< Chapter 69: Seoul, Demon, Saint 3>
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In his past life, Lee Hyunwook was a slow starter'. It took him a considerable amount of ti to discover his ability to grow and beco a hero, and because of that, there were nurous incidents that he did not experience firsthand.
But that doesn't an I'm unaware of those incidents.'
Lee Hyunwook made bone-crushing efforts to make up for his late start.
He was diligent not only in his ability developnt and combat training but also in acquiring information and knowledge.
And while working in the Guardian Information Agency, I collected all sorts of information.'
Thanks to that, he was very well aware of the incidents that had occurred before his own ti to shine.
He even contacted insiders of the villain forces and extracted information from them.
This was precisely why he knew the movents of the villains in great detail.
But this, this was content he had never heard from anyone before.
Lee Hyunwook looked at Saint Emilia Muller.
Currently 27 years old, a standout beauty, but her condition right now was a ss.
The woman, counted among the worlds top priests, seed sowhat frail herself.
Her hair was dull, there were deep shadows under her eyes, her cheeks were hollowed and flushed, her skin dried and her lips chapped,
But now, only her eyes were crystal clear.
She's trying to see right through .'
She brought up the term villain' and seed to be gauging Lee Hyunwook's reaction.
Honestly, he was sowhat taken aback inside, but outwardly, he maintained a puzzled expression.
It would be foolish to agree and confirm that he knew what she was talking about here.
"Hmm, a villain Like the bad guys that appear in comics?"
At Lee Hyunwook's feigned ignorant question, Emilia remained silent for a mont, then finally spoke up.
"Do you really not know? Seriously?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure what you an by Villain'."
"Well then, have you heard about the Guardians'?"
""
"Oh, if you're really the hero who stopped the Fourth Wave, you can't be unaware of this?"
He knew about the relationship between Villains and Guardians.
And even the chanism that triggers quests'
As far as Lee Hyunwook knew, this woman was neither a villain nor a Guardian.
That ant she had obtained the information in another way.
"Yes, you are right. A hidden quest to beco a Guardian appeared before , but I declined it."
After killing Yang Joo-seop during the Seoul Station Unlucky Event, a hidden quest' to beco a Guardian popped up, but he declined it. At that ti, he was warned that if he refused, the opportunity might not co again, and since then, after the cessation of the Wave and the thwarting of the Demon summoning, there had been silence.
"Why? Everyone knows a quest is a trendous opportunity. Why did you refuse it?"
"I see the system that has ruined the world as the culprit. I didnt want to be played by it."
"Ah An anti-systemist', that's quite unexpected."
Emilia nodded in response to Lee Hyunwook's convincing words. As Lee Hyunwook continued to feign ignorance, Emilia nodded in agreent.
"Then, is the governor a Guardian too?"
Although she knew it wasnt the case, she asked anyway.
"No, I am just I was close to soone who was a Guardian. Yes, so I thought you were a Guardian and I had sothing to ask of you Ah, seems like I spoke in vain. Forget what I just said."
Indeed, this woman had special information'. But he couldn't probe what it was at the mont to not blow his cover.
"Anyway, right now, monitoring the White Tree Guard' that I asked you about before is more important."
"The traitor inside that you're suspecting must be that villain' you ntioned earlier."
She seed hesitant for a mont, then slowly nodded her head.
"Yes, that seems likely."
"Villains, who are they?"
Lee Hyunwook feigned ignorance and asked.
"That is I don't know the details either. They are just a secret group trying to conquer the world by exploiting the system, and I only know that the person I trusted the most was killed by them."
She got it slightly wrong. It wasn't that they were exploiting the system, but that the system was providing them with opportunities.
If its the most trusted person of the Saint who was killed'
It was indeed Nicholas Steel, the forr commander of the White Tree Guard.
That man was one of the original mbers of the Guardians.'
And he was also the first Chairman,' who suddenly disappeared during a dungeon raid.
Even after searching inside that dungeon for months, they could never find his body.
It was a demise that seed too hollow to contemplate
Years later, after the true identity of Gordon Price was revealed, it beca clear that it was all his sche.
In other words, Nicholas had suspected Gordons identity and had given so kind of signal to the Saint.'
Thus, the villains tried to eliminate Emilia, who they believed knew sothing
But as long as a big shot like Gordon Price was in control of the Guardians, there was nothing she could do Hiding and protecting herself was the best she could have done.
She thought I had beco a Guardian candidate after stopping the Fourth Wave and wanted to use to dig up information on Gordon Price? She tried to do sothing on her own.'
On reflection, it was a considerable gamble, an act of desperation in a cornered situation.
"So, is the unusual behavior of the governor also because of that reason?"
"Well, I haven't really been much of a person who fits the nickna of a Saint in the first place"
She mumbled and nodded her head.
It turns out that the reckless behavior was also a disguise.
"The conspicuous madness was to avoid creating a reason to leave Saint Do. As long as I am in my right mind, do you think people will just leave alone? Theyd be calling annoyingly from all over."
Inside Saint Do, no one could kill the saint. Because all those who are granted entry to Saint Do must receive a sacred oath' spell that prevents them from harming her.
In other words, even if it was a villain, in order to assassinate her, they had to find a way to draw her out.
"But I couldn't ignore this incident."
Lee Hyunwook nodded.
What a pity.'
With such circumstances behind her, the world ultimately ca to rember her only as a crazy woman
But to soone like who has never seen such a trendous event
Lee Hyunwook said that with a burdened expression and she chuckled and nodded her head.
"I'm sorry. Honestly, it's a gamble. I feel like if I dont take a risk now, I might never have another chance."
When no avenues seed visible, a sliver of possibility erged.
He was certainly not a villain and a new face who operated Huginn',
She had placed her bet' on Lee Hyunwook.
"So, can you do my favor? Ah How desperate must I be to ask such a thing of soone I've just t."
For the first ti, she wore a bitter expression. A sense of powerlessness was evident.
She is one of the 31 known S-rank players in the world.
However, with a characteristic that prevents her from fighting on her own she always needs to be under soone's protection.
It seems she hardly had anyone she could truly rely on and trust.'
After all, the person she trusted the most died due to betrayal, and afterward, she faced nurous assassination threats.
Knowing that there was even a traitor within her ranks, amassing power would have been a luxury
Hyunwook looked into her eyes and soon smiled, nodding his head.
"Okay. Fortunately, it seems you've made the right bet with your gamble."
At those words, Emilia's eyes widened.
"You can trust . But"
"Um, yes?"
"not just for today, but you'll need to keep trusting in the future. I'm going to need the help of the great Saint as well, wont I? Today, I intend to make sure you owe one, and you will keep on owing for a long ti."
Lee Hyunwook demanded with confidence as if the success was already his.
Because
I already know who the traitor is.'
After all, he had been planning to take down those villains even if she hadn't asked him to.
Emilia looked at Lee Hyunwooks act differently from before with curiosity and slowly nodded her head.
"Alright, by all ans. I actually prefer a business relationship, it's more comfortablehic"
The hiccups burst out again, and Emilia covered her mouth with her hand.
"Ah, I thought I managed to say sothing cool for once but hic! Ugh Anyway, once we go out, everyone will be extrely curious about what we discussed, right?"
She picked up the whiskey bottle again.
"The scandalous Saint, crazed with lust, beca enamored with the story of the hero who stopped the wave, tried to seduce him but ultimately failed to achieve her goal. How about that? It'll shock people enough to keep them from prying further."
Then she undid a few buttons of her blouse.
For the first ti, Lee Hyunwook looked visibly embarrassed.
"No, is that even a plausible excuse?"
"Why do you think I've been acting crazy? Have you heard of the term eccentricity credit' in psychology?"
"What kind of disguise have you been maintaining normally?"
"Curious? If I co to truly trust you, I might tell you in detail."
Saying so, she staggered over and stood Lee Hyunwook up.
"I'll stick close to you, make it look natural."
Then she clung tightly to Lee Hyunwook's right arm.
It seems that her reckless deanor isnt entirely an act'
As the two of them finished their conversation and exited the VIP room,
Woo Seong-moon and Peter, who were waiting in the hallway, frowned simultaneously.
"Ah Peter! It seems my charm has diminished lately!"
She spoke in a twisted, annoyed voice.
"What? What do you an"
"I tried to receive so of the hero's Yang energy before casting wide-area magic, but hey, forget it!"
At that, Peter Clarke, the captain of the White Tree Guard, blushed.
"Ah Emilia, please You're the face of Saint Do."
He sighed deeply as he approached and placed his large hand on the crown of Emilias head.
Then, golden specks of light fell from his grasp.
Whoosh
It was a purification' healing spell that could detoxify even alcohol.
"Argh! I told you not to cast purification magic on "
Suddenly sobered up, Emilia's shoulders slumped, and she wore an expression of soone who had lost all will to live.
Lee Hyunwook watched her act with a renewed sense of admiration.
"It's ti to start preparing to cast the Holy Field. You need to get your head together."
"Ah alright"
Emilia muttered as she looked at Lee Hyunwook.
The Saints operation to purify Seoul began, along with the mission to root out the villain threat within the White Tree Guard.
* * *
On the outskirts of Seoul, at a construction site for an office building, secret steps were gathering.
They were counterintelligence agents of the National Intelligence Service's Player 3 Team,
special agents who specialized in counter-player espionage.
And in an alley a bit away from the site, a black van was parked.
Hey, Team Leader Won! If you guys go in alone, it's a death wish!
"Ah"
Please, I'm begging you. The Black Tiger suppression team will arrive soon, just wait until then!
"Damn it, Director! Didn't I tell you we would lose them! How many tis has it been?"
Player 3 Team Leader, Won Jinsu, vented his anger.
His team was in pursuit of the Red Player' known as the Assassin of the Sword Saint', Okita Kaito.
A few days ago, the guy had smuggled himself into Busan Port.
Since then, a series of massive incidents occurred, sowhat overshadowing his presence,
but their operation to track him had been relentless and continuous.
However, the target was incredibly elusive,
having been almost caught several tis but always vanishing without a trace.
Damn it, how can he do that'
After forensics on the site, it turned out the Shadow Link' skill was involved, implicating the Shadow Baron'.
This isn't just any matter! If we don't catch him soon, a real big incident is going to happen!'
The combination of the Shadow Baron' and the Assassin of the Sword Saint' they were the perfect assassins.
Soone will definitely die, and it's going to be a big shot'
He had to stop them, no matter what it took.
As the person in charge of this case, Won Jinsu couldn't help but feel anxious.
"Everyone listen up, we have no choice. We have to catch him.
Ignoring the director's orders, he picked up his shield and headed toward the office building.
And he entered the building very discreetly.
"Alright launching the drone now.
The magic drone, enchanted with a silence spell, flew and surveyed the inside of the building and discovered a man sitting cross-legged within the skeletal structure of the building.
Won Jinsu confird the scene through the goggles' connected to the magic drone.
It's him!'
The man sitting cross-legged inside the building
It was indeed Okita Kaito.
Damn, what the hell is he doing in our country!'
He swallowed his curses and sent a hand signal to command entry'.
Thud Thud
Leading the team, a total of 24 player agents ascended the stairs.
But of course, it would not be possible to subdue the notorious Assassin of the Sword Saint.
Even so, I just have to hold out until the Black Tiger suppression team arrives.'
Won Jinsu was a tanker, ranked 194th among South Korea's players, a B-rank tier 1.
No matter how fierce his attacks are, holding out for a few minutes isn't impossible.'
They had reached the 6th floor in no ti, right outside the room where he was.
Won Jinsu kicked down the steel door.
Bang!
The door flew off its hinges, and Won Jinsu charged in with his shield at the forefront.
In the darkness ahead, the man was still sitting cross-legged.
12 out of the 24 agents entered in unison, surrounding him.
"Dont move!"
Then Okita Kaito slowly opened his eyes.
"Okita Kaito! You're completely surrounded! Resist, and you'll be dust!"
In addition to the 24 players present, 3 sniper players were also aiming at him.
""
He raised his hands above his head and stood up.
What?'
This was unexpected. A clear sign of surrender, it was too straightforward a capitulation
Won Jinsu gripped his shield tighter, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease running down his spine and knotting his stomach.
"He's surrendered. Restrain him with a magic formation."
But then, his right wrist slowly twisted, taking on the shape of gripping' sothing.
"Damn it, Kaito! Dont move! If you move any furth"
The shout from the deputy team leader, who was on Okita Kaito's right, was cut off midway.
Okita Kaito's right hand had already dropped to the floor.
And in his grip was a sword.
Damn, when did he draw it?'
Despite not taking his eyes off him, Won Jinsu hadn't caught the movent at all.
In the next mont, three bodies, including the deputy team leader standing to his right, collapsed.
Thud
Two heads rolled into his line of sight.
One of them was the deputy team leaders.
Space-ti Sword Iai!'
The technique of drawing a sword from subspace and cutting the enemy at the sa ti,
that was the notorious blade trick that was rumored to have cut down the National Swordsman.
"Sniperswhat are you doing!"
But there was no response.
Swoosh Swoosh
The villains blade moved twice more, and several more fell.
Blood splashed onto Won Jinsu's left cheek, yet he kept his gaze straight ahead.
If I turn my head, I'm dead.'
Soon, Okita Kaito's gaze t Won Jinsu's.
He took a step forward and swung his sword.
Surprisingly, it was a straightforward trajectory.
I can block it!'
Won Jinsu stepped forward, imbuing his shield with the skill Vanguard's Will'.
A shield enhancent skill that could withstand even a troll's strikeat the mont when the two pieces of steel were about to clash,
It disappeared?'
The sword vanished from his grasp.
Yet his hand continued to move as if wielding a sword.
And the mont that trajectory surpassed the shield,
From his grip
Whoosh
The sword reappeared.
Like blinking in and out, it had vanished for an instant only to return.
Ah, subspace'
Won Jinsu realized the true aning of the space-ti sword draw technique.
But that was his last thought.
The blade had cleared the shield and reached his neck.
Slash!
That was the end.
With Won Jinsu dead, the rest were easy prey.
In just a few seconds, the necks of all 24 agents were severed.
And imdiately after
Shhhh
Sothing surged from within his shadow, and soon took the shape of a person.
It was a man in a gray mask, hands gripping blood-drenched daggers.
Yes. He was the one who had dealt with the snipers.
He looked around the place and exclaid.
"Wow, to kill them all by decapitation, don't you have so weird compulsion?"
""
"Will you add Saint Slayer' to your na after Assassin of the Sword Saint', huh? Haha"
The man in the gray mask chuckled as he asked this,
Okita Kaito slowly turned his head to look at him.
His expression was cold, revealing not a hint of emotion.
He put the sword in his right hand back into subspace and walked towards the stairs.
The title of Sword Saint' is passed down through sword-to-sword combat, and now it is mine. I am not the Assassin of the Sword Saint'; I am simply the Sword Saint."
* * *
Amidst the final preparations for the deploynt of the Holy Field, Lee Hyunwook activated Huginn,'.
Whirring
The spherical object instantly transford into a chanical crow.
[Huginn' is activated, expanding all senses' up to 50 tis.]
-Mana depletion per second: 24120
Huginn took flight, and everything in the vicinity entered his sensory range.
Expanding senses by 50 tis, this is indeed an incredible ability.'
He returned his sight to his own body and moved lightly.
The trembling of his heart, the flow of his blood, the twitching of his muscles, and the inflation of his lungs,
Every one of these subtle sensations was felt very distinctly.
An unbelievable increase in capability, and thus, an overwhelming penalty,
An item that was, in fact, virtually impossible to use in combat,
But I can do it.'
He slowly drew out the Cloud-hunting Dark Sword from behind his back.
Now that I think about it, it's been quite a while since I've properly wielded a sword.'
Since awakening in the past, he had been conducting a kind of mass artillery fire based on his tal control ability.
However, Lee Hyunwook was confident in close combat, wielding weaponsa talent recognized by the man who would later be called the Sword Saint, Choi Young-jun.
Even if Okita Kaito breaks through my firepower'
Lee Hyunwook slowly moved the tip of his sword.
I can block it.'
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