19.
Tsu-pa-ba-ba-bat───!
Sparks exploded.
Lee Seong-han was blown back by the shock and slammed into the wall.
“Damn, damn it.”
He clutched his stomach.
Explosive pain surged through his abdomen.
The original effect of [Highest Grade Hypnosis] was blocked by the Mental Barrier, but the secondary damage couldn’t be stopped.
His body was strained. It was hard to even move.
“I didn’t expect a Mental Barrier. This is an unexpected harvest.”
Hong Seo-min muttered something.
“What’s that?”
“What do you mean?”
“S, S-Rank, why are you here?”
Lee Seong-han drew his dagger and took a defensive stance.
“Seong-han!”
Kang Jin-young shouted urgently.
“I’m fine!”
“Fi, fine my ass.”
Lee Seong-han vomited blood, likely from internal injuries.
As expected, the opponent was S-Rank.
S-Rank Hunters are strong. They are beings praised as Superhumans. They are powerhouses that transcend human limits.
Could someone like him, a regular Awakened One, even stand a chance?
It’s hard to tell.
That’s uncharted territory.
But Lee Seong-han couldn’t give up. He felt a strong killing intent. There was no turning back. He decided to trust [Automatic Combat].
Hong Seo-min clapped her hands like a seal, giggling.
“I thought I was acting pretty well. Right? Guild Master. I’m not dead yet. Those guys just collapsed.”
Cheong Jin-ho was slumped in his chair.
He looked as pale as a corpse.
“Answer.”
Hong Seo-min moved her slender hand. Threads were tied between her fingers.
“…….”
Cheong Jin-ho moved according to the threads’ movements.
“Come alive.”
[‘Hong Seo-min’ activates her ability.]
The threads tied to her fingers trembled. The movement was controlled by Hong Seo-min.
Lee Seong-han observed the scene.
This kind of thing is too risky.
There’s no way she would mess with the Guild Master without a plan.
That’s real madness.
Lee Seong-han gritted his teeth, his face pale.
There must be some backing.
“The more the threads stretch, the better.”
“…….”
“Hmm, it moves well. Good job. I’ll reward you with something nice.”
Hong Seo-min went behind Cheong Jin-ho.
She pressed down on his shoulders with both hands.
Crack.
The sound of bones breaking.
“First, let’s have a little chat with those guys.”
She smiled so creepily it sent shivers down the spine.
“I guess we don’t need this anymore?”
“Yes, Master.”
Cheong Jin-ho answered emotionlessly.
Then.
Crunch─
With a noise, Cheong Jin-ho’s arms were torn off.
Lee Seong-han’s hair stood on end.
“Cra, crazy.”
Blood poured from the wounds before stopping.
Cheong Jin-ho’s body was made of strange wood.
“Grow.”
Threads grew from the severed wounds.
The threads became large body tissues.
They intertwined and intertwined again.
Filling the skeleton and skin, they became arms in no time.
“Agent.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s run. I’ll buy time.”
Kang Jin-young clicked her tongue as if to say, “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Stop talking nonsense and─”
Thud!
Hong Seo-min swung her hand down like a conductor.
The floor where Kang Jin-young stood was pierced, and threads tangled up.
“What, what’s this?!”
“Just stay still. You’re outside my interest.”
Kang Jin-young was swallowed by the threads. It was like a giant cocoon. She struggled but soon stopped moving.
She probably didn’t die. Lee Seong-han took a deep breath to calm himself.
“Now it’s just the two of us. I like you. Why don’t you come to me?”
Hong Seo-min turned her attention.
Her red eyes grew even darker. Her target was Lee Seong-han.
[‘Hong Seo-min’ uses ‘Thread Weaving’.]
Countless threads flew. They were as hard and sharp as steel.
“Damn it!”
Thud───!
Blood spurted like a fountain. Thick threads pierced his entire body.
Head.
Chest.
Stomach.
Legs.
Not a single part of him was unharmed.
“Ugh, ugh.”
Blood poured out as his movements slowed.
Lee Seong-han intermittently groaned, as if struggling to recover from the shock.
‘Just rest for a bit, and you’ll feel better.’
A voice different from Kang Jin-young’s. It was a seductive voice. No, perhaps more coercive.
‘Kneel.’
Lee Seong-han collapsed to the ground, his entire body covered in blood.
[‘Mental Barrier’ is deployed.]
[Excessive shock detected. ‘Mental Barrier’ is collapsing.]
[‘Mental Barrier’ has collapsed.]
[Trait, ‘Mental Barrier’ has been removed.]
…
…
…
[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ attaches to the fragments of ‘Mental Barrier’.]
A thick Reverse Flow was deployed around Lee Seong-han.
[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ reverses ‘Mental Barrier’.]
[‘Mental Barrier’ evolves into ‘Block’.]
[Threat to life detected.]
[‘Regeneration’ activated.]
Drip.
Rotten flesh fell from the wounds, and new flesh grew.
“What.”
Hong Seo-min let out a surprised exclamation.
“What the hell are you?”
Thud!
Additional threads flew.
Just before they touched his regenerating body.
The Reverse Flow absorbed the threads.
[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ analyzes the ability.]
[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ demands an immediate response to ‘Block’.]
[‘Block’ nullifies all related abilities.]
Tsu-pa-ba-ba-bat!
“My ability.”
[‘Block’ removes ‘Thread Weaving’.]
“Why.”
[‘Block’ removes ‘Highest Grade Hypnosis’.]
“It’s not working!”
[‘Block’ removes ‘Puppet Transformation’.]
Thunderbolts struck the air.
It was like watching a welding process with the naked eye, eyes flashing multiple times.
Lee Seong-han’s vision blurred, likely from the significant mental strain.
“This is fun. Heh, hehahaha!”
Hong Seo-min’s face twisted grotesquely.
He survived.
That was enough for Lee Seong-han.
[‘■■■■■(EX)’ smiles creepily.]
What the hell is that trait?
No time to think, the battle began.
* * *
Lee Seong-han’s plan was simple.
‘Buy time until Kang Mi-young arrives.’
Kang Mi-young. Her combat prowess and charisma are unmatched. She can handle someone like Hong Seo-min.
It wasn’t a likely scenario, but he had to rely on this gamble.
[‘Kang Jin-young’ awakens.]
The cocoon made of threads split open.
Kang Jin-young woke up, gasping for breath.
“Seong-han! Are you okay?! No, how did you even hold on?!”
“I got lucky.”
Kang Jin-young clicked her tongue bitterly.
“Let’s just get rid of that woman first!”
“Agent. Is that woman really the Puppet Master? An S-Rank Hunter. A Superhuman. Someone who’s part of South Korea’s national power.”
“……Yes.”
[Due to ‘Perception Hindrance’, it took a while to notice, but it’s certain.]
Puppet Master.
Along with Kang Mi-young, one of South Korea’s representative S-Rank Hunters.
‘But why is she here?’
No idea.
We’ll have to find out.
Lee Seong-han was anxious.
“There are many enemies.”
“I know.”
“Shall we take them out one by one?”
“There are too many. I’ll cover you.”
Two sword and shield users on the right.
Three archers.
One axe wielder on the left.
Two large figures with their hands behind their backs.
And the Puppet Master, Hong Seo-min.
Including her, a total of nine.
With Puppet Summoning, there could be more.
Lee Seong-han chewed on his thumbnail.
“What’s the purpose, Agent?”
“I don’t know. She’s so elusive, even we don’t have much information.”
“Even the National Intelligence Service has no information?”
“There’s a lot of information about her abilities, but personal information about Hong Seo-min is restricted. That’s how it is with S-Ranks.”
If you’re S-Rank, you can meet and kill someone like me whenever you want.
That’s how strong they are.
‘What if you can’t kill her? What if there’s another purpose?’
He made a quick judgment.
Lee Seong-han gripped his dagger in reverse.
Thud.
He pointed it at his own neck.
“Huh.”
Hong Seo-min let out an intrigued sigh.
“I can’t die, right?”
Kang Jin-young screamed in horror.
“Get rid of her. Now!”
No.
S-Ranks are beyond the norm.
You have to act like prey to pique their interest.
The moment they lose interest, it’s over.
Lee Seong-han really didn’t want his head and body to part ways.
“I’m needed, right?”
Hong Seo-min grinned.
“Right. I need an Irregular.”
“Irregular?”
“I want to test just how crazy you are.”
Heh.
“Do your best.”
The puppets rushed in.
* * *
Hong Seo-min’s attendants.
The puppets were cut down effortlessly.
Thanks to their simple patterns, it wasn’t hard to counter them.
Thus, the battle entered a lull.
Hong Seo-min arrogantly looked back and forth between Lee Seong-han and Kang Jin-young.
“Order. Retreat.”
[‘Hong Seo-min’ dismisses the puppets.]
[The puppets acknowledge and retreat.]
Lee Seong-han used his bare hands to stop the bleeding from the wound on his stomach.
Despite the individual patterns, the sheer numbers were overwhelming.
It was impossible to block everything, and he was hit by blind attacks, teetering on the edge of life and death.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
“You didn’t get the Irregular rating for nothing.”
“How did you know I’m an Irregular?”
“S-Ranks get special notices. You didn’t just take down Mirmignos for nothing. You’ve got talent.”
Hong Seo-min smiled arrogantly.
She sat in the guild master’s chair, crossed her legs, and licked her lips.
Lee Seong-han’s eyes widened.
“Do you know about the Gray Tower?”
“You’re new, so you wouldn’t know. Huh, that bitch didn’t explain, did she?”
Hong Seo-min’s eyes turned red.
“I don’t know the exact conditions, but Hunters who meet the criteria are commissioned by the government. They attack the Tower, like me. And like you.”
“How many floors are there?”
“It’s awkward to say? There are special rules. If you talk, you die, just like that.”
Hong Seo-min spoke rapidly.
“Each country has a time limit. If you exceed it, the country collapses. But, guess what I found out? They’re going to kill all the Awakened Ones.”
Lee Seong-han processed the information.
The Tower is a kind of detonator.
If you don’t climb the Tower, the detonator explodes.
South Korea’s time limit is almost up.
That’s why the government is trying to use him.
Lee Seong-han understood it this way.
“Ha, this isn’t the time to be talking about this.”
Whoosh───!
Kang Jin-young charged at incredible speed.
“The National Intelligence Service is full of the same kind of people. So think carefully. This is advice from a senior Awakened.”
Hong Seo-min flicked her hand casually.
[Enemy reinforcements detected.]
A few more puppets were summoned.
The puppets threw themselves in front of Kang Jin-young’s attack.
“Damn it!”
“Do you want to die for this shitty country? Or do you want to live? I need a few factions too. Like hands and feet.”
Thud.
A puppet fell from the sky.
Cheong Jin-ho, the guild master, in light armor.
No, the Ronin Puppet.
[《Ronin Puppet Lv. 25》]
– A replica created by the Puppet Master’s threads. Type: Demon. Mimics the original target. Currently mimics Cheong Jin-ho. Shows skilled movements.
“Mas─”
Chop.
Bang!
Hong Seo-min’s slender gesture.
“Shut up. You messed everything up. Who told you to open your mouth?”
The Ronin’s jaw sprayed blood as it flew through the air.
Overwhelmed by the force, the Ronin staggered but quickly regained its stance.
“You. Take care of that woman in the suit. I don’t care if you use poison or whatever.”
Nod.
“As for that big guy…”
Hong Seo-min stared at Lee Seong-han for a moment.
Then she smiled softly.
It was a creepy smile.
“If you stay still, I’ll just take you. If you resist, I’ll cripple you and take you alive. The moment you die, both you and your original are screwed.”
…Nod.
Hong Seo-min formed a gun with her right hand and pointed it at her right temple.
“Puppet. Shatter.”
Bang.
Crunch───!
Hong Seo-min’s body, which had just been speaking, turned into a wooden puppet and was shredded as if by a saw.
“…….”
The Ronin drew a sharp sword.
[《Lonely Swordsman》 sends a cold gaze.]
[HP 100% : ■■■■■■■■■■]
[You have entered the ‘Boss Room’.]
[All exits are restricted.]
‘Damn it.’
Lee Seong-han was horrified.
[‘■■■■■(EX)’ licks its lips.]
Please, just stay still.
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