Chapter 115

Scorching Bomb.

And evolution.

In his battle against Kim Do-jin and Gil Hyeok-jun, Kang Yuseong had gained something significant.

He had always felt it, but Chakra Cultivation held many mysteries.

However, what surprised Kang Yuseong the most was the concept of “evolution.”

Magic, the exclusive domain of Magic Users—among them, the Fireball spell—was far more than its name suggested; it was a devastating offensive magic capable of obliterating an entire house.

Yet, when Fireball evolved, it transformed into the terrifying technique known as Scorching Bomb.

This was Kang Yuseong’s unique technique, one that even Kim Do-jin didn’t possess.

Smaller than a Fireball, its destructive power was several times greater—a truly formidable offensive spell.

‘Hmm…’

What was even more astonishing was the skill fusion.

When Meteor Stab, a swordsmanship technique, combined with Scorching Bomb to create a new skill, Kang Yuseong himself was greatly surprised.

Even Gil Hyeok-jun had been utterly powerless against it.

Strictly speaking, the two skills should never have been able to merge.

One belonged to the branch of Chakra Users, and the other to Magic Users. The reason they couldn’t combine was simple:

No one possessed both skills simultaneously.

But Kang Yuseong, through his Plunderer ability, had acquired both powers, and he could clearly see the synergistic effect that manifested when the two skills fused.

Kang Yuseong gazed out the window.

The implications of this fact were immense.

Evolution.

If he could unravel its secret, tremendous opportunities would open up for Kang Yuseong in the future.

An incredible opportunity that the Plunderer of the past, who had died participating in a raid beyond his capabilities due to overconfidence, had never possessed.

He clenched his fist.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, someone knocked.

“Captain, it’s Baek Myeong-han.”

Kang Yuseong turned around.

It was quite unusual for Baek Myeong-han to visit his office, located on one of Star Pharmaceuticals’ upper floors.

“Come in.”

As the attack unit leader, he used informal language to command the unit, but in private, Kang Yuseong addressed him respectfully, as before.

Baek Myeong-han entered the room and bowed his head to Kang Yuseong.

Then, he spoke.

“Captain, by any chance… are you aware of what happened in Busan?”

Kang Yuseong frowned slightly.

‘Busan?’

Only one thought came to mind when he heard Busan.

The surprise attack by Japan’s Tsukuyomi Attack Unit.

The Tsukuyomi Attack Unit, named after a Japanese god symbolizing the moon, swiftly captured Busan with overwhelming firepower and took control of Gyeongsangnam-do.

Riding on that momentum, they devastated Changwon and launched simultaneous pushes to the west and east, resulting in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeollanam-do, and Jeollabuk-do falling into their hands within three days of the surprise attack.

To make matters worse, North Korean special forces exploited the chaos, invading the South, assassinating key government figures, and massacring civilians. It was a horrific event.

This was what had transpired in Kang Yuseong’s past.

The Japanese offensive surging from the south, and the North Korean surprise attack descending from the north.

That harrowing moment when the fate of South Korea hung by a thread flashed through Kang Yuseong’s mind.

But Kang Yuseong quickly shook his head.

‘No, that can’t be! It’s not that time yet…’

The Japanese surprise attack had begun after the Second Shock had fully concluded.

But now, the fourth and fifth Second Shocks were still to come.

Kang Yuseong spoke with a heavy voice.

“What happened?”

Baek Myeong-han, his expression grim, replied.

“I have a friend in Busan… I contacted him because I was worried about the situation there. TV news isn’t broadcasting anymore, after all. My friend is thankfully safe, but from what he told me, something strange seems to have happened.”

“Something strange, you say…”

At Kang Yuseong’s words, Baek Myeong-han sighed briefly before speaking again.

“Well… the guild my friend belongs to went out to assist with disaster recovery, and they keep finding strange corpses, he said. It’s quite… unsettling.”

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed as he asked.

“Strange corpses? Please elaborate, Team Leader Baek.”

“Yes, Captain… It’s that… they aren’t bodies of people killed by monsters. My friend said they recovered bodies with sword wounds and even bullet wounds. And what’s even more surprising is that those bodies…”

Baek Myeong-han swallowed hard and continued slowly.

“All of them had their hearts carved out.”

The tips of Kang Yuseong’s eyebrows trembled. After a moment, he spoke in a low, hushed voice.

“Their hearts… were carved out?”

Baek Myeong-han nodded.

“Yes. I looked into it, and it wasn’t just my friend’s guild that found such bodies. Other guilds in Busan reported finding headless bodies. With wounds that looked like they were severed by a sharp blade. It’s definitely the work of humans, but no one knows who did it or why.”

Currently, broadcasting stations have been attacked and destroyed, and transmission towers have fallen, making nationwide broadcasts impossible. While there are radios, they aren’t fully operational either.

The Blue House itself had become a scene of pandemonium, so radio stations couldn’t possibly be unscathed.

Therefore, even with such bizarre events unfolding in Busan, Seoul remained unaware.

‘What is it…?’

Kang Yuseong fell into thought as he listened to Baek Myeong-han’s words.

It was definitely the work of humans.

Monsters wouldn’t leave bodies so cleanly.

They would tear them apart, rip them to shreds, or completely dismember them, making it obvious at a glance that the bodies had been attacked by monsters.

But the scene Baek Myeong-han described was entirely different.

Moreover, those who died weren’t just killed; their hearts were carved out…

‘It’s not the Tsukuyomi either!’

Looking at other circumstances, one might suspect a surprise attack from them, but the mention of carved-out hearts made Kang Yuseong dismiss that possibility.

Since ancient times, the act of carving out a heart had a very clear meaning.

Sorcery.

It signified a sacrificial offering.

But who would engage in such an act in modern times?

Especially in this situation, teeming with monsters…

‘Could it be…’

Kang Yuseong narrowed his eyes.

Black magic.

In a broader sense, necromancy could also be considered a branch of black magic.

Those who dealt with death, leading the living to their demise through it.

But Kang Yuseong had never seen a black magic user, though he had heard of necromancers.

He had heard they existed, but they operated entirely in the shadows, never revealing themselves.

“Are you certain?”

Baek Myeong-han nodded.

“Yes, if you wish, I can connect you with my friend.”

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

Busan.

It was a place he needed to visit anyway.

To protect that place, where the Tsukuyomi Attack Unit would eventually descend.

* * * * *

The next day, Kang Yuseong hastily prepared to leave for Busan.

He had a feeling that something was definitely amiss with this situation.

Something that hadn’t happened in his past was now unfolding.

Or perhaps, something he hadn’t known about was now being revealed.

Either way, it was certainly dangerous.

According to Baek Myeong-han, most of the deceased were Hunters.

However, the number of ordinary citizens was also not small, making it impossible to ascertain the motives of those who committed such acts.

That was why he intended to go down there and investigate himself.

Two more Shocks would soon arrive, but other guilds would likely manage to hold them off.

They had already overcome the most critical hurdle.

For now, if Busan were to fall, South Korea, with its nationwide systems paralyzed, could be completely overwhelmed.

As he hurried his preparations, someone suddenly appeared before him.

“You seem to be in a rush.”

It was a man with a massive build, a robust physique, and eyes that seemed to burn with fire.

His forearms, in particular, were bulging with solid muscle, giving him a very sturdy impression.

Kang Yuseong looked at him.

“Kang Mu-hyeok.”

It was Kang Mu-hyeok, known as the Blacksmith of Destruction.

He, who had forged weapons using the Crydesicle brought by Kang Yuseong, had moved to Star Pharmaceuticals after being rescued by Kang Yuseong last time.

His workshop, specially built in a corner of Star Pharmaceuticals’ factory, lacked nothing.

Kang Yuseong, knowing the vital role a proper blacksmith played, had provided generous support.

However, Kang Mu-hyeok had completely secluded himself in there, never emerging.

If he needed materials, he would simply scribble them on a piece of paper and send it through someone, never revealing what he was doing or what he intended to do.

But now, that very man had appeared before Kang Yuseong.

Kang Yuseong looked closely and saw something in his hand.

“What’s that?”

What Kang Mu-hyeok held in his hand was a bizarre-looking piece of armor.

But no matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t identify it.

Kang Mu-hyeok grinned broadly and held it up.

“A gift.”

Kang Yuseong reached out and took it.

Still, its true nature remained a mystery.

It was a long piece of iron armor, resembling a vambrace worn on the forearm.

However, at its end were five rings, and these rings were covered by five elongated, glove-like pieces of iron armor.

“Try it on.”

Kang Mu-hyeok explained how to wear it.

It turned out to be a vambrace meant only for the left hand.

It perfectly protected the forearm, and the glove-shaped iron armor was designed to allow Kang Yuseong’s hand to fit inside.

And when he pulled a device on the inside of the vambrace, as Kang Mu-hyeok instructed, something astonishing happened.

*Clank—Click!*

The vambrace moved automatically, shrinking precisely to the size of Kang Yuseong’s hand and forearm.

It was incredibly light, so much so that it felt as if he wasn’t wearing anything at all.

‘Could this be!’

Kang Yuseong was considerably surprised inwardly as he looked at it.

He realized it was made of a shape-memory alloy mixed with several other metals.

These rare metals could only be excavated from dungeons; they were new materials discovered after the Crydesicle’s unearthing.

Kang Mu-hyeok had requested these several times, and Kang Yuseong, at the time, had procured them without much thought. With ample funds, obtaining them was not difficult.

But now, seeing the finished product, he understood what Kang Mu-hyeok had been working on all this time.

This was a type of armor Kang Yuseong had worn countless times in the past.

Armor that would shrink or expand to fit the wearer’s size, possessing excellent defense, and particularly strong resistance to fire, making it an essential item for any Hunter participating in dragon raids.

However, this armor was only supposed to appear several years later, yet Kang Mu-hyeok had astonishingly brought its development forward.

Kang Mu-hyeok chuckled.

“I customized it to suit your abilities. I think you’ll like it. You’ll gradually learn how to use it yourself, so I don’t need to explain further. Well then, have a safe trip.”

With those words, Kang Mu-hyeok turned and left without a trace of hesitation.

‘Hmm…’

The masterpiece of a genius blacksmith.

It was now fastened to Kang Yuseong’s left arm.

Kang Yuseong looked at it with a myriad of emotions crossing his face.

This item would likely be something extraordinary.

After all, it was created by none other than Kang Mu-hyeok.

Kang Yuseong smiled faintly and began to walk.

“Well, aren’t you playing favorites? Lucky you, Captain.”

And next to him, someone walked along.

It was Kim Do-jin, a man with a fedora tilted rakishly on his head.

“Heh, I’m certainly jealous. But tell me, where are we going?”

And another person walked alongside Kang Yuseong. This time, it was Gil Hyeok-jun.

They had been waiting for Kang Yuseong under his secret orders.

Kang Yuseong chuckled and replied.

“Busan. We’re going to Busan.”

“Quite a long journey, isn’t it?”

The smile on Kang Yuseong’s lips deepened.

“Perhaps…”

He took a step, then continued,

“You’ll need to steel yourselves for this one too.”

His eyes gleamed with a cold light.