30 minutes ago.
Pre-Awakening Candidate Registration Center.
It was presenting the usual scene.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
A pre-awakening candidate holding a receipt sat in front of counter 6. The person sitting across from them wore prosthetic arms.
[Former hunter ‘Bae Takcheon,’ who played an active role in the Han River Battle on June 21, will provide kind consultation.]
A sign placed on the desk.
The pre-awakening candidate thought as they looked at it.
‘There really are retired hunters working as receptionists.’
Indeed, the receptionist, Bae Takcheon, was a retired hunter.
3,012 civilian casualties, 890 awakening casualties. He lost both arms in the Han River Gate Incident, which resulted in a total of 3,902 casualties.
So, although he was a receptionist, he was also a senior to the pre-awakening candidates. Therefore, the pre-awakening candidate asked politely.
“May I submit the awakening questionnaire I filled out now?”
“…Yes, you may.”
However, the attitude of the receptionist, Bae Takcheon, was not very friendly. It showed on his face. He looked as if he were chewing something, and he took the questionnaire handed to him nervously.
“Oh, I’m really nervous. You shouldn’t be nervous during the exam.”
Even though the pre-awakening candidate tried to break the awkward atmosphere with a joke, there was no response.
“…….”
The receptionist, Bae Takcheon, only looked at the computer screen and moved his hands quickly.
Tap, tap.
Only the sound of his typing echoed in the silence.
‘Is something wrong? Just say something. Don’t make it awkward…. No. Let’s think positively! It would be better if he processed my registration quickly. Let’s go for speed.’
With a positive mindset, the pre-awakening candidate comforted himself. However, his thoughts were wrong.
The receptionist, Bae Takcheon, was not inputting the questionnaire handed to him.
– Why is he glaring like that? Damn. He’s clearly disrespecting me. Should I kill him? I want to kill him. Should I just do it? No, not yet. It’s not time yet. Let’s wait a little longer. Then I’ll kill him. Let’s see if he still glares at me like that then. Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. What am I thinking? Bae Takcheon was jotting down his current feelings. The content literally contained anger towards the pre-awakening candidate, no, it was even more murderous.
Sitting in this position, you face many looks. Pity, sympathy, and even looks as if you were a bug.
Having received those looks for about two years, he had become a bundle of inferiority. And he regretted it.
Then, he shouldn’t have rushed in to save the child.
‘If I hadn’t done that, my arms would still be intact.…’
But the thoughts didn’t stop there. Resentment followed regret.
‘This is all because of that kid. What kind of parents let their child roam around unsupervised? Unable to even stop the child’s crying and attracting monster aggro. All this happened because of them, and all I get is a half-hearted thank you. They must be living well, thanks to me, right? I want them repay to me in kind.’
As such thoughts continued.
[Have you realized it now? That sacrifice should never have happened?]
[What did I gain from saving humans? Pah. I only lost my arms!]
[How? Will I give you another chance? Return to how things were before?]
The sweet whispers tempted him.
Bae Takcheon made a pact with the devil.
And he was able to regain his arms.
Although he hides it now, he can reveal it soon.
Stopping his typing, Bae Takcheon checked the time. The appointed time was approaching. 1 minute, 50 seconds, 40, 30, 20….
At that moment, the pre-awakening candidate raised their head and called out to Bae Takcheon.
“Excuse me, is everything finished? You seem to have finished inputting. When will we be directed to the exam room….”
At the words, Bae Takcheon raised his chin. Meeting the pre-awakening candidate’s gaze, he said.
“You. Why are your eyes so wide open?”
It was a phrase that lingered in the air.
After spitting it out, he couldn’t feel more refreshed.
His hands were trembling.
Meanwhile, the pre-awakening candidate doubted their own ears.
So, he asked again.
“Pardon? What did you just say?”
“Why are your, eyes, so wide open, you bastard-!”
The response was the same as before. And this time, it wasn’t just him who heard it.
The pre-awakening candidate’s eyes widened, and suddenly, all eyes were focused on counter 6.
At the same time, Bae Takcheon’s new arms began to emerge. They pushed out the fixed prosthetics, revealing themselves. They were arms made of demonic energy.
He also overlaid his unique skill onto them.
[Body Enhancement: Steelification]
Adding a skill to already formidable arms, they emitted a light akin to obsidian.
“Wha- what?”
People began to murmur at the sight. But the surprise didn’t end there.
As Bae Takcheon finished speaking, he stood up from his seat and grabbed the pre-awakening candidate by the head.
“What, why, why is this happening…?”
The pre-awakening candidate exclaimed in surprise, but their voice quickly turned into a choked gasp.
Kwaaaah-!
“Cough.”
His face was struck by the reinforced fist. The pre-awakening candidate’s face instantly contorted in pain.
Pwuh, pwuh!
And then, there was silence once again.
Of course, it was a brief silence.
“Ack!”
“He, he killed someone! The receptionist killed the pre-awakening candidate!”
“What’s going on here? What kind of insane… Ugh!”
“Just die. You bitch.”
Screams and shouts began to echo one after another.
It started with Bae Takcheon, then another receptionist, and then the pre-awakening candidate. People panicked at the sight of what could only be described as an ambush.
“Hahaha. This is so much fun!”
“You had no idea how I managed to live with this-! Hahaha.”
They began their indiscriminate attacks.
Bang, bang-
Mana ignited, and the steelified fists shattered skulls. There was no one here to stop Hi,m.
A hunter who had recovered from injuries with magic versus pre-awakening candidates with no real combat experience.
The answer wasn’t difficult to guess.
As a result, the reception center turned into a scene of chaos in an instant. A senseless slaughter ensued.
Meanwhile, someone hid under a desk and pressed the emergency button.
Wee-oo-oo-oo!
“Hehe. Isn’t this a cute gesture?”
Of course, ringing the emergency bell came with consequences.
***
A building within the Hunter Association that accommodated the most people, Building A. With such a concentration of people, the casualties were severe.
Building A, the reception center, resembled a scene of carnage. The floor was littered with the bodies of pre-awakening candidates and receptionists.
Faces crushed, gunshot wounds, scars from magic.
People who lost their lives to different forms of attack.
This was not an accidental incident.
Simultaneous coordinated attacks.
It’s undoubtedly a planned act of terrorism.
Then whose doing is it? Did villains storm in as Deputy Director suggested? Why at this particular timing? How did they know about the manpower shortage?
The answer was ‘no.’
Because the attacks, though different, carried the same energy within them.
In the midst of the scene, Jong-sik could discern that answer. The correct answer was:
‘Demons.’
They were targeted by those who wield Demonic Energy. It wasn’t just the deeds of mere villains.
‘There’s never a single quiet day, is there?’
Jong-sik frowned as he grasped the situation.
And that’s when it happened.
“The receptionist is killing people, killing!”
“Run away-!”
Those who barely escaped the terror began to flee frantically. Among them were pre-awakening candidates and receptionists. And there were those familiar energies to Jong-sik.
Pwuh.
The person who bumped shoulders with him had that same energy. Jong-sik reflexively grabbed his shoulder.
But in an instant, the arm fell to the ground.
It wasn’t because of Jong-sik’s powerlessness.
‘…!’
Like a lizard cutting off its tail in danger, ‘Bae Takcheon’ instinctively severed his arm. Just like a lord of deception.
Bae Takcheon, when referred to as a lord of deception, is one of the eight demon generals serving the demon king, possessing the ability of body duplication.
In other words, ‘Bae Takcheon,’ who whimsically cuts off and reattaches his arms, clearly made a contract with the legion led by the lord of deception.
For a moment, Jong-sik’s pupils reflected understanding.
“It’s you?”
Then Bae Takcheon struck Jong-sik’s face with his remaining arm. He didn’t expect Jong-sik’s hand to intercept the punch.
Thud.
He showed a surprised expression, even to himself. But what followed Jong-sik’s words surprised him even more.
“You bastard. How dare you call him a damned dog of deception.”
Because he heard the name of his master. To dare call his benefactor, the Lord of Deception, a damned dog!
“I see it in your eyes, you don’t need to say it.”
The arm was severed terrifyingly as Jong-sik finished his words.
Jong-sik also released his grip on the fist.
The expected outcome was the arm falling to the ground.
In an instant, the arm that fell to the ground transformed into black smoke and was absorbed into Bae Takcheon’s body. Then, his arms were regenerated. Bae Takcheon responded with a self-assured attitude.
“You, will die.”
“Who, will kill me? You? With that ability alone?”
“Just barely? Dare speak of the abilities given by him like that…”
As Bae Takcheon sneered, Jong-sik summoned his intangible sword. He had no intention of listening to his nonsense.
The intangible sword flew at a processing speed. Suddenly, Bae Takcheon instinctively distanced himself from the threat. However, his upper thigh was severed.
“Who will you kill? Say it again.”
The intangible sword moved swiftly through the air. This time, it wasn’t clothes, but a leg. Blood scattered into the air.
Kkaaang!
Bae Takcheon was startled, and Jong-sik frowned. That wasn’t the intended outcome.
“You possess quite a troublesome ability.”
Bae Takcheon activated the skill 【Body Enhancement: Steelification】throughout his body. As a result, the leg that should have been severed stopped at the cut.
Furthermore, the wound quickly healed with magi.
How bothersome. But it wasn’t a problem. Just bothersome.
“Dare to try to cut off my leg? I am not the old Bae Takcheon. No one can take my body away! I am the chosen one!”
“Sure.”
Jong-sik quickly closed the distance with the accelerating Bae Takcheon.
‘Let’s finish this quickly.’
Then, once again, he summoned the intangible sword and slashed at his entire body. Bae Takcheon instinctively blocked the invisible sword, and in the meantime, Jong-sik clenched his fist.
Then he engaged in direct combat. If the guy strengthened his body with skills, Jong-sik already possessed a reinforced body.
Wasn’t it akin to the realm of Vajra? A weapon that could match any other weapon, that was Jong-sik’s hand. Not to mention, even more than the intangible sword.
Closing the distance, Jong-sik swung his large hands, grasping both sides of the guy’s head in one swift motion. Then he deeply pierced both thumbs into his eyes.
‘I may not know much else, but I know that eyes don’t regenerate.’
As it was a strategy learned through experience, it was as accurate as it could be.
“Scream!”
Blood vessels snapped and blood spurted out. Bae Takcheon’s vision blurred. Up until that moment, the intangible sword was floating in the air, and once again, it severed his arms.
A moment later.
As expected, Bae Takcheon screamed in agony.
His eyeballs couldn’t be reattached like his arms.
Just as expected.
“Building A is surrounded!”
“Stop Hiding, come out and surrender.”
“Does anyone need assistance?”
There was commotion from behind.
The government hunters who arrived late to Building A
Upon hearing their voices, Bae Takcheon shouted abruptly. He tried to seize the opportunity.
“Sa-save me! He’s a villain! The villain is trying to kill me, the receptionist! Aaargh!”
As expected, seeing Jong-sik attacking the receptionist, the government hunters prepared to attack. And they said:
“Bae Takcheon, the receptionist, is under attack!”
“Stop it! You are surrounded. Release the receptionist immediately and surrender peacefully.”
Truly, it couldn’t be more pathetic.
Jong-sik shook his head in exasperation.
There was only one solution in times like these.
