Chapter 17 · 11 min

Chapter 17

From now on the transfer begins

He shone Black with the measurement equipment's camera and pressed the button.

He first matched the dial to the inner energy side, and the number comes out 0. Turning to the side and matching to mana the number suddenly rose madly.

"A bit over 70 thousand? Is this high?"

Seo I-hyeon said that and looked down at 'Gold hunter'. And he could see the expression of 'Gold hunter' being shocked.

It seems it's a fairly high number. Even more so since it's the late 70 thousands.

As expected Black.

Seo I-hyeon suddenly thought while looking at the dial.

'By the way I thought ether was mana, but there's mana separately? Then what exactly is ether? And what is others.'

Seo I-hyeon asked the naturally arising curiosity to 'Gold hunter', and 'Gold hunter' answered with all sincerity.

Inner energy is the mystery those who learned martial arts hold. It can be regarded as energy refining ether to match martial arts. That is, the aura Seo I-hyeon knows is inner energy.

Mana is the mystery mages use, energy refining ether to match magic. Depending on the kind of magic used they refine variously and leave only energy in a specific direction.

This is also the mana Seo I-hyeon knows.

Others was various mysteries excluding inner energy and mana. It sometimes differs depending on the refining method, but there were powers that were different in nature from the start.

Usually anomalies use such power, and among powers humans use there is the mystery spirit users use. That also refines ether to match spirits, and depending on what spirit is handled the refining method or directionality differs.

And the source of all that is exactly ether. Mystery that accompanied the beginning of the world, and it can be said to be the source of all mysteries.

Seo I-hyeon could finally know exactly what ether is. Exactly the mana Seo I-hyeon uses. The primordial mana that is the source of all mana. Mana that pours out through Seo I-hyeon's soul, mana that comes out from the sea of mana.

Then the next question naturally arises. Seo I-hyeon clearly holds ether all over his body, why couldn't those guys measure it?

Seo I-hyeon instructed Black and measured himself with the measurement equipment. Several times.

The result that comes out was always 0.

No matter where he matched the dial it was the same. The result was unconditionally 0.

To confirm whether it was broken he filmed Black again, and the same number as earlier came out.

'Don't tell me my mana is different from ether? No. If so something should have been caught in others.'

Others handles various attribute mysteries lumped together so the accuracy drops clearly. But measurement itself was possible.

Since he can't find out right away for now he decided to promise for later.

Someday he will come to know. Well, even if not knowing there's nothing inconvenient.

"By the way if 70 thousand what level is it?"

'Gold hunter' carefully answered.

"The standard we set that we must absolutely run away is 5 thousand."

"5 thousand? Isn't that too low?"

"No way. Even if 5 thousand it's not easy. No matter how okay our equipment is if sticking head-on there's no chance of winning to that degree."

"What kind of equipment is there?"

"First there's a net that catches stars."

"Oh, the name is very grand? It must be expensive?"

"Yes. Unspeakably expensive. Still if only able to throw for sure we can bind ordinary guys unable to move at all. Even if charging ether every time isn't easy it's a certain card."

Once bound in the net the mystery is also bound together so it's a really usable item.

"There's a limit to that. At about 70 thousand one can tear the net with strength so it must absolutely not be used. It's just wasting money. What's 70 thousand if a person who hit about 10 thousand will tear it apart in an instant."

Interest quickly cooled in Seo I-hyeon's eyes. If only that level shouldn't it be regarded as useless?

"Anyway even if over 30 thousand throwing the net properly isn't easy. But we had the leprechaun."

Now there isn't.

"If keeping the leprechaun in the field of view it can't move at all, but the moment taking eyes off, the leprechaun disappears. The place it appears again is the neck of the person who was holding it."

"What? Then it bites the neck?"

"Yes. Usually it ends there. It becomes gold."

These crazy bastards. From the start catching the leprechaun was a trap. If Seo I-hyeon didn't have this level of power he absolutely wouldn't have been able to escape that trap.

As if reading the changed atmosphere 'Gold hunter' gradually gauged Seo I-hyeon's mood.

"Should these be killed?"

At Seo I-hyeon's muttering the four hunters flinched in surprise.

'Gold hunter' earnestly begged.

"I'm sorry. If you let me live just once I'll really live diligently!"

"Whether living diligently or not that's not something I care about."

Seo I-hyeon's cold eyes scanned the four hunters one by one.

"Everyone has coins?"

"Y-yes. I have 2 thousand pieces."

"If lying you just die."

'Gold hunter' quickly changed his words.

"I have 4 thousand pieces."

Seo I-hyeon looked down at 'Gold hunter' with speechless eyes. 'Gold hunter' quickly avoided the gaze.

"400 pieces."

'Gold hunter' brightened. The same reaction as the guys who visited a while ago.

"Is that enough?"

Seo I-hyeon nodded.

"That's your share."

'Gold hunter''s face hardened stiffly. An expression as if cracks went crack on the face.

"Yes? I, I heard wrong."

Seo I-hyeon didn't say again and continued what he had to say.

"Take out the smartphone. From now on the coin transfer begins."

Earning money again like this. This isn't bad?

Seo I-hyeon thought that and drew a large magic circle on the floor using the shadow.

He can just receive it, but just in case.

"Confusion. Compliance. Truth."

When reciting the spell, the magic circle collapsed and scattered into blood mist. And all that mist was sucked into the body through the four hunters' breathing.

"Alright, now let's gradually wrap up. If only giving the coins it's the end. Then I'll let you live."

Of course it doesn't end with only that. He will cleanly erase all traces they left related to Seo I-hyeon. Including memory.

"You're really letting us live?"

"If killing for no reason it becomes more bothersome. Of course if not giving the coins I'll accept that bothersomeness."

"I'll give it."

Seo I-hyeon calmly nodded. Still at his level he is a really decent person. Doesn't he leave a full 10 percent.

Before too and now too, he is an emotional person who knows how to pity others.

Seo I-hyeon thought that and watched the four hunters taking out their smartphones.

Soon the coins moved to Seo I-hyeon's wallet. Adding all four people's coins it exceeds a full 10 thousand.

"Alright, coins received well, now erase the traces. Erase everything related to me in the community."

The four people did that willingly too. There was also the magic cast, and since they regarded doing this as natural it passed smoothly.

Only after they erased even the post they uploaded saying to catch the leprechaun did all the work end.

Seo I-hyeon after sufficiently hearing information about the black market, erased their memories and made them lose consciousness then left the place.

Like that a long day ended.

* * *

Even though Etherix had such a big incident there was nothing particularly different from usual.

Of course that was the case for ordinarily operated businesses, and for matters related to supernatural ability the story was a bit different.

Park Gyeong-ho was listening to Section Chief Lee's report with an expression full of irritation.

"The material has come in. Equipment stabilization is still not enough, and since ether batteries are lacking a bit more time is needed to start the research."

When Park Gyeong-ho gestured as if to continue, Section Chief Lee continued the report.

"The problem of finding Seo I-hyeon... the whereabouts were cut off."

Park Gyeong-ho frowned.

"Whereabouts cut off? Then did he bounce right away anticipating that we would catch him? No, isn't that why we entrusted the request to the dark web? Who is the broker? Who handles work like this?"

"We sent people who would handle it on time, but it seems everyone got hit."

"Got hit? By a civilian?"

"It seems he wasn't a civilian. Or there was an assistant. The memories of the ones sent disappeared. They don't remember about a week from the day sent to Seo I-hyeon."

"Memories disappeared?"

Park Gyeong-ho's eyes widened with surprise.

Touching memories is not an easy thing even for ability users. Especially carving out only some memories is even more difficult.

"Then he was attacked, and after resolving that he hid?"

"It seems so. I went to the place Seo I-hyeon lived and checked directly, but it doesn't seem like they fought there."

"He noticed in advance and lured outside."

"Yes. It seems like that. Maybe he noticed and called an assistant."

Park Gyeong-ho looked at Section Chief Lee with shining eyes.

"What does Section Chief Lee think? Seo I-hyeon, does he seem like an ability user?"

"I can't be 100 percent certain... but in my view he was a civilian."

"Right? In my view too it was like that. Then regarding that there is an assistant would be rational. Where does it seem? Myeongjin Pharmaceutical seems to have the highest possibility."

"I looked into the Myeongjin side a bit, and it doesn't seem so."

"Yeah? Isn't it that the Jeong Sang-cheol or whatever guy stepped up and helped?"

"On the day of the attack Seo I-hyeon did meet Jeong Sang-cheol, but they only drank and parted right away, and didn't meet again. After that Jeong Sang-cheol and Seo I-hyeon also didn't contact."

"Did you attach a person to the Jeong Sang-cheol side?"

"Yes. I attached a certain person."

Park Gyeong-ho nodded.

"Well done. Continue surveillance. There will definitely be occasions to meet. Prepare in advance in preparation."

"Yes. I'll take measures right away."

Park Gyeong-ho tapped the armrest of the chair with an expression mixed with irritation and interest.

"A suspicious smell comes."

Park Gyeong-ho who muttered like that looked at Section Chief Lee.

"Is there a grimoire that appeared recently by any chance?"

"I'll confirm that too. Team leader... are you regarding that a grimoire user appeared?"

"It's opening the possibility. Other mystery users have no choice but to leave traces steadily in some way. Because they have to do growth."

Section Chief Lee nodded.

"That's right. If appearing out of nowhere suspecting a grimoire as first priority is the standard."

"Didn't the Management Bureau catch one grimoire recently?"

"Yes. Although covering it as confidential those who know all know. It's called 'Heukhae Gaemunrok'."

"Investigate opening the possibility that that escaped."

"Yes."

"It would be good if it was a grimoire. Isn't it about time we also secure about one grimoire."

Section Chief Lee didn't answer. Grimoires are too dangerous. In Section Chief Lee's thought that was not a power permitted to humans.

But he couldn't say his thoughts.

"That's that and the guy who attacked the laboratory? Nothing found out?"

"It's in the dark."

Section Chief Lee couldn't hide a troubled expression. That side is completely dark.

"Is there no method at all? Aren't there kids good at tracking on the sorcery or magic side?"

"I already tried but everyone failed."

"That guy is also a bit suspicious. Anyway don't give up and continue looking into it."

"Yes."

Section Chief Lee who finished the report went outside.

Park Gyeong-ho sat leaning to the degree of being buried in the sofa and tilted his head back as much as possible.

"Haa. It doesn't resolve."

The feeling that something is subtly tangled. There were cases like this before too. Thinking of that time is dizzy.

Ignoring the tangle and proceeding with work later became an irreversible situation.

Because of that incident at that time Park Gyeong-ho is still struggling as only the external manpower operation team leader.

To break through this situation proper results are needed.

It's research proceeding by pulling the maximum available resources he can, but it started creaking.

If not properly organizing this, it will probably become like before.

Park Gyeong-ho took out the smartphone and sent a text somewhere.

Now is not the time to spare usable cards.

Park Gyeong-ho who sent the text's expression became a bit more comfortable than earlier.

* * *

Seo I-hyeon returned to the goshiwon and first slept.

Today's day was too long so there was a need to rest a bit.

He wasn't tired but he has to rest his mind a bit.

If necessary he can also be active without sleeping for days, but now there's no need to do that.

Sleeping stretched out and waking up it was almost time to eat lunch.

Of course he ate first. He could roughly fill with ramen in the goshiwon, but Seo I-hyeon went outside and ate proper gukbap.

Today Seo I-hyeon's goal was to look at the community a bit, seek a method to cash coins, and at the same time find out about the black market.

Others aside he must find out about the black market.

Since there are quite a few items taken from the guys who attacked last time and this time's hunter guys, to dispose of that he had to go to the black market.

Isn't it a kind of stolen goods.

Since he obtained some information about the black market from the gold hunter if investigating based on that he will be able to know more in detail.

"This there's a lot to do. I also have to go to Etherix."

Since he received shouldn't he return it. This time those guys would have prepared thoroughly too, so Seo I-hyeon also has to prepare thoroughly.

Seo I-hyeon made a somewhat enjoyable expression and diligently rummaged the dark web community.

First the black market is first.