Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Hero Association was currently turned upside down due to the large-scale barrier that had appeared in the middle of the city.

It could have been a barrier intentionally installed by the hotel, but unfortunately, no contact could be made to the relevant authorities division, so the possibility was increasingly leaning toward terrorism.

“Make way! Make way!”

At an alleyway crowded with investigators. A muscular woman with a magnificent physique pushed through the crowd.

Her name was Kim Taehee.

She was a former B-class hero who was now serving as the senior investigator on counterterrorism at the Hero Association’s Neo Pyongyang branch.

As she crossed the yellow police line, the body of a man with a shattered head came into view. She looked at the deputy who had arrived earlier and asked.

“Identity? Have you found out who it is?”

“Yes. He’s an employee of Changcheon Group.”

“Cause of death?”

“From the shape of the blood on the floor…The man’s neck was cut by a sharp sword, and the body seemed to have been damaged by being stepped on by a woman’s high heel.”

“Tsk…There’s nothing more to look at, so just cover it up for now.”

After instructing to have the bloody scene covered with a cloth, she turned to the barrier.

“I was roughly briefed on my way here. So, Changcheon Group’s president is trapped inside, correct?”

“Yes. Including Namgung Taesu, more than 5,000 people are believed to be trapped inside.”

“Ha, I’m going crazy. This is a fucking terrorist attack. In broad daylight no less. So what about the catalyst? Did you find it?”

“We’re not sure, but we believe it’s that stake over there.”

Beyond the transparent barrier, she saw a black stake emitting an ominous energy.

“From the looks of it, could it be a totem?”

In order to make a totem of this level, at least hundreds of people’s blood and grudge was needed. It was absolutely not something that would be used on an ordinary hotel.

‘There’s nothing more to see. This is undoubtedly a terrorist attack.’

Since it was a terrorist attack, every second and every minute was urgent. It was a waste of time to contact the association and wait for them to update the case.

She approached the boundary with a stiff expression.

“Chief Kim, what are you doing…?”

She ignored the deputy’s words and activated her ability. Black graphite covered her fist like a shell.

Then, she punched as hard as she could toward the barrier.

Boom–!

A deafening roar reverberated as if a bomb had exploded. The power that made her a B-class hero in the past was displayed in full force.

However, despite such a shock, the barrier only shook for a moment and there was no significant change.

“It’s damn hard.”

On top of that, she felt a strong rebound the moment she hit it.

It seems like it’ll be difficult to break with force. In the end, they’ll most likely have to wait until the specialists arrive.

However, unfortunately, all the specialists working at the Pyongyang branch were on business trips. They’ll need at least an hour to return.

‘It’s going to be too late by then.’

Her eyes, which had been firm, fluctuated. She broke out in a cold sweat and her lips became dry.

She anxiously approached the deputy next to her.

“It’s been so long since the incident broke out, so why can’t we figure out the situation inside?! Did you really ask for support?”

“We heard a superhero with a hacking ability will arrive soon. If you wait a little more…”

“And let the people inside die in the meantime? Can you say that if your family was trapped inside? Huh?”

“T-that…”

While the deputy was thinking of an excuse, a man arrived at the scene just in time. It was a D-class hero with an ability related to hacking.

“Hello, I’m the support…Heuk!”

Before the man could say hello, Kim Taehee lifted his collar.

“There’s no time for greetings. Show me the CCTV from inside right now.”

“O-okay.”

The man grabbed his tablet and began to use his ability.

Even at this moment, it was an unbearable wait for her. She kept thinking about the worst case possible.

“Hurry up and do it! Didn’t you hear that we don’t have much time?”

“I-it’s connected–!”

She snatched the tablet before the man could even finish his sentence. Then, switching between cameras at a high speed, she searched the hotel.

And soon, she found the place she was looking for.

The grand hall where the sponsorship event was held. There, unknown people wearing masks were indiscriminately swinging their swords.

Hundreds of guests were lying on the floor and trembling, and next to them were dismembered bodies.

“Damn! Contact the association and tell them to mobilize the heroes! Fuck! I told them it was a terrorist attack right from the start, but they didn’t listen…”

She verbally cursed upper management of the association.

At that moment, on the tablet, a child was seen standing on a stage.

And, a terrorist could be seen approaching the child with a sword.

“These fuckers!!”

The moment she saw the scene, she lost her reasons and ran in front of the barrier. Then, she hardened her fists and struck the barrier over and over.

Boom–!

Boom–!

Boom–!

.

.

.

An endless barrage of explosions sounded in the narrow alley.

The investigators watched on nervously.

‘This time too…I can’t be late!’

Sweat flowed down her back, and due to the rebound from the barrier, her internal organs constantly shook.

However, she continued punching.

‘Please…Don’t be late!’

She kept thinking about the face of her daughter. The daughter who eventually left first because she couldn’t protect her.

Amidst the sound of her continuous punching, the deputy’s flustered voice was heard.

“Uh…C-chief Kim…”

She pretended not to hear him and continued to punch the barrier.

“C-chief Kim!”

“Shut up!”

“T-that’s not it…he’s dead!”

Only then did she stop hitting the barrier. The hardened skin peeled off in tatters, and blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.

She stared at the deputy and shouted.

“Shut up! I told you to shut up, didn’t I? Don’t just watch and do something you punk!”

There was a limit to what one person could do.

So in order to save more people, she quit being a hero and became a counterterrorism investigator working for the association.

To wipe out the terrorists who took away her daughter.

However, whenever she couldn’t protect the citizens like now, she would feel a sense of shame and anger each time.

“Fuuuck!!”

The investigators knew her story to some extent, so everyone turned their heads and avoided her gaze.

Everyone except the deputy.

“C-chief Kim…Y-you have to see it for yourself…”

“I feel like shit right now, so don’t touch me.”

“N-no take a look and see…”

She nervously snatched the tablet. And the moment she saw the screen, her eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

“W-what’s this…”

On the screen, the young child was seen killing the masked man.

* * *

I raised my sword and extended it diagonally.

It wasn’t really a martial art technique or stance.

I just felt that this posture was the most natural for my current body. And more than ever, I felt this sword will move according to my will.

“Who are you?”

The beast girl gracefully climbed onto the stage where I was standing. Her entrance was like the appearance of a new actor coming onto a theater stage.

I observed her without saying a word.

With long arms and legs like that of a model, she was likely around 180cm. In addition, the weapon she was carrying was a soft sword that can extend 2m long.

Approaching her won’t be easy.

In general, the two most important things in close combat fights were weight class and reach. In order for me to approach her, I’ll be forced to take unilateral damage.

Also, the skill I saw from her a moment ago was at least at its peak. In terms of hero grading, she was around C-class.

On the other hand, my current growth is between E and D class.

There wouldn’t even be a fight to speak of if I didn’t have my current skills and stats.

I can’t take too long. I have to break through at once.

While I was quickly organizing my thoughts, I heard her voice.

“So have you thought of a plan? Can nuna play with you now?”

The soft sword in her hand slowly rises like a snake. I kicked off the floor instead of answering.

Swish!

At that moment, her soft sword coiled around me as if it had been waiting. Mana faintly covered the soft sword.

She had no intention of letting me get close right from the start.

But I could feel clearly where the sword would fly.

[ level of understanding has increased.]

Abstract information about her martial art flowed into my head.

It seems that she had remodeled an existing martial art to suit her weapons in her own way.

By understanding its path, I was able to avoid the flying blade that came in waves.

One, two, three times. As I avoided the attacks, the distance that seemed out of reach became so close that I could see the wrinkles around her eyes.

And at that moment, her eyes bent like a half moon.

“Caught you.”

Cling–!

There was a loud sound of metal behind my back. The tip of the sword, which had already passed by me, began to turn sharply like a snake wrapping up its prey.

[ level of understanding has increased.]

There’s nothing I can do about this.

I quickly imbued mana onto my sword. A faint mana overlaid above the blade of the sword.

The mana consumption was incredibly high because I was using it without the qi that came from martial arts.

Boom–!

Even though it collided with the soft sword, the sound of solid steel hitting each other reverberated.

After striking the sword that was trying to surround me, I backed out of her range.

“Wow, seriously, what did you do? How did you avoid it?”

Perhaps genuinely surprised, she spat out a small exclamation. From her tone, it was as if she was still holding back.

At that moment, a message appeared in front of me again.

[ level of understanding has increased.]

[You’ve reached a certain level of understanding.]

[While the battle continues, you can imitate the skill based on your understanding.]

I see. I roughly understood the gist of it.

Like a person who has trained their martial arts for a long time, muscle memory will allow me to move accordingly.

I lifted my sword again. However, it wasn’t diagonal like a while ago this time.

Instead, it stood upright like a sword piercing the sky.

It was the Gentle Wind Sword Art that she has been using. After seeing my posture, the woman’s eyes wavered.

“H-how can you…are you from Namgung…”

I rushed at her without waiting for her to finish. The soft sword that had been limp on the ground belatedly rose.

Ting–!

I imbued my sword with mana and swung down heavily on the soft sword.

Then, the soft sword began to fluctuate like a captured snake, and the repulsion quickly returned to her like a shockwave.

“Keuk!”

The moment she faltered, my feet that had stopped moved again.

“Damn!”

Woosh–!

Her blade was coming towards me from behind. If this continues, even if I kill her, the tip of her sword will pierce my back.

She was forcing me to choose. Whether to die together or back down.

I gave a third answer to her choice.

*Gas

The new effect I had unlocked after I strengthened the skill. At that moment, my body turned into a red blood-colored fog and scattered in all directions. My sword and clothes fell to the floor.

“W-what?!”

After passing through her in my current state, I picked up my sword that had fallen to the floor and slashed it at her back.

“Kyaak!”

She screamed and faltered forward. Her half broken sword fell to the floor.

Damn, it was shallow.

There was no sensation of cutting bones. Due to my lack of mana, I failed to break through the mana surrounding her body.

“Keuk…I’m going to kill you!”

She staggered and picked up the soft sword again. Then she raised it and pointed it at me.

This is troublesome.

I’ve used up all my trump cards. There was no means to break that attack right now.

As soon as I made that judgment, I ran to the back of the stage without looking back.

“A-are you running away?! You coward!”

I can hear her angered voice. As a result, she began to chase after me from behind.

I have to replenish my mana first.

So I ran at full speed and opened the door to the waiting room. The strong smell of blood stimulated the tip of the nose.

There were dismembered bodies scattered on the floor. They were the sisters who had gathered around me and screamed a little while ago.

I quickly looked around inside. In one corner, I could see the survivors confronting two masked people.

The older sister who trimmed my hair wielding a pair of scissors, and next to her was Eugene gasping with a wooden sword.

“I’m going to stab you if you come! I’m going to stab you!”

“Hak…Hak…”

And behind them, children from the nurseries huddled together and hid themselves.

Fortunately, no one seemed to notice that I had come in.

Good, that’s perfect.

I ran straight at them and put a knife in each one.

Puk–

Puk–

“Keuk!”

“H-huh…Keuk!”

They collapsed without even knowing what happened. The hairdresser nuna and Eugene gave me a surprised look.

Ignoring them, I put my hand on the bodies and used my newly strengthened skill.

*Mana drain.

“Keuuuh!!”

“Keuk, keu, keuh! My mana…”

My whole body became filled with mana.

To be honest, the efficiency wasn’t very good because it consumed mana to use it.

Still, after absorbing the two on the floor, I felt quite full.

“What are you…”

“Hmm?”

Eugene’s eyebrows furled with a shocked expression. Looking at it reminded me of the heartache I received in the waiting room.

So for a while I thought about killing him, but I decided to just give up because of the CCTV on the ceiling.

“I’m in a hurry, so later.”

“O-okay…got it.”

I packed all the swords that had fallen on the floor into my inventory and left the waiting room again.

When I ran around and found the woman, this time she was haphazardly swinging her soft sword in a loosened state.

I don’t know if she was running out of mana, but she was moving like an earthworm.

“I-I’m going to kill you…keuh…”

“Erm…”

Somehow, I felt like my actions had been futile. If I knew this would happen, I would have just run away.

It feels like I’m using a potion boost in front of a monster I had in my grasp.

Still, it’s good to be certain.

I rushed toward her, avoiding the soft sword.

Puk!

“Keuk…”

My sharp sword penetrated her abdomen.

And unable to overcome the shock that she couldn’t beat me, she fell to her knees and staggered away.

The place where she stopped was the center of the stage under the spotlight.

* * *

Meanwhile, in front of an elevator located on the top floor of the hotel.

Currently, Namgung Taesu’s security team were preparing to welcome the terrorists.

They were all martial artists at their peak, and they can be said to be as talented as C-class heroes.

“Understand? As soon as the door opens, whoever it is, attack. Don’t hesitate.”

“Yes!”

The elevator was rising at a high speed. Everyone looked at the number shown on the elevator.

They desperately hoped it would stop, but unfortunately, the sound of the elevator moving became louder and louder.

Ding–

And finally the door opened.

Inside was a lone masked man. However, the head of the security team had instructed them to shoot right away without letting their guard down.

“Shoot!”

Dudududu–!

Hundreds of bullets flew in unison toward the narrow elevator.

At that moment–

The bullet bounced back from the elevator and unexpectedly hit them. Because of this, several people who couldn’t defend themselves in time were hit.

“Keuk!”

“Did you really try to deal with me with just this much?”

The masked man’s hoarse voice was heard. He walked out leisurely before the elevator closed.

A sword was already in the hands of such a man. The security team leader didn’t panic and gave the next instruction.

“The opponent is at least a peak martial artist! Everyone, draw your sword!”

“”Yes!””

Along with a voice that echoed, the security team abandoned their guns and pulled out their swords. The team leader gave the next instruction without delay.

“Spread out and surround him! Into formation!”

“”Yes!””

The security team quickly surrounded the masked man. The tip of their swords pointed from all sides, restricting the movements of the person inside.

Against most strong people, it could be said to be the best method.

However, the masked man watched it leisurely and did nothing. Meanwhile, the security team began to move.

“Attack!”

“”Yes!””

Like a mythical giant who has countless arms, blades rush from all sides.

Avoiding such attacks very easily, the masked man spoke.

“It’s been a while.”

His movements seemed to be predicting everything that was happening.

As such, after some time, the masked man slowly raised his sword and spoke.

“I’m getting bored of avoiding it, so I’ll have to end it now.”

Ting–

“Kuaaak!”

A blow that accurately pierced the formation’s weakness.

The team leader’s arm, which was at the center of the formation, was cut off. As a result, the formation quickly began to entangle, and the blades of the team members stabbed each other’s bodies.

“Aahh! M-my legs!”

“I-I’m sorry! It wasn’t intentional…!”

“D-don’t panic and fix the formation!”

But the masked man who was aiming for that moment didn’t give the security team time to recover.

Like a wolf jumping into a flock of sheep, he killed them one by one. The neat corridor of the hotel turned into a sea of blood.

And soon, the lone team leader asked the masked man.

“H-how…Our formation…”

He could understand it if the masked man had destroyed the formation with force. Because there were so many strong people in the world.

However, the way the man broke it wasn’t by force, but an attack that accurately used the principle of the formation. Small loopholes that only people who have trained in Namgung their whole life would know.

The masked man answered leisurely.

“I used to be a Namgung…It would be weird not to know.”

“Keuk. What does that mean…”

Swish-

Not wanting to listen any longer, the masked man split the team leader’s throat. His head rolled across the blood-stained floor. And the expression on his face was of shock as if he couldn’t believe the reality.

“Hmph. Frogs living in a well.”

The masked man shook off the blood from his sword and walked along the hallway.

At the end of the hallway was the secretary and doctor running away with the wheelchair-bound Namgung Taesu.

The man happily approached them with his arms open.

“Haha, where are you going in such a hurry?”

“D-don’t come any closer…Keuk!”

The moment the secretary pulled out her word, suddenly, her head rolled to the ground.

The doctor next to her who saw the scene knelt down on the spot and begged.

“I-I’m just a doctor…please spare me…”

“I’m very grateful to you. Because you’ve kept the president alive so far.”

“T-then please spare me…”

“That and this are separate.”

Swish–!

The doctor’s neck also rolled to the floor. Finally, there was only Namgung Taesu and the masked man left.

Namgung Taesu, who had been watching everything without saying a word, opened his mouth in a relaxed voice.

“Do you know who I am?”

The masked man chuckled and laughed through the mask.

“Haha…Do you think I came here without knowing that? Aren’t you the president of the Changcheon Group and the head of the Namgung clan?”

“You know me well. But I don’t know you, so don’t you think this is unfair?”

“Keukeu, I guess you’re right. Then to make it fair, I’ll show you my face too.”

The masked man said and took off his mask.

The face that was revealed wasn’t an ordinary human appearance.

Emerald skin with bizarre black spots, and a sharp nose that protruded like an arrow. Then there were the two tusks that stuck out on both sides of his mouth.

It looked like a mix between a monster and a human.

“What do you think? Do you recognize me now…? Father?”

However, despite the man’s shocking appearance, Namgung Taesu’s answer was extremely calm.

“Hmm…My memory isn’t so good, maybe because I’m old…However, there’s no way that an abomination like you can be my son, so I think you may have been mistaken.”

The man let out an eerie shriek and grabbed Namgung Taesu’s neck.

“Namgung Taesu! Look at this face clearly. My name is Gomin! It’s the result of the terrible experiment you did 20 years ago!”

“Hoho! I remember now. Come to think of it, there was something like that. Hybrid race made by mixing disgusting and ugly things.”

In the past, Namgung Taesu had conducted an experiment to mix all kinds of monsters and humans as part of obtaining the Heavenly Body.

The method was to combine the eggs of monsters and his own sperm and then have a surrogate mother give birth.

Because of that, countless participants died in the process, and several individuals who succeeded in giving birth soon died due to genetic defects.

“But the project was hopeless, so I would’ve discarded it all…But it turns out there was a guy who was still alive.”

“I only survived to exact my revenge against you.”

“Revenge? Will killing an old man like me change anything? The fact that you’re a monster won’t change anyway. Still, I accept your sincerity for coming all the way here, so take it if you want. Kuekue.”

“…What I want isn’t your death.”

“Oh? Then what do you want?”

“Truth. That’s all I want. Publicize your atrocities from 20 years ago to the media and apologize to all of us.”

At Gomin’s words, Namgung Taesu’s face hardened.

“How dare you! How dare a vulgar hybrid kid like you say such a ridiculous thing to me! Even if I die, I’ll never do it!”

Gomin looked surprisingly calm when he heard it. Soon, he went around Namgung Taesu and grabbed the handle of the wheelchair.

“…I had already expected you to say that. I was worried that it would be useless to prepare this, so that’s a relief.”

“You! What are you up to?!”

“…Heavenly Body.”

“?!”

“Haha…I heard this information from somewhere…The reason why you held the event here today is all because of the prophecy that the Heavenly Body will appear here, right?”

“W-what nonsense are you saying?!”

“It’s no use trying to come up with an excuse. Because I know well that you would only make a move when it’s something related to the Heavenly Body. Haha.”

Slowly pushing the wheelchair, Gomin arrived at the lounge. There was a large screen connected to the venue.

“Now, I will tell my partners waiting downstairs to kill the children over there one by one.”

“T-they have nothing to do with this. Y-you can do whatever you want to me!”

“Keukeu, let’s see how long you can last.”

Gomin turned on the screen. The view from the venue could be seen.

Broken bodies were scattered here and there, and those who were suppressed were lying on the floor crying.

It seemed that his partners had already finished their work. Namgung Taesu couldn’t help but spat when he saw this.

“Keuk…”

“So? Do you understand the situation now? Let’s see who caves first.”

Gomin touched his ear and spoke into the walkie-talkie that was plugged into his ear.

“Vera. Just catch one or two of the babies there and put them on the stage.”

He waited for a while. But there was no answer.

Was the connection bad? He called her again.

“Vera. Answer me. Can you hear me?”

There was still no answer. He looked at the screen with doubt.

Only an empty stage was visible.

‘I guess the communication is bad here.’

The moment he clicked his tongue,

Thud, boom–!

Something rolled onto the stage and stopped in the spotlight.

Unable to understand what he was seeing, he stared blankly at the screen.

“Khahaha, as expected, the righteous will of the strong will never die.”

Namgung Taesu was smiling next to him. But why was he smiling?

Even though Gomin was seeing it with his own eyes, he was slow to process it in his head.

He looked at the screen again.

Fluffy ears, and outstretched long arms and legs.

There was a stuffy expression on the woman’s face, no, she was in tears more than anything else.

And…there was a sword in the middle of her abdomen…?

This…

“V-veraaaaa!!!”

After finally understanding the whole situation, he had no choice but to scream.

== Translator’s Note ==

1. Please report any typos, grammatical/spelling errors, sentences you find weird, and other etc…in the comment section.