Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Single Number (1)
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Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense reception room.
"What do you mean by that?! I told you we need to hurry!"
Furious, Hong Sua slammed her fist on the table with a loud bang.
The soldier in charge of Hong Sua let out a faint sigh.
What a temper on this woman...
Really, if she weren't Hong Gyuhyun's granddaughter, he would've kicked her out ages ago.
"...Ms. Hong Sua. Nothing's going to get done by carrying on like this here. You know that, right? Everything has to go through proper procedures..."
"That's just it! I've followed every necessary document and procedure! And yet you're still talking about meetings?!"
She wasn't wrong.
She had complied with every procedure.
All the conditions for deploying a special forces unit made up of Awakeners to capture another Awakener were fully met.
Physical evidence, public opinion, and legal procedures—all of it.
But every rule had its exceptions.
"As I said earlier... the target is a Single Number, isn't he? This isn't a simple matter."
Natural disaster.
That was the word that always came up when describing Single Numbers.
Just nine people out of a global population of seven billion.
Beings of such overwhelming power that nations treated them as honored guests regardless of the reason.
And now, a situation had arisen where one of them needed to be arrested.
And very publicly, at that.
How did things end up like this...?
It was absolute chaos.
Currently, the Ministry of National Defense was holding an emergency meeting with the President, the Chief of Staff, and the country's top officials.
It might sound ridiculous to debate arresting a criminal, but capturing a Single Number was that big of a deal.
If only White Flame hadn't gone radio silent, this never would've happened...
And yet, hilariously enough, it had.
The moment White Flame headed to that artificial island where all communications had suddenly cut out.
If it was coincidence, it was one hell of a coincidence. If it was deliberate, then it had to be the work of heaven itself.
Only heaven could predict a Single Number's movements like a monkey in the palm of Buddha's hand.
The soldier said to Hong Sua,
"Ms. Hong Sua, please go home now. I'm showing you respect because I admire Hunter Hong Gyuhyun, but if you cause any more of a scene, I won't overlook it."
It was an ultimatum.
From here on out, it was their jurisdiction.
Hong Sua bristled at the soldier's words and opened her mouth to shout something back.
"Team leader..."
Lim Taehyun, who had come with her, grabbed her arm and shook his head.
His eyes said they'd done their best.
Mountain King Hong Gyuhyun would protect the Association, and Hong Sua had provided the Ministry of National Defense with the justification and evidence to act.
That was Infinite Guild's role, and the plan had succeeded fully.
Now it was out of their hands—Hong Sua knew that too.
And yet.
"...Haa..."
She couldn't help the frustrated sigh.
She'd known from the start the Ministry wouldn't move immediately.
But now that it was actually happening, impatience was inevitable.
—With Baek Jincheon's personality, he'll definitely come to kill Kang Inhyeok.
That's what Kim Gunja had said. That Baek Jincheon wouldn't hesitate to commit murder.
A Single Number who wouldn't shy away from killing to achieve his goals.
Kim Gunja was facing such a being on that communication-blackout artificial island.
How could she not worry?
—I have no confidence in winning, but I won't go down easy. I have my aces up my sleeve. I'll keep him tied up as long as the plan is in motion.
An ace against a Single Number...?
What could it be?
Kim Gunja hadn't told her, so Hong Sua had no idea.
But he wasn't one to bluff, so all she could do was trust him.
"Team leader, let's head back."
"...Fine."
"Take care on your way out."
As the two exited the building, dusk had already fallen outside.
6 PM.
One hour since the artificial island's broadcast had gone dark.
And so, Christmas Eve night arrived.
#
In the dome stadium formed by bizarrely jutting rocks, two men faced each other.
"Murderer, huh..."
A chill emanated from Baek Jincheon's face as he spoke.
Kim Gunja couldn't let his guard down.
He clearly remembered how Kang Inhyeok had just met his end at Baek Jincheon's hands.
Baek Jincheon showed no hesitation.
Not even for murder.
"I can't understand it."
Baek Jincheon said coldly.
Considering the brand seared into him, Kim Gunja should have been utterly unable to resist him.
Yet here he was, sword pointed defiantly—the absurdity was beyond words.
"What's the reason?"
He had to ask.
The reason for rejecting a smooth path and choosing suicide instead.
Reason...?
There were more reasons than he could count.
From shielding Kang Inhyeok so he could do those things to his friends, to all the illegal and inhumane acts done under twisted ideology.
Kim Gunja summed it up in one sentence.
"You're worse than Kang Inhyeok."
A sinister smile spread across Baek Jincheon's face.
"So you're the culprit."
He meant the intrusion into the guild master's office to steal classified files, and making Kang Inhyeok's video go public.
Kim Gunja didn't deny it.
Baek Jincheon clicked his tongue.
"Tch. I thought you were clever... but you're just a fool making stupid choices."
Kang Inhyeok had been a useful tool.
But he'd discarded him without hesitation because Kim Gunja was a superior replacement.
Who knew he'd turn out to be defective, unfit for use.
For efficiency-obsessed Baek Jincheon, this was the worst possible scenario.
After a moment's thought, unbelievable words came from Baek Jincheon's mouth.
"I'll forgive you."
Kim Gunja's face showed surprise.
He never expected those words from Baek Jincheon.
"That's how highly I value you. It's not too late. Beg for forgiveness now, and I won't hold this against you."
Highly value...
It sounded more like he'd use him up to the investment's worth and then discard him.
Besides, Kim Gunja knew.
Baek Jincheon's forgiveness only applied to this incident with Kang Inhyeok.
Baek Jincheon has no idea.
That Hero Guild's rotten core was being exposed to the world.
He'd already crossed an irreversible river with them.
No reason to stay under scum like that.
"I refuse."
A faint hardness crept into Baek Jincheon's merciful expression.
"Some flimsy sense of justice over pragmatism?"
"...Who knows."
He didn't particularly think of it as justice.
He'd just wanted Kang Inhyeok to pay for his crimes, and in the process, seen what Hero Guild—and its leader Baek Jincheon—had done.
Learning there were more victims than he could count, he couldn't just look away.
That was all.
Kim Gunja answered calmly.
"Someone has to do it."
"Then pay the price for your choice."
Burn.
The air scorched as white flames bloomed from Baek Jincheon's hand.
Baek Jincheon smiled faintly.
Imagining Kim Gunja writhing in agony soon.
But nothing happened.
As if by magic.
"......"
Baek Jincheon's expression didn't change.
But his bewilderment was clear enough.
Anyone seeing him freeze with his hand raised would think the same.
"You can feel bewilderment too, huh?"
Baek Jincheon gave no reply.
Couldn't, more accurately.
It was simply unbelievable.
The brand... it's gone...?
Baek Jincheon didn't know, but Kim Gunja had removed it via Customizing Room the day before.
Facing Baek Jincheon as an enemy was inevitable; leaving the brand was foolish.
Securing the Customizing Room's reuse cooldown was important too.
Seeing Baek Jincheon's silence, Kim Gunja curled his lip.
"Arrogant. Thought the brand was absolute?"
Don't blindly trust your abilities.
At Kim Gunja's taunt, something inside Baek Jincheon cracked with a sharp snap.
His pride.
Boom!
A massive crater formed under Baek Jincheon's foot as his figure vanished like a snuffed candle.
"......!"
He reappeared right in front of Kim Gunja.
"You don't know your place."
With an icy voice, Baek Jincheon's hand—laden with searing heat—swung down.
Whoosh!
The air distorted like a heat haze, unable to withstand the intense blaze.
No time for Shadow Walker.
Hummm—
Jeokwol formed a crimson net.
The white flames clashed with the crimson net.
Craaaack!
The result was overwhelming.
The flames tore the net apart and surged toward Kim Gunja's chest.
Clang!
He barely blocked with Jeokwol.
"Pfft...!"
Overpowered in strength, Kim Gunja spat blood and flew back.
Bam! Bam! Boooom!
Crashing through several buildings, he slammed deep into the rock-formed dome stadium's wall.
"Hm."
Baek Jincheon glanced at the hand that had struck Jeokwol, then let out a faint chuckle.
"Impressive."
He'd survived a blow meant to kill.
A fresh experience for Baek Jincheon.
He'd anticipated it since overwhelming Kang Inhyeok, but Kim Gunja hid more skill than expected.
Even more surprising than the counter was that he'd entered the flames' range without major damage.
Come to think of it...
He recalled that even at first sight or when branding him, his resistance had been unusually strong compared to others.
"Fire resistance, huh..."
What a shame, he thought again, but mercy was a one-time offer.
"Cough..."
Kim Gunja emerged from the dust cloud.
"You had some backing."
Brand removal, hidden prowess, and fire resistance.
Baek Jincheon found it decent.
But that was it.
The outcome wouldn't change.
Kim Gunja knew it too, watching Baek Jincheon's overflowing leisure.
As expected, winning is impossible.
He'd never planned to anyway, but the exchange confirmed it.
Wiping blood from his mouth, Kim Gunja grinned.
"You've still got more surprises coming."
Kim Gunja released the limiter he'd held back against Kang Inhyeok.
Mana piled in Kaiser's Heart surged through his circuits like a waterfall.
All his power unlocked at once.
As the mana surged, three auras blended in, and colorful heat hazes rose from Kim Gunja's body.
Despite restraining use for two weeks, Kaiser's Heart, already at Lv 5, reached Lv 6.
No choice.
This wasn't the time to hold back.
No room to conserve moves against Baek Jincheon.
But thanks to it, Magic Power level pierced Lv 9 in one go.
And finally.
A level beyond any measuring tool: Magic Power Lv 10.
Crackle, crackle.
His body screamed from the sudden mana surge.
"Hoo..."
Kim Gunja exhaled softly at the aching sensation.
Baek Jincheon was genuinely impressed.
"Impressive."
That was all.
Baek Jincheon still brimmed with leisure.
Kim Gunja had no illusions this would let him win.
It was merely prep for what came next.
Humm—
Summoning Zarathu, Kim Gunja hurled it high into the night sky.
"...What are you playing at?"
"Watch and see."
With that, Kim Gunja activated Shadow Walker, his figure gliding across the night sky.
Atop the dome stadium, he looked down at Baek Jincheon and flashed a sly smile.
Then bolted outside.
"......"
Baek Jincheon's brow furrowed.
Whoosh!
Scorching winds devoured the ruins.
Baek Jincheon's figure shot into the air.
And there he was.
Kim Gunja, maintaining distance, waiting.
"What is this...?"
Baek Jincheon landed and took a step; Kim Gunja retreated exactly one step.
One step, then another.
"......"
The intent was clear.
Catch me if you can.
"...Absurd."
Boom!
Baek Jincheon's figure exploded forward.
Already distanced, Kim Gunja responded differently this time.
Shadow Walker for a swift retreat.
Baek Jincheon accelerated again, closing in.
Iliya!
Whoosh!
With Iliya's aid, Kim Gunja defied gravity and soared.
Baek Jincheon rode hot winds in pursuit.
But.
Moonlit in midair, Kim Gunja faced no restrictions.
Shadow Walker turned his form at impossible angles, rapidly pulling away.
Focusing solely on evasion, Kim Gunja was untouchable, a ghost incarnate.
And moreover.
Kim Gunja even resisted Baek Jincheon's flames, painful just to approach.
Baek Jincheon's face showed faint exasperation as the gap widened instantly.
In stark contrast, Kim Gunja's smile deepened.
As expected...
Winning was impossible, but enduring was feasible.
In this open space, catching him with shadows and Iliya wasn't easy.
Especially with Kaiser's Heart granting near-infinite mana and sustained resistance.
Time is on my side.
Unlike Baek Jincheon, Kim Gunja didn't blindly trust power; he stuck to the plan.
His goal wasn't defeating Baek Jincheon, but isolating him on the artificial island.
Until Hero Guild crumbled beyond recovery.
That's why he'd shoved Jeokwol in Baek Jincheon's face, scraping his pride.
Hero Guild was malformed.
All decisions were Baek Jincheon's diktat.
Such organizations had clear hierarchies but panicked without their head.
The higher the dependency, the faster the collapse.
And the plan was building to its climax.
Even heaven's Baek Jincheon would face an unavoidable choice.
"Single Numbers aren't all that."
At Kim Gunja's taunt from afar, white flames erupted across Baek Jincheon's body.
"...Interesting. Let's see how long that leisure lasts."
Sizzle!
With heat melting the ground, Baek Jincheon's figure vanished like a mirage.
Kim Gunja ghosted about with Zarathu and Iliya.
Under the night sky.
White flames and black shadows tangled and parted in rapid repetition.
Kim Gunja, veteran of countless tussles with Stein's shadow troops.
When it came to tag, he trusted no one more.
Not even a Single Number.