Making an Accomplice 2
—BOOM! The air itself grew heavy. A primal terror, as if a massive predator had appeared right before us.
“Gah! W-what the hell!” Park Cheol-woo and his goons collapsed to the floor. Every Hunter below B-rank foamed at the mouth and passed out.
The intimidation radiating from the Dragon Heart. No mere human could withstand that aura.
“Alright, time to clean up the trash.” I kicked off the floor.
—THUD!
A one-sided massacre. Park Cheol-woo bared his fangs and spewed poison mist.
That's all you got?
My dragon-blood-enhanced body didn't even get scratched.
“Gurk! Sp-spare...” The Third Branch Chief, Park Cheol-woo, now lay crushed beneath my foot, a bloody pulp.
“Vault code.”
“7... 729... 4.”
“Thanks.” I knocked him out and approached the massive vault.
“Plenty of time.” I spun the vault dial. With a heavy clunk, the door swung open to reveal stacks of 50,000-won bills and gold bars piled like mountains.
“Jackpot.”
Inventory is full.
Space expansion required.
The Porter trait (Rank: F) had clear limits.
“Adel, you cast that space expansion spell on the coat, right?”
—Of course! The pockets I made are black-hole level! Sweep 'em all in!
I frantically shoveled the cash bundles into my coat pockets. Eyeballing it, at least 5 billion won, plus magic stones and artifacts.
This'll cover Adel's research funding and let me boss her around for a while.
I left a prepared note inside the now-empty vault.
[Crime proceeds will be used for good causes. - Your Friendly Neighborhood Lee Han]
“Let's bounce.” I took the elevator to the rooftop.
Cool night wind slapped my face. Below, police cars and Hunter Association vehicles wailed as they arrived.
And behind them... a familiar limousine slid in, radiating golden aura.
Saintess Isha von Estelle.
“One step late again, Isha.” I stood on the railing, looking down at her.
She must've seen the note I left at the Western Magic Library and rushed here.
Isha stepped out and looked up, locking eyes with me. Even from afar, I could tell. Her lips formed the words, “I'll kill you.”
I gave her a two-finger salute.
“Catch you later, Saintess.”
—Hey!! Hurry!! Engine's running!!
Adel's beat-up van screeched to a halt in the alley. I leaped lightly onto it and got sucked into the passenger seat.
“Floor it.”
“Waaah! I'm a real accomplice now! No turning back!”
Adel made a tearful face but slammed the accelerator. The van roared into the darkness.
Backseat overflowed with cash-stuffed bags, genius mage at the wheel.
“Perfect.”
Always one step behind. Just the interval I wanted.
The world's strongest was chasing me.
“Adel, want pizza?”
“...Pepperoni?”
“Extra pepperoni, cheese crust.”
“Deal.”
Crying one second, laughing the next. With this simple, easy-to-handle partner.
I sped toward the next destination.
That van that raided the Black Moon branch and bounced earlier? It's cruising Gangbyeonbuk-ro right now, windows down, filming a pizza mukbang. Purple-haired girl next to him (prob Adel) stretching cheese like a freakin' rope, face like she owns the world. Kidnapping? That the face of a kidnap victim? lol
Racing van. Savory cheese and salty pepperoni scents filled the air.
“Hngaaah! Pepperoni! Cheese crust!”
“Ugh, shut up!”
Adel screamed in ecstasy, pizza in both hands. Tomato sauce smeared her mouth, but the empire's grand mage had zero dignity left.
“That good, huh?”
“Yes! Ungh! Insane! Worlds apart from the cup ramen I scarfed in the lab!”
Post-pizza swap seats. I gripped the wheel one-handed, glancing at Adel devouring from the passenger seat.
So simple. Too simple—almost guilty.
But deals must be sealed. I pulled a thick stack of 50,000-won bills from my coat pocket and tossed it to her.
—Thud.
“Here, your cut.”
Adel's eyes bulged mid-chew. She wiped greasy hands on her clothes and grabbed it.
“What's this?”
“Payment.”
“Huh?”
She alternated stares between the cash and me, then pouted.
“Hey! Joke? You know my 3-year golem budget? Mithril prices skyrocketed—5 bil per unit! And you think this covers it? Rates don't match!”
Genius with numbers, as expected. Eyes forward, I floored it.
“Who said that's it? Down payment.”
“Down payment?”
“Yeah. Peanuts compared to what we'll rake in. Buy some tasty shit for now. Balance later.”
Adel pursed her lips but hugged the stack tight, biting into more pizza.
“Hng. Fine. But with compound interest.”
“Obviously. Loan-shark levels.”
Naive? Dumb? I cheered inwardly. Hired (enslaved) the continent's top mage for pocket change.
“Bellies full. Shopping time.”
“Shopping? Who we robbing now?”
“Nah. Legit buy this time.”
I turned into an alley.
“Owner just stepped out.”
Seoul outskirts. Shuttered strip mall on the brink of closure. No proper sign, but basement level 1 was a holy site for insiders.
[Hall of Hobbies]
Door locked, but Adel's lockpick (physical) spell fixed that.
“Whoa... whoaaa.”
Adel's jaw dropped underground. Dust-covered display cases gleamed with colorful figures and merch like treasures.
“H-heaven?”
Her eyes sparkled brighter than during magic research, scanning shelves.
Had to admit—the owner was legit. Rare items piled high.
“Pick what you want. My treat today.”
“For real? No take-backs!”
Adel shrieked, rampaging the store. I stacked bill bundles on the counter—enough to buy the whole place.
Owner'll faint later. Thinks robbed, gets money rain instead.
Then—
“KyaAAaAaH!!”
Adel's scream from the corner. I drew my dagger and bolted.
“What? Enemy?”
“L-look! This!!”
She pointed to a glass case enshrining one figure.
◈ Round eyes, cute wings. Hatchling form of that dragon pup I killed.
“Even the Saintess couldn't snag this! Auction started at 10 bil, got canceled—legendary listing!”
Adel rubbed her face on the glass in bliss.
“Haa... haa... Dessoir best girl. Prettier than my 3-year golem budget.”
“Tasteful.”
I shook my head. That future world-eater, in otaku form.
But hey, easy to handle.
“Grab it too.”
“Love you! Master! No, partner!”
I added equivalent cash to the counter.
Deal done. As Adel reached for the case—
Intuition (Rank: A) warns.
[Overwhelming presence approaching.]
Chills down my spine. That familiar, nauseating feeling.
“Shh.”
I clamped Adel's mouth and dove behind the case into shadows.
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
I held firm.
“Quiet. We get caught, we die.”
My whisper widened her eyes. She felt it too.
The terrifying mana wave descending the stairs.
—Clack.Clack.
Heeled steps hidden under holy robes shredded the basement silence. Each step burned the oxygen from the air, pressure crashing down.
—Clack.Clack.
Golden holy power from the entrance swept like a searchlight, shadows of dusty figures stretching to strangle us.
Saintess Isha von Estelle.
She was here.
How? Park Cheol-woo interrogation should've taken longer.
I held my breath, peeking through case gaps. Her face cold, eyes oddly shaken.
Oddly—no escorts. Alone.
—Clack.Clack.
Isha prowled slowly. Less hunter stalking prey, more tragic heroine seeking lost love—precarious.
Her fingertips brushed each Dessoir doll on display.
Please, just leave.
Her shadow fell over our hiding case. One meter away. White robe hem visible through the gap.
Heartbeat thundered in my ears. Adel trembled like a leaf in my arms.
Isha's steps halted.
“...Ah.”
A sigh. She'd stopped right at the central case housing the drool-stained Desolatus limited edition.
“So... this is where you were.”
Her hand trembled against the glass. The cherished memory fragment she'd sought desperately.
Enraptured, she eyed the lock.
“Auction canceled back then... so disappointing.”
Moisture in her voice. Resolved, she reached carefully for the case door.
That instant—
Something in my arms snapped.
Wait.
I gripped harder, but otaku superstrength facing fave char limited edition? Uncontrollable.
“Mmmph!!”
Adel twisted like she’d bite my hand off. Faint but clear noise.
“......?”
Isha, smashing the lock and opening the door, froze mid-air.
Silence. Suffocating.
She didn't turn. Slowly. So slowly. Bent at the waist, peering under the case.
Through the glass, her bloodshot red eyes met ours head-on.
“......Found you, rats.”
Life-or-death moment.
A faint smile crept across my face.
This'll speed up recruiting Adel.