I realized it instantly.
That the person in the photo was Kang-san Lee.
Kang-san Lee was covered in blood, bound with thick iron chains.
Beneath the photo lay several clocks indicating it had been taken just moments ago.
"Hoo."
I steadied my breath and called the Player Hunter Agency.
# You are out of the service area.
I furrowed my brow.
The phone, which had been working fine just moments ago, was completely dead.
Just as I decided to borrow someone else's phone.
I noticed it belatedly.
The change that had come over Karlovy Bridge while I was distracted by the photo.
Where had all those tourists gone?
Karlovy Bridge, bustling 365 days a year, was completely empty.
"There's no need to be alarmed. I didn't do anything to Karlovy Bridge."
I turned my head toward the voice.
There had been no presence at all just moments ago.
He had appeared as if teleported.
"I merely invited Hunter Se-yeon Cheon into my space for a moment."
A man stopped a few steps away from me.
The man raised his hand and pointed behind Se-yeon Cheon.
"If you go just that far, you can escape my space. Back to Karlovy Bridge, crowded with tourists."
"You're the one? This photo. The timing is too perfect."
"That's right."
Boom!!
Se-yeon ignited his divine power.
"Answer me within five seconds. Why I shouldn't kill you."
"If I die, your friend dies too."
"Is that all?"
"And if Hunter Se-yeon Cheon leaves my space, your friend dies too."
Se-yeon gritted his teeth.
The man before him was certain.
Certain that Se-yeon wouldn't trade the life of some unknown person for Kang-san Lee's life.
"What do you want?"
"For Hunter Se-yeon Cheon to come with me."
"Is the Korean Player Hunter Agency your target?"
"Of course not. Even if it's a bit hot these days, it's just one agency in a small country, isn't it?"
"Then why?"
"Let's just say you were unlucky. You were the first to step into the trap I set. Well, let's end the conversation here. Unlike a monster like you, I can't use my awakened ability for long. What will you do? Will you come with me?"
Even a fool could tell it was a trap.
A trap so blatantly shameless that it didn't even bother to hide itself.
But I couldn't refuse.
It was a trap set up that way from the start.
"I'll go."
Se-yeon, having withdrawn his power, walked toward the man.
The man held out his hand.
"Give me your phone."
Se-yeon handed it over obediently and spoke.
"Make a video call. I need to confirm that Kang-san is alive. Don't hang up until we reach the destination."
Once they arrived, he would be able to pinpoint Kang-san Lee's location.
He had to buy as much time as possible and then rescue him.
"Fine."
The man smiled and made the call.
Soon, Kang-san Lee's face appeared on the connected screen.
Irregular breathing came through the speaker.
Se-yeon let out a silent sigh of relief.
The injuries were severe, but not immediately life-threatening.
"Satisfied?"
The man asked with a smile, and Se-yeon nodded.
Then, as he was about to walk, he spoke.
"It doesn't seem like we're in a position to exchange smiles, so how about you stop grinning?"
"How can I not smile? I just got a big fish to bite."
Se-yeon, smiling back, began to walk.
Let's see.
If you can keep smiling like that later.
* * *
A few hours later.
Se-yeon Cheon, stepping off the helicopter, let out a hollow laugh.
He had thought they would take him to some remote factory district.
But the Wawel Castle, located in the middle of Krakow city?
Just how far up in the government did this conspiracy reach?
'Focus. Focus.'
He shook his head to clear his thoughts.
That question wasn't important right now.
He looked around Wawel Castle.
The range was sufficient.
He glanced sideways at the helicopter.
The man was just now getting out of the helicopter, having said something to the pilot.
Se-yeon didn't miss this small window.
Whoosh!!
He closed his eyes and burst forth his divine power.
The divine power shot toward Wawel Castle like an explosion.
Destroying the enemies was the next problem.
First, he had to rescue Kang-san Lee.
'Please, please, please.'
Se-yeon prayed earnestly as his divine power began to sweep through Wawel Castle.
Please let him be there.
And not long after.
Rustle.
He opened his closed eyes.
Found him.
"What the...!"
The man, sensing the energy, looked up, but Se-yeon had already kicked off the ground and flown toward the castle.
Swoosh!
Se-yeon shot rapidly toward the pinpointed location.
Attacks came from all directions, but they didn't slow him down.
He simply trusted his overwhelming power and pushed through, taking the hits with his body.
Wawel Castle was now right before him.
There was no time to look for a door.
'Please understand. It's your descendants' fault.'
Se-yeon loved history.
He cherished meaningful places and objects as much as anyone, but what could he do?
This was the fastest route.
Crash!!!
He smashed through the wall and entered the castle.
Enemies rushed at him as if they had been waiting.
They were clad in unfamiliar armor.
Boom!
He ignored them, crushing them with brute force, and then punched the floor.
Kang-san Lee was below this.
The corridor of Wawel Castle collapsed under the impact.
After breaking through two or three more floors like that, a damp underground area appeared.
He swung his arm to clear the thick dust.
"Hooooo!"
He exhaled and turned his head.
Kang-san Lee was tied up, just as he had seen in the video call.
He was still unconscious.
"This...!"
The Russian man, holding a phone, thrust a weapon at him.
Se-yeon swung his palm lightly, as if swatting a fly.
With a heavy scraping sound, the man was slammed down, his head drooping.
Se-yeon approached and checked Kang-san Lee's condition.
"Haaaa!"
He let out a sigh of relief.
Even though he was still in the middle of enemy territory, the tension melted away.
"This old man, really. So unlike himself."
He grumbled complaints as he broke the chains.
Unlike Se-yeon, Kang-san Lee wasn't known for having a high tower clear floor or public recognition.
But there wasn't a single person in the Hunter Agency who didn't know Kang-san Lee.
A specialist in assassination and anti-personnel combat.
With experience accumulated from countless military operations before the towers appeared, combined with an awakening class optimized for assassination, Kang-san Lee was always in the top five when people listed those they didn't want as enemies.
"You owe me a big one for this. Seriously."
He sensed multiple presences approaching rapidly.
He took out a shield and some other equipment from his inventory and equipped them.
Then he supported Kang-san Lee.
He had rescued the person he needed to rescue, and Wawel Castle was in the middle of the city.
He might as well just blow this damn castle away and get out.
At that moment, someone was watching the situation through cameras installed in the castle.
"All I can say is that it's brutish. That absurd power, and a human who casually smashes a historic castle with that power."
It was because of that power, which deflected most attacks.
That was why she was called invincible, or the Shield of Korea.
The man leisurely tilted his wine glass.
Normally, he wouldn't have been this relaxed.
Because there would have been no way to pierce that power.
But not now.
A crack was about to appear soon.
From the inside, not the outside.
Back to Wawel Castle.
Booooom!!
With a huge roar, the corridor was engulfed in flames.
'That's hot.'
Thanks to that, he felt a little less guilty about destroying the historic castle.
They were the ones who broke it and set it on fire.
"Bear with the heat. It won't burn you."
He increased the power surrounding his body to envelop Kang-san Lee.
It was an internal power he would never normally give up.
But he had no choice, as he had to navigate through this chaotic hail of fire for a while.
"Let's go."
Se-yeon Cheon ran down the corridor, supporting Kang-san Lee.
Enemies waiting in front poured fire at him.
He didn't know if he was going the right way, but he kept smashing through walls and moving forward.
Since Wawel Castle wasn't infinite, he would eventually reach the outside.
And during that time.
Slither.
Kang-san Lee's limp hand moved.
A sharp glint appeared from under his wrist.
At the tip of the glint, a purplish liquid was forming.
A deadly poison that would put someone in critical condition with just a scratch.
The glint slowly moved toward Se-yeon's neck.
"Se-yeon Cheon!"
A familiar voice called his name from the middle of the enemy territory.
As soon as he turned his head, he saw the glint approaching.
Smack!
He punched Kang-san Lee square in the face.
"Geez! What's wrong with this old man?"
Kang-san Lee went limp again, and Se-yeon swallowed dryly.
Had he hit him too hard?
He checked under his nose and then patted his chest in relief.
He was still alive.
He tossed the glint away and stared in the direction of the voice.
Footsteps echoed from the dark corridor.
Light seeping through the windows illuminated the owner of the approaching footsteps.
"Huh? You are...?"
"Hello."
It was someone he couldn't fail to recognize.
He had just met her at Jin-hyeok's house a few days ago.
Roche let out a deep sigh and squinted one eye.
"We meet in a bad place, in a bad relationship."
Se-yeon squinted as well and spoke.
"Are you involved in this too, Roche?"
"Rather than involved."
Shing.
A cold mist rose, and a giant pair of scissors appeared.
"I'm on this side. I have been since birth."
"That's a bit unfortunate."
"Indeed."
A brief silence hung in the air.
Se-yeon spoke.
"Why did you help me? You're an enemy."
The timing of her calling his name was too perfect to be a coincidence.
"Well, I don't know either..."
"There you are! Valikits!"
Before she could answer, a dozen or so soldiers appeared.
They crossed the corridor and stood around Roche.
The soldiers simultaneously activated their abilities and aimed at Se-yeon.
And just as they were about to attack.
Swoosh!
Several lines were drawn through the dark corridor.
Gasp!
A soldier, spitting blood, looked down at the weapon piercing his stomach.
Then he slowly turned his head.
"Wh-why..."
Blooosh!
The soldiers collapsed in a heap, spilling thick blood across the corridor.
Roche wiped the blood splattered on her face with an utterly indifferent expression.
Roche looked at the stunned Se-yeon and smiled.
"I don't really know myself. Just... let's call it a little whim."
She stepped back a couple of paces and tilted her head.
"Go quickly. If you dawdle, that monster might show up. Russia's hopeless monster."
Se-yeon nodded and followed Roche's lead.
He still had no idea what was going on.
But he was certain of one thing.
Roche, the unknown force called Valikits.
For now, he had to trust her.
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T/N:
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