A Calculated Mercy
"Y-you..."
Ethan Cross asked, his voice strained with effort.
"Are you saying... you don't know the path?"
The question carried such a tangled web of emotions that even Han Yujin, with his Six Paths of Reincarnation, couldn't offer a simple answer. It was that complex.
Humiliation at being crushed in an instant. Frustration that had been bottled up for so long, now exploding outward. Confusion at the sudden turn of events. And terror toward an unknown existence against which resistance was utterly impossible.
"I'll show you."
As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand.
The life of Ethan Cross that he had uncovered through the Dream Illusion Mind Snatching Art had been full of twists and turns.
To summarize briefly: his childhood had been miserable enough to be called hellish, but after his awakening he had risen without pause, enjoying a truly cinematic life of glory. Yet when his growth stagnated despite every effort, he had begun to lose his way.
The experience that had flipped his life from hell to heaven in a single moment was the power gained through awakening. Yujin understood all too well how intoxicating the sense of self-actualization could be when one grew stronger through their own power. That alone explained why the man harbored such an intense drive for improvement.
Having been blessed with the Cheonyeonggeun talent on top of that, it would have been more difficult for him not to possess such ambition.
And it was precisely that talent and drive that Han Yujin coveted.
Though the man had shown a corrupted side while wandering, and had even harmed himself, he had not deliberately inflicted harm on others. That fact could be taken into consideration.
Of course, that didn't mean Ethan Cross was a good person. True to his membership in Neo Dominion, he held the rather dangerous and extreme belief that power was supreme.
Still, if I take him under my wing, I should be able to control him.
At the very least, offering him a chance wasn't a bad idea. Extreme thinking didn't necessarily mean he was stupid or reckless.
With that thought in mind, Yujin unleashed the forbidden technique without restraint.
BOOM—!!
The storm-like force of the technique swept through the surroundings. A series of deafening roars erupted as the massive mansion began to come apart at the seams. Shockingly, even amid such overwhelming destruction, not a single person suppressed by the Six Paths of Reincarnation suffered so much as a scratch.
The dismantled fragments of the mansion swirled together, gathering at a single point in the air. Then a crimson flame rose up, so intense it seemed to evaporate every drop of moisture in the area, engulfing the debris, burning it, and melting it down.
Ethan Cross instinctively realized that the flames were not merely hot. Having an ability akin to a new divine technique, he immediately understood that anything it touched would have both mind and soul set ablaze.
In the time it took to blink a few times, nearly all the swirling wreckage had vanished as if evaporated. At the center remained only a single walnut-sized orb that shimmered with the exact hue and flicker of the crimson flames.
It was a product created by gathering the useful materials and refining them through the Hongryeon Jinhwa method. Though its appearance was flashy, its actual substance was no different from an ordinary jade tablet.
The true significance lay in demonstrating such power. He had also imbued the orb itself with a faint trace of the Hongryeon Jinhwa so that the recipient might feel motivated.
After one final inspection of the completed crimson orb, he held it out to Ethan Cross.
"Take it."
The man hesitated for a moment before accepting the orb with trembling hands. Yujin added,
"This contains the complete versions of both Hoe-won Gong and Wonryeok Mudo. If you fully absorb the knowledge within, you should become at least ten times stronger than you are now."
With the help of the forbidden technique and Elb's assistance, producing a jade tablet with this much information had been no great difficulty.
"Once you've mastered it, I'll teach you how to wield the flame I just showed you."
Ethan Cross's awakening ability was remarkably compatible with the Hongryeon Jinhwa.
Next, Yujin took out items identical to what he had given Park Seryong from his spacer ring: a jade bottle containing ten Clear Mind Pills and a Level 3 Ether Elixir.
"Remember that I am giving you an opportunity. Do not disappoint me."
Killing a talent like you wouldn't be pleasant in the slightest.
With those final words, Han Yujin's figure blurred like a fading dream and vanished completely.
Whoooosh—!
A moment later, even the fierce gale created by the mansion's dismantling finally died down.
Ethan Cross, still holding the orb that looked like crimson stone or glass, remained frozen in place for a long time, staring blankly at the spot where the unidentified being had disappeared.
The top floor of Vertex Tower, a landmark skyscraper in New York.
Inside a luxurious office featuring enormous panoramic windows, a man who appeared to be in his mid-fifties with dark brown hair and grayish-blue eyes was deeply focused on his work.
His short, refined pompadour and sharp features gave a strong impression of an elite businessman. He was the CEO and major shareholder of Vertex, the world's largest defense contractor with massive influence in resources and energy as well.
He was also one of the ruling members of the secret organization Neo Dominion's Council of Sovereigns, operating under the codename The Architect.
He oversaw the organization's long-term infrastructure, maintained close ties with massive conglomerates in technology, capital, and energy, and acted as a specialist in influencing the global economy, gathering funds, and laundering them.
At the same time, he was classified as one of the hardliners within the Council.
While he was naturally concerned with preventing the apocalypse foretold by The Oracle, his greater interest lay in ruling the world through the system he himself had built.
That did not mean he was a merciless, lawless man blinded by power. On the contrary, he had always drawn clear lines based on the cold calculations one would expect from the CEO of a multinational giant.
Perhaps it was thanks to that very trait that he had avoided the fate of death today.
"Alistair Holt."
As the sun was beginning to set, a sudden unfamiliar voice echoed through the office where he had clearly been alone.
He flinched but turned his head toward the source with considerable composure. For a man who had risen to such heights in the economic world while possessing the abilities of an A-rank hunter, the gesture carried a certain relaxed confidence.
However, the moment he saw the figure sitting on the guest sofa, his expression hardened completely.
"...Han Yujin."
"Your organization tried to pull me in. Using rather underhanded methods, I might add."
A whirlwind of thoughts flashed through Alistair's mind: where things had gone wrong, whether he should have never gotten involved, who had leaked the information, whether the other Council members were safe.
But what mattered right now was clear.
"I surrender."
After a brief silence, Han Yujin let out a small chuckle.
"Quick judgment. I suppose that's what you get from a businessman."
"Resisting someone who has already come this far would be meaningless. Especially after what happened in China."
"And why should I accept your surrender?"
"I will definitely persuade The Cardinal. I will also tell you The Oracle's location. If you don't already know it, that is."
The Cardinal was responsible for coordinating politics and diplomacy between various nations and also handled personnel matters such as appointing mid-level managers within the organization.
He was an essential figure to recruit if one wished to fully take over Neo Dominion. If he died, even if the rest of the Council survived, most of the organization's connections would be severed due to its secretive nature.
He was also likely a highly competent individual in his own right.
"Did you truly not expect things to come to this?"
At the question that carried a hint of curiosity, Alistair Holt let out a small sigh.
"What could I do? It was The Chair's decision. He probably... determined that if we didn't establish some kind of relationship with you, things would eventually come to this anyway."
"That makes sense."
Indeed, if Neo Dominion's ultimate goal was world domination, such a confrontation had been inevitable.
At that moment, a violet glow flashed in Han Yujin's eyes. Alistair Holt groaned and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.
It was the Dream Illusion Mind Snatching Art.
"So... this is how it is..."
"I acknowledge your competence and accept your surrender. I was slightly troubled about how to fill the vacancy if I had to kill you, so this works out nicely."
Whether he sensed sincerity in the casual remark, Alistair's body trembled slightly.
"I will contact you soon."
As Han Yujin rose as if to leave, Alistair reflexively spoke up.
"May I ask one question?"
When Yujin simply stared at him, Alistair seemed to realize something and corrected himself.
"May I ask one question, sir?"
"What is it?"
"What is your... goal? What is your purpose?"
What could an awakener with such terrifying power possibly be pursuing?
Though he had surrendered to survive, it was an incredibly important question. After all, his entire way of life might be completely rewritten by another.
"The continued existence and development of Earth. And my own growth through that."
Leaving behind words that were truly difficult to interpret, Han Yujin's figure vanished like a fleeting dream.
Alistair Holt remained trapped in the aftermath of that short but shocking encounter for a long time. Eventually, he took out a special satellite phone that he used only for the most critical matters and made a call to fulfill his promise.
In the end... an absolute being has appeared who can reorganize all order simply by moving.
The thought carried an emotion he couldn't quite distinguish as a sigh or something else.
The Oracle, the prophet of the secret organization Neo Dominion, was staying at a mountain villa in Montana.
Although thorough concealment measures had been taken in multiple ways, it posed no obstacle whatsoever to Han Yujin, who had already scanned Alistair Holt's memories for the location.
He arrived at the destination in less time than it took to drink a cup of tea. Without the slightest hesitation, he scanned the villa with his divine senses and then appeared without restraint inside a bedroom on the second floor.
The Oracle was an elderly woman who appeared to be in her mid-to-late seventies at minimum.
She had skin so pale it was almost translucent and wore her white hair neatly tied up, giving her a tidy appearance. Her somewhat prominent cheekbones lent her a strict and sharp air.
She stood quietly in one corner of the room as if she had known Han Yujin would visit. Even upon seeing an unfamiliar person materialize from a streak of light right before her eyes, she showed no particular disturbance.
"Your arbitrariness will eventually bring ruin to everything, Han Yujin."
She even opened with words that were practically a provocation.
"You must have come knowing who I am. I can see the future of this world. To me, it is clear that you, with your personal power, are bringing an immense darkness to this world. A darkness so deep that not even an inch ahead can be seen."
After a brief silence, Han Yujin unfolded the Dream Illusion Mind Snatching Art instead of replying.
The moment the violet light flashed in his eyes, the old woman staggered as if dizzy, but she did not collapse. She straightened herself once more.
"Since you have read my memories, you must know that my words are the truth."
"And?"
Yujin asked the woman, who clearly believed what she was saying.
"No matter what you desire, you can obtain it sufficiently by working with us."
The Oracle attempted to persuade him.
"Do not be swayed by greed. Think coldly. There is no reason for you to make us your enemies. If you want power, we will give it to you. Wealth and honor as well. You may simply think of it as using us. As long as you do not go against our will or try to rule as you please, we will grant any request you make."
This was the attitude of someone who believed only she could know the future of Earth and that her visions could never be wrong.
Han Yujin suddenly recalled those who had been completely consumed by fate-sensing techniques. The woman before him might be the perfect example.
In the end, she will try to kill me somehow, someday.
He was certain of it.
"Pitiful thing."
Though he had no desire to argue or persuade her, he asked one question anyway.
"You have no intention of surrendering and following me, I take it?"
"Never!"
"I see."
In such cases, there was only one 'good answer' he could give her.
"Then die."
The Hongryeon Jinhwa bullet he fired struck her torso and exploded before she could even register the situation.
It was a silent explosion that spread no heat whatsoever. After a single flash of light, nothing remained where she had stood. Not even a trace of ash.
Just a few minutes ago, The Chair activated a method to kill me.
Since it was at The Oracle's instigation, Yujin had more than enough reason to kill her.
A secret method that only The Chair knew about and kept to himself...
It seemed the secret organization wouldn't be taken over so easily after all.
Both to repay The Oracle for complicating matters with her prophetic ability and to check for any potential danger to himself, he decided to use Hyeongjo Hyeoneung-sul.
If there was no danger, then The Chair would soon come to meet him directly.