Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Girl of the Purple Eyes

Screech!

Crack!

The way mercenaries open mouths was cruel and efficient.

Clatter!

Not only Wi Kang-jun rolling on the floor, but even the man tied to the chair soon turned blood-covered.

Combat equipment that instantly turned into torture tools.

Not having the confidence to keep watching that appearance, I headed outside the abandoned factory pretending to be indifferent.

Kuaaaaaak!

S-save me-aaaaaaak!!!!

Desperate scream sounds rang poignantly.

Mixed with the angry mercenaries' shouts and curses.

Looks cruel, but from their position, it was a problem that couldn't just be passed.

Leaving the request, a situation where lives almost flew whole.

If I hadn't smashed the detonator, they would have died in groups.

Even if enduring up to bullets according to possessed ability, since awakeners are also humans, explosives were a completely different dimension problem.

Moreover, if explosives prepared intending to kill openly.

Even if beating to death right here, there would be no words to say.

In the end, the mercenaries' actions could be seen as a kind of legitimate self-defense.

The scream sounds that continued for a long time gradually subsided.

Sobbing and rough breathing filled the empty space.

Only then did Son Su-min approach beside me.

“...Mage.”

Sticky blood smell leaked from him.

“The guys opened their mouths.”

I inwardly chuckled.

I know well that the mouths opened long ago.

But didn't particularly bring out those words.

Toward opponents who aimed for lives, even torture isn't illegal.

Private sanction already recognized by the state.

The man tied to the chair who was identified as the cargo vehicle driver was no exception.

If intentionally participating in the crime, ordinary people were also included in the subjects of private sanction.

Looking at the atmosphere inside the abandoned factory.

Probably they would have a hard time surviving.

“It seems they got severely hit while trying to divert and sell the goods. Ambushed by the gang they agreed to trade with, and left in this state at the abandoned factory.”

“Wi Kang-jun?”

“He was a fellow employed by the organization currently holding the goods. Received a quite large reward guaranteeing even pressing the remote control in case of emergency.”

I lost words for a moment.

The guy who hit the back of the head, rather got hit in the back of the head situation.

Is this the world of awakeners.

The words that there's no one to trust couldn't be felt this realistically.

Freshly feeling how precious one's own force is, I nodded.

Son Su-min lightly checked my reaction and continued speaking.

“Unfortunately, there seems no method to track the guys immediately. Even that damn Wi Kang-jun was only lured by money and couldn't specify who the fellows who instigated this matter are. Also no items to use the tracking skill.”

I nodded and said to Son Su-min.

“...Follow.”

···Was it because I spoke too much.

Metallic sound started coming from the throat.

It seemed I used the neck too much without properly recovering.

I took the bewildered Son Su-min and climbed the mountain path.

The opposite of the path we came.

The side where I burned one awakener.

Soon arrived at the place the guy stood.

Lifted the detonator that dropped on the floor with Telekinesis, separated the battery, and smashed it with Mana Thread.

Left the surprised Son Su-min opening and closing his mouth and looked around.

Wi Kang-jun was with us the whole time.

Except for the detonator, he couldn't have possessed suspicious items.

But this guy was different.

He wouldn't have thought of being discovered at all, so the probability of evidence remaining around was high.

Even if prepared.

No way he walked here.

“Vehicle.”

I said shortly because the neck hurt, but Son Su-min understood perfectly.

“I'll search quickly.”

He immediately ran to the factory.

Then the mercenaries scattered everywhere and started looking for the vehicle.

A while later.

My gaze that was slowly looking around stopped at one place.

Above a rock of appropriate size.

One small bag.

···Found it.

A bag that seemed to be the dead man's.

#

“Found it!”

The vehicle being discovered was in an instant.

Forest outskirts, above an unpaved road.

A four-wheel drive jeep vehicle with dust lightly settled.

The mercenaries skillfully cleaned the navigation, and started inferring several suspicious places.

I handed the phone found in the man's bag to the mercenaries.

A man with a sharp impression who received the phone.

Not long after working, he brought out a conclusion.

“There was a rat inside.”

“...What? Who?”

“It's Director Woo. It seems he intended to pull the work this way from the start when seizing the cargo truck.”

Son Su-min who was listening to the story with a furrowed brow gritted his teeth.

Barely suppressing the anger, he said to me.

“Called Director Woo, a human who handles practical work under the factory manager. Checking the messages, he was receiving reports of our movements one by one usually. Usually his conduct looked neat but...anyway this field has no one to trust.”

The mercenary analyzing the navi specified the destination.

The vehicle we rode was prepared in an instant, and everyone completed boarding.

Our vehicle led, and one mercenary drove the jeep vehicle and followed.

Direction south.

Son Su-min lightly checked my reaction and opened his mouth.

“There's a mountain called Yeongjangsan between Seongnam and Bundang. Director Woo's mansion is there, he purchased a place that was a golf course and built a house. This bastard, I wondered why a mere director has so much money, there was a reason.”

Because the neck hurt, I didn't particularly bring out words.

Son Su-min's face slightly hardened.

It seemed he was inwardly anxious that I wasn't opening my mouth.

“...Originally it was a simple tracking request, so I'm sorry to the mage. Moreover, you saved even our lives so really thank you. Just...ashamed but, if you help with this matter too, our mercenary group side will separately prepare compensation.”

In fact, I was going to do so anyway.

The situation became complicated and fierce, but from the start the request I took on was recovering the goods.

Haven't even seen the goods yet, so I also can't stop here.

Moreover, heard from Yu Seo-ha.

In this field, nothing is as important as reputation.

Especially in the early stage of entering the industry, even one small blemish can be greatly inflated, it was said.

-For freelancers, reliability is as important as skill. Especially in the case of company requests where security is important···if there's even a slightly suspicious part, they exclude from consideration from the start.

I lightly nodded.

Son Su-min's face noticeably brightened.

“Thank you, mage···!! I absolutely won't forget this grace!”

Even while doing so, the vehicle moved south.

At some point, rain started falling steadily.

Not long after, it turned into heavy rain.

The already gloomy atmosphere sank to the bottom.

Only the sound of the wiper turning rang noisily into the silent vehicle.

“Stop.”

The method the mercenary group chose for ambush was tough.

Got off on the north side of Yeongjangsan.

Started climbing the mountain completely.

Instantly crossed the wide site that was a public corporation in the past, and went south along the faint mountain path where almost no traces remained.

Like that for a while.

The advance speed noticeably decreased.

Beyond the shoulders of the mercenaries who lowered their bodies.

Above the wide lawn that looks like a golf course site, a luxurious mansion comes into view.

Late night.

Lights faintly leaking outside.

I looked at the board.

Gray personnel, 30.

“Stand by for a moment. First grasp the enemy's personnel then···hmm, mage?”

I tapped Son Su-min's shoulder who was starting instructions with Mana Thread.

Looking at his bewildered face, I inwardly sighed.

Didn't want to.

The neck hurts too much to speak, and the situation is too urgent to omit explanation.

I took out Mana Thread, and engraved mana in the empty air.

[Internal personnel. 30 awakeners, 3 ordinary people. Ordinary people but seeing them getting along well with awakeners, seem related]

Letters engraved in the empty air with blue mana.

At the bizarre communication, Son Su-min froze as is, and the mercenaries' mouths opened wide.

I added a message.

[Focus on the content]

“Ah···!!”

Only then did Son Su-min come to senses, and I explained the body type and actions of the ordinary people grasped with the Detection skill.

Son Su-min who quietly listened to the story.

Nodded.

“Originally I know that after dinner ends, the employees return home. The remaining guys would be Director Woo's close associates.”

[Then blowing them away has no particular relation]

“...Th-that's right.”

Mana continuously engraved in the empty air.

Message that remained clearly even after the conversation ended.

Son Su-min's pupils shook.

The mercenary group looking at me like looking at a monster.

Looking at that, I inwardly became curious.

Scattering mana in the empty air has large mana consumption, but is it to the point of reacting overly sensitively like this.

But thinking of Yu Ji-seong and Yu Seo-ha who became polite after seeing this appearance, there seemed some reason.

By the way, what reaction should be shown at times like this.

No sense at all.

Giving up reaction, I just stepped one step forward.

Whoosh!

Flame that floated in the empty air.

Expanded the size, and pushed fire energy into the empty space.

Breath caught for a moment at the enormous mana consumption amount, but mana that pushed in like a tsunami instantly filled the empty space.

High-density condensed fire energy howled like a wounded beast.

Kgegegegege···!!

“...My god.”

“What is that?”

“Don't tell me Flame Burst···?”

Leaving the mercenaries' exclamations behind.

I bent the flame with Mana Thread and threw it toward the mansion.

Flame that receded leaving only a faint afterimage.

Soon turned into a dot then completely disappeared from vision.

It was the next moment.

Beyond the dark night sky, a light fire light flashed, then crimson flame that burst in all directions as if exploding.

Kuwaaaaaang!!!

The mansion burst as if a bomb was dropped, and a huge flame soared above it.

“...What?”

“What is that···?”

“Wanted to suppress the initiative, but nothing left so grasping the situation would be hard···?”

The startled mercenaries' muttering continued for a while.

The voice of Son Su-min who came to senses first was heard.

“What are you all doing? Quickly go and check if there are living guys first···.”

“Wait.”

I blocked Son Su-min's words.

Narrowed my eyes and urgently opened my mouth.

“Step back. Immediately.”

The neck was sore.

Swallowed dry saliva and raised the sensation to the maximum.

Something is coming.

The movement is strange.

‘Damn.’

I took out the phone with Mana Thread, and touched the emergency contact network.

Threw the phone anywhere and raised my head.

On the board.

A gray dot that approached right in front regardless of the 1.5km distance.

This, not a skill.

It was an awakener.

A person running like this.

Does this make sense?

The body reacted before the head.

Instantly compressed air with raised mana, and blocked the front.

Jjeeeeeeeong!!!!!

Shield that burst in one go along with a rough impact sound.

Instead of flustering, I created the next shield and set it up.

Confirming that what broke the shield was a white small fist, I floated five Red Arrows in the empty air and threw them at the stopped opponent.

Immediately a snort sound heard.

“Heh.”

Kwaaaang!!

Explosion sound rang, and bursting sparks brightly embroidered the night sky.

The woman's appearance that was briefly seen is nowhere.

No, there is.

Can't be seen with eyes, but waves felt with sensation.

Jjeeeeeeeong!!!!!

Two shield sheets that blocked the side were torn in one go.

Instead of retreating, I blocked the fist with the third shield.

The ground turned into a shackle and grabbed the opponent's ankle, and hundreds of Mana Threads surrounded the opponent.

“What is this?”

Along with a voice as if interesting, purple radiance burst out.

The shackle broke, and hundreds of Mana Threads were torn in the empty air.

“Quite an interesting guy, this?”

Crack!

Hundreds of Mana Threads that burst with one punch, returning to mana and embroidering the empty air blue.

Below that.

A woman who lightly raised the corners of her mouth.

Son Su-min walked out with an urgent expression.

“Please wait a moment. Some misunderstanding···.”

“What misunderstanding?”

Kwaaaaang!!!

The woman raised the corners of her mouth and stomped her foot.

The ground roughly shook, and shockwaves burst in all directions.

Mercenaries whose legs gave out and sat on the floor.

“...”

On the other hand, I floated my body with Mana Thread and quietly stared at the opponent.

Small build with pure white skin.

Purple radiance flashing in the eyeballs as if jewels were embedded.

Unexpectedly a young girl who tore the shield like paper.

Son Su-min's expression distorted.

Unlike me who just entered the industry, he seemed to know who the opponent was.

“W-wait a moment.”

Color had disappeared from the face.

“Hunter Hwang Seol-hwa, what brings you here?”

I had heard of it.

Girl of the Purple Eyes, Hwang Seol-hwa.

Because of the small build and youthful face, even after becoming an adult, the nickname girl remained as is.

A being belonging to neither good nor evil.

A freelancer who built a name only with her own power.

Known as a troublemaker who acts arbitrarily, but no one could deny that skill.

It was understandable that it wasn't caught with the Detection skill.

Like not catching even with the snow wood monster right in front, Hwang Seol-hwa was the same.

To perfectly distinguish a monster outside the standard, my skill is still insufficient.

“What brings me what. Why would a freelancer be here, came receiving a request.”

Hwang Seol-hwa who snorted.

Twisted her neck with a crack, then smiled revealing her teeth toward me.

“Hey, mage guy. Thanks to you the request became a mess so my disappointment is not small.”

“...”

“Shall we have some more fun?”

Not disappointment, a face smiling slyly.

It was certain a personality that doesn't give much meaning to requests.

No great interest in the protection target who died lying in the mansion from the ambush.

Also not holding a grudge for being attacked.

“Let's play excitingly once!”

An appearance of purely enjoying clashing strength with the strong.

The her reflected in my eyes was just pure···.

A crazy woman.

Suddenly Hwang Seol-hwa's figure that blurred without notice.

Appeared suddenly right in front without any presence.

The shoulder that was already largely turned started roughly rotating.

Jjeojeok!

Three shield sheets were torn by the purple fist.

Without flustering, I stepped back and connected shields.

Son Su-min's sharply flying sword aimed at the side, but the sword smashed with one hand blade.

Mercenaries pushed back by the bursting shockwave.

Then Son Su-min barely avoided the fist Hwang Seol-hwa swung.

Hwang Seol-hwa pursed her mouth as if unexpected.

“Oh, what. This guy is also quite something?”

Gaze that headed toward Son Su-min in an instant.

Temporarily left the target.

I had to accomplish something while Son Su-min drew the gaze.

Quickly scanned the surroundings with the Detection skill, and organized available attack methods in the head.

Then the moment I floated flame in the empty air.

Hwang Seol-hwa quickly turned her head toward me.

“Useless, mage.”

She smiled.

“Don't resist and just die.”

Hwang Seol-hwa's figure blurred, and Son Su-min blocked my front while biting his teeth.

Shockwave that roughly burst right in front.

Sparks popped up and embroidered the night sky, and Son Su-min's groan sound faintly leaked.

Son Su-min who stepped back and clutched his wrist.

Looking at such him, Hwang Seol-hwa snorted.

Clear ridicule.

But thanks to Son Su-min buying time, I could finish preparation.

Whoosh!

20 Red Arrows that floated in the empty air all headed to one place.

Hwang Seol-hwa's slightly hardened expression.

She who opened her eyes narrowly inhaled deeply, and the whole body dyed purple.

"Shall we try once, right?"

Hwang Seol-hwa's figure that roughly kicked the ground flew as if shooting.

20 Red Arrows emit sharp edges and block the movement path.

Flames roughly burst.

Kuwaaaaaang!!!!

© Dome Hwangcha #1yy6t