#38 Devil's Hand (4)
The sub quest's time limit started counting down the moment I killed the first Awakener. I had sixty minutes to take out nine more.
I'd thought it might get tight if things went wrong... but that worry seemed unfounded.
Current Progress: 8/10
Time Remaining: 47:51
It hadn't even been fifteen minutes, and I'd already hit 80% of the goal. Perfect timing, too—two of the ten Cipher criminals were still alive: the boss, Khalid, and one trembling underling.
Khalid muttered in disbelief, as if he couldn't wrap his head around it.
"How the hell... Are you guys actually from the heroes!?"
What started as mumbling turned into an accusatory demand by the end. I shot back in my usual nonchalant tone.
"Does that matter?"
He should be more worried about his own impending death than wondering if we were part of the 36 Heroes.
Truth be told, something felt off to me too. Khalid's shout wasn't aimed just at me.
The Rabbit Mask, her silver hair spotless despite the fierce battle—no drop of blood on her.
Maybe he was even more shocked by her performance.
Whoosh—
"Gahk! Cough... hack..."
The mana bolt I fired pierced the throat of the criminal who couldn't flee with his legs severed.
Current Progress: 9/10
Time Remaining: 47:23
Even as I kept an eye on Khalid, I glanced at the Rabbit Mask.
Was she... this strong?
Of course she was strong. She had to be to operate as an official Phantom member. Holding her own against an S-rank wasn't anything surprising.
Put another way: today, she'd surpassed that level with ease.
I wouldn't guarantee a win against her myself... Pure skill-wise, she was approaching 36 Heroes territory. And she hadn't even gone all out upfront. She'd focused on corralling Cipher's grunts to prevent escapes.
Yet she'd dominated like this anyway...
Two possibilities.
One: She'd been hiding most of her power until now.
Two: Her empty wish from the contract with Seo Yeon-hee tied closely to this mission—or someone connected to it.
I kept both in mind. And the second... factoring in our last meeting, it was probably less about the incident itself and more about a person. Specifically, me.
Rabbit Mask. Like the Fox Mask, another member Seo Yeon-hee hadn't revealed to me.
Who are you?
As my thoughts churned, something astonishing happened again.
Shhh—
Slash!
A mana blade, thinned to near-invisibility, severed S-rank Awakener Khalid's limbs.
With nothing left to support it, his body hit the ground. The Rabbit Mask approached.
"Grr... urk... you bastards...!"
Khalid spat venom, but suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
The Rabbit Mask's mana had sliced his vocal cords—he couldn't speak properly anymore.
She swung her hand again.
Splat!Shhh!
All his mana-using organs were neutralized. She stared down at what was essentially a corpse, then turned to me. Her blood-red eyes fixed on mine.
What was that look...?
Didn't you say you'd handle it?
I had said that. At least ten had to die by my hand.
I told her,
"Let's go."
"...Got it."
Gripping Khalid's bleeding head with one hand, I stepped out onto the main street.
No civilians in sight—they must've sensed the brutal fight. Only Awakener agents rushed in, surrounding us.
Better to handle the rest elsewhere than escalate here.
Boom!
I kicked off without a word, and the Rabbit Mask followed. Our target: that distant building.
The auction hall where the Devil's Hand was up for bids.
Kill the Evil Volume 1, 'Academy's Genius Magic Swordsman', is in progress.
Volume 1 Tags: [Academy] [Romance X] [Character Focus]
Progress: 94.7%
Clear Condition: By Volume 1's end, surpass protagonist ---'s internal attention at National Academy 1 without your Phantom affiliation being exposed.
Reward: Scaled by achievement rate.
Just 5% left to go. The end of Kill the Evil Volume 1 was near.
Endings always built anticipation. Something big was bound to happen soon.
It was nearing nine in the evening. Inside the auction hall hosted by Daemyeong Group.
Jin Yu-ri, a second-year high schooler at National Academy 1's high school division and daughter of Chairman Jin Cheol-min, sat in one corner dressed more maturely than usual. She was trying to act grown-up, but inwardly grumbling.
...Should've stayed home.
First time at an auction like this. Honestly, no fun at all—straight-up boring.
Her father had half-forced her here, saying it'd build connections later. If she'd known, she'd have left before it started.
Midterms were days away; studying at home would've been way more relaxing.
At least one solid gain...
Bet my voice didn't shake earlier.
Recalling a few hours ago, she glanced at the man seated to the hall's left.
Over 190cm tall, his suit somehow looked intimidating on that massive frame. Mouth set in a firm line, scary enough to make a kid burst into tears.
But... he was one of the top five people she admired most.
Mu Shin Han Tae-gang. Two decades ago, he'd felled the Demon Lord's army alongside his late wife. Now hailed as possibly the world's strongest, this nation's guardian deity.
Their pre-auction chat was still vivid.
'Work hard,' he'd said...
Of course she would. Become a swordsman like Lee Si-hyeok. A mage like Jeong Se-bin.
She wanted both—and without effort, dreams stayed dreams.
The hall's casual chatter quieted around then.
A black hand on a mobile pedestal, wrapped in a translucent barrier, rolled toward the stage.
Tension rippled through the room. Coughs echoed here and there.
Jin Yu-ri eyed the Devil's Hand indifferently.
Not that useful, apparently.
Her father had said so. Less practical material, more art piece to admire.
Could make A-rank gear or higher—but she had full sets at home. Too good, stunting her growth, so unused.
Lee Sea sticks to basics.
Not from lack of means. Probably better for training.
Plus, Lee Sea was frugal overall. She'd seen her agonize over 500-won burger price differences at the canteen, picking the cheaper one.
Family tradition?
From what Jin Yu-ri researched, Lee Si-hyeok and Jeong Se-bin had dueled for years using school-issued basics. Rivals aside, they'd needed top-student scholarships.
Anyway, her not decking out in high-end gear owed much to her idols 1 and 2—and their daughter.
Relations near rock-bottom, but family aside, Lee Sea topped her mindshare.
Lately, one more.
Professor Lee Dojin...
Lee Sea's brother. Magic Engineering professor.
For her: face alone startled; speaking blanked her mind; now invading dreams.
Over three weeks, worsening.
It's not like I like him...
Her "expertise" was hearsay and movies, but she knew this much.
Not some fluffy crush.
Every encounter: cold sweat down her spine, heart pounding. Hardly love.
So... not love. Just... drawn to him.
She didn't want it.
E-grade Rift overnight vs. 3-night-4-day cozy trip with him? She'd pick Rift, no hesitation.
Stock food/potions, prep thoroughly... a day'd be fine. Way better than four days stuck with him.
Ignoring the rice-giver, she pondered a pointless hypothetical until realizing her daze.
"...Ah."
She shook her head, refocusing.
The host finished introducing the Devil's Hand, about to start bidding.
All Lee Sea and Professor Lee Dojin's fault.
Even inwardly, she couldn't drop honorifics. Time to concentrate—last item, then home for backlog studying.
And...
Rumble—
A vibrating roar echoed. Not inside—from outside.
Thud, ruuuumble—
Growing louder.
A hunter rushed to Han Tae-gang, whispering. He frowned briefly, issued orders. Five or six hunters moved out.
"Esteemed guests, our deepest apologies. The auction will be briefly delayed. A minor issue outside— we'll resume after a ten-minute break. Thank you for your understanding."
The host sounded flustered but composed.
Murmurs of unease rose. Jin Cheol-min eyed Jin Yu-ri.
What's up?
Not minor, whatever it was. She slipped from her seat toward the edge.
Saw hunters hurrying out; her father followed, voice grave.
"Listen to Dad, sweetie. Terrorists outside—"
That instant.
Boom!
Hunters exiting the hall hit an invisible wall.
A leisurely feminine laugh echoed through.
Then...
Shimmer...
Three mists wavered in midair.
Rear exit, front sides— all outward paths sealed by encroaching fog... thickening.
From the gaps emerged three masked shadows.
A dragon-like mask.
A bright fox-inspired mask.
A ornate, masquerade-style mask.
Snap.
"Hngh!"
Civilians gasped. Sudden mana pressure blanketed the space.
Awakeners endured, but then the Fox Mask flicked her hand.
"Urk..."
Even Awakeners froze.
Not their will. Fox Mask's power restrained them.
Someone rasped,
"Phantom."
"Phantom? Them?"
Jin Yu-ri eyed the masks.
The terrorist group, infamous lately after killing Iron Fist Yeom Ui-jun.
Right—they wore masks on missions.
Then Han Tae-gang stepped forward.
"Hup—!"
A low grunt. But the impact was immense.
KABOOM—!
Dragon Mask's mana, Fox Mask's restraint—gone in a flash.
Strolling out, he said,
"You've lost your fear."
The apparent leader—a woman in the ornate mask—approached, lips smiling slyly beneath it.
And just before clash...
Bang!
Rear doors burst open. A plain White Mask and Rabbit Mask entered.
White Mask held a crimson object—human torso-sized.
Is that...?
Realizing, Jin Yu-ri gaped...
Splat!
Dull burst. White Mask crushed it.
Seeing it, Han Tae-gang intoned,
"I'll capture you and make you pay."
Boom!
He thrust his fist.
Around then, out with friends for the first time in ages, Lee Sea felt her phone vibrate.
Bzzz...
Screen lit: Awakener-exclusive alert app.
A dire warning message glowed.