Chapter 114 - Chapter 114 (1/2)

"Ah.... S-someone, s-save me..."

Eun Ji-Min somehow managed to squeeze out her dried-up voice and took a couple of steps back.

No, that's what she tried to.

However, her feet didn't want to move. It was as if heavy iron ingots were attached to her ankles. She could only stand there frozen as her tears began streaming down her face.

Meanwhile, the man scanned his surroundings.

Since the girl didn't look like she'd be able to move, he was thinking of offing her here, right now. How fortunate that there was nobody around. Also, there wouldn't be a CCTV camera of the Big Brother installed in a secluded alleyway like this one, as well.

'That's why I love this neighbourhood, you know.'

The man formed an evil grin and thrust the knife at Eun Ji-Min's midriff.

But then, a hand shot out from the darkness and grabbed the knife.

"Uh??"

The man raised his head, only to find a strange youth standing there. Because of his hood, only the punk's chin was visible. But he possessed a pretty d*mn outstanding physique.

'Is he... wearing a glove or something?'

Not a drop of blood dripped down from the hand grasping the blade.

"Who the hell are you?!"

The serial killer tried to yank the knife out several times, but after realising that it wouldn't budge an inch, he quickly let go of the knife's grip and turned around. He rapidly escaped from the spot.

"What a strange son of a b*tch...."

The serial killer took a look behind several times and found that strange youth was following along, constantly scanning the surroundings while he was at it.

'What the hell is up with this b*stard...?'

The serial killer changed his direction and led the youth to a deserted vacant lot, the place he originally wanted to drag that woman to. If that punk was protecting his hand with something, then it'd be fine to attack him elsewhere.

When he arrived at the destination, the serial killer slowed down, and gradually shortened his distance to the strange punk that had been keeping pace with him until then. Once their gap closed to around a couple of feet or so....

"Hey punk, who the hell do you think you are?"

The serial killer spun around and stabbed the youth in the chest with an awl he'd been hiding under his jacket.

"Do I look like an easy mark to you?! Huh?"

Stab!

The hand pushing the awl into the youth's chest shook, hard.

'….What the hell could be this hard?!'

A stab-proof vest? Or something else underneath his shirt??

The serial killer quickly threw out a question.

"What the f*ck?! You wearing something under your clothes or something?"

If this guy was able to sense magical energy, then he wouldn't have asked such a stupid question. Too bad, the serial killer somehow failed to think of the word 'Hunter' even though his opponent didn't try to retaliate after that second sneak attack. Instead, a quiet voice leaked out from under the hood.

"I'm curious about something."

The voice naturally belonged to Jin-Woo. He discarded the kitchen knife of the serial killer to the ground.

"Why are you doing this?"

"What's the matter? You wish to reform me or something?"

"Nope. Just curious if you have a reason or not. That's all."

The serial killer snorted derisively. He thought that, what with this punk jumping out of nowhere to save that woman, and following him all the way out here, he was looking at some weirdo masquerading as an ally of justice or something. But now...

'This kid's just a bloody idiot, isn't he?'

Or maybe, this punk was the same type of madman as he was?

The serial killer thought that maybe he could get away from here unscathed if he used his gift of gab, so he readily humoured the youth.

"A reason, is it? Well, if I were to really think of one... because it's fun?"

"Fun?"

"For some reason, whenever I see someone weaker than me, I just wanna torment that....."

….Person.

The serial killer didn't get to finish what he wanted to say. Instead....

"Uwaaaahk?! Uwahk!!"

Instead, he fell to the ground clutching his left ankle where his tendon had been sliced apart. When he raised his head, he realised that Jin-Woo was holding the kitchen knife even before he had the time to notice it.

'But, didn't he throw that away? Just when....?'

It was right then, Jin-Woo's shape grew blurry again.

"Uwaaahk?!"

This time, it was his right ankle. The serial killer rolled around the ground in pain. Meanwhile, Jin-Woo leisurely rummaged through the serial killer's pockets now that the murdering b*stard wasn't going anywhere with his tendons cut in half. He soon found the killer's mobile phone and the wallet.

"You, you!! Who the hell are you, you son of a b*tch?!"

Jin-Woo ignored the venom-spewing serial killer and calmly dialled 119 to call for an ambulance. He then pulled out the ID card from the wallet to take a look.

Next, he placed the phone and the wallet back in the hands of the shivering serial killer and murmured quietly.

"Hand yourself over to the police before midnight tomorrow."

"What?!"

"....If you wish to keep breathing, that is."

He said all he wanted to say.

Jin-Woo got up from the spot and inserted one of his Shadow Soldiers inside the serial killer's shadow, before leaving a similar sounding order to that soldier.

'Although, I don't know how patient a High Orc's shadow can be, but....'

That soldier might not be good with patiently waiting around until the designated time, but well, carrying out the next part of the order should be the speciality of High Orcs.

"I'd prefer it if you keep living on."

The killer had to be alive if he were to repent for his sins for the rest of his life.

"J-just... what the hell are you?"

Jin-Woo left the serial killer shivering from pain and fear behind in the vacant lot. He could hear the sirens of an ambulance coming from afar.

He walked to a far enough location, and after confirming that there was no one nearby, he pulled his hood back.

"....Whew."

Thanks to the signal sent by the Shadow Soldier after discovering the serial killer, Jin-Woo was able to arrive just in time.

The 'Shadow Exchange'.

This skill was proving to be exceptionally convenient the more he used it.

'It's not the highest-ranked Rune Stone for nothing, is it?'

Jin-Woo formed a satisfied smile now that he got to experience the greatness of the Shadow Exchange once more in the last couple of days. He couldn't even begin to imagine just how much more useful this skill would get, once the skill level rose up high enough to sufficiently decrease the cooldown time.

And so, as he continued to walk back home...

'Mm?'

He abruptly raised his head to see that the moon was now in the middle of the night sky.

'Now that I think about it... it's already tomorrow.'

The Korea-Japan united assault team's raid. It was already here.

He wasn't even on the team, yet his heart was pounding this much in anticipation. So, what would the participating members be feeling right now?

Jin-Woo recalled the faces of the raid members he was acquainted with, and prayed for their safety as well as their success in the mission.

***

Late at night.

Goto Ryuji was still in the dojo inside the Japanese Hunter's Association.

In front of him, two men, and at his back, one other. He was surrounded by rank S Hunters, ostensibly the same rank as he was. Goto Ryuji took a deep breath, and just as his eyes flew open....

"Ta-ha-aht!!"

The Hunters biding their time powerfully pounced on him all at the same time. However....

Slam!

The ones to fall down were the three attacking Hunters.

"That was great!"

"As expected of Goto-san!"

"No one can measure up to your skills, sir."