Chapter 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Seoul, Demon, Saintess - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A helicopter touched down on a wide, grassy field halfway up Bukaksan Mountain, a patch of land that looked as if it had been deliberately flattened.
Woo Seong-mun and his aides disembarked.
Agents in sunglasses immediately ran out to greet them.
“Team Leader Lee, has the Saintess arrived?”
The man in glasses, addressed as Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun, nodded.
“Yes, but… she’s still drunk.”
“Damn it, of course she is…”
Flying halfway across the world to save one of its largest cities, and she's drunk…
“And the behavior of the holy knights who came with her is… quite problematic, I’m told.”
The Saintess’s personal holy knight order, the <White Tree Guard>, was already infamous for their unparalleled arrogance.
‘Ever since the first commander, Nicholas Steel, fell in battle, the entire organization has rapidly gone to the dogs.’
Woo Seong-mun clicked his tongue, recalling Nicholas, a man who understood honor better than anyone.
‘He was one of the few people I could truly trust…’
When he was around, the White Tree Guard had earned everyone’s respect.
But as his position was filled by pathetic individuals, the entire organization lost its honor.
Woo Seong-mun worried that this country might one day suffer the same fate.
“This is an age where people are the greatest power, yet it’s also an age where you can’t trust them.”
Having nurtured talent for so long, he felt this problem acutely.
In this day and age, character and effort were not proportional to skill.
It was all about awakenings that occurred by chance and traits that were granted at random…
‘It’s an illogical era where you can become the best with just a bit of luck…’
As Woo Seong-mun contemplated this absurdity, a single face came to mind.
‘Lee Hyun-wook…’
Until recently, he had been a bottom-tier F-rank Player. Yet, undeterred by the immense limitations placed upon him, he created his own opportunities and was now on a path to the top.
‘Yes, he’s the real talent.’
Woo Seong-mun had no intention of letting Lee Hyun-wook slip through his fingers.
***
- …The Seoul sky has now turned red. The cause is presumed to be an unidentified mana fluctuation originating from the Dobongsan Mountain area in Dobong-gu. The government's 'Abnormal Phenomenon Analysis Team' has begun an investigation.
Lee Hyun-wook listened to the radio with one ear while inspecting the ‘Aerial Drop Device’ loaded in the back of a truck.
‘Hmm, if I put steel beads in here, it could be useful in many ways.’
The device was a large, rectangular box. Most of its interior was taken up by an ‘Interdimensional Space Generator,’ but there was a multipurpose storage compartment at the bottom.
Lee Hyun-wook poured a large number of steel beads into it.
Fifty-five in one, meaning a total of 110 could be stored across the two Aerial Drop Devices.
- Following up, heroes who ended the 4th Wave, the Steel Company and their commander Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook, are also being deployed for this operation. Further details are classified and cannot be disclosed, but…
“…Oh! They’re talking about us again.”
At that, the members of the Steel Company waiting outside the truck reacted, chuckling amongst themselves.
“Aren’t you tired of hearing about us on the news by now?”
“Still, doesn’t your heart pound every time we’re mentioned?”
“It’s all about Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook anyway, so what’s the big deal…”
Not just the Steel Company, but the entire 1st Battalion was currently lined up on an eight-lane road.
In truth, there was little the Steel Company could do in this situation. They were merely setting up a ‘blockade’ on the southern side of Bukhansan, which connected to Dobongsan, as a precaution.
Even so, public interest in the heroes of the 4th Wave had not yet died down, which was why they were unnecessarily featured in the news. Lee Hyun-wook couldn’t help but find it bothersome.
‘Why is the Steel Company’s movement newsworthy? In any case, fame is not good for a lot of reasons.’
Lee Hyun-wook hopped down from the truck’s cargo bed and looked up at the northern sky.
About forty minutes ago, a pillar of red energy had shot up from somewhere in Seoul.
Immediately after it touched the sky, a red cloud formed.
Now, it had morphed into a giant ring, churning as if to swallow Seoul whole.
Ghooooooo—
An unsettling sound echoed.
‘You can’t get close to that Demon’s Domain without a powerful holy barrier.’
Dobongsan, the site of the demon’s summoning, was currently transforming into a ‘Demon’s Domain.’ According to information released by the government, approaching the area would cause one’s life force to be drained by the potent ‘demonic energy.’
Of course, with enough preparation, a determined assault team could probably find a way in… but deliberating over such methods was far less practical than the Saintess’s ‘Holy Field.’
In the end, the Saintess’s arrival in this land was inevitable.
“Oh, but Sergeant Lee, didn’t you say you’d be deployed to a different operation soon?”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded at Choi Tae-yong’s question.
“Yeah, so I’ll probably have to leave soon.”
“But, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s it for and who called for you?”
As Choi Tae-yong asked cautiously, Ahn Min-tae, who was standing beside him, let out a sigh.
“Dude, it’s classified! That’s why he isn’t telling us!”
“Ah, um… I thought maybe he’d share it with us…”
“‘With us’? What, are you trying to act like you’re on Sergeant Lee’s level now?”
“Ah, seriously! That’s not what I meant…”
The fact that Lee Hyun-wook had been assigned to the Saintess’s security detail was, naturally, classified.
The Saintess, who had already arrived, was said to be moving to a secret location.
It was likely one of the ‘Sanctums,’ the safest places for her to cast her ‘Holy Field.’
And the safest sanctum in Seoul was undoubtedly the ‘Bukaksan Grand Sanctum.’
The place, which overlooked the Blue House, was actually connected to the Blue House’s underground bunker.
They would only summon Lee Hyun-wook after the Saintess arrived and the surrounding area was secured.
‘No matter how much they need me, I’m still an external asset…’
They couldn’t reveal all the details of the security operation to him.
‘And… there’s something I need to take care of before I get the call.’
Lee Hyun-wook took something out from his pocket.
It was a golden card.
[Item Information]
- Name: Trait Awakening 2nd Stage (Special)
- Effect: Randomly awakens a new skill or enhances an existing one.
This was the result of fusing two ‘Trait Awakening’ items to upgrade it to the ‘2nd Stage.’
‘Now, the question is which skill to upgrade…’
Since this event was a complete ‘variable,’ Lee Hyun-wook considered his options more carefully than ever before.
‘This time… I’ll invest in Body Fortification.’
Honestly, he had debated several times whether it would be better to enhance ‘Breath Room’ first. Upgrading Breath Room would also expand his internal furnace, accelerating his growth and proving beneficial in the long run.
‘But if I only look to the future, I might trip over a stone right in front of me.’
In his past life, his greatest weakness had been his defense, and that had been the problem in his final moments. In the brief instant he was staggered by a sniper shot from somewhere, it was all over…
Of course, this life was different from the start. He had already surpassed the defensive capabilities of his past self.
But…
‘Okita Kaito, that bastard will definitely show up. My defense is still not enough to withstand his strike.’
Lee Hyun-wook anticipated that the Sword Saint’s killer would play the role of the ‘assassin’ in the Saintess’s assassination.
‘In my past life, he was the one who plunged a sword into the Saintess’s heart…’
Therefore, Lee Hyun-wook boldly invested the ‘Trait Awakening 2nd Stage’ into Body Fortification.
- Congratulations! Using Trait Awakening (2nd Stage) has greatly enhanced the ‘Body Fortification’ skill!
[Skill Information]
- Name: Indomitable Body Fortification
- Rank: B
- Effect: Consumes Mana (20) to temporarily ‘fortify’ a part of the body.
1 [Mana Shield (Dual Structure)]
2 [Secret Imprint (2)]
3 [Unknown]
* Swallowing a certain amount of ‘high-hardness magic metal’ will improve the skill’s rank.
It had jumped two levels at once, from D-rank to B-rank.
The maximum rank a skill could be raised to by normal means was A-rank.
In other words, his Body Fortification had now reached a considerable level.
Lee Hyun-wook activated ‘Body Fortification’ on his left hand and slowly took in the changed sensation.
A metallic skin of even denser composition and a tougher ‘dual-structured’ mana shield…
‘This is like wearing armor made of adamantite with a high-level magic barrier layered on top.’
To put it a bit dramatically, he had become a walking armored vehicle.
And the number for his second skill, ‘Secret Imprint,’ had also increased to two.
“Right, I need to test that too.”
Lee Hyun-wook climbed back into the truck’s cargo bed and placed his right hand on the ‘Aerial Drop Device.’
Shiiiii—
The massive piece of machinery dissolved into smoke as if melting away…
- Imprinted.
The Aerial Drop Device, despite its size, was ultimately an item, so the skill applied without exception.
A rather large, rectangular tattoo was now etched onto Lee Hyun-wook’s right wrist.
‘It works, as expected. This is huge…’
This was encouraging because thirty weapons were stored inside this Aerial Drop Device.
Lee Hyun-wook took out the ‘Spear of Achilles’ from his left hand and imprinted the other Aerial Drop Device.
Thus, a total of 60 weapons—and the 100 steel beads in the bottom compartment—
a diverse arsenal of several hundred weapons was now stored on both his wrists.
‘Good. It’s like I have my own inventory.’
With this, he now possessed the defense of an armored vehicle and the firepower of a fighter jet in a single body.
‘Upgrading Body Fortification was definitely not a bad choice.’
Just then, a shout came from outside the truck.
“Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook! Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha is looking for you.”
Meanwhile, Seo Eun-ha had also joined this operation.
The reason given was that, as a fairly high-level holy knight, she could create a synergistic effect with the Saintess’s side. But that was just the official reason.
The truth was, she had spent two years as a holy knight trainee at Saint Dome right after her awakening and had developed a considerable friendship with the Saintess—Emilia Müller.
In other words, summoning Seo Eun-ha was more for diplomatic purposes.
Lee Hyun-wook went to the end of the long line of 1st Battalion vehicles on the road and met Seo Eun-ha.
She was sitting on the edge of a truck’s cargo bed, putting on her gray armor, and looked up at him.
“Hyun-wook, they sent a car. Get ready to leave.”
A black SUV was visible in the opposite lane. It was the vehicle Woo Seong-mun had sent.
“I’m already prepared.”
“Oh, you are? Then wait just a bit. Putting on armor is, ugh—a little tough…”
Once Seo Eun-ha was ready, the two reported to Kim Kang-seok and approached the SUV.
On the way, she suddenly asked.
“Hyun-wook, have you ever seen the Saintess in person… Of course you haven’t, right?”
“No, I haven’t.”
That was the truth. Even in his past life, Lee Hyun-wook had never seen the Saintess in person.
She had been assassinated while he was still struggling to shake off the stigma of being an F-rank.
But he had heard stories about her ad nauseam even after that.
“I’m telling you in advance… she’s not a normal person. She might be a handful in many ways.”
Lee Hyun-wook was well aware of the Saintess’s notoriety.
When you hear the title ‘Saintess,’ you usually picture someone noble, pure, and righteous, but that was just a stereotype associated with religion—something you’d find in a fantasy novel.
The reason S-rank Priest Emilia Müller was called the Saintess had nothing to do with religion or her personality; it was solely because of the divine power she possessed.
‘Saintess is just a nickname, anyway. In reality, she’s closer to an inquisitor…’
Moreover, the method for her power’s growth was bizarre.
‘By inflicting pain on beings of the dark element… or so I’ve heard.’
In a way, her power’s growth was no different from a curse.
This was why the Republic of Chad was particularly merciless towards Players who learned dark-element skills, and why the Saintess herself would personally torture and execute them.
‘So there’s no way she’d have a good personality, in any respect…’
But even if she was such a wicked woman, she was one of the indispensable weapons for humanity.
***
The location of the Republic of Korea’s Grand Sanctum was a state secret.
It was only known to be somewhere in Seoul; almost no one knew its exact location. This was because the Grand Sanctum served as both a ‘safe house’ and a ‘secret infirmary.’
It was rumored that if the Blue House were attacked, people would evacuate here, not to the Blue House’s underground bunker. Important national figures or Ranker Players who sustained serious injuries were also brought here.
‘I was brought here a few times myself…’
The healing spells, enhanced by the best ‘Sanctuary Buff’ in Korea, could save even those on the brink of death.
Wooooo—
The SUV drove up the military road on Bukaksan Mountain.
For a while, the scenery was unremarkable, just a dense forest of trees.
But the moment it passed a certain point—
- You have passed through the <Wide-Area Mirage Barrier>.
With that system message, the view before them changed in an instant.
A vast area suddenly opened up, and in its center stood a huge, white building.
‘The Bukaksan Grand Sanctum. It’s been a while.’
The exterior was nothing special, looking like a simple rectangular block of white concrete.
As a hidden location, its design prioritized efficiency over aesthetics.
And hidden within the forest covering the building were countless ‘Black Agents.’
In the sky, dozens of ‘Mana Drones’ flew, monitoring the entire area.
The holy knights in white armor, seen here and there, were the ‘White Tree Guard.’
Upon arriving at the building’s entrance, a short man with glasses greeted Lee Hyun-wook and Seo Eun-ha.
“…Welcome. I am Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun.”
The fact that he introduced himself without stating his affiliation suggested he was an agent from a secret department.
“As you both know, from this point on, no communication devices are allowed.”
Since Lee Hyun-wook and Seo Eun-ha were not complete insiders, they had to undergo a formal body search.
“And you two are not to approach within 50 meters of the Saintess, Emilia Müller. If you mistakenly get too close, you may be subdued or, depending on the situation, shot without warning, so please be mindful.”
Their mission was only to defend the building itself against a potential attack.
Emilia Müller’s immediate vicinity was protected by her personal guard, the White Tree Guard—specifically, twelve of its high-ranking holy knights.
No one else was permitted to approach her.
Just then, another agent standing next to Lee Kyo-jun placed a hand on his ‘ear mic’ and turned his head towards them.
“Sir… I’ve been ordered to escort Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook to the VIP room on the third basement floor.”
At those words, Lee Kyo-jun’s eyebrows twitched.
“What? The VIP room? Who on earth gave that order?”
“It was… a direct request from the Saintess.”
“The Saintess? But why…”
Lee Kyo-jun couldn’t hide his bewildered expression.
And Lee Hyun-wook felt the same.
‘The Saintess wants me… Why?’
Even Seo Eun-ha looked like she couldn’t understand it.
“Hyun-wook, why would the Saintess summon you?”
“I have no idea.”
Seo Eun-ha thought for a moment, then looked up.
“Hyun-wook, whatever it is, be careful. Like I said, she’s not in her right mind…”
With Seo Eun-ha’s grim advice, Lee Hyun-wook was escorted by three agents to the VIP room on the fourth basement floor.
After passing through a long corridor with heavy security and multiple protective barriers, he came face to face with a massive steel door.
“Alright, this is it. No weapons of any kind can be brought inside, so please take them all out.”
After Lee Hyun-wook laid down his weapons, the thick blast door opened.
Thunk—
Inside the spacious room, a single sofa sat in the middle.
Woo Seong-mun was sitting there, his face clouded for some reason.
And across from him sat a petite woman with blonde hair.
‘That woman must be Emilia Müller, the Saintess.’
Upon seeing Lee Hyun-wook, she began to wave cheerfully.
“Yo— Hi—!”
…It was a rather baffling first impression.
Meanwhile, Woo Seong-mun looked utterly exhausted.
It was easy to see why.
He had spent an enormous sum to invite the Saintess, but her condition seemed more severe than expected. He must have felt like he’d received a defective product.
Moreover, a strong smell of alcohol wafted from her.
“Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook, the Director of Saint Dome earnestly requested that we call for Seoul’s hero.”
“Yep, yep, that’s right. I called for him.”
“So, what… what is it you wish to say, Director? We don’t have much time, so please be quick.”
Woo Seong-mun asked, his words almost a sigh.
But Emilia paid him no mind, propping her chin on her hand and staring at Lee Hyun-wook before finally speaking.
“…Mr. Woo, don’t you worry. Hee— I won’t eat him up.”
A moment of silence followed.
“Mr. Woo, I have something I want to talk about with this person… It’s unrelated to the current matter. It’s a little personal—um, a bit, what’s the word, secretive.”
Woo Seong-mun shook his head at her rambling words.
“Director, even so… I cannot allow that.”
All sorts of thoughts were racing through Woo Seong-mun’s mind.
A moment ago, while discussing the security operation, he had briefly mentioned Lee Hyun-wook.
At that very moment, the Saintess’s eyes had changed.
She seemed to show great interest upon hearing that Lee Hyun-wook had saved Seoul twice and could operate ‘Huginn,’ and then she had thrown a fit, demanding he be summoned.
And now she wanted to speak with him alone… He couldn’t help but worry that she had noticed he had awakened as an S-rank and was planning to poach him for the Republic of Chad.
“Ah, seriously… *hiccup*! I’m starting to get annoyed. Maybe I should just go home…”
A threat no different from a child’s tantrum… Woo Seong-mun finally shot up from his seat.
A flash of anger crossed his face. He looked at the knight standing behind Emilia.
“Peter, we are short on time. Please, get her on track.”
The knight called Peter nodded in response.
However, Emilia shook her head from side to side.
“No, Peter, *hiccup*—you step out for a bit, too.”
Peter was startled.
“What? That is absolutely out of the question! How can I leave your side, Director!”
“*Hiccup*—Please, just don’t annoy me.”
For a moment, the two locked eyes in a standoff.
“…”
The winner was Emilia.
Peter scowled and, as if he had no choice, turned around.
And so, everyone left the room.
She remained silent for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.
“Silence…”
Something bloomed from her hand and spread out in all directions.
It was a spell that blocked out all sound.
“*Hiccup*—*hiccup*—”
“…”
“Your name is Lee Hyun-wook, right? The savior of Seoul… Saved it twice, you said?”
Lee Hyun-wook gave an awkward smile.
But inwardly, he was trying to analyze the situation.
‘…The atmosphere suddenly changed.’
This woman, who had seemed somewhat dim-witted until a moment ago, now felt perfectly lucid.
Especially her eyes; they had been like a dead fish’s but were now sharp in an instant.
‘Was she pretending to be a mess? But why…?’
Lee Hyun-wook realized he was facing a part of history he hadn’t known.
“And I heard you can handle the legendary-grade extrasensory item, Huginn.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Huginn… it boosts your senses so much you can perceive almost everything around you, right?”
“…Not everything, but I see much better than usual.”
As if thirsty, she gulped down the water on the table.
“The person I trusted most once said that Mr. Woo has the best eye for people. And just now, while explaining the security operation, he emphasized that you were a capable person. And above all, if you saved Seoul twice… it seems you’re not in league with the people I dislike…”
The person she trusted, the people she disliked… her words were still convoluted, as if she were not yet sober.
“…I’d like to ask you for a favor. I hope you won’t refuse.”
Lee Hyun-wook simply looked at her without a word.
“When I use ‘Holy Field’ to purify all of Seoul, I’ll be defenseless for thirty minutes.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“If someone tries to assassinate me, they’ll aim for that exact moment. At that time, you…”
Emilia leaned forward and spoke in a whisper.
“…I want you to watch our White Tree Guard very closely.”
A strange light flickered in Lee Hyun-wook’s eyes.
“Does that mean… there’s a traitor among them?”
She slowly nodded.
How did she know? Lee Hyun-wook met Emilia’s gaze with a calm expression.
But her next words made him flinch.
“…Have you ever heard of… Villains?”
As far as Lee Hyun-wook knew, this woman was not a Guardian.