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A serial killer who only targets criminals from the Returnee group.

Kwon Tae-ho sighed deeply at Yoo Seol’s words and clicked his tongue in irritation.

“…Another windbag vigilante has appeared, huh?”

“Vigilante… you say?”

Lee Ha-yeon tilted her head at the unfamiliar foreign term.

“It means ‘self-defense group’ in Italian. Back in the early days of the Great War… about 12 or 13 years ago, I suppose it could be described as a short-lived social phenomenon?”

“A self-defense group, huh…”

“In the early days of the situation, public power and laws weren’t able to keep up with reality. With the police and military being no help, many decided to take matters into their own hands and fight criminals themselves.”

While they put forth justifications of maintaining public order, most vigilante organizations were little more than chaotic violent groups.

There were some groups that operated somewhat decently in the early days. But with too many captains and no systematic rules, the ship tends to go off course.

Eventually, as laws and regulations were established and Returnees were integrated into public authority, vigilante organizations became subjects of regulation and faded into the background of history.

“However, after that, there were still vigilantes who operated individually and showed up from time to time. They are essentially no different from the maladjusted people we deal with. They blindly believe in their own power above the social system and order and consider themselves justice. They’re such fools.”

“So, their intentions may be good, but their methods are flawed?”

“No, their intentions are trash. If they want to catch criminals, they should leave it to the police or executioners. A person without qualification will only worsen the situation.”

He spoke as if he had seen such situations with his own eyes. Knowing Kwon Tae-ho’s past, Yoo Seol looked at him with a bitter expression.

“…Anyhow, we need to be cautious in investigating and capturing vigilante crimes. Targeting only Returnee criminals means that they possess a considerable amount of force.”

“So that’s why we received a request for cooperation!”

“Yeah, the police have waved the white flag, saying they can’t handle this on their own. Let’s graciously accept it.”

Having replied thus, Kwon Tae-ho stood up.

“I’m heading straight to the Seoul Police Headquarters. Assistant, do we have any paperwork left to take care of before we go?”

“The Kim Beom-su Returnee case is roughly wrapped up. There’s nothing else in particular.”

“Then let’s move immediately. Rookie, you come along. It’s good for you to know how cooperative investigations work.”

“Yes! I’m all set!”

Nodding, Kwon Tae-ho swiftly exited the office. In the meantime, Yoo Seol, having finished preparing, followed after Lee Ha-yeon.

“Hey, Ha-yeon, are you nervous? This could be quite a dangerous mission.”

“Not at all! As an executioner, I need to face situations like this eventually! If anything, I’m excited!”

“Haha, excitement, huh… It’s great to be motivated, but don’t get too carried away and make mistakes.”

“Yes!”

Yoo Seol smiled at Lee Ha-yeon’s bright response. However, there was a slight hint of anxiety in her expression.

‘The Seoul Police have plenty of national executioners available right away, so the fact that the request came to us means…’

It probably meant the criminal had power that only an executioner of Kwon Tae-ho’s caliber could handle.

‘Please let this end without any trouble…’

A short while later, the three arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. As they entered the reception area to submit a visitor application, a staff member approached them with a friendly smile.

“Hello! Welcome to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Could you please tell me the purpose of your visit?”

“We’re here for a cooperative investigation.”

“Cooperative investigation… May I have your name?”

“Kwon Tae-ho.”

– Jerk.

At Kwon Tae-ho’s answer, the smile on the staff member’s face faltered. An eerie silence enveloped the reception area, which was filled with whispering conversations.

“Excuse me? Wait, what?”

Lee Ha-yeon looked confused, while Kwon Tae-ho and Yoo Seol remained nonchalant as if they were used to this.

“…Kwon Tae-ho? You mean that executioner Kwon Tae-ho?”

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“Officer Kim. Why is that guy here?”

“He said something about a cooperative investigation… He’s an executioner, so…”

“Are you sure? What kind of crazy person would want to cooperate with him…?”

The staff began to murmur among themselves, but Kwon Tae-ho didn’t care. He held no interest in how society viewed him.

“…Identity confirmed. You may proceed to the conference room on the 4th floor.”

Receiving visitor passes, the three headed straight to the conference room.

Upon entering, they were welcomed by Chief Detective Seo Baek-seok and his team.

Just by their presence, Kwon Tae-ho and Yoo Seol could feel how significant this case was. The chief detective himself was here to deal with them.

Kwon Tae-ho glanced at Yoo Seol.

‘This is a huge deal. Get as much reward as possible.’

‘No need to say it twice.’

“Thank you for coming such a long way. Please, have a seat.”

The three found their seats, which were already prepared with case-related documents. As soon as they sat down, Kwon Tae-ho skimmed through the papers and immediately asked,

“What is the estimated power level of the suspect?”

“We expect the suspect to hold at least A-class abilities or higher. You can understand this better by looking at the victim list on page 3 of the documents in front of you.”

As he said, most of the criminals listed as victims were notorious offenders at the A or B-class level. Frowning, Kwon Tae-ho remarked,

“There are nine victims in total… and they all recently got out.”

“That’s correct. These are first-generation Returnees captured in the early days of the Great War. Some have served their full term, while others have been paroled for good behavior.”

“All of them are subjects of public disclosure?”

“Yes. They’re all notorious criminals. If you check the local police station or community center website, you can find detailed information including name, age, residence, and criminal charges.”

In a country that strongly regulates abilities, Returnee criminals are subjected to stricter oversight than sex offenders. Information about them was easily accessible to the public.

Including the criminal himself.

“…Is there anything known about the suspect?”

“The suspect is extremely cautious. They cleverly made use of blind spots in CCTV for all their crimes. Unfortunately, we could salvage only a handful of videos that look like this.”

The chief detective presented a tablet PC. The screen displayed six short video clips, barely lasting a few seconds each.

“…Most of them are taken from a long distance, and they’re all wearing hoodies and masks, so there’s no way to identify them.”

“So far, all we have in terms of evidence is that the person is a man, around 180 cm tall, and uses two swords as weapons. That’s about it.”

“How did the autopsy results go from the National Institute of Forensic Science? With nine victims, at least one should have revealed something through Soul Arts.”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing at all. The condition of the victims’ souls was too severe to call forth with Soul Arts. The suspect likely used a weapon with soul-killing capabilities.”

“So, it’s an intelligent offender. A very significant one, at that.”

“Yes. This is probably one of the most noteworthy criminals I’ve encountered in my 25 years of police service.”

They had perfect measures against both CCTV and Soul Arts. Frowning in concern, Kwon Tae-ho asked,

“About tracking magic…?”

“We did get some reactions, but the traces always cut off just a short distance from the crime scene.”

“Did the nearby CCTV capture anything at all?”

“Yes, and it’s not a case of spatial teleportation either. The mana concentration around the scene was at an average level, and nothing was detected by the wide-area spatial distortion detector.”

That much was to be expected. The entire city of Seoul is a restricted area for teleportation magic. If they had escaped using magic, they would have been immediately detected and traced.

“It’s like a ghost.”

While reviewing the data, Yoo Seol shook her head. Kwon Tae-ho’s office had had cooperative investigations before, but this was the first time they had encountered a case without a single clue about the suspect.

“He’s not a ghost; he’s clearly shown up on the CCTV. There’s definitely a real entity.”

“…That’s not what I’m saying, Executioner. I meant to say, understand my metaphor.”

“The suspect isn’t a ghost. However, he can vanish just like one. He didn’t use teleportation magic, or he possesses concealment abilities so strong that they could fool all the wide-area detectors sprinkled throughout Seoul…”

Despite Yoo Seol’s admonitions, Kwon Tae-ho murmured to himself while thinking through the clues.

He tapped his fingers on the table and repeatedly played the few seconds of video showing the suspect’s actions.

“Um, could it be possible that instead of magic, he’s using some sort of superpower to move around?”

Yoo Seol shook her head at Lee Ha-yeon’s question.

“Even if it were a superpower used for spatial movement, there would still be some distortion in the space. If there were distortion, it would have been detected.”

“There’s currently no method to use spatial movement without causing distortion, right?”

After pondering for a moment, Yoo Seol replied.

“Well, there’s no possibility, but if one could stop time to move, from the perspective of others, it might look like moving without causing distortion.”

“In that case, the suspect could stop time—”

“Stop right there. The only person capable of stopping time on this planet is the witch in London. Even if another were to stop time, that witch would immediately notice and kill that person.”

If the suspect had the ability to stop time, Kwon Tae-ho would never be able to catch them, even if he died and were reborn. If stopping time were an option, there wouldn’t be any CCTV recordings left behind.

“Wait a moment.”

At that moment, something caught Kwon Tae-ho’s eye. He pointed at one of the videos with his finger.

“What is this guy doing…?”

The video showed the suspect finishing their crime and smoothly making their escape.

As they casually exited an alley, the suspect suddenly paused and turned their head 90 degrees to the right. Then they briefly bent down, as if touching something in the empty space behind them, before taking a few steps and stopping their movement for about ten seconds.

“This is the longest recording of the suspect, but I couldn’t find anything special.”

“Was there something the suspect was looking at?”

“Just an ordinary wall. A few entertainment venue flyers stuck to it.”

Despite being an elusive suspect, it suggested they were still human with basic desires.

The chief detective joked, but Kwon Tae-ho remained silent, lost in thought.

‘What does that movement mean…? Why are they doing that in empty space…?’

Kwon Tae-ho tried to mimic the suspect’s movement a few times. The action seemed meaningless when only viewing the video.

However, if he focused on the motion itself…

“Ah.”

Kwon Tae-ho clenched his fist.

“I think I’ve figured out the suspect’s ability.”

“Really? What does it entail?”

“Before that…”

Stopping the excited chief detective’s question, Kwon Tae-ho gave a quick glance to Yoo Seol. In response, she spoke in a calm voice.

“By the way, I don’t think we’ve discussed the payment for this cooperative case yet.”

“…Right. Let’s get straight to it. How much do you want?”

The demand for payment is a natural right for a private executioner. There was no reason to criticize. Kwon Tae-ho, despite his reputation, was a highly skilled executioner, so even if his demands were a bit high, it could be sufficiently accommodated.

However.

“Five thousand.”

“…Excuse me? Could you please repeat that?”

The amount Yoo Seol had suggested surpassed the chief detective’s expectations significantly.

“Five, five thousand? You mean fifty million won, right? Assistant?”

“Yes, no more no less, five hundred million won. I believe that’s the fair amount for this case.”

“What kind of nonsense is that!? Five hundred million is an unprecedented amount!”

“Oh? Then how much did you expect, Chief Detective?”

“…I know well about Executioner Kwon Tae-ho’s skills and reputation. But I would think two hundred would be fair…!”

“Two hundred, huh…”

Yoo Seol slowly opened her previously closed eyelids. Her crimson eyes glinted sharply as if penetrating the chief detective’s true thoughts.

“Your sentiments aren’t entirely invalid. But I believe you think it’s acceptable to raise it a little, correct?”

“…Even so, three hundred is the limit. Five hundred is absurd.”

“Hmm. That’s not a lie. But I still believe five hundred is reasonable.”

“Could you justify that?”

“Nothing to it.”

Yoo Seol opened to the page listing the victims and tapped it lightly with her finger.

“First of all, the suspect’s power level. Though you said it’s at least A-class, I believe it’s likely closer to S-class. As you know, once you reach S-class, systematic measurement becomes impossible. Even among S-class holders, you can’t know who is stronger until you engage in a confrontation.”

When she reached that point, the chief detective grasped what she meant immediately.

“So you mean to ask for a danger pay?”

“Yes, and besides, the suspect is exceptionally cautious. At the same time, he harbors a delusion of avenging the criminals’ sins.”

“…”

“This type of criminal believes without doubt that their actions are just and righteous. Their main targets are criminals, of course, but they’d kill anyone who obstructs their path in the name of justice. Moreover, they are smart and meticulous, so when you start the investigation, they will quickly become aware of your presence, even noticing me and rookie Lee Ha-yeon beside you.”

In short, the danger pay isn’t solely for Kwon Tae-ho; it should cover the risks faced by both Lee Ha-yeon and Yoo Seol as well.

“Moreover, the opportunity costs for us incurred by undertaking this request, plus the various expenses required for the investigation… I believe five hundred is a perfectly reasonable amount.”

Yoo Seol presented her thoughts to the chief detective calmly and logically.

However, the content was more akin to a forced argument than a structured rationale. As the chief detective had said, offering a payment of five hundred for a cooperative investigation to a private executioner was almost unprecedented.

That said.

Yoo Seol’s argument, despite being somewhat forced, was also a declaration that she had no intention of backing down. The chief detective pressed on his temples, which were beginning to throb, and spoke to Yoo Seol.

“…Alright. Four hundred. We’ll settle for that. Any more than this is simply unmanageable for our budget.”

“While it may be difficult at the moment, wouldn’t it be feasible if you were given some time? Three hundred upfront, with two hundred as a success fee. Let’s settle for five hundred total.”

“…I can guarantee two hundred if you accomplish significant outcomes. As for the rest, we can evaluate the contributions of your side and reach an agreement later.”

“Hmmm…”

As she considered the chief detective’s compromise, Yoo Seol subtly glanced at Kwon Tae-ho.

While they had been negotiating, Kwon Tae-ho had stood there with his arms crossed, and he now gave a discreet thumbs-up in a manner only Yoo Seol could see.

“Alright, let’s do it. Please ensure you deposit the advance as soon as possible.”

“…It may take a couple of days to process the budget. You don’t have any objections, do you?”

“No, that’s fine.”

“Wow…”

Witnessing the whirlwind of negotiations, Lee Ha-yeon had an almost dazed expression on her face.

While a single request for fifty million was shocking, the sheer ruthlessness of Yoo Seol in extracting money from a public agency was even more profoundly striking to her.

“…Is it really okay to be so relentless with the police?”

“Well, we’re paying taxes anyway, so there’s no reason to decline. Even if they were unhappy, there’s nothing they could do. That’s what our private executioner’s business card is for.”

Even while speaking so sharply right in front of him, the chief detective sighed deeply.

“…So, Executioner? What precisely is the suspect’s ability that you’ve come to figure out?”

“He’s not a ghost, but he can appear and disappear like one. Despite having a real presence that shows up on CCTV, he possesses the ability to escape without spatial distortion and evade tracking magic.”

“So what exactly does that ability entail!?”

The chief detective slammed his hand on the table in frustration.

“The ability to control a clone that resembles him from a distance as if it were his own body, in other words…”

Kwon Tae-ho replied as he tapped on the tablet PC.

“It’s an avatar ability.”