Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Second subordinate

Kwon Hyeon-sang was a director who oversees everything related to force including Etherix's security team.

There was an organization not revealed outwardly in Etherix, and he was the person in charge of that organization.

Practically it was no exaggeration to say he was Etherix's second-in-command.

He was a legendary figure who occupied that position with only skill alone.

Kwon Hyeon-sang was always busy. Because there were many things to do and many things he wanted to do.

That such Kwon Hyeon-sang postponed all other work and was holed up in the company for almost over a week was because there was conviction.

The conviction that the guy who ruined the ankles of his subordinates and team members and disciples would definitely come again.

And that prediction hit perfectly.

As soon as contact came from the security team monitoring the CCTV he ran.

And now he was standing facing a giant enemy.

"Terrifying!"

Kwon Hyeon-sang admired looking at Black standing in front. The pressure of the mana, no, inner energy Black exudes the whole body tingled.

Just looking at the opponent's movement one could know. That he is a martial arts practitioner.

The black sword held in the hand was considerably threatening. Even though a relatively short sword it was like that.

"Come! Or shall I go first?"

Kwon Hyeon-sang kicked the floor as is and charged.

Bang!

At that moment, Kwon Hyeon-sang was already in front of Black. With arms pulled back as much as possible.

Kwon Hyeon-sang's fist firmly wrapped with inner energy shot like a cannonball toward Black's belly.

Since Black is so big even thrusting a straight punch the height was exactly there.

Boom!

Black lowered the sword and blocked Kwon Hyeon-sang's fist. Shockwaves spread in all directions.

Kwon Hyeon-sang flowed the impact and at the same time twisted and used that force. Quickly rotating the body he strongly swung the elbow.

Thwack!

Black's forearm and Kwon Hyeon-sang's elbow collided.

And Black's sword dug into Kwon Hyeon-sang's blind spot.

Kwon Hyeon-sang avoided that with only senses. If not he would have given the shoulder.

Avoiding and at the same time he dug one step inside.

Kwon Hyeon-sang's shoulder dug into Black's lower belly. Black lightly avoided that attack by stepping back one step.

"Good!"

Kwon Hyeon-sang was sincerely enjoyable. He smiled brightly and stomped his feet and madly poured fists like bullets.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

Black's sword and fists, arms collided mindlessly with Kwon Hyeon-sang's fists.

Every time shockwaves burst and messed up the surroundings.

Exactly that time was the point Seo I-hyeon disappeared into the ceiling.

Of course Kwon Hyeon-sang didn't care at all. He regarded catching only this guy as sufficient.

In Kwon Hyeon-sang's field of view Black is visible, and behind that the security team blankly looking up only at the ceiling is visible.

Kwon Hyeon-sang intentionally erased the scenery behind from the field of view. He concentrated only on the Black in front of his eyes.

This match, won't be long. He will pour force in earnest. And the one winning is himself. Kwon Hyeon-sang was certain like that.

At that moment, one hand descended from the ceiling.

Of course it entered Kwon Hyeon-sang's field of view too, but since concentrating only on Black he didn't care. That degree the security team will handle on their own.

Since ceiling they will shoot guns or something.

With that thought the moment he was about to burst force, Black descended into the shadow.

The force about to explode lost where to go and wandered then scattered powerlessly.

"What is this..."

Kwon Hyeon-sang's gaze headed toward the ceiling where the hand descended earlier.

The ceiling was extremely fine. To the degree one couldn't even think it was a place a hand came out.

It was confusing. What was that hand. And where did the guy in front of the eyes suddenly go.

To Kwon Hyeon-sang standing like that the security team approached.

"Director."

At the call of the security team and subordinate and disciple Kwon Hyeon-sang turned his head and looked at him.

"We missed."

At those words Kwon Hyeon-sang's mind returned.

"Shadow."

"Yes?"

"That guy, clearly escaped through the shadow. He was a space ability user."

Only then everyone made an expression of realizing.

"Ah! So...!"

So there was no trace of entering here. Such a big person.

A giant of height almost approaching 3 meters. Such a person infiltrated even to the laboratory, yet there was no trace whatsoever.

If space movement technique using shadow it makes sense.

"What should we do?"

"What to do. We have to find traces."

"But..."

"Even if jumping space traces not remaining doesn't make sense. Thoroughly search this vicinity. There will definitely be a moment of jumping space and coming here. Starting from there and tracking step by step is enough."

At Kwon Hyeon-sang's words everyone nodded. Certainly there was reason.

"Yes. Understood."

"Move right away. Also request support."

When Kwon Hyeon-sang waved his hand everyone poured out outside in a rush. Even holding the researchers fallen on the floor.

Kwon Hyeon-sang left alone slowly looked around the inside of the laboratory.

"It will be overturned again."

The damage is not small.

Last time he also heard it was considerable damage. But broken like this again he doesn't know if he can start this research again.

"I heard that guy was a research he put quite a bit of effort and expected. Well, nothing can be done."

Kwon Hyeon-sang muttered like that and walked toward the ceiling side where Seo I-hyeon disappeared earlier.

Right below the ceiling he raised his head and carefully examined the ceiling.

He doesn't know at all.

When fighting he was concentrating on Black, but that doesn't mean all senses were closed.

If a martial artist of Kwon Hyeon-sang's level he can grasp most things happening inside this laboratory. In any situation.

"He didn't just jump up. Clearly he moved up to here and jumped up."

That means there is something on that ceiling.

Kwon Hyeon-sang suddenly recalled something and left the laboratory and went up to the upper floor.

And came to the point exactly connecting to the lower floor ceiling and examined the floor.

Not just looking with eyes but placing hands and concentrating all senses.

A faint flow of ether was felt. At that moment, Kwon Hyeon-sang flinched in surprise and removed his hands.

"What is this...! Doing this kind of crazy thing here?"

Kwon Hyeon-sang examined his own hands this way and that.

Because worried some problem arose just by touching there just now.

That was dangerous to that degree.

He recalled the sensation felt through the hands just now. Extremely faint but the terrifying contained there was too clear.

As if endlessly falling into an abyss-like feeling. If contacting more it seemed he would cross an irreversible river. No, it seemed he wouldn't be able to protect existence.

He made such a scary thing on that floor. That crazy guy.

Why on earth?

Kwon Hyeon-sang couldn't understand.

An existence that can make such a thing why on earth attacking Etherix in this way.

Also what did Etherix do to that person.

Kwon Hyeon-sang wandered searching for an answer he couldn't possibly reach and stood there for a while.

* * *

Leaving the Etherix building was very easy.

As expected using the parking lot is much more convenient.

Seo I-hyeon in a good mood used the method he did last time as is and left there.

At that time he also escaped well so this time too it will be like that.

Without being noticed he also returned the face to original in the middle. Like that he arrived home.

Arriving and roughly washing and lying on the bed only then the realization that it ended came and the body stretched languidly.

Now resting fully is enough.

He didn't worry about someone tracking. Because he already did appropriate measures on this house.

The mana here absolutely doesn't leak outside.

Doing that work he used over 100 million money each on Obsidian and the cartel.

It was dirty expensive, but still okay. Now that degree will be nothing as big money will come in.

"Ah, I should sleep while drawing blood."

Seo I-hyeon forcibly raised his body and picked up the needle and tube placed nearby.

Skillfully stuck the needle in the arm and stuck the tube in the shadow, then lay on the bed and sought sleep.

The work of making a new subordinate with the materials brought today he postponed to tomorrow. Because the materials aren't going anywhere.

Thinking of making a new subordinate is already scary. Seo I-hyeon forcibly swallowed the fear and gradually fell asleep.

As soon as closing eyes it seemed he opened them but already outside the window is bright. Looking at the clock soon it's time to eat lunch.

'How much did I sleep at all?'

Honestly yesterday there wasn't particularly tiring work. Just going leisurely as if going for a walk and doing only what to do and returning.

But seeing sleeping this long it seems he was mentally tired without knowing.

Anyway Seo I-hyeon kicked the seat and got up and roughly washed and roughly filled lunch with what was at home.

And before forgetting he took out all the ether batteries he put in yesterday from the shadow.

"Thirty-six."

Just looking a smile comes out. How much is all this.

Such precious things shouldn't be stuffed in the shadow warehouse. One has to store in reality.

Isn't that why he bought materials from Obsidian and the cartel and plastered them all over the house.

The ether batteries he stacked well in the corner of the bedroom.

Seo I-hyeon who went out to the living room caught his breath for a moment. And started worrying.

Is a new subordinate really needed?

Yesterday Black's activity was truly dazzling.

Honestly he didn't know he would fight that well.

The one who fought Black yesterday was a considerable strong person. At that level almost close to knight order commander class. At least in Seo I-hyeon's view it was like that.

But he fought equally with such a strong person.

Certainly it seems he summoned an excellent guy from the void. The materials being good also played a part, but fighting well and being smart is entirely decided by what guy is summoned from the void.

So the worry.

Thinking of safety and efficiency inserting a new subordinate is right.

Even the newly obtained materials unlike the werewolf that made Black is exactly human size.

Then unlike Black wouldn't it be okay to put outside and be active? If paying a bit of attention and being careful that is.

"Ah... painful."

But to do that important materials are needed. He has to cut the arm again.

Imagining how much it will hurt he doesn't want.

While worrying like that, a call came.

Confirming who it was Lee Yeong-su. Thinking finally a request came in he quickly received.

"Hello."

- Hey, have you been well?

"Yes."

- The answer being concise is good. Have you tried using Obsidian and the cartel?

"Yes."

- You did as I instructed, right?

"Yes."

What Lee Yeong-su instructed was, identity rotation.

That is using the identity obtained at the black market Seo Chang-hun at Obsidian, using the Shin Yong-un made at Obsidian at the cartel, using the Kim Gyeol made at the cartel at the black market style.

Well, there's no big meaning but twisting one stage process and hiding the real identity, he just did as instructed because it seemed plausible.

- Is the only thing you can say 'yes'?

"Why did you call."

- Why. Because I brought one request. Well. It's not particularly great so don't worry.

Why worry. A request that's not particularly great.

"By the way when does the next black market open?"

- Black market? Why that? Did something to sell arise again?

"Yes. A decent item suddenly arose."

- Oh, what is it? Is it something difficult to tell?

"There's nothing difficult, right? You know ether battery?"

-... Ether battery?

The reaction is a bit strange? Well, is there a problem?

- Don't tell me you brought that from Etherix?

Seo I-hyeon was startled. How did he know that?

He brought it last night yet Lee Yeong-su knows that?

- Seeing the answer not coming right away it seems right. From this morning it was quite a chaos must have been because of that.

"Did a rumor arise?"

- Not that. Just the Etherix guys are very determined and poking around here and there. They hid saying they hid but they can't avoid my eyes. My information sources are not ordinary.

"Then can't I sell this?"

- Wow, really. In this midst that words come out?

Of course those words have to come out. Where is there something more important than this.

- When trading with Obsidian and the cartel, you didn't meet face to face, right?

"You said not to. I traded with subway lockers."

And he also paid attention to gazes. While Seo I-hyeon was taking that out there was not even one gaze watching in any way.

- First wait. I'll look into it a bit.

"Then please."

- Ah, and the request I'll bring another one. I was really seeing the person wrong. I'll bring a bit better request. Okay?

"Then for me it's thankful."

- Okay.

Lee Yeong-su ended with those words and hung up the phone.

Seo I-hyeon stood still for a moment and looked at the phone. More precisely he was immersed in thought in that posture.

The ether batteries since Lee Yeong-su said he will look into a sales place he can just leave it. So resolved.

The problem is the information that Etherix is in chaos now.

Not even a day let alone half a day has passed yet, if Lee Yeong-su knows that news to that degree it means those guys are also moving on a large scale.

'Of course they won't be able to find me.'

Still preparing and not preparing is a world of difference.

What that means is, the weight has tilted a lot toward the side of making the second subordinate.

Seo I-hyeon exhaled a deep sigh and took off the top.

What is mainly used as skeleton material is arms or legs.

When using arms and when using legs there was a clear difference.

Legs are a bit sturdier than arms. Also skilled in leg-using things like defense or charge, or leap.

On the other hand arms are weaker than legs, but if putting hands together delicate and precise movements become possible.

So he decided to make the new subordinate with arms too.

"Black."

From Seo I-hyeon's shadow Black surged. In the hand holding that black sword.

Seo I-hyeon turned his back to Black and lifted his arm to the side.

"Cut."

Whoosh!

A feeling of something brushing past the arm was felt. The cut arm dropped to the floor with a thud. Of course it entered the shadow right away.

Black's skill was so good that even though the arm was cut the cut feeling doesn't come.

For now it doesn't even hurt. But of course this isn't the end.

From the cut cross-section blood poured continuously. Still it stopped soon. And the arm began to grow quickly.

"Uaaaaaagh!"

Seo I-hyeon tightly gripped the forearm with his hand and rolled on the floor.

Blood splattered in all directions. But that blood was all sucked by the shadow.

The arm growing back to original was truly in an instant, but the pain was really long.

Still fortunate that Black is there. If not he would have had to use a chainsaw like last time. Honestly that hurts more. There's also visual effect.

Anyway material preparation ended.

What kind of guy the second subordinate will be expectation is great.

Black was beyond expectation. In fact the possibility of a guy like Black coming out for the second is not particularly high. Still he just hopes it's a bit usable.

Seo I-hyeon with an expression full of expectation drew a magic circle on the floor.

"Void connection. Void search. Binding. Domination."

When reciting the spell the magic circle shone. Seo I-hyeon placed the corpse obtained yesterday on it. And also took out the arm that will be material and placed it on the corpse.

He drew blood from the shadow and connected to the magic circle and recited the last spell.

"Fusion. Insertion. Fixation. Mixing. Settlement. Connection to shadow."

The corpse began to melt mushily. The same process as when making Black.

The bones absorbed all the flesh pieces. Black turned black in this process, but this guy didn't and maintained white color.

No, not just white either. It seems some peculiar luster is flowing.

'By the way this guy also eats blood enormously.'

Only after all materials were submerged in blood did Seo I-hyeon's arm melt, and like that the bones sucked all materials and blood.

Wuuung!

With a vibration sound the earnest process began. It sucked blood unlimitedly.

Fortunately he gathered a lot of blood until now, if not it almost lacked.

If so he would have had to cut even a finger shedding blood tears.

Anyway all processes ended safely.

Seo I-hyeon with an expression full of expectation commanded.

"Rise."

© Kim Kang-hyeon #12i09