Episode 101
Before the Veritas Guild was attacked.
As the red sunset approached, Johanna visited the association’s headquarters.
Bae Seung-ju greeted her warmly.
“Ah, are you here?”
“… What about the layout?”
It was because of safety checks prior to the demonstration of the Lunatic Don mutant detection device.
“Here it is.”
If the mutant went on a rampage, the damage had to be minimized. For this reason, the association’s headquarters planned to deploy barrier formation and security hunters.
Johanna was thinking of checking whether there were any blind spots in the barrier formation.
“By the way, you look tired, unlike usual. Did something happen?”
Bae Seung-ju asked a sneaky question. It was because Johanna was not hiding her fatigue.
‘There was. what happened.’
Of course, she had just come to this place as soon as she completed the seal of the Pyosuho.
The case of Pyo Su-ho was unfamiliar to her as well.
It was not a contract with the devil, but the power exerted by the body made of the devil’s flesh and blood, so she could break the seal in an unexpected direction.
‘Thanks to that, I spent quite a bit of energy to engrave the seal in double and triple layers.’
But I couldn’t tell that story to Bae Seung-ju.
‘… I decided not to talk about it.’
Pyo Soo-ho’s demonization and the secret experiments of Lee Lua and Pyo Ji-hoon were not stories that would be good to know.
In response, Johanna only shook her head and managed her expression.
“It just happened.”
“Is that so? If so, I’m glad.”
Bae Seung-joo smiled blankly and shook his head. The moment Johanna tries to focus on the layout again.
“You asked about the schedule before, and I wondered if there was a problem.”
Her head tilted at Bae Seung-joo’s passing words.
“calendar?”
“Yes. You say you want to change the time… .”
“who?”
“… Yes?”
The two looked at each other and raised question marks above their heads.
“That, Kang Tae-min-nim, didn’t you say that on the day of the press conference?”
“… I?”
“Yes. So I No wait, come to think of it, does Johanna-sama show respect to me?”
Bae Seung-joo, who was looking back at his memories, opened his eyes wide. Eventually, the question marks of the two turned into exclamation marks.
Johanna immediately contacted her guild.
“… It’s noise.”
However, beyond the smartphone, only a crackling noise could be heard. She immediately launched a monitoring camera management app that could check the situation inside the research building.
But that too was a mess.
“Johanna, this is… ?!”
Bae Seung-ju recalled the situation he experienced on Crown Island. At the same time as the judgment, the two immediately moved.
“I will call for support right away!”
“I will contact Mr. Kang!”
The Avalon Guild and the Veritas Guild were at least close. Pyo Ji-hun was not in a situation to leave Pyo Soo-ho alone, so he thought of asking Kang Tae-min for help.
Johanna immediately activated her flying magic and picked up her smartphone.
“Sensei Kang!”
＜Johanna?＞
Fortunately, Kang Tae-min was contacted right away. As he explained the situation, his voice sank.
＜Hwarin and Lua?＞
“Perhaps yet… .”
＜Okay.＞
The call hung up as if there was nothing more to hear. Johanna just hoped that he would not be late.
* * *
again, now.
Fake Johanna looked at Kang Tae-min and clapped her hands lightly.
“Oh yeah. Are you the one who disposed of Vernon?”
Vernon, the lunatic money apostle I met on Crown Island.
Instead of answering, Kang Tae-min formed a clone behind her and rushed at the same time.
“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”
However, when she swung her hands, a magic circle was formed in an instant. At the same time, the ground on which Kang Tae-min was standing shook, and sharp rock spikes rose and aimed at him, and the clone on the other side froze in an instant.
“… Are you one of those moonlights?”
Taemin Kang shredded the thorns that were chasing him, then looked back at her and said.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Dead Witch, Ann Najoz. I am Cho-gwang, one of the 5 types of Moon-gwang.”
Vernon was transcendence, the new moon, and she was Jogwang, the old moon. Before Ann could finish her words, Kang Tae-min formed a wire net and pulled it.
The net carrying the aura was like a cutting machine in itself, and it would wrap around her body and make it into dense pieces.
“Isn’t it a bit cowardly to do that in the middle of a conversation?”
But suddenly, at her beckoning, a gust of wind turned the net upwards.
Kang Tae-min answered by absorbing the net that had flown toward him.
“I guess you think imitating Johanna is justified.”
“mimicry?”
Ann let out a laugh and scattered silver eyes.
“I will understand. As far as I know, I see it.”
Then, the magic circle built from her hands overlapped and fell to the ground.
At the same time, the ground shuddered with a gurgling sound, and a large black golem stood up.
‘Are they similar not only in appearance but also in skill?’
His magic construction speed and power were excellent, comparable to Johanna’s. However, Taemin Kang was not worried.
“To what extent… .”
A dull noise rang out before Ann could speak. Soon after, Taemin Kang came out from the crack in the center of the golem’s body.
“her… !”
Terrified and gasping for air, Anne immediately formed a magic circle by signing a hand sign.
Originally, the speed at which the magic circle was built was outstanding, but there was no room for that, so the technique was replaced with a beastman.
As if a jet engine had started, strong flames exploded from the magic circle and attacked Kang Tae-min.
Ann used that repulsive force to widen the distance. It was a magic aimed at counterattacking and evasion at the same time.
‘It’s not a level to think of as a human being. Vernon didn’t die simply because he was conceited.’
Originally, I was going to use the golem to test my skills, but that wasn’t the case. I felt threatened that I might die if I did not do my best.
“What… !”
Just as she landed and was about to construct a follow-up magic, a serrated sword flew from the darkness as if she had been waiting.
She wasn’t the only one looking for a connection. Kang Tae-min formed a clone at the same time as he was swept away by the explosion.
“this… !”
The clone’s jagged blade cut into her left shoulder. Ann frowned and placed her right hand on the clone’s torso.
In an instant, the frozen body of the clone collapsed like powder.
‘this… ! I didn’t have time to adjust my magic power.’
Ann frowned.
It’s not even the main body, but I used too much mana. She looked back at her dangling left arm.
Black threads began to weave through the torn flesh.
‘I must retreat.’
Ann decided while watching the iron man running in the dark. I could fight more if I wanted to fight, but there was nothing to be gained.
Besides, time was not on her side either. If the battle continued like this, reinforcements would come.
‘That person’s skills are unpredictable. I have to pass this information on.’
The original plan was to quickly destroy the detection device and destroy the relevant data before exiting.
However, the feet were caught by unexpected resistance, and in the meantime, a person who could upset all plans appeared.
“We’ll see you next time.”
Anne even recovered the magical power that maintained the barrier and used space movement magic to escape.
Kang Tae-min immediately fired a metal blade. But Anne’s magic was faster.
“This humiliation is a must… .”
Anne, who was about to activate the prepared magic circle, looked down in disbelief.
The magic circle formed around her was distorted, and a metal blade pierced her body.
“Whoa, it’s not too late.”
It was Johanna who appeared from behind Ann, breathing briefly. As soon as the barrier was lifted, he interfered with Ann’s space movement magic and canceled the magic’s activation.
“this… .”
Ann couldn’t speak any more. It was because Kang Tae-min, who unlocked the suit as soon as Yohanna appeared, hit her in the back of the head with a full swing with the etiquette injector.
With a thump, her head exploded and Anne’s body collapsed.
“… This feels a bit odd.”
Johanna looked at Kang Tae-min, who had a hair that looked just like her, and said.
“I’m glad you came on time. I almost missed it.”
Kang Tae-min looked down at the corpse, shaking off the thick blood. However, he soon frowned.
‘… The soul content is low?’
Kang Tae-min immediately absorbed Ann’s soul with Blood Si-ok. However, compared to Vernon, the amount was not so much.
Eventually, Anne’s body, which had maintained its shape, discolored and became disorganized like a bundle of black threads.
“… This?”
“It’s the same thing we found in the bodies of our researchers who turned into monsters.”
Johanna’s eyes narrowed. With a light breeze, she removed the black mass.
“Parasite, it’s also a colony… After all, that’s how it happened.”
“Borrowing Johanna-sama’s figure… Do you know anything?”
At Kang Taemin’s question, Yohanna let out a short sigh and shook her head.
“It’s not borrowed.”
“then… ?”
“It didn’t imitate me, it took over my body that was being used over there.”
Over there, it meant the other world where Johanna originally lived. She had said that she only sent souls to come over here.
‘So that the empty body was secured by Lunatic Don… .’
But the curious point remained.
“But, doesn’t it look the same as Johanna-sama’s now?”
“The soul affects the body as well. As proof, my hair and eye color have nothing to do with my parents.”
Johanna’s silver hair and eyes.
It was definitely a hard color to see as natural.
“For the same reason, the Awoken are so good looking. You said that mana and soul are closely related.”
Johanna briefly clicked her tongue after explaining that.
“… Apparently, those ignorant bastards are stealing the knowledge I’ve accumulated.”
“For some reason, he seems to use magic skillfully.”
The stolen body even included the brain. It was possible because Anne had secured Johanna’s memories and experiences.
“I don’t think it’s the main body. They must have formed a detached unit by removing only a part of the group.”
Taemin Kang shook his head.
Then it made sense that the soul content was low.
“Tsk, I feel a little dirty. It’s not mine anymore, but they’re using my body… .”
Johanna frowned and turned away.
“In case you don’t know, I’ll go check out the device first. Oh, but what about the two of you?”
“I have it protected in subspace.”
“Ah, that’s right. It is useful.”
Johanna smiled lightly and headed towards the research building. This was the reason Kang Tae-min revealed his identity to Lee Lu-ah.
‘To protect the two, the use of subspace was essential.’
If there was no subspace, Ann would have used the two as hostages and tried to kill Kang Tae-min.
In this situation, if you don’t reveal your identity, Irua will report this fact to Bae Seung-ju, and Bae Seung-ju will seek cooperation from the strongest to investigate this iron man.
‘My identity will be revealed to Pyo Pyo and Johanna.’
Pyo Ji-hun and Yohanna, who knew the existence of subspace, would have easily guessed that the iron man’s identity was Kang Tae-min.
‘Eruah is better than those two.’
It was judged that it was less risky to reveal his identity only to Eruah, who had the same will as before and now, rather than those two.
Kang Tae-min took a sample of the parasite in an iron box.
‘There may be some clues.’
If it wasn’t the main body, there was a high possibility that he would have to face it again. Kang Tae-min did not easily throw away the opportunity to learn about the enemy.
After completing the work, he reopened the subspace.
“ah… .”
Eruah, who was looking at Yoohwarin, gave a short exclamation and looked around. Before long, her gaze met Kang Tae-min’s.
“… Is Hwarin okay?”
There were many things she wanted to ask, but instead of asking, Eruah nodded her head.
“Yes. Fortunately… .”
An awkward silence passed.
Taemin Kang took a step closer to her.
“I’m glad that Mr. Lua is also safe.”
“Ah, thank you for saving me. I should have thanked you… .”
Irua was startled and averted her eyes. I was confused about what face to face him with.
“… I know you need an explanation. But not right away.”
Kang Tae-min spoke to Lee Lu-ah in a calm voice.
“Let’s talk after the detection device demonstration. Then, I will answer your questions.”
“ah… all right.”
Eruah agreed.
She also needed time.
* * *
The next day, the day of the detection device demonstration.
The vicinity of the association’s headquarters was controlled according to the order of Bae Seung-ju, and the barrier formation machine was operated.
“Is there anything wrong with the power supply?”
Bae Seung-ju received the radio report with a nervous look.
It was because the Veritas Guild was attacked, and there was a possibility of an attack on the day of the demonstration.
Thanks to this, Bae Seung-joo, who had to requisition additional manpower overnight and rethink the optimal arrangement, suffered from rapid fatigue.
“There are no signs of an attack. Then, I will activate the device.”
After hearing the report, Bae Seung-ju picked up another radio. It was a channel that directly connects with the strongest people who have been placed for today.
＜Okay.＞
＜I hope nothing happens.＞
＜Then there is no reason for me to come?＞
＜Can you shoot me in the head beforehand?＞
All six strongest players were holding their own positions. Hwang Ye-ri, who was in quarantine, was also disguised as a sniper as promised.
＜I’ll start.＞
At the end of Johanna’s words, the detection device was activated. The crystal attached to a device that looked like a giant bacteriophage emitted waves in all directions.
There were a couple of waves that spread out with a booming sound, but there was no significant change.
Bae Seung-joo slightly rolled his eyes.
“John… .”
The moment he tries to confirm with Johanna.
＜Mutant occurs!＞
＜ Engagement! Engage!＞
＜An ally has mutated!＞
A quick report came in from the radio.