Chapter 72
Within the boundary filled with darkness, Hans turned his head and stared intently to the side, as if looking at something beyond that dark space.
[Interesting.]
His level had skyrocketed, and he had debuted a new, more effective curse upon resuming his activities.
However, he felt something subtle from the thin string connected to it and upon inspection, found himself locking eyes with a black magician.
'What to do...'
Though their encounter was brief through telepathy, Hans had already somewhat understood who the other was.
Sensitive to malice, Hans did not particularly feel that this person was evil.
Instead, it was a peculiar opponent: a competent black magician not mired in madness.
'Maybe he has related skills like me. But this location...'
The entire map of Seoul formed in his mind, and the newly identified location was marked.
Immediately, the main body checked the information about the place through the internet.
'As expected.'
It was a hospital under the management of the government's Psychic Management Bureau.
There was no need to intervene directly.
He merely paid a moment of condolence to the bureaucrats who continued their meaningless investigations.
'That black magician seemed quite useful. Maybe I'll remember him for later.'
Since he could find him anytime if he wished, it might not be a bad idea to contact him quietly later.
[Heh, but I like this even better. The moment those criminals dare to investigate my curse...]
They would immediately suffer a counterattack and Hans would pinpoint and visit them.
Given the high proportion of criminals among them, the likelihood was high.
If they were capable of investigating his curse, they wouldn't be small fry, making it a fairly good trap.
'I need to be more diligent if I want to increase the number of those worthy of being cursed instead of executed.'
"Ga... Gah! Mon... monster...!"
While Hans was lost in thought, the villains who had been fervently attacking his barrier gnashed their teeth.
Unable to escape due to the surrounding boundary, they were forced into resistance until they finally fell into despair.
[Sorry, but I no longer have time to spare for you.]
Hans's blue gaze faded, and soon the "Eyes of the Abyss" looked upon them.
"Ah, aah..."
"Heeuh"
Thus, Hans remained busy for the sake of Seoul's security today as well.
Thanks to his efforts, criminals became cautious, and the crime rate in Seoul drastically fell...
The citizens residing in Seoul could distinctly feel the difference.
***
<The reason behind the decrease in incidents and accidents in Seoul.>
<Is there a Korean-style dark hero who hunts criminals wearing a mask?! His identity is!>
<Collection of Hahoe mask witness interviews.>
Rumors about the Hahoe mask, spreading secretly like urban legends, exploded on the internet.
Though the Psychic Management Bureau, worried about his idolization, intervened, preventing broadcast news coverage, the spread through internet news and communities suggested it wouldn't be long before it became more widely known.
To avoid direct public exposure of Hans, drawings by witnesses were used instead of photographs.
Among these were pictures with just a dark figure and roughly drawn blue eyes, as well as portraits drawn so well they resembled the real thing.
Prominently, one picture depicted a figure wearing a Hahoe mask, draped in a dark robe, looking down with blue glowing eyes, and extending a gloved hand.
The artist who drew it claimed that it depicted the moment when they were rescued from a cannibal factory by the Hahoe mask, insisting that the scene was still vivid in their memory.
-Wow lol, even takes down villains, so satisfying.
-What human rights for criminals? Instead of worrying about that, take care of our right to live.
-Thanks to Mr. Hahoe, life has been a bit more comfortable these days. Please keep it up!
The general reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
Of course, there were editorials that argued private vigilantism by a criminal should not be endorsed, but these were mostly drowned out by the majority opinion.
As Hahoe mask slowly became a topic of interest, the enthusiasm of journalists and individual creators for coverage heated up, gradually revealing information through interviews with witnesses and collection of various data.
The ability to detect incidents across Seoul in real-time with an ultra-wide detection range.
The mobility to teleport to the detected locations immediately.
And the overwhelming combat power to resolve any villain in an instant.
However, the specifics of his combat style remained unknown since he also put the victims to sleep upon his arrival.
Criminals who survived his encounters were too engulfed in severe fear to provide coherent testimonies.
But no one dared to question his use of force.
Above all, his achievements so far proved everything.
Thus, he earned the title, Unofficially the Strongest in Korea.
However, despite the abundance of anecdotal evidence, there was no photographic or CCTV footage to support these claims, leading to ongoing debates.
-Is this just fabricated? How can one person cover the entire city of Seoul?
-The drop in crime rate is a fact. Whether it's because of Hahoe mask or not, something is definitely happening.
-Doesn't this make the Guardians look like a joke? A big organization being outdone by one person lol.
-Unlike the naive Guardians who even care about criminals' rights, Hahoe mask's principle is zero tolerance and instant execution.
-Could it be an organization, not an individual? Maybe it's several people wearing the same disguise.
This was the situation domestically, so international communities outright dismissed it as a fabrication by the Korean side.
Yet here was someone who intensely felt the impact of Hahoe masks activities and was under tremendous stress as his activities continued...
"Ahahaha! How long has it been since I got off work! Hahahat! Sung-hyun, what are you up to? Cheers, cheers!"
The friend in front of me, holding a beer can and laughing like a madman, was Kang Tae-san.
"Looks like work's been tough? It hasn't been long since your training ended, but you're already sounding beaten?"
"Don't even mention it, my first assignment is with the Hahoe mask investigation team! It's the busiest department in the criminal investigation division right now! While other places have become more relaxed, I had to end up as the newbie in that team!"
Kang Tae-san vented his frustration again, gulping down his drink.
He was my only friend who came over with a bunch of drinks after finally managing to get off work.
'He doesn't really need to care about me anymore.'
He was the precious friend who stayed by my side and supported me since I shut myself in at home after the incident.
Whether it was taking out the trash for me or visiting periodically to keep me company.
His small acts of kindness felt like a warm touch in a world where I felt left alone.
"You seem a lot better, though? I saw you briefly before, but... it seems like you've found some will to live?"
"Yeah, I can't cling to the past forever. My parents wouldn't want that..."
"That's right... You made the right decision, man! Do you know how worried I've been?"
Tae-san and I have been connected since elementary school.
Becoming friends with him, who had lost his parents early and was raised by his grandmother, led my parents to always take care of him like their own child.
This bond grew stronger through middle and high school, and eventually, he came to rely on my parents as if they were his own.
Frankly, we were almost like brothers.
"How's your grandmother? Is she getting better?"
"Ah...haha... Well, it's the same. She's of age now..."
The expression on his face darkened momentarily, worried about his grandmother who had been living in the hospital for several years.
"I should visit her soon too."
"Huh? No, it's okay! You don't have to go out of your way."
"It's not going out of my way. I can go outside now. Oh, I'm going to move soon too. I won the lottery."
"...Eh?"
Announcing one big news after another caused a bit of a commotion.
I managed to calm down the surprised Tae-san by force, and thought calmly about a way to help his grandmother.
'Heinrich's divine power should be somewhat effective. I'm not sure how much it can affect aging, but it's better than not trying.'
I could just sneak in, quickly heal her, and leave as if nothing happened.
It would be a bit of a hassle to set up the situation, but with the help of my other selves, it shouldn't be too hard.
"...That's good to hear. It seems like you've fully recovered."
The drinking resumed, and Tae-san murmured quietly.
"Why? Is there something you want to say?"
Seeing him hesitate unusually, I frowned and asked, and he sighed once before looking me straight in the eyes.
"I've been debating whether to tell you or not. Until now, I thought it was better not to say anything... But seeing you today, you seem okay."
The atmosphere suddenly turned serious, and I put down the beer I was holding to look at him.
"You know why I applied to the criminal investigation division, right?"
Of course, I knew.
He had regarded my parents as his own, just like I did.
While I was left physically and mentally scarred by the incident at the scene, retreating into my room...
Tae-san, who found out about the incident later due to taking care of his grandmother, used that event as a catalyst to work even harder and eventually joined the Psychic Management Bureau.
To dig deeper into that incident and prevent similar crimes from happening.
"...That incident. It was concluded as a random attack by an Awakener. Everyone thought so. Until recently, that was."
I felt my body stiffen.
I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say.
"There was an organization operating in the shadows for a long time. They had been causing incidents quietly, but about half a year ago, they started moving openly."
That was when the public order in Korea began to deteriorate.
"They were very meticulous, so we only had a vague awareness of their existence without being able to catch even their tail..."
Then Hahoe mask appeared.
"After he started hunting criminals, the underworld was shaken, and the rules collapsed, creating gaps for those who had been expanding their influence based on that chaos."
The Psychic Management Bureau finally caught their tail.
About the organization known as 'Abyssal Conclave' that had been behind various terrorist attacks.
And Tae-san... was able to find out that they were behind the 'Seoul Station terrorist incident'.
"Actually, I shouldn't be talking about this since it's confidential... But I thought, if anyone has the right to know, it's you. Just don't talk about it elsewhere, okay? I could end up in jail, haha..."
He happened to be part of the Hahoe mask investigation team, which was the first to receive this information.
"And after clashing with Hahoe mask, it seems they stopped their activities in Korea and started to cut off their tails. Since he's still actively moving, it's clear who won."
Tae-san snorted and took a big gulp of his beer.
"Since then, it's been hard to track them further. I'm not sure how much they're laying low, but the size of their force seems significant, so we're keeping a close watch."
He spilled the beans about the internal affairs of the criminal investigation division, seemingly unconcerned about security protocols.
That must mean he trusts me a lot. After spilling all the facts and cautiously observing the reaction, I casually picked up some side dishes as if it was nothing.
"Hahoe mask is more amazing than I thought. Thanks to him, they were able to identify such a criminal organization, right? But why does the Psychic Management Bureau continue to chase after him?"
"That's exactly why I'm annoyed! Why chase after someone who's doing a good job? It just makes things harder for both sides! They should just let him keep doing his good work!"
Relieved by my reaction, he crumpled his finished beer can, raising his voice in frustration.
Kang Tae-san was, like me, a villain-hater.
He joined the Psychic Management Bureau wanting to catch criminals, and it must be stressful for him to be chasing after Hahoe mask, who he internally agrees with.
"It's work, so it can't be helped. Hey, just drink up, drink!"
"Yeah! Even if I try my hardest, it's not like he's someone who can be easily caught. Ah, forget it!"
"Also... thanks for telling me. I've already moved on, so you don't have to worry about me anymore. As a civilian, there's nothing I can do anyway, so I'll leave the rest to you guys and the Guardians... and Hahoe mask too."
"...Yeah, that guy really does his job well. He doesn't care about what others think, so he handles things efficiently."
The atmosphere became lively again as we continued our drinking session.
Matching my friend's pace in drinking, I pretended to be somewhat drunk, blending into the mood.
It was a bit disappointing that my physical abilities and recovery rate meant I couldn't easily get drunk, but just being with a like-minded friend was satisfying enough.
...And so, the night in Seoul deepened.
***
In a dirty back alley.
Amongst the sprawled out bodies, a figure seemed buried in the darkness, standing in the middle.
[Huh... Busy, busy. But knocking down the big ones has generally lowered their level.]
Hans, struggling to keep the peace today as well.
He lifted his head, his blue gaze scanning the starless dark night sky.
Regardless of what anyone said, no matter the difficulties... he had no intention of stopping.
From the rampaging villains to the now hiding Abyssal Conclave.
He wouldn't stop until he had destroyed them all with his own hands.
Hans reached out to grasp the night sky.
[Kehheh... I like the darkness.]
Now, he was the new order of this era.
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