Episode 43:
An S-class upper-class demon who is no exaggeration to say that he is on the same level as an S-class upper-class player.
Bone Dragon, the S-class highest level monster summoned by Narendra Nehru.
Two beings who could instantly kill a criminal with just a look disappeared in vain.
Or, to be more precise, he was preyed upon by Taehyun’s overwhelming magical power.
Tiring.
[Skill Contract with the Devil (B) has been registered.]
Taehyun tilted his head as he looked at the message that appeared before his eyes.
It was a reaction that was not like Taehyun’s usual reaction.
Even for a while.
He smiled as he remembered what the message in front of him represented.
[That’s interesting. Is this the body of a player?]
Taehyun, who was smiling uncharacteristically sinisterly, looked at his body with interest.
The bursting right arm, which I had forgotten about as it took over my body, caught my eye.
Before I knew it, the bleeding had stopped.
Wow.
The dark red magic power blooming from the body enveloped the exploded area.
Quad deuk. Crack. Quad deuk.
The arm that had exploded regenerated with an eerie sound.
A skill that only one person in the world can use.
It was ‘high-speed playback’.
Taehyun used that skill without any hesitation.
Wow.
Taehyun squeezed and unfolded his new right hand.
Just like the left hand, the right hand moves naturally according to will, as if there was something wrong.
The difference is that the skin on the newly formed right arm is as white as a baby’s.
And the muscles created through training disappeared.
It wasn’t an easy muscle to build.
Normally, he wouldn’t have jumped up and made a fuss, but now Taehyun didn’t care.
Rather, he started groping various parts of his body with a satisfied expression.
It’s as if I’m evaluating someone else’s body, not my own.
“Is it over?”
“I really lived….”
“Thank you… thank you….”
“God….”
“Did you say Kim Tae-hyun is a player? “I will somehow make up for what I did today.”
Taehyun turned his head back.
I saw many people shedding tears.
These were hostages that Narendra Nehru had kept captive for negotiations.
Influential people from around the world are excited by the hope that their lives have been saved from the brink of death.
People that Taehyun hesitated to abandon even when his life was in danger.
They are shedding tears and expressing their gratitude.
Although this was originally an expected response to part of Taehyun’s plan.
For Taehyun now, their presence was not pleasant.
[It’s noisy.]
Ouch.
The dark red magic power emitted from their bodies swept through them once again.
“Huh?”
“Hey what is this?!!”
“Now wait a minute…!!”
Some people shouted at the unexpected action, but Taehyun didn’t care.
[Disappear. You bastards.]
Blah blah blah.
There were no screams of pain, no horrible sounds of bones being crushed that are characteristic of predation.
It was just magical power sweeping through.
Nevertheless, hundreds of people disappeared without a trace.
It was a completely different level of predation than Taehyun’s struggle against the Bone Dragon.
[The message is not going anywhere.]
Taehyun, who had devoured hundreds of humans in an instant, snapped his fingers as if he was displeased.
Then, a man hiding behind the gate was dragged out as if by manpower.
“Kim Taehyun… player?”
A man who was hiding and watching the decisive battle between Narendra Nehru and Taehyun.
West Point gate manager Kevin Poland asked with a trembling voice.
Taehyun smiled eerily as he remembered that he was a gate skill awakener.
[Gatera. You seem quite useful.]
Taehyun pointed his finger at Kevin Folant.
He grabbed his head and started screaming.
It happened in an instant.
“Kwaaaa!!”
[Stay still. Using you as a medium…]
Taehyun, who was concentrating on controlling magical power by moving his fingers, suddenly frowned.
[Is this the limit?]
Blood was flowing from Kevin Poland’s nose, ears, eyes, and mouth.
Taehyun was the same.
[Tsk.]
Taehyun licked his lips with regret.
The current vessel was too fragile to contain such enormous power.
If more power was used, there was a high possibility that it would be damaged without any further help.
[You’re a lucky guy.]
Shake it off.
When the magic power that had been constricting his head completely disappeared, Kevin Folant collapsed on the floor.
Taehyun also fell like a doll whose strings were cut.
Right then.
A man approached the auction house, which could no longer be called a building.
“Hey hey! Wake!!”
The man shouted and placed his hand on the sword at his waist.
Park Seong-jin, another S-rank player from New Korea.
In his eyes, he saw two people lying down.
‘What about Narendra Nehru?’
Just moments before, I felt a huge magical power.
And just before arrival.
A vast amount of magic disappeared.
After being wary of his surroundings for a moment, he ran towards the two people who were the only survivors.
There was only one mission he received from Ji Jin-hee.
Secure New Korea’s S-grade player Kim Tae-hyun.
Park Seong-jin, who picked up the fallen Taehyun, shouted at Kevin Poland.
“hey! “Just a moment ago, Narendra Nehru was here…”
Park Seong-jin could not bear to finish his sentence and closed his mouth.
“Are you… are you okay?”
Kevin Polant did not respond to Park Seong-jin’s question, which frowned.
The eyes that were staring into space were just shaking without focus, as if they had seen hell.
‘What on earth happened here?’
The reaction and explosion of magical energy that had been felt until just moments ago disappeared in an instant.
And without a trace.
There was nothing Park Seong-jin could do in a situation where even the man who could be said to be the only witness was gone.
Contrary to appearance, there seemed to be nothing wrong with Taehyun’s body.
“Taehyun Kim. “He’s a guy who bothers me in many ways.”
Seongjin Park left Kevin Poland alone, who was out of his mind.
I started running again towards the warp gate I left from.
It was some time later that the players from New Korea arrived.
* * *
Taehyun opened his eyes 24 hours after Park Seongjin secured his safety.
And now, 24 hours have passed.
Taehyun was in stable condition at the player-designated hospital located in Okinawa.
Two days had already passed since the terrorist attack at the West Point auction house.
“Okinawa…”
Taehyun was sitting on the bed in the hospital room, looking through articles from the past two days on his tablet.
As it is a place where access to outsiders is strictly controlled, it was quiet even though it was midday.
[Terrorist attack by mines at West Point auction house. Location: Okinawa?]
[Location: West Point Auction House with secrecy. The auction house asks for understanding from the Japanese government.]
[The identity of the terrorist was revealed to be S-class demon Narendra Nehru. The Indian government expresses regret.]
[General Escort Manager Ryohei Isaka. It is revealed that he received a large amount of money from Mine. Shock to the Japanese archipelago.]
[Kevin Folant, West Point auction house gate manager and survivor. [Symptoms of insanity due to shock.]
[The first to arrive for Japan, which was in crisis, was a player from New Korea. Is this an opportunity for a positive change in the relationship between the two countries?]
[New Korea S-rank player Park Seong-jin. “When I arrived, the whole incident had already been sorted out.”]
[It is understood that Kim Tae-hyun, another S-rank player from New Korea, was also at the auction house.]
[Saint. I want to meet a person named Kim Tae-hyun.]
[The man the saintly woman is interested in. Kim Tae-hyun, who is he?]
“You’ve packed a lot in two days.”
Taehyun clicked his tongue and sighed.
Just by looking at the title of the article, you could pretty much predict how things were going.
‘Ryouhei Isaka. It’s going to be hard to make a comeback.’
A country’s S-rank player colluded with Mine.
The Japanese archipelago was shocked by this inevitable fact.
Ryohei Isaka was also likely to be quietly disposed of.
‘not bad.’
It was a different direction from what I expected, though.
For Taehyun, who achieved his goal, it was okay no matter what.
Park Seong-jin came in with a knock.
“I thought you would come soon, but you’re late.”
Taehyun said with an expression as if he was tired of waiting.
This is because Park Seong-jin was the one who prevented him from leaving the hospital, saying it was necessary to investigate the truth of the incident.
“I kept you waiting for a long time.”
Seongjin Park grinned as he handed over the takoyaki set, saying it was a gift.
“I’ll eat well.”
Taehyun silently put a takoyaki in his mouth.
I received a visitation gift from someone I would have had a hard time speaking to in my previous life.
I realized once again that there is no way to know about human life.
“I apologize again for being late. “Because this is not the new Korea.”
Taehyun nodded as if he understood.
Since Park Seong-jin is a player dispatched as a representative of New Korea, his every word and action will represent the association and New Korea.
Taehyun also put aside any further complaints.
Above all, there were a mountain of things to ask him.
“Okay then. “Can you explain what happened that day?”
Seongjin Park put a takoyaki in his mouth and muttered.
gulp.
He swallowed one whole and shrugged his shoulders.
As if they were the wrong people to ask the question.
“I’d like to ask you that. “What on earth happened that day?”
* * *
Taehyun and Park Seongjin’s conversation ended two hours later.
According to the information obtained, it was as follows.
While dealing with the Bone Dragon summoned by Narendra Nehru, Predation went berserk and Taehyun fainted.
The association is still unable to figure out what happened to the main culprits of the terrorist attack, Narendra Nehru and the Bone Dragon, and when Park Seong-jin arrived, Tae-hyun and Kevin Poland were the only ones at the scene.
‘Kevin Polantra. ‘Did I get tricked by a skill?’
Hundreds of hostages disappeared without a trace, and the other players who survived with Taehyun’s help were hiding in other buildings.
Among those who watched Taehyun fight at the scene, Kevin Folant was the only survivor.
The problem is that he is not sane.
“I heard that his mind was already pretty damaged, so even with my skills, I couldn’t read his memories. “I am currently hospitalized in this hospital with you.”
‘My mind is broken… Is this the work of Narendra Nehru?’
He was clearly fine when he was blocking the dragon’s breath that Taehyun had seen.
“Is there anything you can point out?”
Taehyun nodded to Park Seongjin’s question.
I had no choice but to say that I had no memory.
Of course, also about predation.
Since there was no reason for Taehyun to lie, Park Seongjin did not suspect anything.
“Well, this incident involves a lot of international figures. The Japanese government also appears determined to thoroughly investigate the truth.”
“Ryohei Isaka. “What happened to that guy?”
“Some of the guys you saved testified. I heard there was a financial deal in exchange for the auction house escort. “Japan also has the eyes of the international community, so it won’t be easy to cover it up.”
Park Seong-jin, who heard everything he wanted to hear, stood up.
“Taehyun Kim. “The president of the association is very worried.”
“I guess so. “He even sent support to Japan to save his players.”
“Just because you’re the president of the association doesn’t mean that to everyone. Of course, me too.”
“…?”
When Taehyun gave an incomprehensible expression, Park Seongjin waved his hand and headed towards the door.
“It looks like the World Players Association is going to award you a commendation. “Until then, rest slowly and return.”
“Wait. Narendra Nehru. “Have you heard any information about him?”
“Narendra Nehru. It appears that the guy ran away after killing all the hostages. “There is no more news.”
“…All right. “I’ll see you next time in Seoul.”
“then.”
After Park Seong-jin left, the hospital room became quiet again.
Even after talking with him, the question still remained unanswered.
‘Narendra Nehru. He killed the hostage and ran away…’
I couldn’t prove it, but I was sure.
Narendra Nehru will not be fine.
Taehyun opened the status window.
A skill that made him struggle even with the power of predation.
A ‘contract with the devil’ was registered.
There is clearly something more that he does not remember and that Park Seong-jin does not know.
Something that regenerates a torn arm.
Nevertheless.
‘What on earth happened?’
Taehyun couldn’t even guess what had happened to him.
