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chapter 106
The wave that started near the geographic center of the country spread across the entire Republic of Korea.
The roar of Fafnir was less audible the farther one was from him, but that didn’t matter.
Kim Baekrang hadn’t subjugated every animal across the country.
Even if humans couldn’t hear Fafnir’s roar, it was enough if even a fraction of Fafnir’s intent reached the animals.
“A white wolf that’s only strong, and a dragon of a completely different caliber. It’s obvious whose command would be more terrifying.”
In fact, it was also possible to use Sarang, that is, Fenrir, without even deploying Fafnir.
But Sarang didn’t have the same mobility as Fafnir. Sarang couldn’t fly.
That’s why I left Lee Ha-eun and Sarang in Seoul, sending Alex and Fafnir to the geographic center of the country.
“This is spectacular.”
Animals affected by Fafnir’s roar froze in place.
Alex probably gave a very simple command through Fafnir: “Stop.”
The problem was that the animals obeyed the command a little too well.
“They didn’t stop breathing, but every animal froze in whatever position they were in just moments ago.”
Especially winged animals or insects stopped flapping and fell from the sky.
This caused minor damage from falling animals, but no human casualties occurred. People who hadn’t evacuated or were not awakened simply stayed inside buildings to avoid the rampaging animals.
“There seems to be some property damage… but the government can seize part of Kim Baekrang’s assets to compensate later. Insurance companies will also cover some of it.”
Surely, no one would blame Alex or Yeon Mirae, riding on a dragon, claiming this wasn’t Kim Baekrang’s doing but the dragon’s, right? If there were such fools, I’d personally go and educate them.
“Anyway, it was smart to keep Alex and Yeon Mirae on standby just in case.”
I never imagined Kim Baekrang would conduct terror across the entire country, not just Seoul.
There had been cases where he conducted attacks in multiple locations simultaneously to disperse awakened ones coming to subdue him, but his terror now was on a whole different level.
“This is practically challenging the entire country of Korea.”
I had assumed that Kim Baekrang wouldn’t do something like this while trying to escape overseas.
Because of this incident, Kim Baekrang became a public enemy for Koreans. If he escaped overseas and settled in another country, that nation would effectively become hostile toward Korea.
“That means for a country to accept Kim Baekrang, his presence would have to be more beneficial than their enmity toward Korea…”
The likelihood of any country accepting someone who committed such madness is almost zero, so even I didn’t expect him to stage a terror of this scale.
But the fact that he did means…
“Perhaps he received a promise.”
A promise that he would be accepted no matter what he did in Korea.
Or perhaps…
“Does Kim Baekrang have something to trade with a nation?”
Information, or an object. Something valuable enough to be desired by a nation.
I widened my perception with that thought. Not just to survey Seoul… but enough to observe the entire country.
“Easier than before the regression.”
Even pre-regression, I could survey all of Korea like this.
But back then, the sheer amount of information would overwhelm me, and I couldn’t maintain it for long. Now, it seemed I could hold it for quite a while. Although, as the information accumulated, fatigue would too, so I wouldn’t overdo it.
Anyway.
“Found it.”
With my extended senses, I pinpointed the presence I was looking for.
“Kim Baekrang.”
Kim Baekrang, who was about to flee by boat. And the police commissioner and officers trying to stop him.
“Grrr…”
“Give it up, Kim Baekrang. You cannot escape.”
The police commissioner spoke into a megaphone.
The white wolf that Kim Baekrang had transformed into glared at him.
Already battered by the police special forces’ attacks, his eyes seemed even more filled with malice and killing intent.
“Hmph…!”
But the commissioner met his gaze calmly. No matter how skilled an Aura Master or Great Mage Kim Baekrang was, compared to the commissioner, he was no match. The commissioner simply ignored his murderous intent.
“No matter how close to retirement I am, I’m not the kind to be intimidated by someone like you.”
“…Krawng…!”
Insulted by the commissioner’s condescending words, Kim Baekrang lunged forward recklessly.
Bang!
“Kyaah?!”
Of course, his attack never reached the commissioner. It was blocked by the police special forces protecting him. The elite units, individually weaker than Kim Baekrang, used equipment and teamwork to corner him.
“Do you think the special forces haven’t faced someone of your caliber?”
While the Awakener Association handles most awakened crimes, the police are no pushovers either. They too have the capability to confront veteran Awakeners.
“Surrender peacefully. You have no chance of winning.”
And…
“The opponent is a terrorist. If necessary, we can shoot you on the spot. So if you want to live, surrender.”
The commissioner spoke with genuine intent to kill Kim Baekrang.
“Grrr…”
Kim Baekrang slowly began reverting to human form. Wolves can’t speak due to the structure of their vocal cords.
“…You’re telling me to surrender? Ridiculous.”
Halfway back in human form, he shouted.
“If I surrender, you’ll just take me to Prison Island, right? Isn’t that it?!”
“You understand correctly.”
The commissioner did not deny it.
“And you think I’d surrender just because I know that?”
“Of course not.”
The commissioner answered in a low voice, as if he hadn’t expected anything.
Zap…!
“Argh?!”
A special forces operative quietly approached and zapped Kim Baekrang with a stun gun.
In his battered state, with all attention focused on the commissioner, Kim Baekrang was defenseless.
“Ugh… phh!”
Spitting blood-stained saliva, he glared at the commissioner again.
“…Can’t be helped.”
The commissioner instinctively understood that Kim Baekrang would choose death over being taken to Prison Island and drew his sword.
Shing…!
“Guh?!?”
Seeing this, the special forces subdued Kim Baekrang with another stun gun, while the commissioner calmly approached him.
“As a courtesy to a strong opponent… I’ll finish this myself.”
Thrust!
The commissioner pierced Kim Baekrang’s chest, right at his heart.
Gurgle…
Kim Baekrang twitched as if trying to survive, then went limp.
“…Phew.”
As the commissioner sighed in relief and prepared to withdraw his sword…
“No. I can’t die yet.”
Kim Baekrang grabbed the commissioner’s arm as he tried to pull the sword out.
“Guh?!”
Though he appeared human, half of him was still wolf. A key trait of people like him is that their life force is incredibly resilient when in animal form.
Even with a pierced heart, it takes time to die. The limp pose was an act to trick the commissioner.
“If I’m going to die anyway… I want to take a jab at the Artist first.”
Like a final surge of energy, Kim Baekrang’s grip was strong enough to surprise even the stronger commissioner. The commissioner couldn’t remove the sword, and Kim Baekrang, knowing time was short, began to speak rapidly.
“Previously, the Artist took away my subordinates’ powers. Or maybe ‘took away’ isn’t accurate, but veterans who once had abilities became ordinary civilians overnight.”
It must have been the Artist who appeared before him that day.
“And the Artist appeared with a giant wolf.”
A giant wolf?
Hearing this, the commissioner and other officers recalled someone known to carry a giant wolf.
“Yes. Lee Ha-eun’s familiar, Sarang, belonging to the youngest Great Mage.”
Kim Baekrang confirmed the wolf he saw matched the police’s memory.
“From that, I knew the Artist must be someone close enough to Lee Ha-eun to borrow her familiar freely.”
And the only confirmed information about the Artist:
“The Artist is male. So it’s not Yeon Mirae, known as Lee Ha-eun’s master.”
Moreover…
“Ji Hyeong-man isn’t the Artist. He was just helped by the Artist during a hostage situation. The guild of veterans who received the Artist’s favor was the Iron Blood Guild.”
Ji Hyeong-man only assisted; he wasn’t the Artist.
So who is the Artist? A male close enough to Lee Ha-eun to borrow her familiar. Who else besides Ji Hyeong-man fits?
After much thought, Kim Baekrang reached a conclusion. He wanted to announce it here and now, despite questioning its validity repeatedly.
“The Artist is…!”
Kim Baekrang spoke his conclusion. Hard to believe, but that’s why the Artist’s identity remained hidden. No one would think it possible.
“The Aura Master… Han Geon-woo!”
The only plausible candidate was a boy still in middle school: Han Geon-woo.
Kim Baekrang declared this in a dying breath…
Thud.
Collapsing, as if it were his final will. Hoping someone would take revenge on the Artist in his stead.
