Chapter 11
Chapter 11
‘I didn’t expect this guy to contact me first.’
Lee Jeon-seok looked at Kim Baek-dong.
He was somewhat familiar with him.
The future.
More precisely, it was someone he had known in his previous life.
Back when he was obsessed with revenge and relentlessly hunting the Yeomyeong Association.
By chance, Lee Jeon-seok had encountered Kim Baek-dong, and they had exchanged information, gradually building a level of acquaintance.
‘I had originally planned to level up slowly…’
But there was no longer a need for that.
It was all because of Kim Baek-dong’s presence.
With the authority he held, even an F-rank like Lee Jeon-seok could be recruited into his team as a mercenary.
Then he could participate not only in higher-level villains and dungeons but also in large-scale operations organized by the Association.
So Lee Jeon-seok packaged his knowledge as a “prediction of the future” and reversed the offer toward Kim Baek-dong.
“I have seen a future where the Association conducts a villain extermination operation and suffers around 420 casualties. Of course, civilians are among them as well.”
“……”
Kim Baek-dong pressed his lips tightly together at Lee Jeon-seok’s words.
Currently, 254 hunters were scheduled to participate in the operation.
In other words.
That meant an equivalent number of civilians would die.
“You will lose an arm in that operation as well, Kim Baek-dong.”
Kim Baek-dong instinctively touched his shoulder.
He shrank back slightly at Lee Jeon-seok’s gaze.
Even as an SS-rank hunter, he was overwhelmed by someone who had just become a hunter.
‘…This is ridiculous.’
Kim Baek-dong swallowed a dry laugh inwardly.
He asked quietly, “Do you have any proof that what you say is true?”
“Not right now,” Lee Jeon-seok replied.
“But,” he continued, “it can be proven.”
“What do you mean…”
“Five minutes.”
Lee Jeon-seok held up five fingers.
“In exactly five minutes, the Meteorological Agency will send an earthquake warning. Magnitude five, location Incheon.”
Kim Baek-dong stared at him intently.
There was nothing even slightly deceitful in his eyes.
The certainty in his expression only made Kim Baek-dong uneasy.
“If it turns out to be false… I would have no choice but to hand you over to the Association as a criminal.”
This was a leak.
Confidential information that even the top officials in the Association were aware of.
It was not something to take lightly.
“I don’t care.”
Even so, Lee Jeon-seok remained completely confident.
Soon, five minutes passed.
Kim Baek-dong checked his phone and—
Bzzt!
The alarm went off like a ghost.
A message from the Meteorological Agency arrived.
The contents matched exactly what Lee Jeon-seok had said.
‘Does he really have future prediction ability?’
No matter how much he thought, it was hard to believe.
Kim Baek-dong had seen every kind of awakened ability, but he had never witnessed one related to time.
Much less an ability to predict the future…
Yet, despite Kim Baek-dong’s skepticism, Lee Jeon-seok had used the idea of “future prediction” to inform him of major events from his previous life that anyone could have known.
And everything had come true down to the last detail.
“In exactly three minutes, a villain with a gigantism trait will start rampaging here.”
Lee Jeon-seok continued quietly.
If his words—or rather, his future vision—were true.
‘The world will change.’
The confrontation between villains and hunters.
The relationship between the government and the Association.
Conflicts among guilds, offices, and unaffiliated hunters.
All of it would shift.
And it would shift in a way beneficial to the organization he belonged to.
“……”
“……”
The two men fell silent.
Even those around them could not move under Kim Baek-dong’s imposing presence.
Only the ticking of the clock pierced the stillness.
Time passed.
Kim Baek-dong checked his wristwatch.
‘Three minutes.’
The promised three minutes had passed.
“Lee Jeon-seok…”
Kim Baek-dong began to speak.
Bang!
A sudden, loud explosion rang out.
“No way…”
Kim Baek-dong looked out the window in shock.
A 5-meter-tall figure resembling a monster was rampaging in the streets of Yeongdeungpo.
Judging by its massive size, its ability was likely gigantism.
Exactly as Lee Jeon-seok had said.
The situation, the figure, the ability.
Everything matched.
‘…Absurd.’
Kim Baek-dong looked over at Lee Jeon-seok.
It was still hard to believe.
But he had no choice but to accept it.
Lee Jeon-seok had already shown him proof.
“This should prove the ability to predict the future…”
Suddenly.
Lee Jeon-seok jumped up from his seat.
He drew a sword from his side.
A gray, blunt-edged short sword.
“Should I assume the interview involves subduing that guy?”
Lee Jeon-seok asked quietly, as if seeking permission.
Kim Baek-dong nodded without realizing it.
Was it because he was intimidated by Lee Jeon-seok’s presence?
His aura was truly overwhelming.
Eyes dark as if filled with congealed blood.
A presence so alien and grotesque that it could not be explained as a simple trait.
But that wasn’t the only reason Kim Baek-dong nodded.
Lee Jeon-seok had cleared a C-rank dungeon alone, and his talent had been recommended by Anya Ivanov.
Kim Baek-dong wanted to witness it firsthand.
‘Future prediction ability combined with exceptional combat skill…’
If all of this was real.
‘I must capture him.’
A talent that could not be missed.
No, not just a talent.
A jewel.
The brightest diamond among them.
“Then.”
Lee Jeon-seok sliced his sword against his palm and stepped out of the cafe.
Soon.
Kim Baek-dong witnessed the true extent of Lee Jeon-seok’s power with his own eyes.
In the middle of Yeongdeungpo streets.
The 5-meter giant rampaged.
“P-please! Help me!”
“Ahhh!”
Screams echoed from all around.
Lee Jeon-seok drew the blood-soaked sword.
The blade sharpened, stained with deep crimson.
Gripping it in one hand, he faced the giant villain.
“What are you—!”
A thick, clumsy voice matched the giant’s size.
Lee Jeon-seok did not respond.
He simply assumed a stance, gripping his sword.
“Hunter!”
At that moment, the villain let out a monstrous roar.
He swung both arms widely.
“Die!!”
Was it the effect of his trait?
His speech had become clumsy.
Whoosh!
Lee Jeon-seok dodged swiftly.
The fists came diagonally from above.
He passed beneath them, avoiding the attack.
The speed was not slow, but…
‘His massive body makes his openings obvious.’
Lee Jeon-seok circled behind him.
He pushed off the ground and leaped high.
Rotating 180 degrees with agility.
He placed his left hand on the villain’s head as if standing upside down in the air.
And then.
Flare.
Flames erupted.
“Arrgh!!”
The scream pierced the air.
From head to toe.
The fire consumed him instantly.
“It hurts! Aahhh!!”
The villain thrashed in pain.
Whoosh.
A strong gust of wind blew.
His body lost balance.
Lee Jeon-seok adjusted his angle calmly.
Straight on.
Their eyes met for a brief moment, as if time had stopped.
Lee Jeon-seok moved his right arm.
From left to right.
Slash.
The sword cut through the villain’s neck.
A scarlet line tore through the air.
Blood burst out explosively.
Lee Jeon-seok brushed away the flying blood and landed gracefully.
He quickly put distance between them.
But.
‘…Strange.’
Lee Jeon-seok frowned.
The reason was obvious.
The villain’s condition.
“It hurts! I said it hurts!!”
The giant rampaged wildly.
Destroying everything in his path.
The asphalt was torn up, and stray cats were crushed beyond recognition.
The neck had clearly been cut.
The artery too.
Yet, the villain showed no sign of collapsing.
Alive despite the wounds.
‘The injuries are healing.’
Hair burned to ash.
Torn muscles and charred skin.
All regenerating slowly.
The sight of a villain surviving and regenerating in flames was bizarre beyond measure.
It was as if watching a sinner in eternal hell.
Perhaps a side effect of gigantism.
Not as powerful as an ogre, but the wounds healed rapidly.
Yet.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
The sword absorbed the blood.
Its attack power increased.
Sharpened further, combined with flame, its lethality soared.
“People…! I must kill people! Then this pain…!!”
The villain looked around frantically, clearly deranged.
Not like Lee Jeon-seok’s type.
Not that insane.
He seemed to try to forget something through the act of killing.
But what mattered to Lee Jeon-seok was only one thing.
The villain had killed people.
To him, it was merely prey.
Slash.
Lee Jeon-seok cut the villain’s leg.
Flames scorched the wound, slowing regeneration.
The other leg, the arms, the torso.
Countless sword strikes tore through him.
“Arrgh!!”
Screams mingled with the wind.
The villain gradually weakened.
Naturally.
Traits were only abilities.
Skills using mana.
They had clear limits.
Infinite regeneration was impossible.
Meanwhile, the sword absorbed more blood, sharpened further.
Its attack power increased.
Slash.
A single strike split muscle and bone.
Lee Jeon-seok cut both ankles.
In an instant.
The villain could not react.
Boom!
He collapsed to the ground.
The shock reverberated like an earthquake.
Blood pooled over the broken asphalt.
“Ugh…”
The giant returned to normal size.
Finally, his ability had reached its limit.
Splash.
At that moment, a sudden downpour began.
The flames were no ordinary fire.
They left only burns as a curse.
The rain extinguished the flames effortlessly.
Revealing his blackened face.
“P-please…”
Had his reason returned?
The villain wept, begging.
“Save me…! I didn’t do this because I wanted to!”
“Sorry.”
Lee Jeon-seok readied his sword.
Its edge still glowed deep red.
He pressed it against the villain.
“I’m not that kind of guy.”
He shrugged.
Then.
Thrust.
The blade pierced his neck.
Blood gushed out.
His pupils widened, but only briefly.
Then his eyes lost their light.
He gained the gigantism trait.
The villain had been hunted.
Countless lives were saved.
Good karma increased by 3000.
Evil deeds slightly decreased.
The system displayed countless notifications, proving the villain’s death.
Lee Jeon-seok watched the soaked, cold corpse beyond the blue screen.
—I’m not that kind of guy.
An ironic statement.
His goal was the afterlife—to go to heaven.
Yet, good or evil didn’t matter.
The Underworld cared only for results.
How much good and evil one accumulated.
It judged humans by visible numbers.
If he eliminated all evil and accumulated good deeds, the Underworld would regard him as the most righteous.
Thus, for Lee Jeon-seok, only visible results mattered.
While lost in such thoughts.
“Lee Jeon-seok Hunter.”
Someone approached him.
He turned his head.
It was none other than Kim Baek-dong.