Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
The Hunt (1)
I experienced teleportation for the first time.
As the Witch had instructed, I removed the ring and threw it on the floor, and a magic circle formed as my body disappeared.
I felt my body sinking into the ground, and the moment my vision disappeared, the unfamiliar sensation made me feel uncomfortable.
However, this feeling ended in just a few seconds, and soon my vision was restored.
'This is really amazing.'
Just moments ago, I had been in a house in Japan. But now I had arrived at the Witch's research lab in Korea.
"What's that guy?"
The Witch asked, looking at Wi Jeok-cheon beside me.
"An informant."
All his joints were shattered and his tendons were severed.
I had heard the general story already, but I thought the Witch might need him too, so I brought him along.
"Are you giving him to me?"
"Do whatever you want."
I tossed him to the Witch.
"Did you get the information you wanted?"
"I'm checking it now."
After hearing that, I left the Witch's research lab.
The next morning.
The Witch came looking for me.
"Shall we compare information?"
It seemed the interrogation of Wi Jeok-cheon was complete. There was a need to compare it with the information I had heard.
The gathered information mostly matched. However, the Witch had intensively investigated parts I hadn't thought of.
"I think we've roughly established the criteria for reincarnators."
It was natural, in a way, that the hunters had a lot of information about reincarnators.
"It doesn't seem like everyone was reincarnated. Only ability users above a certain level were reincarnated."
"Then there wouldn't be as many as we thought."
"Hunter Hall estimates about 2,000 people. They seem to have dealt with about 500 currently. The hunter force is estimated to be about 500 people."
"Hunter Hall? Is that what they call the hunter headquarters?"
"Seems like it."
If 500 out of 2,000 had already been dealt with, about 1,500 remained. If 500 of them belonged to Hunter Hall, then the hunting targets numbered about 1,000.
"How big is the mage population?"
"It's not precise. About 100 belong to the hunters."
Mages weren't a very common profession. Hunter Hall had already recruited quite a lot.
'I wonder if there are about 100 who don't belong to Hunter Hall?'
I couldn't estimate yet.
"Most mages who belonged to the Empire went to Hunter Hall. Those guys are used to that sort of thing anyway. The real problem is the other mages."
The Witch brought up something I had mentioned before.
"You said Murim people don't submit easily, right? Mages originally prefer being alone. They're probably somewhere researching by themselves even now."
I discovered something strange at this point.
"The Heavenly Demon Cult hasn't killed any mages except those belonging to the Empire, right? Did the Empire guys kill the mages?"
You have to die to be reincarnated. If other mages appeared, it meant they had died.
That question was answered when I saw the Witch's expression.
"Did you kill them?"
The Witch answered as if it were obvious.
"I'm not called an Absolute for doing nothing."
She was right.
She must have been called an Absolute because she definitely did something to show her power.
"How many did you kill?"
"50 mages."
"What level were they?"
"They had territories."
Having a territory meant others didn't approach out of fear.
This alone allowed me to gauge their abilities.
"Why did you kill them?"
"To find one person. I found them on the fiftieth try."
"Who was it?"
"The dark mage who killed my family."
In the end, she had killed 50 mages for revenge.
I was curious about that story, but I didn't bother asking more.
"Alright. Let me summarize: 500 hunters, 1,000 other reincarnators, and among them 50 mages we haven't found. Is that right?"
The summary was simple, but my head became complicated.
'How many from the Heavenly Demon Cult were reincarnated?'
There would inevitably be disruptions to the plan for the Heavenly Demon Cult's revival.
"That's about all the information that guy Wi Jeok-cheon had. For more details, we'll need to catch someone higher up."
"You already know who."
There was someone who brought Wi Jeok-cheon into Hunter Hall. That was precisely the superior figure Wi Jeok-cheon had mentioned.
He was the one who would clarify the rough information.
"I'll catch that guy."
There was a high possibility he was a Murim person.
"Do that. Once my investigation is done, I'm going to America. I'm planning to raid the senior branch there."
"China for me then?"
The person Wi Jeok-cheon mentioned was in China.
His name was Wang Sa-baek.
His previous life was as the Valley Master of Poison Valley.
Poison Valley was a mysterious Murim sect, an organization that would have had no grievances with the Heavenly Demon Cult if they hadn't joined the Evil Alliance.
True to their name, they were skilled with poison and were a group all Murim people avoided.
"There's a high chance of attracting attention. You'll need to approach carefully."
The problem was Wang Sa-baek's current position within China.
Mayor of Tianjin, China.
That was Wang Sa-baek's occupation.
'There will be guards too.'
Just going and beating him up wasn't the problem, but if a Chinese mayor disappeared, it would become a huge controversy.
China wasn't far.
"I should move once Jimun Seo-saeng joins."
For now, it wasn't the time to move rashly. Since Wi Jeok-cheon had disappeared, there would be some kind of response.
"Well then, let's each do our best."
"You still have one debt left."
She was talking about the foreign language magic. It was such good magic that I didn't want to give it up.
"Tell me anytime. I'll definitely repay my debt."
Leaving those words, I left the research lab.
Jimun Seo-saeng was to join in a week.
He was attracting quite a bit of attention in America too.
It was natural since a doctor who had been captured by a terrorist organization for over 10 years had escaped.
Since Jimun Seo-saeng had his own life during that time, I decided to give him enough time to sort things out.
'I should train.'
Recently, I had been researching the next technique of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
The 8th Form, Absorbing Strike.
This was based on the internal energy operation of Object Manipulation Through Energy Projection.
Object Manipulation Through Energy Projection, one of the highest stages of internal energy, was an internal energy operation method that drew distant objects toward you.
Absorbing Strike wasn't about one object but pulling everything around me, and in actual combat, it had infinite applications.
I could disrupt an opponent's center, change the direction of sword paths, or simultaneously pull many people to deal with them all in one strike.
In fact, this Absorbing Energy Strike was the martial art that the masters who faced me feared most.
However, while the 7th Form, Strong Fist, had internal energy consumption that leaked out like water and could be controlled, the 8th Form, Absorbing Strike, was characterized by pouring out all at once like a bottomless jar.
Whether I could withstand that shock was the key.
'In the end, internal energy is the problem.'
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art itself consumed so much internal energy that even my Bone Metamorphosis internal energy couldn't endure it.
'What should I do about the Baihui acupoint?'
There was another thing that had been bothering me recently.
The second Dantian.
The Bone Metamorphosis was achieved through the lower abdomen Dantian.
I thought that as my entire body transformed, the Baihui acupoint would become the same vessel as my lower abdomen, but in reality, it wasn't.
The Baihui acupoint briefly enlarged during the Bone Metamorphosis but soon returned to its original form.
In the end, the Dantian at the Baihui acupoint remained in the state before experiencing the Bone Metamorphosis.
Even that alone was tremendously helpful in internal energy operation, but I couldn't help being greedy.
'Could the Bone Metamorphosis happen one more time?'
What would happen if the Bone Metamorphosis progressed through the Baihui acupoint?
I had been researching this recently.
'Centered on the Baihui acupoint.'
I planned to center all the internal energy needed for training on the Baihui acupoint. SWitching roles with the lower abdomen's Dantian.
I was thinking of experimenting with this right away.
SWitching the roles of the Dantians provided a peculiar experience.
At first, the amount of internal energy flowing through the energy channels was insufficient, giving me a stuffy feeling. It was probably because I had become accustomed to having undergone the Bone Metamorphosis.
But then, as the internal energy that passed through the Dantian rapidly increased, the original energy circulation became possible.
'Failure.'
The moment it passed through the Dantian, the Baihui acupoint returned to its auxiliary role.
I tried several times, but it was the same.
But if I controlled the amount at the Dantian, the training efficiency dropped.
I repeated this training all day but couldn't obtain the desired result.
'I need to find another method.'
I pondered repeatedly. Then one method came to mind.
'Should I just empty it?'
I changed my approach.
Instead, I circulated energy centered on the Dantian while gradually emptying the internal energy at the Baihui acupoint by releasing it through the fine channels.
It became a situation where the two Dantians were simultaneously performing energy circulation and energy release.
It was delicate training.
There was one energy channel, but two Dantians were trying to do separate tasks, and my body started to strain.
'Let's just burn it.'
I gave up on energy release and instead maximized the Dantian's power to enter energy circulation. While doing so, I started burning the Dantian at the Baihui acupoint.
White steam rose above my head.
The Baihui acupoint began to empty, and it changed from being a Dantian to functioning like an energy acupoint.
After 4 hours like this, effects began to appear.
Once the Baihui acupoint was completely emptied, it naturally started storing the internal energy flowing through the energy channels. It rapidly absorbed it until just before expansion, and momentarily exerted the same power as a Dantian.
The speed of energy circulation increased by a level, and white steam began to burst out throughout my entire body. Heat was rising on its own.
With a refreshing feeling, I increased the circulation speed even more.
It was a new experience.
I was absorbed in that state for a full day.
'I have to stop.'
I stopped circulating energy only when my energy channels were on the verge of damage.
Energy channels normally rise together according to the Dantian's power. But with the help of the Baihui acupoint, I had surpassed that limit. Continuing further would be excessive.
'Rest and try again.'
I released my cross-legged position and stood up.
My body was definitely lighter. It meant the training was effective.
'If I keep going like this, it'll work.'
With a happy heart, as I was about to do muscle exercises while waiting for the next training session, I received a phone call.
—Cult Leader!
It was So Iryeon.
At her urgent voice, I quickly asked back.
"What's wrong?"
—I caused an accident!
"What accident?"
—Could you please come? I don't know what to do.
I looked at the clock.
9 PM.
"Where are you?"
No matter how thoughtless So Iryeon was, she wouldn't call me for unnecessary matters.
I decided to hear the explanation on the way and asked for the location.
—At my officetel.
I called a taxi and left the house.
So Iryeon resided in an officetel near an entertainment agency in Gangnam, Seoul. It was accommodation arranged by the agency after she donated all her assets.
Although she belonged to a girl group, since it had already been formed for a long time, each member had their own accommodation. Especially So Iryeon had many solo schedules and many Chinese performances, so she got accommodation near the agency.
Despite the sun having already set in Gangnam, there were many people as if it were early evening.
I passed through them and entered So Iryeon's officetel.
It was a high-end building with good security starting from the entrance guards. It was called an officetel, but inside it was in the form of a luxury studio.
"Cult Leader, welcome."
As I entered, the first thing I saw was a collapsed man.
"What happened?"
Just looking at the situation, I couldn't understand what had happened.
"That man tried to assault me, so I hit him once."
Now I roughly understood.
But when I saw the collapsed man, I didn't understand again.
"But why is that guy alive?"
The collapsed guy had lost consciousness but was perfectly alive. Moreover, his lips were split and bleeding, but the bones weren't damaged.
"I slapped him, but he just bled and fainted."
Not all slaps are the same.
If So Iryeon had hit him in anger, not only should his jaw have shattered, but his head should have burst.
"How did that bastard get in here?"
"I let him in."
"Why?"
"Because I know him. Among the commercials I filmed, there's one called Hanjeong Group, and he's the chairman's son. He followed me to the filming site a few times and kept hitting on me."
"So you let him in?"
"At first, he said he had something to say about the commercial and came with his secretary, but only the secretary left first. I guess he planned to do this from the start."
I didn't know much about how the entertainment industry worked. I could only guess that with So Iryeon's level of appearance, such incidents would be frequent.
"Now I understand everything."
I think I knew why So Iryeon called me.
He was hit by So Iryeon and yet is alive. Then there's only one reason.
"You're saying that guy is a reincarnator?"
I stared at the collapsed man.