Even at this very moment, the Saw Bone belts were still operating.

Thanks to entering relatively late, Seo Kangrim still had some time to spare.

Seo Kangrim watched Jang Taeheon and Yoon Bom for a moment before rising from his seat.

“Rest here for a bit. I’ll go check the next rooms and come back.”

“No, Master. It’s nothing serious…”

“That’s right. Let’s go together, Hyung.”

Despite their injuries, the two immediately shot to their feet.

Blood was smeared across various parts of their bodies.

“You both look terrible. Don’t overdo it and cause more trouble later. Just rest now.”

At his firm tone, they hesitated before finally nodding in agreement.

Seo Kangrim shifted his gaze to Rini.

“You stay here and rest too, Rini.”

“Ung? Ungung!”

“Don’t you start being stubborn either.”

He had intended to let Rini rest anyway, but his greater motive was to leave the spirit beast behind to protect the two.

As he headed to the next room to scout alone, the gods began to chatter.

【Sigh, I’m telling you, he’s such a tsundere.】

【Right? You should get some rest while you’re at it.】

【Kangrim, haven’t you barely slept lately?】

“I don’t have time.”

He had neither the reason nor the luxury to rest.

A difference of a single minute or second could trigger the Saw Bone belts.

His footsteps quickened even further.

-Gi, gigigeek…!

Stepping into the next room, the Library, he found shadows already waiting for him.

The belts were located on their ears, fingers, and so on.

They were shadows that hadn’t accumulated much karma.

-Kwak!

Seo Kangrim cleaved through the shadows as he advanced.

An ink-like black liquid spurted from the bisected shadows before they lost their shape and collapsed.

As he slaughtered the shadows like a madman, even the gods seemed quite surprised.

【Wow, Seo Kangrim got a lot stronger?】

【He’s mowing them down all by himself. Scary. I wonder how strong his own shadow will be.】

Seo Kangrim was also wary of his own shadow.

Fortunately, he hadn’t encountered it yet, but there was no telling when he would.

‘I have no choice but to clear them out as fast as possible and move on.’

As he slashed through the shadows while quickly scanning his surroundings—

An Identification Tag resting among the books on a shelf caught his eye.

【Huh? Hey, there’s an Identification Tag between the bookshelves!】

【Isn’t that Shin Sooa’s?】

【It’s about time one showed up!】

-Kwajik!

Seo Kangrim hastily dispatched the last shadow and approached the bookshelf.

The moment he flipped over the tag wedged between the books—

Seeing the name written on it, Seo Kangrim let out a bitter smile.

[You have acquired Seo Kangrim’s Identification Tag!]

[You have met the clear condition!]

[If you return to the lobby with the Identification Tag, your education will be terminated.]

Finding his own tag—he couldn’t tell if it was good luck or bad luck.

He had wanted to find Shin Sooa’s tag if at all possible.

‘I never have any luck normally, but only at times like this.’

Still, it was better than finding someone else’s tag.

After pocketing his tag, he searched the room further but found no other tags.

‘It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. With this, I’ve found everyone’s tags, including my own.’

Excluding Shin Sooa, the rest could now escape at any time.

As he was about to move to the next room, he scanned for any signs of presence.

He sensed a human presence coming from the room on the right.

‘Looks like someone is on the other side.’

Thanks to ‘Senses’, he could faintly hear their voices.

When Seo Kangrim opened the door and stepped inside, he found what appeared to be a soldiers’ barracks.

Several people lying on the beds jumped up in surprise.

“W-who’s there!”

A sharp voice rang out, but then the speaker’s eyes widened as they asked,

“Kangrim…? Is that you, Mr. Kangrim?”

“You came in too, Mr. Kangrim! You entered last, so I thought you weren’t coming…”

“It’s so good to see you here!”

Their voices were brimming with relief.

The people in the room were members of Zone 2.

He had already confirmed they were from Zone 2 by their voices before entering.

‘I can’t trust other zones, but at least there’s a high chance of getting information from Zone 2 members.’

The majority of Zone 2 held a favorable opinion of Seo Kangrim.

Though there were some, like Choi Sangwon, who resented him.

One of the Zone 2 members let out a sigh of relief.

“When someone came in, I was worried another zone was raiding us…”

“Seriously. If it were another zone, we might have been wiped out.”

It looked as if they had been through a major fight; everyone was in tatters.

They all bore injuries, major and minor.

With Seo Kangrim’s arrival in such a situation, they couldn’t help but be glad.

However, Seo Kangrim didn’t have the luxury for pleasantries.

He immediately got to the point.

“Did any of you happen to find Shin Sooa’s Identification Tag?”

It was a question asked on the off chance.

Even if he didn’t get the information, it wouldn’t be a huge disappointment.

But one person eagerly raised their hand.

“Ah, me! I didn’t see it myself, but I heard someone spotted Shin Sooa’s tag.”

“Who found it?”

Seo Kangrim approached the person.

An imposing aura seemed to radiate from him.

The person visibly flinched at his intensity.

“W-well… The person who found it already escaped…”

“Do you know the location?”

“They only said it was in a place a bit far from here called the Garden…”

“I want the exact location.”

“That person was part of Choi Sangwon’s group… Mr. Sangwon! You have a map, right?”

Choi Sangwon, who had been resting with his back against the wall, turned his gaze toward Seo Kangrim.

He looked uncomfortable around Seo Kangrim.

He had been avoiding Seo Kangrim ever since he paid back the Spirit Jade he owed in the Snake’s Room.

However, he eventually pulled out a map and held it out.

“Here. Take it and check.”

It was a crude map, but it was enough to confirm the location.

The Garden was about three or four rooms away from here.

【Wow, coming in here was a great idea!】

【Now we just need to grab Shin Sooa and go!】

It was the first clue he had obtained since arriving here.

Seo Kangrim checked the map once more before asking the group,

“Anyway, you’re all severely injured. What happened? Did you run into another zone?”

There was no telling what dangerous elements might remain in the vicinity.

If there were Demon Beasts, it would be better to bypass that room.

One person hesitated before speaking.

“Not another zone… We ran into a shadow.”

The moment shadows were mentioned, the people’s faces darkened again.

Some were trembling in fear.

Seo Kangrim observed their expressions and asked,

“It sounds like there were quite a few shadows.”

“No. Just one. But that shadow was incredibly strong. It was a shadow that stole other people’s abilities…”

“…Stole?”

Seo Kangrim felt as if something cold had touched the nape of his neck.

An ominous premonition washed over him.

The person nodded and continued,

“Yes. When one person died, the shadow approached them… and a moment later, the shadow started using the Special Ability that person had been using.”

“It was different from the other shadows. Clearly a completely different Demon Beast.”

“Even while attacking us, whenever a corpse appeared, it would go for that instead. Like it found prey.”

“Just looking at it made me sick. Strangely, it had red lines drawn around its neck and limbs.”

As the testimonies continued, Seo Kangrim was speechless.

Their faces were filled with contempt, hatred, and terror.

Then, Choi Sangwon opened his mouth.

“That shadow… It wasn’t around in the beginning. It started showing up two or three days ago. We ran into it, and it was insanely strong.”

Choi Sangwon’s eyes were gleaming with a dangerous light.

He glared at Seo Kangrim and asked,

“Seo Kangrim. When did you enter this place?”

At that question, bewilderment flashed across the faces of the Zone 2 members.

One person cried out in alarm.

“Mr. Sangwon, what do you mean? Why are you asking that?”

“I’m saying the trainee connected to that shadow might be Seo Kangrim. At the very least, the wrist matches.”

Necks and ankles could be hidden, but the belt on the wrist had volume and couldn’t be completely concealed.

Choi Sangwon glanced at his wrist and spoke.

“You’re hiding your neck with your clothes, but there might be a belt hanging there too, right?”

Hearing Choi Sangwon’s words, a few people had a belated realization.

Flustered voices erupted from the crowd.

“N-no way. It can’t be…!”

“But considering when it appeared, and how strong it is… It could be possible that it’s Mr. Kangrim.”

“Then you’re saying Seo Kangrim has an ability like that? An ability that steals abilities…?”

Unease began to spread among the people.

Choi Sangwon stood at the center of it all, glaring at Seo Kangrim.

“That’s your shadow, isn’t it? Show me your neck.”

Seo Kangrim stared silently at Choi Sangwon.

Several people spoke urgently.

“Mr. Kangrim, do you really have a belt on your neck too?”

“It can’t be true, but… just in case, please let us check once, Mr. Kangrim.”

Their eyes pleaded with him to prove his innocence.

In the silence, countless words were exchanged through gazes alone.

“Even if I do have a belt, it doesn’t guarantee that shadow is mine. It could be someone else.”

“Shut up and just show us! We’ll be the judge of that.”

Choi Sangwon bellowed.

Before long, he was looking at Seo Kangrim as if he were a heinous murderer.

The others wore expressions of sheer confusion.

“All you have to do is show us your neck. Why are you so quiet?”

Choi Sangwon and a few others grabbed their weapons and stood up.

The room filled with a threatening atmosphere.

Seo Kangrim glanced around at the people.

‘A few are siding with Choi Sangwon, and a few are… staying silent’

There were those who doubted Choi Sangwon’s words, but no one actively defended Seo Kangrim either.

Seo Kangrim gauged the distance to the exit before opening his mouth.

“Even if I do have a belt, as I said earlier, it doesn’t prove that shadow is mine.”

“Sure, that’s true.”

Choi Sangwon said so, but showed no signs of backing down.

The hostility in his gaze toward Seo Kangrim was incomparable to his usual demeanor.

“Then prove you aren’t that shadow.”

“How do you mean?”

“Quietly come along with us. And if we run into that shadow again, break one of your arms or legs. If it’s really your shadow, it’ll be affected too, right?”