T7RFHE 20💸

Chapter 20

The underground parking lot was dimly lit.

Because of the chaos above ground, Jang Sunam—well disguised—managed to slip inside without difficulty.

“That’s the downside of parking garages.”

All those sealed-up cars that couldn’t be moved created endless blind spots. Still, that worked in his favor. Whenever someone approached, he simply shifted to the far side of a car and avoided direct contact.

After carefully advancing—

“Found you.”

At last, on the fifth basement level, he spotted Pi Gwangseok, talking to someone.

“Can you hear what he’s saying?”
“He says he’ll flee once the energy of Chaos reaches its limit, nya.”

At some point, Jelly had sprouted animal ears atop her head. She had partially shapeshifted to heighten her hearing.

“Can’t let him get away with that. Morph into the Second Man and approach.”
“Understood, nya.”

The easiest solution was always a clean kill. If you could finish something in one strike, that was the best option.
But this time was different—he needed information about the Seed of the Evil God, so mere suppression would have to suffice.

“Now. Go.”

As soon as Pi Gwangseok ended his conversation and entered his tent, Jang Sunam sent Jelly forward. In the meantime, he slipped between the cars and positioned himself at the side of the tent, waiting for the chance to strike.

“Guild Master! Trouble!”
“The Second Man?!”

Jelly, perfectly playing the panicked subordinate, shouted from outside the tent.

“You’re safe! What happened?!”
“The hunters attacked and the base camp has fallen. I think we’ve been exposed.”
“…I see. And the device?”
“Destroyed. Its contents are gone.”
“…I understand. Sit and rest a while. I’ll pour us tea, little brother.”
“Yes, brother.”
“…Hm?”

Pi Gwangseok stared hard at the disguised Second Man.

“What’s the matter?”
“…Nothing.”

He turned away, lit the pot, and began to boil water. The sound came quickly—it must not have been long since the kettle had last been used.

“But, little brother…”
“Yes, brother?”
“This is the first time you’ve ever called me brother.”
“…What?”

Pi Gwangseok’s eyes turned icy.

Suddenly—

“Ssshhhkkk!”
The steaming kettle tipped, scalding water splashing over Jelly’s face.

“Aaaghhh!!”

The “Second Man” fell, screaming and writhing.

“Your disguise is refined—but your intel is lacking! Reveal yourself!”
“My face! My face!!”

Pi Gwangseok drew his sword, aiming it at the fallen figure. But the “Second Man” only shrieked in agony from the burns.

“What?! Don’t tell me… are you really my brother…?”

If it were just a disguise, burns shouldn’t have shown. Confused, Pi Gwangseok stepped closer—

“Fooled you.”

Whump!

The ground beneath him collapsed, and his body was dragged into shadow.

Jelly, who had evolved into a Protean, had revealed a new ability.

“Ghhhkkk—?!”

Inside the shadow, his body began to burn as acid consumed him. Without natural resistance, there was no escape.

“You wretch!!”

Even as his body dissolved, Pi Gwangseok roared and drove his blade into his own neck. He committed suicide.

In the next instant, his body vanished in the acid, only to reappear beside Jelly—reborn.

Slash!

With terrifying speed, Pi Gwangseok swung, severing the head of the disguised Second Man. He had survived countless battles, and his instincts were sharp. Most people would be helpless after resurrection, but he counterattacked immediately.

But he couldn’t defend against—

“Shhhk!”

Jang Sunam’s sword drove through his back.

“Ghhk…!”

Pi Gwangseok turned bloodshot eyes toward him.

“What are you staring at?”

Jang Sunam pulled his blade free, and Pi Gwangseok collapsed.

But—

Whsshhk!

Another sword strike swept past Jang Sunam’s head.

The man had resurrected again.

“So this cycle, his Swordsmanship is at least +3.”

His reflexes proved it. Hours earlier, Jang Sunam might have struggled badly.

But now—

“My Mind and Body Training is +3 as well.”

Unlike mere Swordsmanship, which honed only the body, Mind and Body Training honed both flesh and spirit. The brain’s processing speed alone was on a different plane.

So whenever Pi Gwangseok swung, Jang Sunam had already calculated his path and avoided it.

“Heh. You’re not much after all, Pi Gwangseok.”

Laughing, Jang Sunam slipped past his flurry of attacks by the breadth of a hair.

“Let’s see you dodge this!!”

But just then—

Wham!!

Something slammed into Jang Sunam’s side like a bullet. A heavy book, hurled by unseen force.

“Urk?!”

Pain exploded. He was sure a rib had cracked.

“Telekinesis? At least +3 reinforcement…”

A sword followed instantly, striking sparks off his breastplate. Without armor, the cut would have been fatal.

“Strong armor! But—!”

Pi Gwangseok’s eyes flared. Jang Sunam’s legs froze in place, seized by invisible force.

“Damn!”

The guild master raised his sword, icy aura gathering, empowered by telekinesis for a lethal strike.

“That one… I can’t block head-on.”

If he parried, his arms would snap. If he deflected, his pinned legs would leave him open.

So Jang Sunam chose—

“Die!!”
“You first, nya.”

Thwoomp!

A vast shadow surged up from the floor and swallowed Pi Gwangseok whole. Acid hissed inside.

“Ghhhaaaa!!!”

It was his third death. He thrashed madly, desperate to live.

“Did I do well, nya?”

Now back in her researcher guise, cat ears still twitching, Jelly threw up a playful V-sign.

“Nice teamwork.”

Jang Sunam gave her a thumbs-up.

But then—

“Guild Master! What’s going on?!”

Researchers and guards rushed down. They must have heard his screams echoing through the parking lot.

But before they could approach—

“Important transmission in progress. Do not come down without my order.”

Jelly, already transformed into Pi Gwangseok, dismissed them with ease.

“So this is the trick that fooled so many hunters in the tutorial…”

“I’ve memorized his DNA, nya.”

Jelly reverted again, satisfied. That meant even if he died, they could still inherit his gear and facilities.

“Spit him out.”

Schlkkk!

The shadow disgorged Pi Gwangseok’s mutilated body. Limbs half-melted, he could no longer fight.

Still, Jang Sunam stabbed a wound to disrupt his concentration—no telekinesis allowed.

“Now—tell me everything about the Seed of the Evil God.”
“You… where did you learn of that…?”

His voice rasped, ruined by acid.

“The Second Man didn’t know much.”
“You… bastard!”

Pi Gwangseok tried to bite his own tongue, to die and fight one last time after revival—

But Jang Sunam shoved his boot into the man’s mouth.

“What, you wanted to lick my shoe that badly?”

“Mmmpghhh?!”

“Jelly, strip his gear.”

“Understood.”

In an instant, Jelly—disguised as him—disarmed Pi Gwangseok and emptied his inventory.

“Mmpphh!!”

The guild master convulsed in fury. His loot stolen without his consent—it was unthinkable.

“Thanks for assembling a nice set for me.”

<Goblin Warchief’s Helmet> (F+)+3
<Goblin Warchief’s Armor> (F+)+4
<Goblin Warchief’s Greaves> (F+)+4
<Goblin Warchief’s Gloves> (F+)+3
<Goblin Warchief’s Boots> (F+)+3
<Goblin Warchief’s Greatsword> (F+)+5

[Set Effects]

• 1-piece: Strength +5%

• 3-piece: Attack Power +5%

• 5-piece: Defense +5%

“Top tier for F+ gear.”

Pocketing the rest for later, Jang Sunam stored it all in his infinite inventory. Then he crouched in front of the now-empty-handed Pi Gwangseok.

“You have two choices.”

He pulled his boot from the man’s mouth.

“First—die and let me absorb your memories.”

“What?!”

Of course, it was a lie. But after witnessing his gear stolen so easily, Pi Gwangseok couldn’t doubt it.

“Th-then… what’s the other choice?”
“Speak—and die peacefully.”

The guild master’s face twisted in despair. Both paths ended in death.

“W-wait! Spare me! I’ll serve you, anything! I’ll be your subordinate!!”
“Hm… not interested.”

At his glance, Jelly extended writhing tendrils of shadow.

“Stop! Stop!! Fine—I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything!!”

But the shadows didn’t relent, slowly swallowing him.

“The Seed!! They’re trying to forge it from the energy of Chaos!!”
“I know.”
“And—with it, you gain the Evil God’s power!!”
“That too.”
“There are Collectors and Gatherers—”
“…”
“They handle funds, gear—through the Collectors—”

His voice weakened. It was all things Jang Sunam already knew.

“And their numbers? Their location?”
“I only get orders through the Collectors—I don’t know…”

His eyes were genuine.

“Damn it… Kim Mingyu was more important than this fool.”

Pi Gwangseok was useless.

“Then at least tell me—which Evil God?”

He had encountered Evil Gods in other loops. They weren’t all equal—knowing which one was worshipped would help.

“…That, I truly don’t know.”
“Then just die.”

Slash!

His blade swung for the neck—

But instead of flesh—

Clang!

Sparks burst.

“What?!”

The body vanished.

Pi Gwangseok was simply gone, leaving Jang Sunam’s sword biting into the floor.

“Did the Mini Tidal Wave spirit move him? …No. Not without orders.”

It wasn’t teleportation either—he would’ve used that earlier.

That left only one option: interference from a third party. Most likely, the Seed of the Evil God itself.

“…So you were watching all along.”

Jang Sunam clicked his tongue and sheathed his blade.

“Should we chase, nya?”
“…No. Tracking displaced targets isn’t easy.”

He could mark them using his Absolute Map Skill—but it wasn’t strong enough yet.

“I’ll need to reinforce that skill.”

At that moment, cheers echoed from afar.

Hunters stormed the east sector—the White Authority had fallen.

Listening to their cries of victory, Jang Sunam turned to Jelly.

“Come on. For now, the priority is securing the equipment for vaccine mass-production.”