< Chapter 131: Chaos (2) >
The audience seats were already in turmoil.
“Kyaah!”
“Move, move! Move out of the way!”
“Run, run away! It’s a terror attack!”
Screams echoed from all around.
Kwaah!
Loud noises resounded here and there.
“Someone, someone save me! My son!”
“Mom, Mommy!”
Some were begging for help.
“Have we assessed the situation?”
“We can’t! We’re completely cut off from the outside!”
Superhumans who had visited the stadium to watch the match were trying to handle the situation but to no avail.
“What the hell is happening…”
Music was heard from the surroundings.
A classical music sound that didn’t fit this terrible scene.
Beethoven’s Symphony of Destiny resonated majestically.
“What the hell is this song…!”
Explosions sounded in rhythm to that music.
Screams echoed with those explosions.
It was as if someone was orchestrating this situation, a perfect harmony.
Perhaps this what the music demons listen to on the brink of hell.
“Something’s wrong! We can’t get in touch with the outside!”
“Is it because of this music…?”
This music might be some kind of barrier. The man was certain.
Given the situation, the out-of-place music couldn’t be seen as anything else.
“There’s nothing we can do… For now, I’ll take command…”
“Aaahhhhh!”
A tearing scream echoed.
A scream that came right from next to him.
It was the scream of a superhuman who had been reporting to the man from close range.
“You, you! Why all of a sudden… Ahhgggg!”
Chyaaaaaah!
Another scream sounded the second one in succession. This time, the sound of flesh being slashed by a blade was also clearly audible.
The man, heightening his alertness, checked the direction from which the scream came.
In front of the two superhumans, who were spewing blood and had fallen, stood another man.
“…You!”
The man was not a villain, but a superhuman.
“Why?”
Holding a sword dripping with blood, he glared at the man.
“Why the betrayal?”
He was taken aback by the betrayal of a superhuman with whom he had shared a guild for over 10 years.
“…”
However, the man gave no response.
He simply stared blankly at the other.
The light in his eyes had been gone for a long time.
“At least say something!”
The man shouted.
“It’s pointless, no matter what you say.”
At that moment, a woman’s voice echoed from right behind.
“He repented for his sins and devoted his body and soul to the Lord.”
A gentle touch caressed the man’s cheek. With the sound of metal clashing, the woman’s hands completely embraced the man.
“You, who are you…”
A blonde woman dressed in pristine full-plate armor.
She was holding the man from behind with a compassionate smile.
“Don’t be too shaken. You’ll soon repent for your sins as well.”
The woman smiled.
It was a kind smile that gave those who saw it a sense of relief.
“Repent.”
“A-ah, a-a-ahhh…”
The man screamed.
At the same time, the light began to fade from his eyes.
A moment later.
“In the Lord’s name, I absolve you of your sins.”
The man had completely lost consciousness.
“Go. Go and bring down God’s hammer upon the heretics who do not repent.”
“…Yes.”
Watching the retreating superhuman, the woman, Saint, once again smiled.
“Ahhgggg!”
“Why, why would the senior do this!”
A superhuman slashes another superhuman,
“Honey, honey! Why on earth!”
A wife stabs her husband,
“Urgghhh!”
A scene where a child is strangling its mother’s neck.
“Ah…”
Watching that scene, Saint’s eyes gleamed. It was beautiful, and entrancing.
“Rest well in the Lord’s embrace. I will absolve you of your sins.”
Explosions, screams, chaos.
Overarching it all was the resounding Symphony of Destiny by Beethoven.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve been conducted by the Maestro.”
Attuning to that sound, Saint commenced her actions again.
“I wonder how Alchemist is doing.”
Saint thought of Alchemist, who would be in action to kidnap Yuwha.
* * *
“Puhuhuhuhu. How bland! Very bland!”
An empty lot near the stadium.
Yu Hwa and Maiden were confronting an unidentified man.
“Is this all you’ve got? Is gathering and shooting your magic power all you can do?”
The man screamed with swords of magic stabbed all over his body.
Despite bleeding profusely, he walked as if nothing was wrong.
He pulled out a sword that had pierced through his eye and another one from his throat.
Whoosh!
As expected, the magic sword pierced through the man’s throat accurately.
“Hahahahaha! It’s bland! Too bland! The nature of the magic hasn’t settled yet!”
Spitting blood from his throat and with a voice filled with the sound of grinding metal, he screamed again.
Yu Hwa and Maiden slowly stepped back at his chilling appearance.
“…What the hell is with that lunatic?”
“I don’t know…”
When the terror incident occurred a little while ago, they found this man.
His face and expression screamed ‘I am a villain’
The possibility that this man was related to the terror incident was very high.
That’s why the two chased this man all the way to this construction site.
Up until then, everything was fine.
“Is that bastard immortal or something?”
The problem is that the man doesn’t die.
Even if you slit his throat, stab his heart, or amputate his limbs, he revives with a scream.
“I hate these undead types…”
His appearance reminded them of the Immortal Legion that emerged from the Gangnam Gate not long ago.
“Hehehehe.”
The man’s laughter faded.
“It seems this is the end.”
The man pulled something out of thin air.
A flask.
A glass bottle, like the kind used in chemical experiments, filled with a red liquid.
Glug, glug, glug.
The man sprayed the liquid on himself.
Sssssss…
With the emergence of smoke, the man’s injuries began to heal rapidly. As if nothing had happened, like rewinding time, he returned to his pristine state when they first met.
“…Potion?”
It was a potion with unbelievable healing power. Well, understanding the healing is one thing, but how the hell does it restore his clothes to their original state?
“Unnie, is there still no contact?”
“It’s still the same.”
Maiden clicked her tongue.
She tried to analyze the magic wave and capture a new frequency, but there was no sign of making contact. It’s probably because of the incessantly ringing ‘Fate Symphony’.
“I know, I know. I told you I collected samples, not discussions. Didn’t I say not to kill?”
The man suddenly got irritated.
“Really, even if I do as I please, I listen to the boss’s orders. You should focus on command. Isn’t it about time you’d get overwhelmed?”
Maiden narrowed her eyes sharply. Who is he talking to?
“Don’t worry, I’ll capture that bitch Yu Hwa myself. Hehehehe!”
A sinister light burst from the man’s eyes.
A chill ran down Yu Hwa’s spine.
That comment. She had a hunch, and it seemed she was right.
“… It seems their target is indeed me.”
“Then those scumbags… they claim to be the Saviors of Truth.”
There’s no one but the Saviors of Truth who would use such a large-scale terror attack as bait to kidnap Yu Hwa.
“We’re at a disadvantage.”
There was a glint in Maiden’s eyes.
She put the carrier she was holding on the ground and drew more power.
“Tsk.”
However, despite her tough words, there was an expression of uncertainty on his face.
‘Of all times to be without equipment…’
Maiden’s abilities are not specialized for combat. The reason she could reach the position of S-rank 32 was due to her exceptional crafting ability and her large-scale combat ability that utilized this crafting.
But today, she didn’t bring her crafting equipment.
Maiden currently couldn’t exhibit the combat power of an S-rank superhuman.
Given the opponent’s unknown capabilities, and from his words, it was clear that there was at least one villain of similar capability nearby.
‘All I can do right now is hold on.’
Maiden gave Yu Hwa a glance.
It was a signal to try and hold out as long as possible.
Yu Hwa nodded in agreement.
They both came to the same conclusion.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Just as the two tried to gather their magic power,
“Hehe.”
The man chuckled.
While laughing, he drew out two flasks with both hands.
“Sample D2H4-74, D2H4-75.”
He shouted simultaneously.
“Completely freeze the magical actions of the samples.”
Whiiiiing-!
Light burst from the flasks, and a bone-shaking ringing sound echoed.
“Ugh!”
“Agh!”
Both clutched their heads.
They felt an intense dizziness but desperately held on, glaring at the man, wary of a surprise attack.
However, the man just stood there smiling. It didn’t seem like he was planning an attack.
‘What’s he thinking?’
It was clearly the perfect time for a surprise attack, yet he just watched.
The intentions of the opponent were unclear.
About 5 seconds passed.
As the ringing completely stopped, they tried to gather their magic power again.
“…”
“What is…”
Only then did the two realize the man’s intent.
“My magic power… isn’t responding?”
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
The man laughed, staring at the two women.
“Didn’t you hear? I said the sample collection is complete.”
A completely emotionless expression.
“Your magic power is under my control.”
As if looking at experimental rats about to run out of breath,
He glared at the two with a numb gaze.
* * *
“…What’s going on?”
After taking down Choi Ji-hoon and leaving the arena of separation, the first emotion I felt was ‘bewilderment’.
It was surprising enough that Choi Ji-hoon held on longer than expected, taking a full 10 minutes, but the confusion I’m feeling now is on a different level.
First of all, there’s no one around. Whether the match ended or not, there should be someone around. Apart from Choi Ji-hoon, who’s lying unconscious, there’s no sign of anyone.
“Did the arena barrier break?”
That’s not all.
Beyond the barrier, there’s a pungent smell, a mix of blood and gunpowder.
“Was there a terrorist attack?”
That was the only explanation for the situation.
Just then,
―Can you hear me?
“…Hermit?”
I heard Hermit’s voice from the ground.
I quickly scanned the floor.
“A ring?”
A familiar ring was rolling on the ground.
It’s the disposable communication ring I received before, which I had used up to relay information about Rust.
―If you can hear me, respond.
I swiftly picked up the ring and put it on.
“I’m here.”
―Finally, you’re out.
Hermit clicked his tongue.
“What’s happening right now….”
―There’s no time. I’ll just explain the situation briefly.
Hermit cut me off.
―Currently, including me, there are four executives here.
“…!”
Four? Did he just say four?
―Maestro, Alchemist, Saint, and me. That makes four.
Seems like I heard it right.
―The goal is to kidnap the guild leader of Bihon, Yu Hwa, the main perpetrator believed to have dealt with Vagabond, in order to extract information.
I heard they were after Yu Hwa, but I never expected them to launch an attack in broad daylight in South Korea, especially with four executives.
―Maestro and Saint are a diversion to distract attention. I handle unexpected variables from the background.
Maestro’s “command” and Saint’s “psychological control” are perfect for a diversionary operation. Hermit’s ability is optimized for blocking variables.
―And Alchemist is in charge of kidnapping Yu Hwa.
Alchemist’s ability is also optimized for capturing someone alive.
It was a perfect task assignment, fitting of Maestro.
“How much time has passed since the attack?”
―8 minutes.
8 minutes have already passed?
That means the terrorist act began right after I entered the arena of separation…
―Currently, Alchemist has completed the collection of mana samples from Yu Hwa and Maiden.
“!”
My eyes widened.
If the mana sample collection is done, it means Yu Hwa and Maiden’s mana has been completely frozen.
Without their mana, Yu Hwa and Maiden are like toothless tigers.
Both of them are in danger!
“Where are they right now?”
―They are 3.87km to the northeast from the arena, in an open field.
If I summon Goldie, I can get there in less than a minute.
“Goldie!”
As my mana rapidly depletes, Goldie reveals himself in front of me.
“Grr!”
Instantly realizing the seriousness of the situation, Goldie reverts to his original form and growls menacingly.
I climbed onto Goldie’s back.
“Run to the northeast! Full speed! We don’t have time!”
Goldie nodded with his closed mouth. As we moved, Hermit started speaking again.
―Do you have a plan to take down Alchemist?
“Yes.”
The reason Maiden and Yu Hwa came to the arena today wasn’t just to watch our match.
“Hermit, is there a carrier bag near Maiden?”
Last night.
Maiden said,
She has a gift for me.
She said she’d bring it today and to look forward to it.
―I can’t confirm right now, but she did have a carrier bag with her when I saw her at the arena.
“That’s good.”
Inside that carrier, there will surely be an ancient relic.
“It has to work.”
Yes.
It’s an ancient relic of the dragon tribe.
That means it can be done.
“Is that all you had to say?”
―Yes, that’s it…
Suddenly, Hermit stopped speaking.
―…What?
“What? What happened?”
Hermit answered in a flustered voice.
―…Just now, Saint encountered Ha Si-yeon and Shin Jia.
“…What?”
< Chapter 131: Chaos (2) > End.
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