19화
Even a person with a highly developed physique cannot stand against a Demon unless they are a Hunter.
The man was flustered.
"What the…."
He hadn't felt any Magic Power.
That was the look on his face.
"Magic Power is something only a fledgling like you leaks everywhere."
"……!!"
"Well, to be precise, you probably aren't feeling it, but rather seeing it with your eyes."
At the mocking sarcasm, the man let out a groan.
He wore the expression of someone who realized something had gone terribly wrong.
"Let's start by taking a few hits."
"Hey, I am…."
"You attacked first, so this is self-defense."
"What kind of bullshit is that? My attack didn't even land properly…."
"Shut up."
A one-sided assault ensued.
With every light swing of a fist, the man’s face was instantly bruised.
"Kuh."
The impact, too great for his regenerative abilities to keep up with, piled up steadily.
Because the strikes were aimed precisely at his vital points, he was left in such agony that he couldn't even straighten his back.
"Gah…."
"I’m starting the interrogation."
*Slap.*
Seung-chan slapped the man’s cheek to snap him back to his senses.
"What did you put in the food?"
"Ugh…."
The man groaned and shook his head.
"How troublesome."
More assault and screams followed.
"Looking at you like this, you actually look quite delicious."
"……!!"
"I’m going to rip off an arm."
*Squeeze.*
Seung-chan placed his hand on the man’s arm.
Just as he was about to exert force to tear it off—
"E, Exes…."
"Hmm?"
"It was Exes."
"Exes?"
"It’s a new type… of drug."
"So why the hell would you put something like that in human food?"
*Crunch.*
Seung-chan ripped off one of the man’s arms.
"Don't make me ask again."
Blood gushed out.
Seung-chan twisted his body to avoid getting splattered.
"Next is your neck."
*Squeeze.*
As if to say he wouldn't allow any screaming, Seung-chan gripped the man’s throat.
"The, the organization… I’m telling the truth."
"Which organization?"
"Ve…nom…."
"What? You were with Venom?"
"……."
"You should have said so sooner."
Seung-chan released the man’s neck.
The man, who had been enduring the pain, now wore a look of indignation.
"If the organization finds out, they won't let you get away with this! So even now, *kuh*…!!"
Seung-chan grabbed his neck again.
"Let's take a few more hits."
*Crack. Crunch.*
With a calm face, Seung-chan tore off the man’s limbs.
"I’ll… I’ll tell you everything…."
Regeneration still hadn't kicked in.
"Just spare my life…."
He confessed, his words mixed with groans.
The content was enough to make one doubt their own ears.
‘They’ve started spreading drugs to humans… Have they lost their minds, Venom?’
The name of the drug was Exes.
It was the source of the unpleasantness Seung-chan had felt even before entering the restaurant.
‘When mixed into human food, it gives off the scent of seasoning.’
In reality, it was a powder of highly addictive Magic Power.
‘It’s not even mana, but raw Magic Power.’
It couldn't possibly be compatible with the bodies of ordinary people.
The goal wasn't just money, but to consume high-quality meat that had been contaminated with Magic Power over the long term.
‘They’ve crossed the line by a long shot.’
The drug called Exes had such a subtle taste and smell that it seemed difficult even for Hunters to detect.
‘Unless they were using an Artifact that maximizes the sense of taste, at least.’
There was no way to know the capabilities of the Hunters.
By the time the Association realized it, many addicts would have already been created.
‘And they say there’s more than one or two shops like this….’
What if Hyun-ah had eaten some?
"Haa."
Seung-chan let out a sigh.
At that moment, the man, who had been gauging the situation, spoke up.
"Join Venom. With your level of skill, you could definitely get an executive position…."
"Shall I kill him now?"
"I told you everything!!"
"If you’ve done something bad, you have to pay the price."
"……!!"
*Whoosh.*
A Special Technique manifested.
*Roar.*
The flames consumed the man.
*Roar.*
As the flames died down, the man’s traces vanished from the world.
*Grrr.*
"……."
Perhaps because he hadn't eaten a proper meal lately, he felt hungry again soon.
Seung-chan straightened his clothes and approached Ji-eun, who was unconscious.
*Slap.*
He tapped her cheek to wake her up.
"Lee Ji-eun."
*Slap. Slap.*
"Wake up."
*Slap. Slap. Slap.*
A moment later, Ji-eun regained consciousness and let out a groan.
"Ugh, what on earth…."
"Did you have anemia?"
"Huh…?"
As he spoke first, Ji-eun wore a dazed expression.
"You suddenly collapsed. I was wondering if I should call an ambulance."
He put on a show of being surprised.
"……."
Ji-eun didn't seem to understand what had happened to her.
"I’ll call a taxi. Wait here a moment."
Seung-chan said, wiping the saliva pooling at the corner of his mouth.
It was strange.
‘I’ve never been this hungry before. Is it because I raised my grade?’
His body felt like it was slipping out of his control.
Seung-chan tilted his head at the inexplicable physical reaction.
That appearance invited a misunderstanding from Ji-eun.
"H, hey."
Her voice trembled.
"Hmm?"
"Wait a minute. You didn't do anything weird while I was passed out, did you?"
"Anything weird?"
*Drip.*
"Oh."
Saliva dripped from Seung-chan’s mouth once more.
"Why is my body really like this?"
"Tell me the truth!"
"As if."
Seung-chan glanced at her and smirked.
"Where are you looking!"
*Smack!*
"……!!"
*Smack!!*
"Why!"
*Smack!!!*
"No…!!"
*Smack!!!!*
The next dawn.
Restaurant Shuroop closed its doors due to an unexplained fire.
* * *
He asked Kyle for information regarding Exes.
"If it’s about that, let’s meet right away."
Without further ado, Seung-chan said he had the information he wanted and told him to name the time and place.
"The place is that bur… where we met last time."
"Let’s meet at my shop."
"You told me to say it."
"You pick the time."
"……."
Seung-chan said he would head there right now.
He transferred buses twice and headed toward Gaori Station, where Kyle’s shop was located.
Like most Demons who made a living through information, Kang-il Computer was located in a place untouched by human hands.
"So shady."
He entered the narrow shop filled with dust-covered computer parts.
"How about you try living with a little cleaning?"
"What meaning would that have for guys like us? Besides, you’re speaking informally?"
"That’s why I was going to let you get some sunlight at Burger…."
"Forget it. Here is the information you requested."
Kyle cut off Seung-chan and handed him a brown envelope.
"Did someone else ask for something similar?"
"The Church requested these as well."
He revealed the source of the information easily, as if it weren't a big deal.
"Is it really okay to leak information that easily?"
A client’s information is like life itself to an information broker.
It was behavior unlike him.
"You see…."
*Grin.*
Kyle smiled.
"It’s not entirely unrelated to you, that’s why."
"……?"
"You touched one of Venom’s business locations yesterday, didn't you?"
Seung-chan wore an expression as if he didn't know what he was talking about.
"Business location, you say?"
"Stop the act. It doesn't suit you anyway."
"You’re saying strange things."
"Hmm… is that so? That’s how it is?"
"It’s troublesome when an information broker makes false accusations."
"Then fine. Since you say you’re not the party involved, there’s no need for me to leak the information."
"You’re too much for a regular customer. At the bank, they even serve tea."
Seung-chan emphasized the service spirit expected of an information broker.
"You are a special customer."
Kyle emphasized the word ‘special’ in particular.
It was a habit he had before asking for something.
"As you can see from the documents, the matter of Exes is a huge issue in the underworld. Venom has joined hands with Demons from Japan."
"Japan… Tokyo, then."
Seung-chan checked the information he pulled from the envelope.
"With a scale like Venom’s, it doesn't matter which organization it is. The important thing is the goods."
"I suppose."
Seung-chan, recalling the status of the four major organizations in Seoul, nodded.
"The ones producing Exes are on the Japanese side. They are trading through Busan Port. There’s nothing like a ship for smuggling things in secretly."
Seung-chan was impressed as he checked the amount smuggled in the documents.
"This is massive."
They were operating at least twenty shops in Busan alone.
"The important thing is that Venom, having received the goods through Busan, is spreading the trial products in Seoul."
"……."
"As you know, the scent is subtle, so unless it’s a Demon as sensitive as you, it’s hard to notice. On top of that, it slowly encroaches on them."
He recalled the smell of Exes.
"They say that if you consume more than a certain amount, it has an addictiveness that makes ordinary drugs look like a joke."
That drug was likely still addicting people even now.
"The Arena is already marked by the Association."
Rumors of a large-scale subjugation mission were rampant, and Seung-chan had also decided to respond to the mobilization order.
Kyle continued.
"The Company won't get involved in things unrelated to profit. In the end, it seems the Church has decided to take action among the four major organizations."
"I see."
The Church does not forgive actions that go against its doctrines.
And ‘drugs’ are a violation of the Church’s doctrines.
‘If it’s the Church, they’ll be able to stand against Venom.’
"I understand that the Church is moving. But what does that have to do with me?"
"You know that high-ranking Demons are always in short supply."
Since the Church is a religious organization, their finances are solid, but they have many low-ranking Demons among their ranks.
Because of that, they hired mercenaries with money when they fought, and that had long since become one of Seung-chan’s side incomes.
A sort of part-time job, if you will.
Sure enough.
"They asked me to look into a few mercenaries."
"……."
"So I was looking into mercenaries, and then ‘Egrit’ happens to intervene at a Venom business location?"
"……."
At dawn, after parting ways with Ji-eun, Seung-chan had hunted all the Demons at Shuroop and the surrounding area.
For the sake of perfect evidence destruction, he had even changed his mask and disguised the building as a simple arson case.
"It’s not common for a Demon to be able to use flames of that magnitude."
"Couldn't it just be simple arson?"
"At a business location operated by Venom? Hehehe."
Kyle showed an ominous smile.
"There’s no need to be so evasive. You know my Special Technique, right?"
"……."
Kyle’s Special Technique was to track the traces of Magic Power to find the user.
It was a non-combat type of the Specialization class.
Even though he was a C-rank, he was a rare case who possessed a Special Technique.
"Brother."
"Yes, customer?"
"You didn't sell that information anywhere else, did you?"
Kyle flashed his signature wicked grin.
"Of course not. How could I? You're a regular at my shop, after all."
"As expected, I can always trust you..."
"I have a condition, too."
Before Seung-chan could even finish his sentence, Kyle spilled his business.
"Like I said, the Church is looking to hire mercenaries, and they asked me to recommend someone decent."
"……."
"I was hoping our valued customer could take a spot and help out."
"No."
Seung-chan refused point-blank.
"The Church will pay well. And I’ll get an incentive for the referral, too."
Kyle emphasized that this was a job where they could make a killing.
"Forget it. I told you, I’m already swamped with work for the Arena."
"You aren't the only one being deployed there. Didn't you say the mobilization order was issued?"
The Arena’s mobilization order would draw in countless Demons.
Since he wasn't affiliated with any specific group, he figured there wouldn't be any issues.
"Isn't it a good chance to warm up before the real battle begins?"
Kyle continued his persuasion.
Seung-chan had been looking into half-Demons in the spare time he had between school classes.
He had also competed in the Arena not long ago, so he wasn't exactly strapped for cash.
He didn't want to waste his time on unnecessary trouble.
"Refused."
"Is that so?"
"That's so."
"This is a big problem."
"I’m sure you’ll handle it, brother."
"I promised to find two more people, and the deadline is tight..."
Kyle let out a deep sigh.
"Should I just tell them to contact Egrit directly?"
"Are you threatening me?"
A VVIP...?
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