 『Knight's Oath』 of unknown content on her body.

'The spell formula is a distinctive shape, so if you look closely, you can distinguish it from a normal curse.'

But that item had a function that notified the other party when the contracting party died.

The person who had made a firm promise with the S-rank hunter from the United States.

That person alone would have no choice but to know the fact that Brooklyn had died and the time of her death.

I think that the gate has already been reset, and even the raid has been completed, so there won't be any physical evidence left…

"Hmm."

I rolled my eyes and got up from my seat.

"I can't help it."

Even if I get caught for murder, it's not a big deal for me since I'm planning to change bodies anyway.

I pretended to ponder for a moment, then quickly erased the problem from my mind.

Then, after having a delicious meal, I decided to cheer up and continue my research diligently.

For reference, today's menu is Doenjang Jjigae with zucchini and tofu.

I've recently learned that this body has some useful functions after all.

Our Giryeo is surprisingly good at making stews.

◈◈◈

Day 1 after Brooklyn's death.

[#A new chat room]

『P : Message received.』

『Youth : Oh my god! You lost Morgan! How the hell did you manage it, you idiotttttt :（』

『Youth : I should have stopped that stupid game a long time ago.』

『SPECTRUM : What, did I know it would turn out like this? We only recently learned that Morgan was a Beast. Who would have known that that crazy woman would do such a thing while sleeping only 2 hours a day? Besides, you guys didn't stop her at first either. When you heard that she was killing Awakened Ones on her own, you even encouraged her, saying it was a good thing.』

『333 : I'm worried.』

『333 : That's right, it would have been better to put a strong leash on her from the beginning. If you had clearly trained her so that she couldn't do anything without your permission, this accident wouldn't have happened.』

『SPECTRUM : LMAO （crying while laughing emoji）』

『SPECTRUM : If I had pushed that negotiation, I would have been the only one to take the blame if an S-rank hunter exploded.』

『SPECTRUM : I even safely set a restriction on the people she shouldn't touch with an additional contract. I took all the insurance I could in my position.』

『SPECTRUM : Anyway, you're just a kid who got in by spending money, you talk too much.』

『P : Calm down.』

『Youth : Friends, anyway, what are you going to do now? The deadline is pretty close, can we really do it without Morgan?』

『SPECTRUM : Don't worry. I still have two more.』

『Youth : But why did Morgan die…』

『SPECTRUM : Before she died, we confirmed through surveillance that Brooklyn had entered the Imitation City with her own identity. Frankly, there was nothing there that could kill an S-rank, so she must have been killed by a person. The problem is that there is a fatal omission in the list of entrants to that *damn* gate.』

『Youth : Entry time. And exit time.』

『SPECTRUM : f**k! There were too many S-rank hunters who went in and out of that place in one night! Still, I think it's likely to be one of China or Korea, where at least two people entered together.』

『Youth : That's right! Surely there isn't a monster in the world that can kill a hunter like Morgan in a 1:1 fight?』

『P : That's a dangerous statement.』

『P : Besides, it makes me even more anxious to think that there's a 50% chance that the culprit could be Korean.』

『333 : Definitely.』

『SPECTRUM : Mr.P, but just in case, my rights won't be revoked because of this, right?』

『P : Hmm…』

『P : Yes.』

『SPECTRUM : Okay. Then how should we deal with the EX-rank that Brooklyn was raiding?』

『P : If you leave it alone, it will retreat on its own. Anyway, the reward from that gate is meaningless, so you don't have to worry about it. You should focus on your work.』

◈◈◈

◈◈◈

◈◈◈

And on the 3rd day.

"Slurp."

How many days had passed since the Beast was dealt with?

『Shocking breaking news.』

The United States seemed to want to hide the unprecedented situation of their most famous hunter disappearing, but these days, it's not easy to control information.

So, the Spectrum Guild soon reached its limits and had to officially acknowledge Brooklyn Morgan's disappearance.

In this chaotic time, a certain alien was mindlessly eating his meal in his room.

After realizing that his own body was excellent at cooking stews, he had been trying various foods such as Kimchi Jjigae and Doenjang Jjigae.

"No, this is really delicious. Should I quit being a hunter and open a Baekban restaurant now?"

It was a peaceful day.

He was living his daily life so well that it was creepy, even though he had directly killed an S-rank hunter.

But about 48 hours later.

To be precise, it was just before the heat from the rumors of Brooklyn Morgan's disappearance had subsided.

The Great Magician, who was eating his meal, happened to discover a new internet article.

『Controversy over China's discussion of hosting an international tournament…』

'A competition that allows magic?'

Taking advantage of the chaotic times, a certain East Asian country planned some kind of international event to attract people's attention.

Ch 214: Knockout Tournament （1）

Day 5 of seclusion.

It's amazing how much time has already passed. But Earth has a smaller radius and a faster rotation period than Alpha Uri, so it was inevitable that the days would feel shorter.

"Aigo, it's finally over!"

Anyway.

Good news. After five days of concentration, I have finally completed the dummy preparation perfectly.

『Search History』

━Abandoned factory in Seoul

━A place where people don't pass by

I was looking for a place to perform the spell for the next step. While searching the internet for information, that article caught my eye again.

『The heated debate over the Hunter Tournament… Experts divided in opinion.』

A duel event using awakened ability users.

At first, I wondered why they were making such a fuss over a mere entertainment event, but after looking into it, the Hunter Tournament announced by China this time had more vested interests than expected.

The United States' status, which had begun to decline due to Brooklyn's disappearance （（actually, death））.

The world was saying that the US hunter industry was not functioning properly, as they could not even properly protect a valuable resource like an S-rank healer, and some were even advocating for the abolition of the Association.

And at this time.

China, who had been waiting for an opportunity, came out with the card of a tournament.

Taking advantage of the loss of trust in the United States due to the Brooklyn incident, they were trying to gain an advantage in the power struggle by perfectly mediating duels between high-rank hunters, or so they said.

But holding this tournament was not an easy task.

[Free Bulletin Board]

· Making hunters fight each other! What if someone gets hurt?

· Putting high-level personnel who should be protecting citizens in such a place lol. They're crazy.

· What a barbaric idea.

This is because there were many criticisms of entertainment using ability users.

However, despite the numerous criticisms, the Chinese side maintained consistency in their arguments.

As if they could fill the void left by Brooklyn, they were very confident.

We have the means to take responsibility for and treat all hunters' injuries, so do not worry about the risks.

The arena's barrier was also made very thoroughly to prevent spectators from getting hurt.

If you're going to say that it's inhumane for people to fight each other, then shut down the UFC arena first before talking.

Duels have been a deep-rooted form of human entertainment since ancient Greece. What right do you have to interfere?

━China: Who said we're forcing hunters to fight? We're going to get everyone's consent, you know?

Moreover, while boasting about the safety of the arena, China added bait to entice thrill-seekers.

In fact, videos of the magic of so-called low-rank awakened ones, between F and D-rank, can easily be found on various platforms even now.

But China's tournament only selected participants who were high-rank ability users of B-rank or higher.

A league that hosts battles between B-ranks. The Silver Tiger War.

And the Yellow Dragon War, which starts at A-rank and even allows the participation of monsters called S-ranks.

China's argument was this.

The skills of high-rank awakened ones cannot be compared to computer graphics that cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and those who directly witness their intensity and vitality naturally recognize the artistry of their abilities.

The world has already entered the era of superpowers, and if we can't even fully witness their talents, was there any need for us to be born as modern humans?

"A power struggle? A show of force? The United States' claims are not true. We simply want to purely showcase the mysterious talents of awakened people to the world."

A Chinese Central Political Bureau Standing Committee member, forcefully asserting the value of the Hunter Tournament.

As his speech video was released, public opinion in favor of China's event gradually increased around the world…

[China reveals rewards for IHT （International Hunter Tournament）, sparking interest]

No matter how magnificent the Colosseum is built, wouldn't it all be in vain if there are no gladiators to fight there?

Soon, China announced enticing rewards for high-rank awakened ones from overseas.

That is, for the participants of the Yellow Dragon War, who are treated as precious due to their small numbers.

『Top-Rank Awakened Exclusive Participation Gifts』

『Item Box （Rare）』

Are you trying to turn people into spectacles with just this much money?

To make such a claim, the rewards were too great.

◈◈◈

"The basic participation gift is limited to those who win at least one round, and S-rank participants who finish with a record of all losses will not receive any rewards other than the participation fee?"

A few hours later.

Kim Giryeo's one-room.

I leaned my back against the old, discolored wallpaper and fiddled with my phone.

The screen was filled with text from the recent announcement of the event.

『Yellow Dragon War Ranking Rewards』

『1st place: 『Great Sea God's Spirit Trident』

『2nd place: 『20 bottles of God's Dewdrop』』

『3rd place: 『Sacred Tree Sapling』』

Somehow, all of them have the word "God" in them. It seems the organizers have chosen the prizes to match the concept.

Anyway, the page I'm looking at now contains detailed rules of the competition and various rewards. When I came across the identity of the 3rd place prize announced by China, my fingertips automatically twitched and stopped.

"Well, well, a Sacred Tree Sapling is the 3rd place prize?"

God's Dewdrop and a long-named trident.

What on earth are they that even the Sacred Tree Sapling, which is still epic-grade, was pushed down to 3rd place?

"Hmm."

I moved my thumbs and typed the names of the prizes into the search bar.

And the results were…

[Free Bulletin Board]

· The Great Sea God's Spirit Trident = The official Pixy name is 'Triaina'.

· Crazy;; They're giving away the Triaina as a prize??

· Why does China keep calling items by their own names?

· Honestly, I didn't care about the event, but what the heck is the Triaina lol.

A heated reaction.

It seemed that the championship prize of this event was something that even the famous S-rank hunters would be tempted by.

As you can see, various bulletin boards used by awakened ones are filled with opinions that China has gone crazy.

"Let's see. The specs of the magical tool are…"

A blue spear that can create a massive amount of water with a single swing.

But the true value of that epic-grade item was something else.

"Oho. So that's why people were going crazy."

The Triaina is one of the few cases where the epic-grade performance has been fully revealed to the public, and its detailed effects are still proudly recorded in the Pixy Analyzer's database.

『When worn, user's strength is enhanced （by approximately 20%）』

『'Massive' additional damage when attacking fire-attribute magical beasts （piercing）』

『Destruction immunity』

『Overall skill power enhancement （25%）』

『Special skill 'Tempest' can be used after charging for 10 days』

A whopping five attractive points.

It's understandable why hunters are so excited about its appearance.

'Even if everything else is excluded, that 25% skill power enhancement is something you really don't see easily. Such a magical enhancement with just one weapon.'

Of course, adding my opinion as a Great Magician.

Magical tools with such functions probably have the disadvantage of increasing the consumption of internal mana when worn, but.

After all, it's the top-rank awakened ones from A to S-rank who use epic-grade weapons.

Therefore, a slight decrease in fuel efficiency shouldn't be a problem. Unlike some trash bodies, they don't fall apart after just one or two big techniques.

"Haha."

Somehow, I suddenly feel bad.

I suppressed the rising irritation and tapped on my phone keyboard.

Because I haven't figured out the information about the 2nd place prize, 『God's Dewdrop』 yet.

'Oh, this one is also getting a pretty hot reaction?'

But when I looked into what the 『God's Dewdrop』 was…

It turned out to be a specialty item exclusively for awakened ones.

It's a liquid that has an effect very similar to alcohol, meaning it only has the function of getting awakened ones drunk.

If you're a new human who has awakened strongly beyond a certain level, regular alcohol no longer works. Even if you drink enough beer or soju to fill your stomach, there's no reaction.

God's Dewdrop appears in a magic stone bottle with a capacity of about 800ml.

And it's said to be so dangerous that even an S-rank awakened one can get tipsy, and a normal person would go straight to the emergency room even if they swallowed just one drop.

[Free Bulletin Board]

· 『20 bottles of God's Dewdrop』??!

· I applied for the Yellow Dragon War. Good luck. This is prioritizing overseas participants, right? All the S-ranks are dead lol.

└ Are you going to die~

· I don't think Koreans will be able to get it. There's a high rate of alcoholics in the US, and there are more than a few who have forcibly quit drinking after awakening. I think Enzo of Spectrum will be aiming for that.

But why are they… so enthusiastic about such things….

[Free Bulletin Board]

· Honestly, it's obvious that China will secretly take the Yellow Dragon War championship as a host country's privilege ㅡㅡ.

· lol, yeah, 100% chance of trickery. There's no way they'd give that away to another country for free.

· Then the most you can aim for is the dewdrop.

· Guys, the rewards for 4th to 16th place are out. Go check it out. They're really throwing money around.

『God's Dewdrop』 is only found in dungeons in Kaifeng City, China, so there was no way to obtain it in other countries.

Therefore, "item diplomacy" has become popular these days, replacing panda diplomacy.

China monopolizes this specialty item and earns huge profits. At the same time, they also give gifts to some countries for free as a sign of friendship.

When I searched, information about that rare item poured out, but even after reading all the text, the doubts in my head did not disappear.

Why do the magicians here try to consume poison by spending billions?

'If I say this, the Earthlings might look at me like a primitive man. I don't know exactly what "getting drunk" does, so I can't get a feel for it.'

Kim Giryeo's brain doesn't have any memories of alcohol consumption, so there's a lack of reference material.

But it wasn't something I couldn't understand.

The Alpha Uri people also once enjoyed toxic specialty items. In modern times, it has simply been transformed into a psychotropic form of magic that is harmless to the body.

"Alcohol, huh~"

I briefly took a positive interest in Earth's entertainment culture.

I even considered getting my hands on God's Dewdrop someday in the future if I had the chance.

But the thought ended there.

In fact, a certain Great Magician has no intention of participating in that international tournament at all.

━Grumble.

I turned off the phone I was looking at and got up from my seat.

After that, I opened the refrigerator and looked around the lower shelves to see if there was anything to eat.

Wasn't it just recently that I realized again that if a fake who barely survives with item power acts recklessly, they could suffer unimaginable consequences?

'Thank you for the lesson, Morgan… it's so touching….'

As a result of the Imitation City incident, I decided not to act recklessly anymore.

I would only venture outside when a 100% chance to obtain a corpse arises.

Esther called this lifestyle of not going outside a "hikkikomori," but since I have a lot of money saved up, what's wrong with pursuing safety?

Since that event has such huge rewards, it's likely that S-ranks from various countries will show their faces.

So, it's best for a rank manipulator to stay in their room to avoid any unnecessary accidents.

'Let's not be reckless with unnecessary greed.'

I repeated the newly established code of conduct and took out some nutritious food from the refrigerator.

The remaining convenience store tofu after buying the 1+1 deal. And seasoned seaweed that I don't remember when I opened.

I'm not particularly hungry, so this is enough for a snack.

But at that moment. In the dry air of the one-room, the familiar tone of my phone suddenly rang.

『Kang Changho☎』

Why at this hour?

"Hello?"

I answered the phone with the packaged tofu in one hand.

However, as the conversation progressed, the corners of my fixed mouth gradually turned downwards.

━Ah, Hunter Kim Giryeo. Is it possible for you to talk right now?

"Yes."

━It's nothing much, but I have something to tell you. It seems like you'll have to free up some time around next Saturday. If you have any other plans, cancel them right now.

Wait, next Saturday, could it be…?

━Because I'm planning to leave for China around that time.

"China?"

━But now that I think about it, it would be a big problem if something happened while I'm away. So, how about I take our contractor with me this time?

It's the devil's temptation.

But I was not swayed by temptation and tried to steadfastly adhere to the seclusion plan I had just established.

Even as a Great Magician, I have some dignity. How can a sorcerer so lightly break a promise with themselves!

"Ah, that's… I'm busy next week…"

━By the way, if you're free enough to go on a raid at 2 AM, I believe you'll definitely come along with this schedule.

"....."

━And one more thing, I happen to be in front of your house right now. You're not going to make things difficult by giving a strange answer at this important time, are you?

I have to break it.

Everyone gets a little stressed when plans are disrupted. But the lifespan that such mental burden shaves off is nothing compared to instant death.