Chapter 40

Chapter 40.

The world was vast. There were many strong people. And above the sky, there was another sky.

Kim Min-seok, who had lived his entire life like a cockroach, sat down on the spot and wept as he painfully realized that cruel truth down to his bones.

“Hic... sob.”

His Survival Instinct was ringing fiercely.

If he stayed in Pandemonium, he would one day be killed by Master.

And his intuition was telling him that day was not far away.

There was only one path to survival.

The Grand Magic that had frozen Pyongyang!

He had to cling to the one who had used that magic no matter what.

Because that person was probably the reason Han Seol-ah had become stronger, the reason the Guild Master had been searching for so desperately.

Kim Min-seok had even broken an expensive Artifact as he chased after Scathach’s spatial movement trajectory, and at last, he saw ‘that man.’

The moment he saw that man.

Kim Min-seok felt ‘something’ he did not dare to mention.

Something beyond that gaze, which looked upon him as though he were an insect that could be killed at any time.

The reverse side.

He could not clearly express what kind of feeling it was, so he could only describe it as the ‘reverse side’—the true nature of that man.

That reverse side drove Kim Min-seok nearly insane.

It was a contradiction that seemed as though it would drive him mad.

His beast-like Survival Instinct screamed at him to crawl beneath that man’s feet at once and beg for his life, but the intuition at the bottom of his soul was warning him.

The moment he touched that eerie ‘reverse side,’ he would surely be devoured and destroyed.

“S-Spare me. Spare me. Spare me. Spare me.”

Guaranteed survival. And approaching death.

The gap between the two drove Kim Min-seok mad.

Trembling violently, Kim Min-seok fumbled as he made a call.

“I do not want to die, I do not want to die, I do not want to die, I do not want to die....”

***

“It is me, you bastard.”

The one who answered the call was Min Ji-hee.

[...M-Min Ji-hee? I definitely called Uncle Cheon-jin...]

“Shut up, you bastard. Who is your uncle?”

[...]

After a moment of silence, Kim Min-seok began begging in a trembling voice.

[P-Please spare me.]

“Why should I?”

[Please. I will do anything. Spare me. Please, please... sob.]

Ho.

A strange light appeared in Min Ji-hee’s eyes.

‘He is broken, is he? I can use this.’

Min Ji-hee glanced at Apostle’s expression.

Apostle silently nodded.

Ahem. Min Ji-hee cleared her throat and spoke gently.

“Min-seok. If you want to live, listen carefully to what I say.”

[Yes, y-yes.]

“Go back to Pandemonium. And work hard there. Act like you truly betrayed the Republic of Korea. Do you understand?”

[Yes, yes.]

“And if I contact you, answer. Understood?”

[Pardon?]

“Become a double agent.”

[...]

As Kim Min-seok hesitated, Min Ji-hee’s mind turned quickly.

Kim Min-seok was a cockroach who would do anything to survive.

His obsession with survival was almost tear-inducing.

And yet, he was terrified enough to break down solely because he had seen Apostle.

That meant only one thing.

Kim Min-seok believed Apostle could kill him ‘at any time.’

Why?

She did not know.

Min Ji-hee did not know what kind of person Apostle was.

Nor did she know what Kim Min-seok had seen.

However, showing that she did not know was what an amateur would do.

“Kim Min-seok. Do not refuse.”

[...?]

“If you refuse... you will definitely die.”

Gulp.

Kim Min-seok swallowed.

“If you accept, you may be able to survive depending on how you act.”

Kim Min-seok’s Survival Instinct rang its alarm.

Just as his scattered mind was about to return for a moment, Min Ji-hee drove in the wedge.

Almost in a whisper.

She spoke right into Kim Min-seok’s ear.

“That being will be watching.”

[...!]

From the context and the atmosphere.

Kim Min-seok knew who ‘that being’ referred to.

Once again seized by fear, Kim Min-seok nodded fervently instead of answering.

Even though there was no way it could be seen through the phone.

***

After the call ended.

Min Ji-hee, who had sent Pandemonium a ‘positive’ reply, received the ‘Strategy Guide.’

The contents were short.

[Observation Report]

[Resonant Entity Resonar]

[Classification: Boss]

[Appearance: Both entities take the form of giant larvae]

‘So two appear, not one.’

[Main Characteristics]

[When a Resonant Entity receives elemental-physical impact, it converts it into energy and absorbs it]

[The absorbed energy is immediately used as an attack resource by the opposite Resonant Entity]

Assume that Han Seol-ah fired an Ice Arrow.

The Resonant Entity would take damage from the Ice Arrow and absorb the ice energy.

Then the Resonant Entity on the opposite side would consume the ice energy and launch an attack.

It was not a difficult mechanism.

However, the problem was the next line.

[The opposite Resonant Entity is ‘completely immune’ to the same type of impact as the absorbed energy]

[This is a ‘rule’ and cannot be ignored]

Min Ji-hee furrowed her brow.

If a Resonant Entity took damage from an Ice Arrow.

The Resonant Entity on the opposite side would immediately be ‘completely immune’ to frost-element impact.

Even the penetration Apostle and Eternal Winter had shown would not work.

An absolute, immutable rule set by the system and the world.

Because that was what a rule was.

‘Both Seol-ah’s ability and Apostle’s ability are Frost Type...’

What should they do?

‘He said there was a method, but...’

Min Ji-hee quietly gauged Apostle’s expression.

A human could only use one ability.

If one Awakened to a Frost Type ability, that was the end.

A miracle such as additionally Awakening to a Flame Type ability would not happen.

However, Resonar could only be cleared if they had two or more attributes.

‘What in the world could it be?’

At this rate, it was an impossible boss to clear.

Flutter.

Min Ji-hee turned to the next page of the report.

[Strategy Method]

Beneath it, large bright-red letters stood out.

[Censored]

[Additional payment required]

Haa.

In the end, Min Ji-hee could not hold back the sigh that escaped her lips.

“Give it to me.”

Min Ji-hee respectfully offered the Strategy Guide to Apostle.

***

‘Huh. Is this all?’

There was too little information.

‘Does the person who wrote this even properly know what Resonar is?’

Seeing that they had written at least this much, they seemed to be someone who knew ‘Lost Honor.’

But considering how poor the contents were, they probably had never actually captured it.

On top of that, the strategy method was ‘censored.’

‘Hah.’

They wrote such shoddy contents, yet tried to sell an additional payment at the most important part?

I did not know who had written it, but they were truly outrageous.

‘I cannot forgive this.’

I had come here to discuss the strategy method for Resonar anyway.

In that case, I should use this opportunity to properly teach them what Resonar was.

I lifted the report, tore it apart, and threw it into the trash can.

There was no need to look at such garbage information.

I rose from my seat and stood before the whiteboard.

I picked up a board marker and wrote in large letters.

[Resonar]

[Strategy Meeting]

Now.

Everyone, take your seats.

***

One hour later.

The long, long lecture ended.

Min Ji-hee maintained a state of intense focus.

Hmm. As expected of someone called the brain of the Association.

She looked very sharp.

On the other hand, Han Seol-ah was out of it.

She was trying to disguise it with an expressionless face, but I had a way to tell everything.

It was the face of someone who did not really understand but was pretending to understand for now.

Still, Han Seol-ah’s role in this operation was only one thing.

‘She only needs to beat the hell out of one half of the Resonant Entity based on Eternal Winter.’

I could handle the rest.

As for Jin Cheon-jin... his eyes had been half-unfocused for a while now. He was not even one percent useful when it came to using his head.

[Understood?]

I wrote those two words on the whiteboard and tapped it.

Min Ji-hee and Han Seol-ah nodded at the same time.

‘Good.’

Now, next.

‘I am busy, so busy.’

***

After Apostle hurriedly left.

“Pandemonium is a place Apostle is interested in. It is also quite a useful organization. Now that we have an internal intelligence network, we can make good use of it.”

“...Will that work with him?”

“It depends on how we control him.”

Min Ji-hee pushed up her glasses, and her eyes shone.

“Even this much is within Apostle’s board.”

“Hmm?”

Smack.

Min Ji-hee struck Jin Cheon-jin’s arm hard.

“Do you think it was a coincidence that Kim Min-seok, the traitor, rolled in like a gift at this timing? On top of that, who do you think broke Kim Min-seok down like that?”

“Hmm...”

Jin Cheon-jin’s reaction was still lukewarm.

His thoughts were along the lines of, ‘Apostle is not a god, so there is no way he moves while predicting everything...’

And Min Ji-hee could see through Jin Cheon-jin’s thinking plainly.

Smack!

“Do not think so innocently. To begin with, we did not even know a powerful being like Apostle existed on the soil of the Republic of Korea. He is an Awakened who lived beyond our sight until reaching that age and until gaining such ability. When did he Awaken? Was he strong from the moment he Awakened? How old is he now? And above all.”

“....”

“Just how strong is he?”

“Hmm.”

“We know nothing. There is nothing we can answer, is there?”

“That is true.”

“And then, precisely at the moment when we needed ‘salvation’ the most, he broke his long seclusion and appeared before us. You do not think that is a simple coincidence, do you?”

“....”

“It means he was waiting. For that moment. That is the kind of person he is. Therefore, we have no choice but to regard him as someone who moves while anticipating even things we cannot think of.”

Goosebumps rose all over Min Ji-hee’s body.

A battle of moves against a transcendent being whose plans were so many steps ahead that she could not even predict them.

The tension, something she had never felt before, was thrilling.

Han Seol-ah cautiously raised her hand.

“Um....”

“Yes, Seol-ah.”

“I know how strong he is.”

“You do?”

Nod.

Han Seol-ah nodded firmly and said.

“He is the strongest on Earth.”

“...Hmm.”

Min Ji-hee nodded.

Was Seol-ah’s judgment correct?

Naive Jin Cheon-jin nodded, fully agreeing with Seol-ah’s words.

But Min Ji-hee found it difficult to judge that way.

‘The Martial God’s strength was at a level that could not be logically explained. Apostle’s Grand Magic was, of course... at that level. But is that enough to discuss whether he is the strongest?’

Min Ji-hee recalled Apostle’s figure as he had laughed madly while vomiting blood.

Since it was Grand Magic of that scale, he must have had to endure that much backlash.

However, the Martial God’s single sword strike... produced destructive power similar to Apostle’s Grand Magic.

‘If the Martial God and Scathach fought...’

The Martial God would win.

‘Then, if Apostle and the Martial God fought?’

That Martial God would lose?

Having personally witnessed the Martial God’s divine might, Min Ji-hee could not imagine such a scene.

“...It is true. Even if Martial God Uncle came....”

“All right, all right.”

“Tch.”

Min Ji-hee’s face softened at Han Seol-ah’s sulky pout.

Her eyes were full of affection, as though she were looking at a young daughter sulking because her mother had not taken her side.

However, that lasted only a moment. Min Ji-hee hardened her expression again into her usual cold and rational face.

“In any case, Apostle is an unidentified Awakened who has never once made contact with us. As though the traces of his life had been erased.”

“That is true. How was that possible?”

Min Ji-hee thought.

She could not recall it immediately, but there had definitely been a record of a similar kind of human in some confidential document she had once read.

‘Awakening Failures whose traces of life had been erased.’

However, she soon shook her head.

‘But an Awakening Failure cannot be Apostle. They... cannot Awaken.’

***

Now that the theoretical education was over, the next step came.

After leaving the Hunter Association, I headed straight to the Black Market.

Kang Hyo-jun came out and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

It was a precise angle that felt deeply respectful.

“I sincerely apologize, Special One.”

“Please come inside first.”

Snowy had already changed my face.

It was quite convenient that it changed it on its own without me needing to tell it how.

I was guided into the Black Market branch manager’s office.

“This way.”

I sat in the branch manager’s seat.

‘...What is with this chair? Why is it so uncomfortable?’

My body was comfortable.

Whether because it used expensive leather and good foam, the stable feeling of it fitting snugly to my body was remarkable.

And yet, the reason it still felt uncomfortable...Was because this was for office work!

It was an evil chair created to produce maximum efficiency when sitting for long hours and working.

‘My energy... is being drained....’

My heart felt uncomfortable.

It felt like I had to work diligently.

I wanted to quickly return and sit in my gaming chair.

With its cheap leather, uncomfortable lumbar support, and cheap foam.

And yet, when gaming, there could be no more comfortable refuge for a gamer.

‘How could I ever forget that place, even in dreams?’

You do the work.

As I grumbled inwardly and shook my head, Kang Hyo-jun cautiously opened his mouth.

“The Points will be settled immediately...”

“No.”

Points?

Of course, they were good.

However, there was something more urgent right now.

“Instead, please obtain some Artifacts for me.”

“What kind of Artifacts do you want?”

“You have a catalogue, yes?”

“Yes.”

I opened the catalogue Kang Hyo-jun took out from his coat.

I flipped through it and stopped at the very end of the catalogue, at the ‘Tanker’ section.

“A pen, please.”

What Kang Hyo-jun respectfully handed me was a high-end fountain pen with a blue jewel intricately set into the nib, one that looked at a glance as though it would easily cost several million won.

Hmm.

It fit nicely in my hand.

I drew a circle around Tanker Artifact No. 1.

“From here.”

Then I flipped to the very last page and drew one more circle.

“To here.”

“...?”

He looked as though he did not understand.

“Give me all of them.”

“...?”

Pfft.

Seeing Kang Hyo-jun’s face, I almost laughed without realizing it.

His expression looked as though he were asking, What did I just hear?

I had always wanted to try saying this line when I became rich.

“I will buy everything.”