The Time for Execution
Adjusting the strength of the blessing was no easy matter. The first prisoner could not endure the pain and went into cardiac arrest, and the second had lost his mind. They had been trained to withstand torture, but with no healing correction from the Room of Past Lives, the Pier’s Blessing was far too cruel to bear.
In the end, the third and fourth prisoners could not withstand the horrifying agony and spilled what they knew about Andersen Guild. They were not high-ranking officials, so the information they had was limited, but it was enough to begin probing.
“Organize the information we obtained and report it. The faster, the better.”
On the way to the guild office by car, Hyun-jun gave Tae-min the order.
“I’ll submit it within two hours.”
Tae-min answered. Before long, the vehicle carrying the two of them arrived at the parking lot of the Wraith Guild office building. Hyun-jun headed for the guild leader’s office, while Tae-min made his way to the executive office to draft the report.
“A cup of coffee, please.”
Hyun-jun opened the office door and stepped inside, asking the secretary waiting out front for coffee. After sitting down and reviewing documents for a while, the door opened again and the secretary came in with a cup, setting it on the desk.
He worked through the guild leader’s duties while drinking the coffee. The situation with Andersen was moving fast, but there was nothing he could do immediately. Every matter had its order. For now, he had to wait for the report Tae-min would prepare.
“Executive Chief reporting in.”
Tae-min’s voice came from outside the door.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me.”
The door opened, and Tae-min walked in at a measured pace. Stopping at the front of the desk, he set a single document that looked like a report down before Hyun-jun.
“Here is the report. I’ve summarized the information obtained from the prisoners today.”
“Good work.”
Hyun-jun said as he picked up the report. It was neatly organized and easy to read. He had already drawn some information out of the prisoners first by using the Pier’s Blessing, but because it had all been conveyed verbally, a few details had slipped by him. Tae-min, true to his role as Executive Chief, had not missed a single one and had summarized everything cleanly in the report.
“This should be enough to start a counteroperation, shouldn’t it?”
“Of course. Based on this, we should be able to acquire even more information.”
Before, they had known almost nothing about Andersen Guild, so gathering intelligence had not been easy. But now that the skeleton had been put together, it was far easier for the Wraith Guild executive division to move.
“Still no contact from Andersen?”
“They continue to deny any connection.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to visit Andersen Guild’s office myself.”
“Is that really necessary? It’s dangerous.”
Tae-min voiced his concern carefully, but Hyun-jun only smiled with easy confidence.
“I’m going there for a show of force, and a negotiation while I’m at it.”
“The Andersen Guild Leader has a violent temper. He might do something insane.”
“Even if the entire executive division came at me, I’m confident I can get out.”
He had the Shadow Assassin’s Blessing, which let him blend completely into darkness. That was why he intended to visit at night.
“They’re going to keep denying involvement in the raid.”
“Then Andersen will make a fine example.”
He didn’t bother to explain further, but the meaning was clear: he was going to crush Andersen. Even now, with Andersen’s attack having failed, the other silver-tier guilds were not making reckless moves, despite hearing what had been leaked from behind the scenes.
“If Andersen falls, the others won’t be able to move so easily either.”
At Tae-min’s words, Hyun-jun nodded slowly. Nothing spread fear like a public execution.
“I’ll leave tomorrow night.”
“I’ll strengthen security at your residence in case of any provocation.”
“As expected of the Executive Chief.”
“Thank you, Guild Leader.”
And time passed. The next day, at 8 p.m., Hyun-jun appeared in front of Andersen Guild’s office in Seoul. Before taking a single step forward, he lifted his smartphone and called Tae-min.
-This is Kim Tae-min.
“You’re sure he’s inside right now?”
-Yes. Lee Gyu-hwan is not there, but I confirmed that An Seong-jin is inside the guild office.
“Good work. I’ll contact you again later.”
Tae-min had failed to track Gyu-hwan’s movements, but it didn’t matter. A shadow Hyun-jun had sent was latched onto Gyu-hwan. Hyun-jun already knew where he was now.
Taking care of an ill younger sister, huh...
It was touching, but he had no intention of showing an enemy sympathy or mercy. He had no immediate plan to harm them directly, but if the other side pushed things too far, Hyun-jun couldn’t guarantee that his mind wouldn’t change.
An eye for an eye.
Killing intent flashed in Hyun-jun’s eyes.
“Are you a member of Andersen Guild?”
As he walked toward the guild office, armed security approached and asked the question. It was late, so it seemed they were restricting entry to guild members only.
“Go tell the Andersen Guild Leader that the Wraith Guild Leader is here.”
Hyun-jun deliberately lowered his tone. There was no reason to be polite to enemies. At the mention of the Wraith Guild Leader, one of the two armed guards stationed at the first-floor entrance was seen speaking into a radio. About a minute later, the guard who had used the radio nodded and spoke.
“You may come in. I’ll escort you to the guild leader’s office.”
Following behind the armed guard, Hyun-jun entered Andersen Guild’s office. As befit a mid-tier silver guild, they were using the entire five-story building, and the interior was decorated with the unmistakable feeling that a great deal of money had been poured into it.
Real estate in Seoul must be expensive too...
It wasn’t in the city center, but compared to the Wraith Guild office, the price difference must still have been enormous.
“This way.”
When Hyun-jun slowed his pace, the armed guard cautiously urged him on. As he moved to where the guard was standing, he found an elevator in front of him. Its design was different from the one in the lobby.
“This elevator goes directly to the fifth floor. Someone will be waiting once you arrive.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than the armed guard hurried back, and Hyun-jun stepped into the elevator. Just as promised, there was only a button for the fifth floor. He pressed it, and the elevator ascended slowly. When the doors finally opened, men in black suits blocked his path.
They’re carrying weapons.
Normally, hunters carried weapons or armor in a handy spatial storage bag. Only hunters of C-rank or above could use one, but there was no way Andersen’s executive division would contain anyone below C-rank.
A threat...?
Hyun-jun frowned. For an executive hunter to walk around armed was either because they wanted to respond quickly in dangerous zones or because they meant to threaten the other side. Either way, it was not a friendly gesture, and that put him in a foul mood.
“Are you Kang Hyun-jun?”
“Is that how Andersen treats the head of another guild?”
“This is Andersen, Kang Hyun-jun. If you want to live, you’ll have to follow our way.”
The executive hunter who looked to be their leader stepped forward with a threatening voice. That wasn’t all. He let his hand rest lightly on the hilt of the sword at his waist and bled out a thick, unmistakable killing intent.
“Unbelievable.”
Hyun-jun shook his head, his expression openly displeased. He had not expected such a blatant attempt at crushing his momentum simply because he had come from an F-rank background. Judging by the killing intent and mana radiating from the executive hunter before him, he was at least A-rank, but Hyun-jun had no intention of bowing his head here.
“Kneel.”
He drew up his mana and unleashed the Ripper’s Blessing.
The Ripper's cruel killing intent awakens. A portion of its fatal aura is released.
With a heavy boom, a murderous pressure far beyond anything the Andersen executive hunters had let out exploded from Hyun-jun’s body.
“Hk!”
“Kheh!”
Three of them spat blood, and two collapsed without moving. Even the A-rank hunter who seemed to be the leader staggered weakly, his face drained of color.
“W-what... is this killing intent...”
“Team leader! One of them has gone into cardiac arrest!”
“W-what did you say?”
After stepping out of the elevator, Hyun-jun passed through the bewildered executive hunters and spoke.
“I’ll go to the guild leader’s office alone, so take care of your patients properly.”
At that, the team leader could not answer. The fear left behind by that killing intent had already seized both mind and body.
Hyun-jun kept moving. There was one more hunter in front of the guild leader’s office, apparently also from the executive division, but he did not block the way. When Hyun-jun reached the door, he knocked calmly.
“Come in.”
At the voice, he opened the door and stepped inside.
“You said you were the Wraith Guild Leader, did you? Sit down for now.”
“I didn’t come here to exchange empty chatter.”
“Then stand, if you like. I’ll sit on this comfortable sofa.”
Seong-jin sat down on the sofa, looking at ease. Hyun-jun shortened the distance by a step and spoke.
“Not long ago, some uninvited guests came to my home and looked like they were trying to throw a party.”
“I saw the news too. A regrettable matter.”
Seong-jin shook his head as he spoke. It seemed he really did intend to deny everything to the end, just as Tae-min had said.
“You’re going to play it that way?”
“What is it you want to say?”
“Does Andersen have nothing to say about this incident?”
“And if we don’t?”
Hyun-jun wanted nothing more than to drive a knife into that shameless face, but he couldn’t do that here. He had not come in secret, so if An Seong-jin died here, Hyun-jun would be in trouble.
“Then I suppose I can dispose of the prisoners however I please.”
“I wonder why you’re asking us, when this has nothing to do with us at all. Has your guild gotten a little too successful lately and made you arrogant? I’m sorry, but even so, Wraith is still only Bronze tier.”
Seong-jin’s words carried a thread of killing intent.
“If you want to live, you should know when to keep your head down...”
“Are you threatening me now?”
“Does it sound like a threat? Ho ho ho.”
His tone was openly provocative, but Hyun-jun did not waver much. Instead, he merely looked amused.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just thinking that I’d like to take a picture of this moment with a camera.”
Hyun-jun turned and walked toward the door. Then he reached for the doorknob and spoke.
“I wanted to compare it again in a week.”
“What do you me...”
He left the guild leader’s office before the man could finish speaking. Then he headed straight out of the building. Tae-min was waiting nearby with the vehicle.
“You’re back.”
Tae-min greeted him, opening the rear door. As Hyun-jun got in, Tae-min climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
“How did it go?”
“As expected.”
“What will you do now?”
“The warning is over... now it’s time for the execution.”