Let's Go on a Thrilling Journey
A soul vanishes if it receives a blow. The precursor to that vanishing is the pale color of the soul turning red. And every time that happened, Yu-shin’s Magi would caress Kuma’s soul, turning the red back to a pale, ghostly hue. At first, Kuma had held on with the haughty pride of a general, but as the same moment repeated over ten times, a sense of crisis began to creep in.
The demon-looking bastard in front of him was hitting him repeatedly with a gloomy smile, as if he were enjoying the situation. And every time Cheon Yu-shin, who was playing a mobile game in the back, reached out with an annoyed expression, Kuma’s body—no, his soul—would recover. The vision that had been blurring would snap back into focus. What kind of hellish situation was this?
[Just kill me already!]
But Cheon Yu-shin silently focused on his mobile game, tapping away with his fingers as if he hadn't heard a thing.
After the pale soul had turned red five more times, Kuma finally let out a sigh and began to speak.
[Fine, it’s true. We did it.]
Only then did Cheon Yu-shin’s gaze shift toward Kuma. Kuma began to hesitate. This was the organization he had belonged to his entire life. Instinctively, he faltered at the thought of confessing everything about them. But his mental strength was already depleted from the continuous cycle of assault and healing. Everything began to spill from his lips. The secrets of Ninja Assassin, and even the motive behind the assassination attempt on Cheon Yu-shin.
Park Hae-soo had been right.
“So, it was a guy named Seiko, then?”
[That’s right. It seems he was resentful of what you did to him.]
Is that so. Now that the culprit was confirmed, all that was left was to move.
As Yu-shin stood up, Kuma asked.
[So, what are you going to do?]
“What do you mean, what am I going to do? The answer is already out there.”
Coldness permeated Yu-shin’s voice. “First, I’ll start by eradicating that place called Ninja Assassin that dared to touch me.”
Kuma’s eyes widened.
[The client is a guy named Seiko. Why would you go after them...]
Yu-shin, looking down at Kuma, spoke with an expressionless face.
“Well, they shouldn't have touched me. Accepting the contract was their first mistake. If you commit a crime, you have to pay the price, don't you?”
As Kuma opened his mouth as if to protest, Yu-shin waved his hand dismissively. The soul began to turn transparent rapidly.
“Someone from the afterlife shouldn't be meddling in the affairs of this world. So, get lost.”
The business was finished, so there was no need to face the guy anymore. Once Kuma’s soul vanished, he sent the Imp away as well. Left alone, Cheon Yu-shin called Team Leader Park Hae-soo. The call connected immediately, as if he had been waiting.
-Are you safe?
Tension was buried in Park Hae-soo’s voice.
“There’s a corpse in front of me right now. Please handle it so there are no problems.”
A sigh of relief leaked from the other end of the line.
-Don’t worry about that.
“Just as you expected, Team Leader, the place called Ninja Assassin messed with the plane.”
-As expected...
“Look into a flight to Japan for me. So I can go.”
-Are you really going?
“Of course I have to go. If you touch me, you have to pay the price.”
-Hoo... I understand. I’ll create a new identity for you. And we’ll start working on the media on our end as well.
“Well, don’t overdo it.”
-Don’t worry about that.
After hanging up, Cheon Yu-shin’s eyes turned cold.
“Let’s start with Ninja Assassin first.”
Tamagochi sighed as he watched Takeshi biting his fingernails.
“I did some investigating, and it’s definitely malicious. You know Takeshi, right?”
Takeshi. He was a first-generation hunter. He had helped and rescued many people. His name, often called the symbol of Japanese hunters, was synonymous with justice and courage. Everyone loved him. But fate was cruel. A video containing his private life was leaked. The content of the video was the exact opposite of his known track record. Society was shocked, and the media hounded him. The citizens who had praised him turned their backs. Thus, Takeshi fell silent. And one day, people received shocking news: he had taken his own life at home.
“But why bring up Takeshi all of a sudden?”
Tamagochi clicked his tongue inwardly. He was five years older than Seiko. And because of his rude attitude, not even using honorifics toward a hunter who was his senior.
“It’s a similar case to the one where you were threatened this time. He, too, was threatened by someone. To be honest, the best we can do is give them the money. If that video is released...”
Tamagochi paused for a moment.
“You’re finished. You’ll be buried. You won’t be able to show your face in Japan anymore. Even if you are an A-class hunter.”
Seiko’s face twisted like a demon’s.
“Hyung! Do you have any idea how much money that bastard is demanding? It’s a whopping 500 million dollars! 500 million! You want me to just give it to him? Are you crazy, Hyung?! Is that why I made you my manager?”
“Haa... I don’t like this situation either. But what can I do when there are no other options? If that gets out, all the attention you get as a national hunter will turn into anti-fan sentiment. Can you handle that?”
A heavy silence descended upon the room. Then, Seiko opened his mouth in a heavy voice.
“...Hyung, should I just report it to the police?”
Tamagochi said sternly.
“Are you crazy?! The moment you report it to the police, everything will be revealed. That would be you confessing with your own hands to what you did in Taiwan! Absolutely not the police!”
He placed a hand on Seiko’s shoulder.
“Everything could collapse. Let’s do as I say this time. Huh? You’re an A-class hunter. 500 million dollars is money you can earn if you work your ass off for a few years. Right?”
“No, dammit, but still, it’s 500 million dollars.”
Seiko was already on the verge of tears.
Entering Japan was easier than expected. For Cheon Yu-shin, who had a forged passport and a completely different face through Illusion Magic. And he moved straight to the place he had heard about from Kuma.
Cheon Yu-shin stood in front of a high-rise building in a bustling downtown area. He wasn't hiding deep in some mountain. This modern structure, packed with glass, was the headquarters of the assassins living in the 21st century.
“So they were hiding in a place like this.”
A mutter escaped Cheon Yu-shin’s lips. Is this what they call "the darkest place is under the candle"? Or, perhaps the fact that they were so openly in the middle of the city meant there might be some invisible support from the state.
The sign at the building entrance read Global Travel, an ordinary travel agency name. A smile played on Yu-shin’s lips. It was the perfect disguise. Who would ever think that assassins were hiding inside this ordinary building?
“Shall we go have some fun?”
With a smirk, Cheon Yu-shin began to walk into the building.
While South Korea was engulfed in shock over Cheon Yu-shin’s death, mysterious news articles began to surface one by one.
Hunter Cheon Yu-shin’s Death, Was It Actually a Planned Assassination?
Sudden Plane Explosion, Coincidence or Planned Crime?
Hunter Cheon Yu-shin Was Murdered. Behind It Was a Japanese Assassination Group!
If it had been just one article, it wouldn't have received much attention. But as the articles poured out simultaneously, as if coordinated in advance, the public’s attention was instantly focused.
The reactions of netizens spread explosively, as if gasoline had been poured on a fire. Thanks to this, the Japanese side also responded with unusual speed. The headlines of the articles they put out were equally unyielding.
Official! Japanese Government Strongly Denies 'Modern-day Ninjas', Calls It Groundless Rumors.
South Korea and Japan began to face off in a tense confrontation.
The building consisted of 10 floors in total. Looking at the information board next to the elevator, the status of each floor was written down. The first floor was the lobby, the second through ninth floors were offices, and the last was the president’s office. As soon as he entered the second floor, a young female employee greeted Yu-shin with a gentle voice. Behind her, he could see yellow wallpaper, photos of world tourist attractions hanging here and there, and office workers typing away at their monitors. There were quite a few. About 30 people? Their neatly dressed appearance was that of ordinary people. The kind you could see anywhere on the street. Just then, the female employee spoke to Yu-shin.
“Hello. Customer, what kind of trip are you planning?”
“Hmm... well. I haven't really decided yet.”
“Aha... do you perhaps need a consultation?”
“Yes. I’m looking for a very special trip.”
Yu-shin winked. At his answer, the employee’s eyes sparkled.
“Ah! I see. Our travel agency provides customized trips that suit the customer’s tastes. What kind of special trip are you looking for...?”
Just then, Yu-shin’s eyes gleamed dangerously.
“I’m looking for a very thrilling trip. For example, a battle where we try to take each other’s lives, something like that?”
“...Yes? What are you talking about?”
The employee’s eyes widened.
“I’m Cheon Yu-shin.”
“...Yes?”
At that moment, the fingers of the office workers typing on their keyboards stopped. Their gazes focused on Yu-shin. In an instant, the atmosphere in the office turned tense.
“I said I’m Cheon Yu-shin.”
As Yu-shin lowered his mask to his chin, the employee’s pupils trembled.
“H-how?”
Smirk.
A smile spread across Yu-shin’s lips.
“You guys are Ninja Assassin, right?”
Bang!
At that moment, a pistol with a silencer fired from somewhere. At the same time, Yu-shin ducked as if he had expected it. The flower vase next to him shattered into pieces.
“The customer service here is fantastic, isn't it?”
Mockery was buried in Yu-shin’s voice. The employee’s hand quickly moved to her chest pocket. What she pulled out was a ballpoint pen—no, a sharp dagger disguised as a pen. She tried to plunge the dagger into Yu-shin’s heart. But it was already too late. Crunch! Yu-shin’s fist had already smashed the employee’s head. White brain matter splattered onto Yu-shin’s face. But Yu-shin didn't even blink. Instead, he wore a gruesome smile.
Was that the signal? Someone pulled out a dagger hidden under their keyboard. Another pulled a gun from a flowerpot. The employee next to the copier put her hand inside it and pulled out a claymore. The employee in front of the coffee vending machine smashed the door and pulled out a giant bow. In an instant, the appearance of ordinary office workers changed into that of cruel assassins. Everyone’s eyes flashed with murderous intent, and it all converged on one place. Cheon Yu-shin, who was still smiling.
“Now, let’s go on a thrilling journey.”
As soon as those words ended, the travel agency office instantly turned into a battlefield.