The Protagonists Are Murdered By Me Chapter 48: 241-245, a 13 tzameti fanfic

Chapter 241

The 'Another League' Guild was established less than three years ago, but their impact on society rose steadily during that time. For example, thanks to them, if someone wanted to be a hunter, but did not have any talent for superpowers, they could try walking the path of mugong or magic.

There was also Another League's new technology; a product which was created by combining ether engineering and magic engineering and was constantly developed by the magic engineers belonging to the 'Matop' built in the name of Yekaterina.

They also reorganized mugong and magic to make it more suitable to deal with monsters. Even at this moment, countless aspiring hunters from all over the world were gathering to learn from them.

The Another League, which produced numerous inventions and many talented people in a very short period of time, had only one purpose, and that was to attack Hell Gate. No soul on Earth was unaware of this fact. This was due to the fact that 'Must be prepared to attack Hell Gate' was written as the first condition for joining the guild.

Thanks to that, one of Yoo Seodam's nicknames circulating on the internet was 'Hell Gate's survivor' or 'Hell Gate's crazy man', and his obsession with Hell Gate was so famous that even a kid on the other side of the world would know about it.

But no one who joined the Another League took that condition seriously. It was due to the fact that the Hell Gate subjugation would only happen in the far, far future.

-As Another League's guildmaster, Yoo Seodam, announced that he would attack Hell Gate, the United Nations announced that they would actively support his endeavor.

-Dr. Jang Young-wook. Is it really possible to successfully attack Hell Gate?

-In fact, it is considered as close to impossible. However, for the UN to support the action of one guild in Korea, there must definitely be a reason.

The media pounced on the topic like hungry sharks, but the opinions of experts they interviewed were mostly negative. Thanks to that, the atmosphere inside Another League also began to stir.

"You really don't want to go, do you?"

"I don't know. In the past, my friends envied me for joining Another League, but now they pity me."

"Ah. I'm really going crazy!!! Should we just run away?"

"Are you crazy? Do you know what will happen to us if we run away from the battlefield which was chosen by the guild for us?"

"But, isn't that still a lot better than dying?"

However, even though there was constant unrest among the guild members, Yoo Seodam never had any intention to take the members who had just joined the guild. The personnel he was thinking of bringing were the 50 swordsmen and magicians growing up under Yekaterina.

"I will go." Kang Hyuk-do said. He had been training kendo for 30 years and had been called a master of swordsmanship to this day. Since he was a man who excelled in only one technique, the moment he realized how to practice mana and how to strengthen his body with mana, his growth, which had halted for a long time, finally raged like a storm. Thanks to that, his status rose in an instant, and now he has surpassed the level of S Rank, and he's already looking at the gateway of SS Rank.

"If Kang Hyuk-do is going to go, I will also follow."

"The grace I received from the guild is not small by any stretch. On top of it, if you have the strength you need to fight, but decided to run away from a fight because of fear, you don't deserve to call yourself a martial artist."

The growth that was experienced by Kang Hyuk-do was also experienced by other swordmasters. The moment they learned how to accumulate mana, they showed a terrifying growth, like water which had finally burst from the dam that had been closed for years.

On the other side of the coin, the magician of the Another League did not have the privilege to experience what the swordsmens was experiencing.

The magic engineers in the tower were all excellent enough to combine magic with science, but it has only been about two years since they first encountered magic and mana, and with that amount of time, it was simply impossible for a magician to achieve a high enough circle to be useful in a fight.

It might be possible if they had witch blood mixed in their blood like Yekaterina. However, in general, after studying for about two years, they could only achieve 1 to 2 circles while the talented ones would go up to 3 circles.

Ads by Pubfuture

That kind of power was nowhere near enough to fight in A rank dungeon, let alone in Hell Gate.

But…

"This is the 'Chomana Ether Collapsing Cannon' that we developed. Theoretically, it could kill an A rank monster in a single blow, and if it's compatibility is good, it is also possible to kill an S rank monster…"

"This is 'Mulun High Radar'. The rune word 'mulun' means to lick the ground, and this device will keeps you from getting lost even in dark and unfamiliar places, and automatically records the terrain within a 100m radius on a map……"

"This is a healing capsule. If you put it in your mouth like a pill and eat it, your wound will be healed in an instant. However, serious lethargy might follow as a result, so please use it only in case of emergency."

"If you attach this suit to the existing ether suit, it can withstand any environment, even in space."

"This gas mask can easily overcome moderate high and low temperatures, and when a poison is sprayed nearby, the built-in supercomputer immediately interprets it and will filter the poison within 3 seconds. . . ."

"Also, this thing…."

Immediately after the discovery of the new energy called 'ether', the level of human science developed rapidly beyond imagination. And when 'mana' was founded, the technology once again developed at a breaknecking speed. It was a proof just how extreme humans can develop once they can handle monster energy 'ether', as well as natural energy 'mana'.

Another League was blessed to be able to advance the technology without burden with the support they received from numerous investors from around the world, and now it was finally time to put them to use.

"We are sorry. If we had had a little more time, we could have provided better equipment."

"Don't be. All of these things are great."

Yoo Seodam could not help but admire Yekaterina and the magic engineers as well as the researchers who had worked hard to this point. Regardless of how short the time period was for Lacanthal, someone who came from a world where magic engineering had reached its peak of perfection, to join the Another League, Yoo Seodam never thought that this much equipment would be developed to use.

In addition, it seemed that most of them were equipment for combat, so it seems that Yekaterina had ordered them to prioritize development of combat equipment.

The next place Yoo Seodam visited was the Murim Alliance.

In fact, he had no intention of asking for help from the Murim Alliance. It was due to the fact that he couldn't help them at all recently even though he held the position of their military advisor.

However, the Murim Alliance was the one who first brought the Hell Gate-related agenda towards Yoo Seodam.

'Murim Meeting'

Originally, Yoo Seodam was required to participate in this meeting as a military advisor. However, because he had been busy hunting for protagonists, he had not been able to do so. Thus, right now he was feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Ummm…"

In the conference room, the 10 elders of Murim Alliance, the head of seven main family of Murim as well as all head of the the sects, were sitting in the same space. It was something which never happened in the original Murim.

And what was odder was the fact that the current head of Murim Alliance was the very same person who used to be the head of the infamous evil sect in Murim–Cheonma sect. "My lord. Everyone is here."

Seol Jungyeon nodded when Shin Hye-ji, who had dark circles under her eyes since she was acting as the military advisor while Yoo Seodam was away, said so.

In an instant, the air froze and became heavier as she scanned the whole room.

'Isn't she really majestic?'

When Yoo Seodam called for a meeting at Another League a few days ago, he felt greatly burdened as he had to make decisions for a lot of people. He only managed to calm his nervousness thanks to Taylor's help before proceeding with the meeting.

However, Seol Jungyeon was different from him. She did it as naturally as water flowed. She summoned all the higher-ups of the Murim, who were said to never obey someone else, and dealt with the major issues.

Yoo Seodam had never known before, but as he had experienced sitting in the same position as her, he was able to re-evaluate just how great she was.

"You're probably familiar with the fact that our Military Advisor is preparing to enter the Hell Gate."

She deliberately emphasized the word 'Military Advisor' and Yoo Seodam was grateful for it, but also felt sorry at the same time.

Ads by Pubfuture

"We have been greatly blessed by him. If it wasn't for him, we would still be living in hiding at the edges of the world, losing all our strength and will."

At that, everyone inside the meeting room nodded their heads. In Murim, people dedicated their whole lives to train their martial arts to the limit in order to pass them onto their descendants. In other words, for people of Murim, their mugong means everything. When they lost mugong, they lost everything, and when they regained mugong, they regained everything.

For them, who spent their time day by day without even having a reason to live without their mugong, the grace they received from Yoo Seodam meant as something they had to pay back even with their lives.

So, there was no need for Seol Jungyeon to persuade them. They were all willing to help Yoo Seodam in the first place.

"From the beginning, I was going to follow him."

"Recently, what is it called… e-mail? I wrote it myself and sent it to Another League…"

"Sigh… Senior, it's too late for you to learn something new. Just ask your son to write it for you…"

"Hey! Writing your own words reveals the sincerity!"

So, the Murim meeting ended sooner than Yoo Seodam and Seol Jungyeon expected. And after everyone left, Yoo Seodam stayed alone with Seol Jungyeon to spend some quality time.

"I had said before that since it was the purpose of your life, I won't stop you. But, I will also follow you, so don't overdo it."

"Okay…"

Actually, Yoo Seodam used to think like this: 'Can I really drive those I love into the battlefield for my own purpose?'

And since he thought that he wouldn't be able to do it. He made a grand plan.

'I will be stronger.'

Stronger than Lee Dong-joon, who has reached the state of a demigod, and stronger than White Witch, who has reached the state of godhood.

If he holds strength that no one dares to surpass, he will be able to achieve his goals on his own without sacrificing his loved ones.

But now things have changed.

A new race of 'Grey Humans' inside the Hell Gate invaded the Earth and even began to absorb the Earth's energy.

The situation was getting worse day by day, and even now, news about some city in some country had collapsed and how many people were killed in the process continues to pop out.

If there was one saving grace, the news about the 'Grey Humans' defeat reached 10, and as Hell Gate's movements became more intense day by day, there was no time to wait any longer.

"Keep in mind. What you have gained while traveling to another world is not only life and strength, but also a lot of relationships."

"I always keep that in mind."

Yoo Seodam said so firmly.

"No, you do not."

"What?"

Seol Jungyeon shook her head. The bewildered Yoo Seodam tried to examine her expression, but it was impossible because she had turned her head slightly and looked at her floor.

"I never treat people I have met with this power I have gained lightly. If it wasn't for the guild's opposition, I was originally going to attack Hell Gate by myself."

He hurriedly tried to make excuses for her, but Seol Jungyeon remained silent. Then after a while.

"I… no, we."

Raising her head, she barely met his eyes. Somehow, Yoo Seodam was worried about her slightly red eyes.

"I want you to know that I think of you a lot, and I want you to think about me too…"

She first finished her speech and then left her conference room.

Yoo Seodam, who was left alone in his seat, just stood there with a stoic expression planted on his face.

Chapter 242

Somewhere inside the Hell Gate, Reina Ju walked silently through the dark space. A lot of monitors could be seen around her. Each of those monitors showed the view of a world.

A fantasy world of swords and magic; A world of sci-fi romance where artificial intelligence and humans love each other; A world of martial arts where someone wanders around the world to conquer the continent with one fist; A world where a chaebol wants to put the world under their feet with only their money; A world where the protagonist always meets a sad ending; and a world of mystery where someone is killed in a secret room once every 5 seconds.

Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands?

How many worlds exist in this universe?

That was something which Reina would never know.

Ding-!!

When one of the monitors went out, Reina reflexively turned her gaze onto it. It was because the fact that the monitor turned off also meant that the story of the world displayed on it was 'completed'.

In other words, that world was completely over.

ding-!! ding ding ding-!!

[Thank you for loving 『I got to the 99th floor, but I'm too lazy to challenge the 100th floor』….]

[Thank you for loving 『Murim's Big Mouth: I rule the world with my mouth』.]

[Thank you for loving 『My love dies today too』…]

[Thank you for loving, 『Void No. 19, Disappearing Sailors』…]

However, there were not only one or two worlds that were approaching their end. Countless worlds were running towards the end with every ticking second. The worlds, which were destroyed in that way, will later be absorbed by the Hell Gate and become a part of the 'completed world'.

Reina Ju looked at the collapsing world without any emotion in her eyes. It was because, even though countless worlds were crumbling right now, there were simply too many worlds in this universe.

That was the goal of another Yoo Seodam. But… the progress of the story was too slow for that. He encountered a problem, which was called [Serial Hiatus].

In some worlds, the protagonist disappeared out of the blue, and in some other worlds, the protagonist suddenly gave up on his goal and lived peacefully day by day without consuming any probability.

There were obviously more worlds that were perishing, but there were also a huge number of worlds which didn't.

'Force them to consume the probability and absorb the crumbling world.'

That was the situation that another Yoo Seodam did not expect at all. But he couldn't do anything. After all, even though it's possible for him to give a world a 'protagonist' and a story, it's impossible for him to be involved in the story. In fact, he had expended a tremendous amount of energy to give Vivienda its second protagonist and story.

With this many worlds existing, it was impossible for even god to manage them all. Which means, the man's plan was bound to fail as soon as it started. However, that certainty changed 8 years ago, when Yoo Seodam entered Hell Gate.

"Ah… that year…" As a voice suddenly appeared, Reina shrugged her shoulders and calmly turned her head. A man with the same face as Yoo Seodam looked at the monitor and sighed.

"It's annoying." Then, he smiled brightly and looked at Reina. "But now, that doesn't matter anymore."

He was looking at the screen somewhere. Among these numerous monitors, there were a few monitors which were bigger than the rest. Those bigger monitors were monitors which were dedicated for worlds that were close to completion. Representative examples of such worlds were Earth and Vivenda.

However, amongst the few big monitors, another Yoo Seodam was looking at the monitor which showed Earth. In that monitor, a large number of humans were gathering to enter Hell Gate.

"Originally, there was a penalty for the human race."

Humans, a race with intelligence, dexterity, and creativity, were said to even beat gods in terms of greed. So the world has given humans numerous penalties. Weak physical ability, short lifespan, limited resources, and hatred towards each other.

"It amazes me how humans have developed the world to such a degree just by accidentally lighting up a spark of fire."

Humans grew up by biting and scratching each other. They developed their skill and technology to kill others, honed their abilities to become better than others, and devoted themself to whatever it takes to stand above others. As a result, there were very few places in the countless worlds which were not conquered by 'humans'.

Ads by Pubfuture

"Among all, Earth is special. Looking at any other world, it is really rare to find a world where humans shine so splendidly."

From another Yoo Seodam's point of view, the world called Earth was the world closest to his ideal. Earth's technology was special. They developed it in order to live in comfort, in convenience, and to pursue pleasures which enriched the dignity of human beings.

With a simple button push, people of Earth could have a face-to-face conversation with someone on the other side of the world. They could also get something they wanted without even stepping out from the comfort of their house. On top of it, they could obtain almost every piece of information in existence simply by asking through a machine.

On Earth, human beings were equal, even if only on the surface. Therefore, anyone could realize their innate potential. In theory, it was close to an ideal world. A utopia.

"It's really a pity that Earth has too many flaws." Out of nowhere, monsters start to appear on Earth. After that, even superpowers appeared. It was that moment when all the peace and perfection that Earth had maintained for so long was broken.

"But… it's okay though. Thanks to that, I am who I am today. Isn't that right? Reina."

"Yes."

"Haha. Why are you so lifeless? You knew it was going to end like this, didn't you?"

On Earth's monitor, the image of Yoo Seodam was being shown. Even now, he was running around trying to solve numerous political and technical problems in order to enter Hell Gate.

"All of this is what Yoo Seodam wanted. You don't have to be like that."

She lowered her head with a somber expression. She simply couldn't refute his words since it was all true.

"I have waited so long. Really, it was a long, long time of waiting."

But now the waiting time is coming to an end.

Sting!

"Ugh!"

With a sudden headache, the man grabbed his head and staggered. His limit was slowly approaching. It was because he consumed too much probability in a short period of time.

"I can't delay any longer. We need to get things done as soon as possible."

To do that, he has to provoke the other party.

Pacific Ocean, Earth.

International Hell Gate Institute.

As it was built around a massive crack called Hell Gate in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hell Gate Labs was currently being converted for warfare. All of the research facilities were removed, replaced by state-of-the-art modern weapons. Most of the researchers also returned to their hometowns and the vacancy was filled by hunters and soldiers.

There was only one instance in the past, which turned the laboratories into something like this. It was back In 2045, at the start of the last Hell Gate expedition.

'Well, I do think it was much different from back then.'

The SS rank telekinesis superhuman, 'Cheong', stood by the window of the research lab and looked at the entrance to the Hell Gate, which shone menacingly. That red lump on the surface of the rippling portal seemed like nothing at first, but sometimes it looked like a wild beast with its jaws wide open.

Beep… Beep…

She lifted her head at the sound of the ringing sensor.

"Oh, Hunter Cheong, you don't have to worry about it. It's ringing just because the Hell Gate's absorbing wavelength has been slightly amplified."

Even with a single glance from her, the researchers were instantly on their toes. They were also someone who studied Hell Gate, so they would be called elite wherever they go, but it seems inevitable for them to react like that in front of an SS rank hunter whose number was less than 100 in the whole world.

"Don't worry about me. By the way, since when did Hell Gate's absorption wavelength get amplified?"

"Ummm… it has always been getting stronger day by day. However, the wavelength has been amplifying every day since a few days ago."

"If it keeps getting stronger…"

"Yes… Earth will be completely absorbed into that dreadful pit."

However, the researcher quickly added that the wave had not yet reached that level yet. As Cheong contemplated their words and was about to say something, the automatic door opened and someone walked in. He was a man who, unlike others, wore a martial arts uniform.

He was the Dang Baek-soo of Murim's Sichuan Sect, who was renowned for his terrifying nickname of Thousand Blood Poison (千血毒). He was also one of two SS rank hunters who were on standby at the Hell Gate Lab.

Ads by Pubfuture

"Hey, I'm terribly bored! Is there nothing wrong?"

"Pardon? Yes, everything is alright. There are still more than three months left until the scheduled attack date. If something happens already, it's a big deal."

"Didn't you say that sometimes something like a fly comes out?"

"They do, but… they are not coming out of that hole."

"What? I'm here to catch them, but how will I catch them if they didn't come out of there?"

"Even if you tell me that…"

Cheong sighed. She was also an SS ranked hunter, and she has had a lot of exchanges with the Murim recently, so she was well aware about them. In particular, their leader, Seol Jungyeon. She's a very beautiful woman who had all kinds of mugong, which almost made her bow her head at her noble figure.

As with other Murim people, she was able to understand their personality just by having a brief conversation.

"Dang Baek-soo. Please lower your voice slightly so that the researchers can focus."

"What the… Everyday, only me, damn it."

Dang Baek-soo ruffled his hair in frustration and floundered in his chair.

"Well, I just need to wait here until they come out, I guess?"

"…."

The researchers wanted to shout that it was more burdensome for them if he did that, but they couldn't. So they looked at Cheong with pleading eyes. But since the man had already said he would do it, there was no way for her to stop him.

However, very fortunately. The researchers no longer had to feel burdened.

Whiing~! Whiing-! Whiing-!!

"Wh-what is this?"

"Get your shit together! Something has escaped from inside the Hell Gate! Something with a huge amount of energy…"

"Okay. Show it on the monitor."

The researchers, who were moving in a hurry, moved the monitor belatedly at Dang Baek-soo's words. For the first time, thinking that his words were cool, Cheong also checked the monitor.

In the blue Pacific Ocean, something flesh-colored emerged from the Hell Gate. It looked so ordinary and did not match the amount of energy detected by the sensor.

The thing was a person. However, It wasn't beautiful. It was neither male nor female. It wasn't a new race called the Gray Humans, but wasn't a monster either.

"…what is that?"

Cheong asked with a bewildered face, but the researchers did not answer. No, they can't answer it. Because it was their first time seeing it too.

However, the answer, unexpectedly, came from Dang Baek-soo.

"Is that important? He might be dangerous, so we have to quickly get rid of it."

"Yes… That's right." Cheong nodded her head and steeled her resolve. Meanwhile the 'monster' in the monitor raised its palm.

"What?"

"Huh?"

Before they even realized what the action meant, the consequences came first.

Woooong-!!

In an instant, the outer wall that protected the Hell Gate Lab was torn off and sank to the bottom of the sea.

Kugugugung-!!

Beep-! Beep-! Beep-!

Clink!!

"Keuuuukkk!"

Belatedly, as the waves crashed and smashed the laboratory, all the windows were smashed and the sea breeze raged violently. Smelling the salty smell of the sea, Dang Baek-soo broke out in a cold sweat.

Watching the exterior wall–which at the very least towering in 50m high–being torn off completely that easily, he couldn't calm his pounding heart. As far as he knows, there is only one person on Earth who can exert that level of power: Seol Jungyeon, the master of the Murim.

Chapter 243

Woong-!! Woong-!!

The sky above the Pacific Ocean, which was clear a few moments ago, was now thundering with dark clouds above. Not long after, rain started pouring down. Dang Baek-soo got out of the building and stepped on the top of the transmission tower, the tallest tower in the Hell Gate Lab. There, he was faced by the unidentified monster who escaped from the Hell Gate.

"Hey, hey. Seeing it up close, that thing is actually no joke." Dang Baek-soo mumbled. The creature stayed expressionless, as if it had no emotion, and didn't say anything.

However, the truth is, the creature was trying to communicate and was expressing its emotions, but Dang Baek-soo didn't understand it since it was something which couldn't be comprehended by humans.

'It even stood in the air!'

If it's only walking on the air, Dang Baek-soo could also do it. However, he did it by stepping on the air. That monster was literally standing on his feet in the air, which was known to Murim as the Void Walking Technique.

When his body tensed even more, Cheong, who silently appeared next to his side, spoke to him.

"What a terrifying creature."

"You surprised me! What are you? How are you in the sky?" Dang Baek-soo asked as he saw Cheong flying in the sky just like the monster.

"All superhumans with telekinesis power can do this."

"Are you talking about Void Walking?"

"That's right."

"Huh…Superpowers are really mysterious. You can freely use the things that are said to be only used by those who have reached the pinnacle."

From Cheong's point of view, the existence of martial artists who were capable of reaching the realm of superpowers through training alone was more mysterious, but as the situation didn't permit them to chatter any longer, she didn't voice her feelings.

Woosh-!!

The waves grew stronger, the raindrops fell heavier, and thunder began to roar louder in the sky. It was as if nature itself was responding to that monster.

"By the way, why did it stop attacking?"

When the creature first appeared, it acted as if it was going to destroy everything just like it destroyed the Hell Gate Lab.

"Anyway, it is certain that it is hostile to humanity. We have to stop it."

As Dang Baek-soo snapped his fingers, sharp daggers and flower petals painted in black jumped out from somewhere and landed in between his fingers. All of those were coated with a terrible poison called Thousand Blood Poison (千血毒).

At the same time, Cheong took out an ether dispenser, which looked like a baton, from her waist and stirred the air as if conducting an orchestra. Then, dozens of pillars of water rose from the sea and reached the clouds above.

Despite seeing the magnificent sight, Dang Baek-soo shouted without blinking an eye.

"I will hit first!"

Dang Baek-soo immediately jumped and tried to pierce the monster's neck with a dagger. But before he could even reach him, a streak of lightning suddenly fell from the sky and shot towards Dang Baek-soo.

"Keuk!"

Cheong quickly pushed Baek-soo's body away with her telekinesis.

'Thunderbolt…? How could such a worst scenario coincidence happen all of a sudden!' While thinking like that, she compressed a huge amount of water steam into one and shot it at the monster's neck. The attack she just unleashed could even cut diamonds as easy as cutting a piece of paper, so she was certain that it would inflict some damage to the creature.

Puuussshhhh-!!

"!!!"

However, the streams of water she shot out 'evaporated' in the air.

"What the hell? Why?"

Even though she didn't understand why it was happening, it didn't stop her from attacking once again. Swinging her baton as hard as she could, she commanded the gravity around the monster's body collapse. Normally, whatever she attacks with this attack will burst out because of the pressure. However, the monster didn't even move, and Cheong was the one who suffered; blood flowed from her nose.

'It's rock hard…' If she were to compare the creature's endurance with her ability's strength, it would be like trying to break a rock using an egg. Until now, she had never met someone or something which was completely unaffected by her power, so she was quite perplexed.

When the creature raised its hand and was about to do something, Dang Baek-soo passed by Cheong's side like an arrow.

Nettle!

Dozens of petals shot out from his hand! Seeing it, Cheong was stunned. However, at the same time, she was also doubtful about what those petals could do to the monster when even her own telekinesis couldn't scratch the creature,

"It's usel…!" Chung, who was about to scream those words to Dang Baek-soo, immediately bit her mouth. It was because the petals thrown by Dang Baek-soo easily exceed the speed of human perception… No, it's because they flew as if they had penetrated the space before digging into the creature's body.

She snapped from her amazement and waved her baton high in the sky.

Ads by Pubfuture

Rumble-!! Rumble-!!

WOOOOOOSH-!!

The debris of the collapsed wall, paper, desks, sharp knives, mugs, wine glasses—everything around her flew into the air and began to swirl.

"Ugh!!" Then, she put her hand down. All the objects were shot at the monster as if they were being sucked into a black hole. However, it was to no avail. As if there was an intangible veil, all the items were destroyed as soon as they touched the monster's body.

However, as long as his throwing knives hit their target, it was enough for Dang Baek-soo. He snapped his fingers and shouted.

"Corrode!"

Then, something inside the monster's body gurgled, and its skin was dyed blue. The moment something was infected, Baek-soo's Thousand Blood Poison literally turned all blood into a bomb.

However, Dang Baek-soo clenched his teeth with a dissatisfied expression. Originally, with the amount he just injected to the creature, the explosion it produced would be powerful enough to blow away the entire area.

'Why didn't the poison work properly?' The question could not be resolved immediately. With a dagger dipped in poison in his mouth, Dang Baek-soo brought his hands together and raised his qi.

"Whirlwind of death… Seven Strike(七擊) Explode(爆)!"

When he slammed his palm into the air, seven purple daggers were created and rotated violently. Once Dang Baek-soo moved his arms, the daggers, which were swimming in the air, followed his gestures and flew toward the monster one by one.

Then, for the first time, the monster twisted its body to avoid the attack. Cheong struggled to hold back her amazement, and forced herself to press the monster's body with her telekinesis, preventing it from moving.

Fwoosh-!!

Four of the purple daggers missed and were destroyed, but three hit the creature's body.

"Break (破)!"

When Baek-soo snapped his finger again, the parts hit by the dagger exploded, leaving a scar the size of a palm. Eventually, the inside of the creature's body was revealed.

Flash!

Eyeballs blinked at the area where the body was cut. In another part, dozens of tongues moved like swarms of worms, and in another part, a mouth opened wide and sharp teeth protruded as if it was gnawing the air before disappearing once again.

"Crazy…."

"Ugh…!"

At that horrific sight, Cheong covered her mouth with her palm to suppress the acidic taste which rushed through her mouth, releasing the pressure on the creature. And the moment the pressure of her telekinesis disappeared, the monster raised his hands high into the sky.

Boom-!! Boom-!!

Flash!

The sky filled with dark clouds brightened. Dozens or even hundreds of thunder started to flash!

'Oops!'

Cheong, who later realized her mistake, tried to squeeze the creature again with her telekinesis, but the monster endured the pressure while shaking its arm.

'Dammit!!!'

The sensation she was feeling on her hand now was like trying to move Mount Tai with her bare hands. On top of it, with every attack she launched, she felt like her mental strength kept decreasing.

She looked up at the sky, while blood and sweat dripped from her nose.

Why didn't that monster attack right away? What is the monster's attack method? Why isn't the monster doing a proper counterattack?

Why, at the same time as the appearance of the monster, there was a dark cloud?

'Did its powers come from nature itself?'

It was an unbelievable notion. It was because even where there's a superpower which could control water or move the wind, there's no superpower that deals with nature itself.

But, the creature was able to create clouds and calls for thunder.

'Not good. Really, not good!' While she was trying to bind the creature with her telekinesis, she also moved many objects and threw them at the creature, but not even one managed to hit it. It was because the monster is also finely controlling the wind, changing the trajectory of everything she throws.

"I can't hit it…!"

All of her attacks were neutralized. Air manipulation, water flow manipulation, and space control through telekinesis. Until now, there had not been any enemy which could stop all three of her attacks at the same time.

'Why am I so weak…'

Boom-!!

Cheong bit her lip and looked up at the sky. The sky was completely white, and now the whole world was filled with thunder and lightning.

'That's the true power of a monster…' Cheong realized that in the first place, the word 'battle' couldn't be used for this situation. The monster was merely playing with them.

Death.

When the creature came closer towards Cheong, Dang Baek-soo moved.

"Sichuan Sect (四川唐門), Unique Skill (絕技)."

Whole Sky Flower Rain (滿天花雨).

Ads by Pubfuture

A feast of flowers unfolded in front of Cheong's eyes.

'Ah?'

Purple petals fluttered all over the place. Some petals went up, some went down, some went forward, some went backwards. Hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of petals were moving in different directions as if they had their own minds.

However, Cheong knew that every petal moved because of telekinetic force. All of those flower petals were being controlled by a single person.

"Nonsense…!" That's telekinesis. It's definitely telekinesis. Cheong thought that the human mind would never be able to move tens of thousands of objects in tens of thousands of directions.

'How could that…' She had the title of Earth's Greatest Telekinesis hunter, something she thought would never change even after wizards and murim warriors appeared.

However, it seems like she was wrong.

Even though there's someone stronger than her right in front of her, why couldn't she recognize it?

Tens of thousands of petals flew through the air and slowly gnawed at the monster. The monster's skin, which wasn't scratched by Cheong's attack, began to be torn by the attack of Dang Baek-soo.

"If I join the attack…!"

But, when Cheong was about to swing her baton, Dang Baek-soo landed on the transmission tower. At the same time, The storm of petals had started fading.

"Hey."

"I know! I will be joining you soon!"

"No, just run away."

"Sorry?"

"Look, he's getting used to the poison. He will soon become completely immune to my poison."

On top of it, a lot of Dang Baek-soo's attacks failed to hit the creature. However, it wasn't because the creature was capable of avoiding hundreds of attacks at the same time. It was just… the wind around the area seemed to move by itself.

"You need to get out of here alive. And let the world know about that creature. The tower has been completely destroyed. That means, communications are no longer available."

"No, if I stay until the end and fight, we can definitely win—"

"Calm down, you stupid woman."

Cheong looked blankly at Dang Baek-soo's back. He couldn't even turn his head towards her in order to control Whole Sky Flower Rain.

"That creature… is a disaster. However, it is still in its learning phase."

"Learning…."

"It had a lot of energy, but it didn't know how to use it." That energy was neither air, mana, ether, magnetic force, gravity, nor anything else. It was something Dang Baek-soo and Cheong did not know.

"Do you remember the first time I attacked it?"

At that time, the 'energy' moved on its own and sent a strike of lightning towards him. Dang Baek-soo was certain that was by no means done by the monster's will. And the same also happened when Cheong attacked with a stream of water, and when Dang Baek Soo attacked with poison.

That monster didn't dodge a single attack. It's just that the huge energy moved and offset it.

"That energy… It's like it has its own will. It manipulates the very providence of nature… We can never win on our own."

Cheong, who had not thought about it until then, made a crestfallen expression. When he looked at Dang Baek-soo's action in the lab, she simply thought he was just a fool who had no idea what he was doing, but it turned out that he was superior to her in every way.

"The only person who can get out of this place is you. Hurry up and go! I will reach my limit soon!"

Cheong looked at the Dang Baek-soo once, the creature once, and the broken tower once. Living as a hunter, sometimes there comes a time when you have to make a choice.

Will she abandon her comrades and retreat for greater good?

Will you get caught up in your feelings and fight together with your comrades until the end?

Until now, Cheong had always chosen the latter. And in the end, she still survived because she had the ability to do that. But not right now. She was completely aware that her telekinesis was weak in front of the creature. It couldn't bind that bastard for even a second.

So, Cheong had no choice but to bow her head.

"I'm sorry."

Because she couldn't help at all and had to run away.

But Dang Baek-soo just smiled brightly.

"Heh heh! I heard an apology from such an arrogant woman like you! Today is really a very good day!"

With those words, Dang Baek-soo rushed to the monster with both hands full of petals, and Cheong, who gave a last glance to his reliable back, quickly escaped from the radius of the dark clouds.

Then, after she had run away for a while, a loud explosion shook the sea upside down.

BOOOOOM-!!

"Ugh!"

Cheong, who was flying in the air, turned her head unknowingly to check the place. Thousands of thunderbolts were falling all at once, resulting as if a huge pillar of light had been erected.

"Ah…"

At that sight, she was certain of one thing. The Hell Gate Labs no longer exist. Everything in that area would have been destroyed. With gloomy feelings buried in her chest, Cheong turned her head again.

She now had to make sure that Dang Baek-soo's dying wish comes true; to make the world know about that monster as soon as possible.

As a famous vacation spot, Waikiki Beach in Hawaii was a place filled with tourists all year round thanks to the clear blue sky and the calm waves in the emerald sea. There was one time when it was designated as a danger zone because of the invasion of sea monsters, but not anymore. Hunters who work in the Hawaiian Islands are on guard 24 hours a day, and a state-of-the-art anomaly detection device ensures that evacuation orders would be issued long before gates or dungeons appeared. Because of that, there were very few dangerous incidents that happened these days.

Children laughed and ran around the beach, some people enjoyed the sun while getting a tan on their skin, and some plunged into the sea and enjoyed swimming in the cold sea water. And in one corner, tourists enjoyed their vacations while holding colorful drinks in their hands.

"Huh?"

"What is that?"

Because it was Hawaii, where there was no danger, they did not show much caution when something unfamiliar appeared. Rather, some teenagers approached it out of curiosity.

"Is that a human?"

"Isn't he too tall for a human?"

"Darling, could that be a monster? Let's just go."

"That's absurd. Have you ever seen a monster looking like that? No matter how you look at it, he's just a normal superhuman. You know Giant Boy, right? He must have the same type of ability as him."

Appearing out of the blue on the shore, the subject of the topic had flesh-colored skin whose features were common among the humans. It gave an impression that people will forget once they no longer look at it. Its height was close to 3 m, but in the 21st century, that was a normal thing. It was due to the fact that there were numerous unique superhumans in the current world, with them having a much taller body height than average, blue skin, etc.

"Hey, you like me right?!" Someone approached it and tapped it on the thigh, but it still didn't move.

"By the way, why are you all naked?"

"Yeah."

"EH… That guy doesn't have d*k?"

Beeeep!

When anything out of normal happened, it was a protocol in Hawaii that the first security personnel to respond had to blow a whistle to alert the other security personnels. All of the security personnel were by no means ordinary, since they were all at least rank C or higher, and had sufficient ability to respond to any situation. So, when such security personnel came, the civilian who had crowded the man had no choice but to back off.

"Cih! No fun!"

"Right!"

As the tourists retreated, the security approached the monster and spoke in English.

"What are you doing, without even a single pair of clothes on?"

However, the monster just stared at the security guard without answering. The security sighed and put his hand on the monster's shoulder, thinking of taking it to the security office.

"You seem to be a superhuman, but for now, please cooperate with me… huh?"

However, when he pushed, the security couldn't feel his hand pushing the body of the tall man in front of him. So he tried again…

But…

Slice-!!

His right hand fell to the sand below and blood started gushing out from his shoulder.

"Uh… uh…"

Tuk!

Eventually, the security guard's head was separated from his neck. Without even realizing his own death, he met his end with his eyes wide open.

"A… A…"

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

"So-so-someone is dead!!"

The tourists, who realized the situation a beat later, began to run away. Unfortunately for them, their lives were already over the moment the monster stepped its foot on the sandy beach.

Ads by Pubfuture

Weeing-!! Weeing-!! Weeing-!!

A siren blared out all of a sudden. But it had a different sound from the one which signifies that a monster had appeared.

-Tsunami warning issued! Tsunami warning issued!

Flap-!! Flap-!! Flap-!!

Tens of thousands of seagulls flew in droves in the sky. And a moment later, a thick layer of dark clouds began to fill the sky.

And, the tsunami finally came.

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…!!

The Hawaiian Islands tsunami warning system was famous for sounding the alarm long before the tsunami arrived. But for some reason, the tsunami arrived just mere moments after the siren rang.

"Hey, run away!"

"It's a tsunami!!"

No superpower, advanced equipment, nor countermeasures could resist the tsunami. Because it was literally a natural disaster. Therefore, the scene quickly came and went. It took only 30 minutes for the Hawaiian Islands to completely disappear after being swept away by a devastating tsunami.

The monster watched all the deaths caused by the disasters that he had called with uninterested eyes before leaving the place by flying to the sky.

-A tsunami of magnitude 7 occurred in the western part of the Hawaiian Islands at 14:48 pm today.

-Amidst numerous casualties…

The incident was immediately reported around the world.

-At the time of the tsunami, an unidentified monster was spotted floating over the Hawaiian sky…

It also imprinted its presence on the world.

Around 4pm, Another League Lab.

"Using that part reduces the effectiveness of the ether. Why don't you try using a conductor instead?"

"But, by using a conductor, mana won't flow smoothly…"

"Can't be helped. We just have to use both of them in two different layers. After all, this suit is a space suit."

Under the advice of Lacanthal, who lived in a world where magic engineering was developed to the limit, I was participating in the development of a brand new suit. In fact, I was rarely directly involved in the development, and what I was doing right now was closer to experimenting while checking what the hell was being developed while I was away.

The thing that I value the most amongst all the developed equipment was the 'suit'.

An ether suit could be said to be the wearer's second life. Depending on how much money you spend, you can survive even going out into outer space. In other words, the performance varies greatly depending on the direction of the modification.

"Why am I going to space?"

"Your kind will have to go there sooner or later. It won't be long before we catch up with the level of interstellar travel."

The space suit that Lacanthal painstakingly developed was very different from the old thick and stuffy space suit, which was uncomfortable to wear. After being improved a lot, it now only had about 5 cm thickness even though it was made out of a special alloy. It also had an energy protection field, making it possible for the wearer to move freely in a non gravitational zone.

And by applying the principle of such spacesuits, a suit, which was called 'Hell Gate Suit', was developed. From my experience, I know that the space inside Hell Gate rendered any protective clothing useless. But Lacanthal directly investigated the environment of Hell Gate and made a suit which could adapt to it.

"As of now, this suit was nothing different compared to other suits. But the moment you wear it and go inside Hell Gate, the suit will adapt and evolve by itself. No matter how high or low the temperature outside the suit, the inside will maintain a temperature suitable for humans to live."

Of course, the environment inside the Hell Gate was not something as simple as hot, cold, or bad air. Something was wrong with the environment itself. And it was something which Earth's technology couldn't cope with as of yet.

"Okay, let's try inputting some data first and then experiment. You are the one who has to do the clinical test."

"Wait a minute, why should I?"

"Don't you have superpower to adapt to any environment?"

"I have it, but…" While I reluctantly looked at how to wear the suit, my smartphone rang. However, it was not my main smartphone but my second smartphone which I only get called in urgent situations, so I rushed to answer the call.

– Master Yoo Seodam. Did you watch the news?

Ads by Pubfuture

"What's going on?"

-Hell Gate Lab has collapsed!

"Sorry?"

I dropped the suit I was holding in my hand out of shock.

"Come on, wait, what the hell does that mean?"

The Hell Gate Research Lab was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to observe the energy of Hell Gate from the distance of the Hell Gate. It is also equipped with armaments to fight any monster which might jump out of it. In other words, the lab was a command center which was ready to go to war anytime.

– We'll send you the data right away! There's only one survivor from the lab. It was SS rank hunter 'Cheong'. She explained what happened to us, so please read it right away.

"Yes. thank you."

It was only after hanging up that I found out that the person calling was a high-ranking person in the International Supernatural Phenomenon Association.

Data related to the Hell Gate Lab's collapse was immediately delivered to my phone. However, before I could even read it, the phone rang again.

-Hello? Hunter Yoo Seodam!

"I just heard about the collapse of Hell Gate lab."

-No. Rather than that, please take a look at the video we are sending now! The Hawaiian Islands were completely swept away by the tsunami!

"Tsunami? Why…"

I had doubts, but I decided to listen to the story until the end. When I pulled the smartphone from my ear, the screen expanded and a certain video played. In it, a scene of the catastrophe in the Hawaiian Islands captured by the satellites and drones was shown.

And then, I noticed something strange.

"What's that strange thing flying in the sky?"

-Did you get the message that the Hell Gate Lab had collapsed?

"I have."

-Presumably, the collapse of the Hell Gate Lab was also the work of that monster.

"What, that's crazy…" Hell Gate Lab and Hawaii Islands. The two places with the best defense against anomalies in the world were destroyed by a single monster in just one day.

"I will call you again later." Without even checking who the caller was, I immediately checked the data related to the lab collapse in my smartphone.

[Hunter Cheong's testimony: The subject is a being who escaped from the Hell Gate and is at least SSS rank or higher, but it is not certain.]

[It is meaningless to measure the monster's energy level using human standards.]

[Subject is capable of inducing natural disasters, and has been confirmed to be able to create an 'always favorable' environment for itself through some unusual ability.]

"SSS rank…?"

Although the 'Gray Humans' continued to invade Earth within the Hell Gate, each individual was only at SS rank level, so with enough preparation and personnel, their attack could be blocked. But if it's an SSS rank, the story was different.

Dozens of SS rank superhumans need to be gathered to deal with it. But there is no way to gather such a large number of hunters in one place because who knows where the monsters will appear next.

"Damn it…"

"SSS rank monster, huh? What a headache."

"Yeah…"

In the past, when there's still only a very few hunters that received the SS rank, there was this one terrorist. As an SS rank superhuman who handles wind, he flew around the world on the stratospheric air current and terrorized all over the world. Authorities never know when or where he will appear. Thus, the fear he caused was great. People stopped seeing each other, and everyone hid inside buildings.

And now, the same situation has happened. But the culprit wasn't just an SS rank superhuman, but an SSS rank monster. Although it was not certain yet whether the monster was capable of rational thinking or not, by looking at the behavior the Gray Humans have shown so far, it was highly probable that the SSS rank monster could think by itself.

'If noonim and I go together and find that guy, we can somehow win, but…'

There was one thing that struck me the most. One of the reports says 'able to create an 'always favorable' environment for itself through some unusual ability.' At first glance, ordinary people may not understand that, but I could easily guess.

Protagonist correction.

All the protagonists I have dealt with got their abilities strengthened by protagonist correction whenever [crisis] that exceeds the protagonist's threshold occurred. And since that monster also comes from the same place as those Gray Humans, which have the protagonist hashtag, it was certain that it would have protagonist correction.

And as far as I know, there is only one person on Earth who can suppress the protagonist's correction.

Me.

To hear more details about the monster that destroyed the Hell Gate Lab, I had to take an early flight with Yekaterina to China. After reading some additional documents about the monster, I turned on the TV.

-…The so-called 'walking disaster' or 'Monster 2' has appeared and many people are trembling with fear because of it. A mysterious monster that swept Hawaii Islands and disappeared. What exactly is it? We have brought in expert Professor Alex to dwell deeper into the matter!

-Nice to meet you. My name is Alex.

No matter what channels I tuned in, it is all filled with stories about the monster.

-Professor, is it possible for us to identify the true identity of the monster?

-There is still not enough data to exactly know its identity. But according to the information we had gathered so far, it has been confirmed that the monster resembles a human more than a monster.

-It resembles a human?

-That's right. Normally, because of the influence of ether, monsters bleed blue blood, whereas, according to Hunter Cheong, the monster's blood was red. In addition, some of its body organs have been found to closely resemble humans.

– Then, can we say that the monster became another species of human?

-I can't say for sure…

Prof. Alex answered vaguely before drawing a deep breath.

-… It would be more apt to view it as an evolved form of humans rather than another species of human.

-Ah….

The remarks of Prof. Alex, the number one monster researcher, will spread widely because it was something he said on TV. But will it impact humanity greatly?

No.

Whether it's a new race or not, people don't care. The only thing they cared about was the fact that the monster was a walking disaster which had reaped countless lives.

-…We confirmed that the so-called 'Monster 2' landed in Mexico's Baja California Peninsula around 15:00 Korean time.

– Citizens were not evacuated from Baja, California because the monster was not detected by the monster sensor, resulting in numerous casualties. As a result, the Hunter Association is being criticized by the media for not properly protecting humanity.

-Hunters! What the hell are the hunters doing without protecting us! What's the point of taking our money!

-Next, we brought an expert to dwell deeper on the movement of Monster 2…

In my preparation to Attack Hell Gate, I planned to only include several elites while leaving the rest. I believed that all power that was left behind was sufficient to block the threat of the Gray Humans which was threatening Earth. However, the story changed when that monster, which exceeds the level of the SSS rank, appeared.

-Breaking news! All fifty-five hunters, including three SS rank hunters, who were waiting on the predicted path of Monster 2, died.

"Sigh…"

Monster 2's speed was faster than expected. Since it first appeared, in less than a day, it has already destroyed a part of Mexico. A part of the battle in Mexico was shown on TV, but most of the scenes were edited out. The video they showed was no more than three seconds long, but it was played over and over again.

'I should have asked them to send me the unedited video…'

While I was watching all the events on TV, the plane landed at Beijing airport. I felt I had moved as secretly as possible without notifying anyone. But it seems like I was wrong, because reporters were already all over the airport.

"Ugh…I really hate them…" Yekaterina said with a disgusted expression as she saw the reporters.

"Don't hate them too much. They are only doing their job."

At my words, Yekaterina nodded and walked towards the reporters. At that moment, the superhumans of Another League, who had boarded the same airplane as me, put on their suits and split into two rows. The next moment, the reporters all retreated to the side, reminding me of the miracle of Moses.

Of course, some reporters had physical strengthening superpowers, but if they dared to jump on their own to press for an answer, they would only get kicked out and would be unable to get the answer.

"What do you want to do, Seodam-nim?"

"I can't speak Chinese."

"I'll give you a translator."

Ads by Pubfuture

I wasn't going to do anything big in China, so I guess I just need to give them a few answers.

"(Hunter Yoo Seodam! Do you have any plan in mind to kill Monster 2?)"

"I have to make it from now on."

"(I heard that the reason you wanted to meet Hunter Cheong was to hear about the weakness of Monster 2 which she secretly discovered. Is that true?)"

"If there was such a thing, why would I be here rather than hunting it?"

"(Hunter Yoo Seodam came here to protect China, right?)"

The last question was so far away from the earlier question, so I was taken aback.

"Why should I do that?"

"(Because…. Isn't it natural for you to protect China? Research has already revealed that Hunter Yoo Seodam's ancestors originated from China.)"

"Did you eat something wrong? How do I have the same origin as you?"

"(Yes?)"

"Seo-seodam nim! Let's just go!" Yekaterina panicked and dragged me out from the reporters. Only after we boarded the back seat of the limousine waiting for us, did she become angry.

"I'm already dying because Taylor noona is so popular in the media. So what do I do if the guild master also does the same thing as her?"

"Sorry…"

"Whew… I know you must have been angry, but the correct answer is just to ignore them."

She was right. And, if it was the former me, I would definitely have ignored it. So why did I do what I just do?

'Something…'

Something is strange…

Ignoring all political, diplomatic, and social issues that exist in reality, I spoke only for the sake of the moment. This is similar…

[Give some cider to get the probability!!]

"!!!!"

"Seo, Seodam-nim, What's wrong?"

Because of the message that suddenly appeared between my face and hers, I unknowingly stared at her. Thanks to that, Yekaterina, whose feeling assimilated with me, got flustered and bumped her head to the window on her back.

"No… It's nothing."

"Seriously… Don't surprise me."

"Okay… I have something to think about, so don't talk to me, please."

"Okay…." Yekaterina opened her laptop and started to write something down. Meanwhile, I moved my hand and pinched my temple. It was something I had expected before. So, there's nothing to be upset about. But, it's just not the time yet.

'I have to be patient.'

Now, not only the act of hunting the protagonist, but also the simple act of everyday life has begun to build probability. And that was not a good sign.

'Maybe… killing Monster 2 will be my last time hunting a protagonist. After all, once I successfully hunt it, I will receive a large amount of probability. I can't avoid becoming the protagonist anymore.

Fear bud in the corner of my heart. It was something unavoidable. After all, I was human too.

Tiriing-!!

[Taylor: You crazy bast*rd LOLOLOLO]

[Taylor: Hey, why are you so cool today? LOLOLOLOLO]

When I checked my ringing smartphone, those texts were the ones who greeted me. Looking into it, my mind somehow calmed down.

[Yoo Seodam: Well… I know I'm cool.]

Ads by Pubfuture

[Taylor: LOLOLOLOL]

Thanks to her, my tension fell considerably. And, I firmly hardened my heart as I reminded myself of my purpose.

"…" The limousine passed through the road for a long time. And that long time was enough for me to organize my thoughts. We arrived at the Beijing New Age Hotel, which was built after the Great War 30 years ago. This hotel was mainly used as a banquet hall for high-ranking people, and it was even featured in many dramas. So, I found the place familiar even though it was the first time I came here.

As I was escorted by the receptionist of the hotel to the restaurant, I was able to meet the people I wanted to meet: SS rank hunter, Cheong, The Hunter Association's President, Rycle Cyrus, and, Murim Lord, Seol Jungyeon.

I especially invited Noonim to this event because I thought I would need her help to hunt Monster 2.

"…Nice to meet you, Hunter Yoo Seodam. I've heard about your exploits a lot."

"Likewise, Hunter Cheong. I've always respected you, and it's an honor to meet you like this."

Cheong smiled bitterly at my words. As a mixed-Chinese woman, she had a strong Asian image, but the sadness in her smile was vivid.

"I am not worthy of respect. This time, I escaped without being able to protect those who died… Someone even sacrificed his life for me."

I know that. Wasn't his name Dang Baek-soo? He was a person I met every time I stopped by Murim hideout to meet noonim. But I didn't have a good impression of him because his personality was too easy going for my liking.

But such a guy had sacrificed himself for others…

"It was only after he died that I was able to understand his heart. To be honest, I didn't like him because of his personality.."

"Yes. Hunter Yoo Seodam is right. I too, used to not like him." Hunter Cheong said.

After a brief moment of mourning for Dang Baek-soo, Rycel brought up the subject first. "It's really reassuring to know that Murim Lord Seol Jungyeon and Another League's master Yoo Seodam are directly participating in the extermination of Monster 2. On behalf of my family, I would like to thank both of you, as I do not dare to represent the whole Earth."

Noonim burst into a small laugh at his polite humor.

"First of all, we are gathered here because we need to hear more about Monster 2 in more detail."

"I understand." Cheong hesitated for a moment, then took a sip of her tea and put something on the table. "…This is the file of the action cam I was wearing on the day of the incident. It was not disclosed to the public."

Then, when I plugged it into the tablet I had prepared in advance, the video was immediately played. Monster No. 2 appeared after destroying the Hell Gate Lab, and Dang Baek-soo and Cheong immediately responded to it. The video went by quickly, but some scenes could not be seen properly because the quality was either blurred or cut off. Fortunately, the person in question was right in front of me, so I was able to get a supplementary explanation about the situation from her quickly.

The video ended shortly thereafter, and Cheong spoke first. "Hunter Yoo Seodam. Do you know why I called you here?"

"Yes? I don't know…"

"That monster and Hell Gate were connected."

"Yes?"

After a moment's hesitation, she tapped her own head.

"Telekinesis is fundamentally a mental attack. Gravity is another force that violates the magnetic force. This allows telekinesis users and gravity users to react a little more sensitively to the movement of forces."

"Is that so?"

"Monster 2 is a 'part' of Hell Gate. For example, would you like to see this tea?" Cheong raised the tea with her telekinesis and floated it in the air. Then she took a small drop of water from the tea.

"This little drop of tea is Monster No. 2. When it is separated from the main body water like this, it can be active on its own. But…"

She once again combined the small and large water droplets. The tiny water drops were nowhere to be seen.

"…Like this, Monster 2 will melt into Hell Gate again."

I pondered without saying a word, and then nodded my head.

"That's why you called."

"…"

She lowered her head because she was deeply sorry, but I understood her. After all, Monster 2 was the worst monster to ever threaten mankind. If there's no way to defeat it, it's better for me, who had promised to enter the Hell Gate, to sacrifice myself to kill it. With just one sacrifice, all 7 billion human beings can live.

"It's okay. It's natural for me to do it. Because I promised to go through Hell Gate anyway."

"Sorry… I'm really sorry. I'm sorry there's only one thing I can tell you…"

"Don't blame yourself."

Cheong bowed her head again and again. However, before long, Noonim stopped her.

"Huuuh…."

Even though I was sipping on hot tea, my chest only grew colder.