Something was strange…….

Really strange…….

Yoon Changdae couldn’t hide his bewilderment as he observed Shin Jungho’s studio apartment from afar.

The single window attached to the tiny studio apartment.

However, the curtains were drawn, and not a single sliver of light escaped through it.

As if it were a solid wall rather than a window, no light penetrated or emanated from it.

Whether he was watching TV or using a computer inside.

Even if he were just playing on his smartphone, a faint glimmer of light would normally be detected.

But Shin Jungho’s residence was pure darkness, like a black hole that allowed absolutely no light to pass through.

……Was this even possible?

Under normal circumstances, he would have immediately pressed himself against the wall to check the interior.

However, he was being as cautious as possible because that crazy bitch Park Soyul might be waiting on the rooftop of that villa this time.

In truth, he had secured Kim Taemin’s cooperation by dropping the hint that the target might be Mirinae.

If he didn’t say at least that much, the man wouldn’t step in even if it meant breaking the rules.

Then why was he personally surveilling Shin Jungho?

To screw over Park Soyul, of course!

Whether Shin Jungho was an Awakener or not.

He would sneak into his house, swipe a pair of underwear.

Then, when Park Soyul was around, he would visit the cafe and shake it around, saying, ‘I found this lying around, I wonder whose it is?’ Just imagining the look on her face filled him with satisfaction.

Hmm…….

Would men’s underwear be a bit too much?

Changdae seriously pondered what he could steal without saying a word to maximize the catharsis.

While he was doing so, a message arrived from Kim Taemin.

Changdae’s lips curled into a subtle smile as he checked the text.

I see…….

That lightning bitch is there, right?

Even with no traffic in the dead of night, it was a distance that would take at least 30 minutes.

In that amount of time, he could thoroughly investigate everything, even the number of clothes in the washing machine.

Alright, let’s go!

Changdae immediately launched himself forward, leaping across the rooftops of the villas.

Sappun! Sappun!

Huhuhu!

At this level, I’m landing as lightly as a feather!

Shin Jungho’s studio apartment was on the 6th floor.

The top floor of an old villa.

Landing on the building’s rooftop, Changdae instinctively used Sneaky Vision.

It was a skill that allowed him to see through walls and check the interior to see if Jungho was asleep.

With no light at all, he must be asleep…….

Hmm?

Why is he standing?

And with his head raised… as if looking at the ceiling?

Wondering what was going on, Changdae examined the interior a bit more closely.

Then, an entirely unexpected object caught his eye inside Jungho’s apartment.

……Huh?

Don’t tell me this is…… summoning…….

Tadat!

At that moment.

Sensing someone rapidly approaching, Changdae hurriedly straightened his posture and turned his head.

But all he could see was a gleaming white sword right before his eyes, and a girl with sharp features and bright blonde hair fluttering in the wind.

Pachut!

The shield deployed by the Ring of Protection shattered in a single sword strike.

“What the—!”

Puk!

“Kkeok!”

The impact to his abdomen caused his body to involuntarily fold into an ‘L’ shape.

And almost simultaneously, a blow to the back of his neck severed Yoon Changdae’s consciousness like a snapped thread.

* * *

……It was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Where exactly am I……?

As soon as he came to his senses, Changdae recalled what had happened and tried to sit up immediately.

Puk.

The tip of a sword slightly embedded itself into his Adam’s apple, freezing his entire body.

Raising his gaze slightly, he saw the blonde girl who had knocked him out.

“If you wish to keep your head attached to your neck, do not open your mouth until my Lord permits it.”

Outwardly, she looked like a pretty Western girl straight out of a movie.

But the aura she exuded and her tone of voice were so chilling that even the Grim Reaper would weep and leave.

This blonde girl.

Realizing that she could truly kill him at any moment.

Changdae clamped his mouth shut and resolved to become as silent as a wooden statue.

“Lea, aren’t you pushing him a bit too hard?”

It was a familiar voice.

Shin Jungho, the owner of this room.

He didn’t know why, but the mere fact that he was in the same place brought him an inexplicable sense of comfort.

Lea looked down at Changdae with cold eyes and spoke.

“Vermin like these will try to suck your blood the moment they see an opening. I ask that you at least reconsider the first method.”

The first method?

What on earth could that be to make my limbs suddenly turn cold?

“Let’s consider that later. Can we just have a calm conversation for now?”

Lea scolded him in a low voice.

“Sinner, rise and kneel.”

……Since when did I become a sinner?

Under Lea’s ironclad surveillance, Changdae raised his body and knelt.

Cheok.

Lea’s blade pressed against the side of his neck.

As he rose, he quickly checked and realized that all the items he had on him were gone.

He had already fully grasped the overwhelming gap in their abilities.

Even if it was a surprise attack, he only noticed her approach right when he was struck.

The agile movements capable of deceiving Korea’s top assassin, and the overwhelming attack power that instantly neutralized the Ring of Protection.

Those two factors alone were enough to make him lose all will to fight.

“It’s a shame we have to meet again like this.”

Jungho offered a faint smile and a greeting, intending to soften the mood a little.

Seeing Jungho’s natural smile, Changdae felt a chill.

A life was hanging by a thread…… and he was smiling?

Changdae was well aware.

If he made even the slightest mistake, the blade against his neck would slice horizontally, severing his head.

Judging by the situation, the one who gave that order was none other than the man before him.

Yet, as if he did this sort of thing often, the man showed no hesitation and even offered a wicked smile.

Was this…… the true nature of the man named Shin Jungho!

Feeling as if he were facing an underworld boss, Changdae’s throat went dry.

“Then, could you first tell me why you were watching me?”

He knew…… that I was nearby?

Did the information leak?

It was something only Kim Taemin and himself knew.

Did Kim Taemin betray him?

Various hypotheses flooded his mind, complicating his thoughts.

However, he didn’t have time to just stand there thinking.

Seugeok.

“Eut.”

Because the blade was actually digging into the skin of his neck.

“My Lord has questioned you. Speak only the truth at once.”

Jungho considered stopping Lea but decided against it.

He figured it wouldn’t do them any good to show internal friction here.

So he just gave an awkward smile, but Changdae interpreted it differently.

……I’m dead!

I might really die here!

The opponent was a psychopath who treated the 3rd ranked superhuman of Seoul Tower like a fly.

Mentioning a non-existent family to such a person was the worst possible choice.

Deciding to be the ultimate tough guy in this situation.

He honestly confessed everything he knew.

The secret gathering of rankers called the Triumvirate Meeting.

The orders Kim Taemin had given there.

His innocence, claiming he only wanted to find out Mirinae’s identity!

The truth that he was an assassin, not a tanker.

The fact that the other two bastards were completely crazy!

Even the details of the top-secret meeting held at the Superhuman Management Agency.

Jungho silently listened to the information Changdae was voluntarily spilling and thought to himself.

Why is he being so…… cooperative?

As if he was forced to do something he didn’t want to do?

Of course, he didn’t take his words at face value.

The most dangerous information was a mix of 90% truth and 10% lies.

Still, comparing it to what Park Soyul had occasionally told him, most of it was accurate and highly credible.

There was a lot to process with so much information, but for now, he had to put out the immediate fire.

And that wasn’t the issue of dealing with Changdae right in front of him…….

Bueing- Bueing-

Right on cue, a smartphone rang.

The screen displayed the name ‘Park Soyul’.

Jungho placed his index finger to his lips and sent a signal.

Lea gave a heavy nod and applied a little more pressure to her sword.

In response, Changdae nodded vigorously and clamped his mouth shut.

……I wonder if she’s pressing too hard.

Jungho brushed aside his thoughts and answered the call.

“Yes, boss.”

– Jungho, sorry for the late hour! By any chance…… three outs?

It was her usual bubbly voice.

With a natural nuance, as if she just happened to call in the middle of the night.

But Jungho felt like he understood Park Soyul’s hidden meaning.

Right now…… is it a dangerous situation?

Is it time to switch sides?

This was a question assuming a situation where Changdae had broken into his house and taken him hostage.

If that were the case, she was telling him to ask for help.

However, Jungho had no intention of switching to a three-out change.

And since he shouldn’t give a signal that he had caught on, he handled it as normally as possible.

“No, I was just getting ready for bed. What’s the matter?”

A brief silence followed over the receiver.

And then, a voice filled with half mischief and half coquettishness came through.

– Can’t I…… come over to your place and have some ramen before I go?

“I’m sorry, but no.”

At Jungho’s immediate refusal, a low chuckle from Park Soyul seemed to be heard.

– Well, that’s like you. I just called because I thought of you! Then sleep well! Oh, if I appear in your dream, I’ll grant you anything!

“I don’t want to work a part-time job even in my dreams.”

This time, a ringing laugh came through.

– Yes, yes! Good night!

“Good night to you too, boss.”

The call ended.

For now, had this prevented Park Soyul from blindly breaking into his house?

Still, considering who he was dealing with, it wasn’t time to let his guard down yet.

He could only consider this hurdle passed if he safely made it through the dawn.

Jungho returned to the original problem.

What to do with Changdae, who was currently captured right in front of him.

With the Summoning Stone caught red-handed, he could no longer hide his identity as Mirinae.

However, having his identity revealed didn’t mean he had the slightest desire to kill people like a psychopath.

Because of that, he decided to adopt the last method Lea had proposed.

“Mr. Yoon Changdae, you want to live, right?”

Changdae swallowed a dry gulp.

Did he want to live?

Who would want to die?

Still, the sharp blade hovering beside his neck brought him back to reality, so he answered with the utmost politeness.

“Yes.”

Jungho offered an awkward smile.

He did so out of pity for the man who was about to go through a rough ordeal, but to Changdae, it looked like a sneer, as if he was mocking him for struggling so desperately to live.

Whew…….

If I slip up even a little bit, it’s really going to be a bad ending……!

“Lea.”

“Understood, my Lord.”

Keeping her sword against his neck, Lea made a half-turn and stood in front of Changdae.

Jungho’s devilish smile was terrifying.

But Lea’s chilling gaze also invoked intense fear.

For she was the one holding his leash.

“From now on, I will place a Geas on you. It is a Geas that will distort the flow of your mana. Endure it, no matter how painful it is. Unless you want your head to disappear, do not scream.”

Is this……

something I can’t refuse……?

However, realizing from Lea’s merciless eyes that there was no other choice, Changdae decided to accept his fate like a true tough guy once again.

Alright, let’s see what you’ve got!

Lea switched her sword to her left hand and spread her right hand, placing it over his heart.

Kudeudeudeudeuk!

“……Kkeup!”

He tried to hold back a scream, but a groan slipped out involuntarily.

His eyes widened as if they were going to pop out, and a pain like his entire body’s muscles being torn to shreds rushed over him.

Being burned by Park Soyul’s lightning was nothing more than a massage.

This was a terrifying pain that human will couldn’t endure!

But Changdae endured it resolutely with a superhuman will.

Letting out only a single, short groan.

When the pain subsided and his senses returned.

……It was an unfamiliar ceiling.

……No.

Was it somewhat familiar?