Oresik: The Technique You'll Master
"Oresik. That's the technique you'll be learning from me from now on."
I felt chills racing across my entire body as I watched the feat unfolding right before my eyes.
Of course, it wasn't the first time I'd seen this skill. I'd witnessed Gwak Chunsik's wide-area ultimate, Dogyacheongcheong, a few times in the game. You forge a sword from aura, thrust it forward, then blanket the surroundings in your own aura, annihilating everything within range.
In the game, I'd just thought of it as a flashy effect. But witnessing its majesty up close like this? It surpassed imagination.
Had I ever seen a technique this powerful in real life? No, absolutely not. My father and Parnello had never demonstrated their full abilities in front of me.
Which meant the technique I'd just witnessed was the strongest I'd ever laid eyes on.
"Ha, judging by your face, you're pretty shocked."
Gwak Chunsik's stern, grandmaster expression reverted to that of an irritating old man.
"Honestly, yeah, I am. But that's not your ultimate move or anything, right?"
"Ha, you think I'd teach you my secret right off the bat? I'll hold onto it until you're tempted to run, then teach it when the time's right. No need to worry."
"Why would I run?"
I haven't even extracted the good stuff yet.
I swallowed the latter half and spoke. Gwak Chunsik smirked.
"Good, as long as you don't run. Let's check if there's anything worth taking and grab only what's necessary before we head out."
With that, he turned toward where the Kobold Queen had been.
We entered the boss room and scanned the surroundings for unique items, but as expected from a freshly created dungeon, there was nothing noteworthy.
"Does the Association handle the byproducts?"
"Yeah, they usually collect them and wire a limited fee to my account. Why, got a share this time? Want me to split it with you?"
"I've got plenty of money."
"......Tch, rich kids from wealthy families never know the value of money."
It's just kobold dungeon scraps—how valuable could they be?
"Instead, could you do me one simple favor?"
"......A favor? So it's not that you don't know money's value—you're after something even more precious. Eh, fine, spit it out."
"Well......"
* * *
As we retraced our steps out of the dungeon, two Association staff members and the employee who'd escorted us here rushed out from the tent.
"Already done?"
"Yeah. Nothing to it. Good work."
"Thank you for your efforts, sir. And you, young disciple. We'll take you straight back to your residence now."
The staff member reached for mine and Gwak Chunsik's hands, just like when we'd arrived.
But Gwak Chunsik pulled his hand back with a shudder.
"I'll pass. My stomach's churning just enough as it is...... I'll walk home like old times today."
"I... see. Well, if that's the case. Will you walk too, young disciple?"
"No. The elder pushed me hard in the dungeon to test my skills, so I'm a bit worn out...... Mind waiting a moment while I rest? If it's not too much trouble."
The staff member paused at my words, then nodded.
"Sure, that's fine. Helping with your transport is my job, after all."
"Then we'll go sort out the internal byproducts and scout. Thank you both so much."
The two staff headed back into the dungeon for their duties. Once Gwak Chunsik had descended the mountain first, leaving just me and the staff member......
I slowly opened my mouth.
"......Elusive Phantom. Did the Miner arrive safely?"
"Pardon?"
The sudden cryptic phrase baffled him. But his eyes widened at words no Seoul Hero Academy student would utter.
Shin-chul-gwi-mol. One of Korea's infamous villains, using spatial teleportation for heists and vanishing without a trace. He'd been off the grid for years—and now he stood before me disguised as Association staff.
How did I know? Nothing impressive. I'd just faced him and seen his ability activate, triggering his identity in my vision.
A new entry has been added to the Character Compendium!
"Hiding from the sun behind the clouds. Now that it's just us, no need to hide anymore."
To prevent him from bolting in suspicion, I first uttered the Villain Union's code phrase. It was what they used at this point in the game, so it should still hold.
Sure enough, the tension drained from his body as he prepared to flee.
"How does Gwak Chunsik's disciple know that......?"
"Doesn't it make sense, working as his handler? Shadows are everywhere. You think an ordinary person could become his disciple?"
I flashed a grin. My notoriety from academy incidents had turned into charm via my trait [Bad Boy], inspiring trust.
But it wasn't enough; suspicion lingered in his eyes. Probably his cautious nature. The type to test every stepping stone before teleporting across.
That was the Elusive Phantom. It had kept him free all these years.
I sighed and continued.
"Anyak. My villain alias."
"Y-You're Anyak? But they say Anyak never shows his face......?"
"Do I look like my true self right now?"
I emphasized, and he flinched.
The Villain Union's legendary assassin, 'Anyak'. Even he feared the name.
Of course, he was far from peak, letting me borrow the reputation.
"Why seek me out?"
"Reason I'm here? Funny. The reason......"
I approached slowly, slipping on gloves.
"Not that important, but I'll tell you."
Standing before him, I smiled.
"Because otherwise, you'd bolt, you little shit."
"You son of a──"
He spun, mana flaring to escape—but
"You can't go anywhere."
I unleashed the pent-up aura I'd gathered facing him. His mana scattered instantly.
"......What the hell?"
"Heard something from the elder on the way out. Looks like it works perfectly."
Gwak Chunsik said my uncontrolled aura dominated by shredding and repelling surroundings.
The new description—"Dominates and strengthens the user's equipment and skills"—confirmed it had a dominating property.
Key was dominating nearby space. Disrupting his mana with my aura prevented casual escapes.
"You're a villain too! So why try to catch me?!"
He backed away, yelling.
Why catch him? For the reward, obviously.
The quest window that popped up when we first met.
Hunting the Elusive Villain
📍 The villain known as Elusive Phantom, Gong Gyowon, lurks in the Association as a spy extracting intel. His spatial magic has evaded capture for years. As a Seoul Hero Academy student and hitman, can you hunt this prey?
🎁 Objective: Subdue or kill Elusive Phantom Gong Gyowon.
🎁 Reward: Enhancement to trait [Hitman].
A trait enhancement? No way I'd pass that up.
"Gotta catch you for the reward, you mob trash."
I charged, swinging my fist. He flared mana for teleport, but as my fist neared, it fizzled again, leaving him stunned.
"You little──"
Bam!
His body flew back with the impact.
"Kahk!"
He summoned wind behind to minimize damage and regain balance. External mana for movement magic differed from internal activation—he realized internal spells still worked.
"Damn brat! Who the hell are you to block me?!"
Flames erupted in his hands as he fully saw me as an enemy, face twisted, lunging.
"Told you at our first meeting? Disciple of Elder Gwak Chunsik."
Aura cloaked my fist, decomposing his magic on contact with my gloved hand. Midas' Touch, basically.
Against a non-combat mage, sure—but this gave me the edge over mages.
"I'm Association! You think I'll let this slide without proof you're a villain?!"
"Proof? Don't need proof when there's a witness. Right, Elder?"
From the trees nearby, Gwak Chunsik—who'd said he'd head home first—emerged, chuckling in disbelief.
"At first, I thought it was nonsense...... But I heard him confess he's a villain myself. Gotta believe it now."
"This psycho......"
With Gwak Chunsik here, his odds plummeted. But I didn't want him giving up yet, so I reassured him.
"Elder won't interfere. Worst case, if you try running, aura through the throat. You're just my punching bag to test results today."
"I'm...... a punching bag?"
"What else to call someone who only runs scared? Sensitive spot?"
"You punk...... I'm Elusive Phantom! Not some dummy for you!"
"Mage, huh? All talk?"
"I'll kill you!"
His arms aimed at me. Even as a spatial specialist in the Villain Union, he had more tricks.
Light burst from his arms—countless purple bullets barraging me.
That speed and density? They'd shred me before decomposing.
Only option: minimal dodges to reduce hits.
Decision made, I released aura around me and advanced.
Like water droplets curving around heat, the bullets' paths bent. I slipped through gaps, closing in slowly.
Punched away lethal ones, took grazes on the rest.
My cadet uniform tore here and there—whatever, buy a new one.
"In the end, all you can do is run."
Harder to dodge up close, but recalling Gwak Chunsik's aura control from the dungeon, I maneuvered mine.
He condensed his solidly before dispersing to targets.
What if I forced my unstable aura to condense?
Kiiiiing—grrrrk!
The red aura around my fist trembled violently, emitting eerie sounds, encroaching on space like devouring flames.
Bullets touching it didn't bend—they vanished.
One issue, though......
"Can't subdue with this."
Even I could barely control it.
"Please keep your form intact."
Crunch!
My fist slammed his heart. His form crumpled.