𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟐𝟎: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩 3
A few weeks ago.
An old, rustic-looking bar.
The spacious room was empty of customers, and an old pop song was playing on the turntable.
Siwoo went to a corner seat and ordered a beer and some snacks.
After a while, someone with a leisurely gait approached and sat down in the opposite chair.
Siwoo silently pushed the beer in his glass towards the other person.
The man, with his waist-length hair tied back, gulped down the beer he had been given.
Ugh.
A pleasant exclamation escaped the man’s mouth.
The pop song that had been playing ended, and there was a brief silence.
【𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞?】
Pre asked, his face peering forward.
“Hoo~wowie, you’ve got yourself a real weirdo there.”
Jin Do-wa, smoking a long pipe, looked at Pre with a smirk.
【𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐯𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧━𝐊𝐰𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐠!!】
Siwoo flicked Pre’s forehead lightly.
【𝐖𝐡𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐞. . . . 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭. . . .】
“You. You’re the one he’s talking to.He said you looked weird.”
【𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲. 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮.】
Pre muttered, rubbing his forehead with his wings.
“Sorry, my pet has a bad habit of talking.”
“Oh my, every day must be full of fun with a pet like that. You’ve got a cute friend there.”
【𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝! 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞! 𝐏𝐡𝐨, 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧!】
Pre exclaimed, looking at Siwoo with a sullen expression.
“Ha, let’s put him aside for now. . . . First of all, thank you for coming with me. Even ‘that guy’ couldn’t guarantee it.”
“I’m sure it was a big favor to ask, but I didn’t have a choice. And besides, the world rank 0 was calling, so I didn’t have the guts to refuse.”
“It’s too much of a compliment for the first Korean SS-rank Hunter.”
“You’re really going overboard. Anyway, I don’t think he’ll be of much use to you, so let’s just get straight to the point.”
Jin Do-wa said, waving his hand.
Siwoo glanced at Pre, who was now engrossed in gulping down the beer from his mug, and opened his mouth.
“I’d like to make a request to IZIZ and the 〈Red Wolves Guild〉.”
Jin Do-wa’s eyes widened and then narrowed again.
“I’m sorry, but I’m an ally of IZIZ, not a member of IZIZ. It’s no use telling me what you want to ask them for.”
“I know. That’s why I called you, the leader of the 〈Red Wolves〉, and IZIZ together.”
“. . . .Together. . . .?”
Jin Do-wa turned his head at the sudden voice.
A woman with a beautiful face and snow-white skin approached and sat down gracefully next to Siwoo.
A faint floral scent wafted through the air.
“It seems I’ve chosen the wrong seat.”
Siwoo looked at the woman sitting next to him.
“Oh, it’s been a long time, my dear.”
“. . . .It’s been a long time, Crow. Would you like to sit next to me as an ally?”
“Hahaha. But I’m closer to you than Jin Do-wa.”
Crow laughed brightly and picked up Pre, who was struggling in his beer mug.
“Hello, Mr. Pre.”
【𝐔𝐮𝐧𝐠. . . 𝐇𝐢𝐜! 𝐔𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐠, 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞. . . 𝐇𝐢𝐜!】
Pre made a slurping sound like a drowning mouse.
“Hahaha. You’re very drunk. Have you two made any progress in your conversation?”
“Not really. . . . What’s this? Crow, did you know the sir hunter?”
“Yes, we were fatefully connected a long time ago.”
Crow replied, reminiscing about that time.
‘𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.’
Siwoo, who was listening next to her, was about to add a word, but he didn’t.
“So. . . . You called us here, but what exactly do you need our help with? You should be able to handle most things on your own.”
She rested her chin in one hand and stared at Siwoo.
Siwoo looked alternately at Crow and Jin Do-wa for a moment, then briefly explained his plan.
After listening to the story, Crow burst into a cheerful laugh.
“Hahaha. My dear, you still come up with many strange ideas. My sister must be crazy to be with you.”
“It’s a funny idea, but I don’t know if it’ll work.”
“It will probably work. Nothing he plans ever fails. Right, my dear?”
Siwoo looked at Crow with twinkling eyes and exhaled deeply.
“There’s no guarantee it’ll work one hundred percent. I can’t answer the details, but the big picture will be pretty much as planned. That’s how I’m going to make it.”
“I think so too. I trust you anyway.”
“Then IZIZ has decided to participate?”
“My boss told me to make the decision. We’ll do it. Besides, we don’t have any other choice.”
Jin Do-wa was silent for a moment at her last words.
‘𝘕𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. . . ?’
A sentence that gave him a strange sense of unease.
“Hey, since IZIZ is our ally, the 〈Red Wolves〉 can’t be left out. We’ll join too, so please take care of us.
“Good. We’ll discuss the specific operation when we’re all together. Let me know when IZIZ and the 〈Red Wolves〉 are all gathered.”
“Yes, my dear. I’ll tell the boss.”
【𝐇𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩! 𝐍𝐨𝐨𝐨𝐨, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬. . . . 𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩! 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭. . . . 𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩!】
A few days later, Siwoo met Ryu Ji-hwan.
To share a very old feeling.
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
“Ryu Ji-hwan. . . .!
Merlin’s two eyes were filled with anger and confusion.
The former the S-rank Hunter of the Republic of Korea.
Ryu Ji-hwan, who had gained recognition within 〈Pandemonium〉, had become known to Merlin, Baba Yaga, and Saint Germain, who were in the 1st Hierarchy at the time.
He had been in charge of artifact collection work with Crowel under the Doctor, but when 〈Pandemonium〉 was destroyed by Min Siwoo’s operation, he was reported dead.
“Is this the first time we’ve met in person?”
Ryu Ji-hwan looked at Merlin with a grin.
The 2nd Hierarchy, of course, even the 1st Hierarchy had been defeated by Min Siwoo, so the lives and deaths of the subordinates below them had not been properly confirmed.
They had naturally assumed that if he was alive, he would go back to 〈Pandemonium〉.
Not like this betrayal.
“You. . . . I heard the Doctor saved your life. How can you betray the organization like this?”
“Heh heh heh. He gave me an arm, so I guess I owe him big time. But I worked hard for that, didn’t I?”
“If he saved your life, you should repay him with your life, you ungrateful bastard!!”
“Oh, come on. You’re like a guy who’s never risked his life before, but you’re good at whining.”
Ryu Ji-hwan’s insolent sarcasm and insults.
Merlin’s face contorted with anger at his words.
“You bastard. . . ! Did you join IZIZ after you left 〈Pandemonium〉?”
“Oh, the old man’s eyes are too bad.”
“What?!”
“I didn’t join IZIZ, IZIZ was originally mine.”
Merlin’s expression was one of surprise.
“Ryu Ji-hwan, what do you mean by that. . . ?”
“Let me say it again. I’m the boss of IZIZ.”
“. . . . . . .”
Merlin’s wrinkles deepened at the other man’s answer.
His mouth was closed as if it were difficult to accept.
“I was starting first.”
At that moment, Siwoo approached and spoke to Ryu Ji-hwan.
“Oh. . . . Who is this? Aren’t you our biggest client?”
“You shouldn’t cheat after you’ve received the commission fee.”
“If anyone heard that, they’d think I’d actually done something.”
Ryu Ji-hwan said to Siwoo, looking incredulous.
“It’s been a long time, my dear.”
A familiar voice greeted Siwoo, interrupting them.
“It’s been a long time, Crow.”
“Hoohoo. You know me right away just by hearing my voice.”
Crow took off her mask.
A beautiful white face looked at him with a bright smile.
“Well, then, you guys can do whatever you want. I’ll go and step on those guys with my younger siblings.”
Jin Do-wa, exhaling a long puff of cigarette smoke, shuffled over to where Azazel, Mastema, and the other IZIZ members were fighting.
Siwoo nodded his head slowly as he looked at Merlin.
The emotions that had cooled down were now beginning to stir.
In fact, he had wanted to kill Merlin with all his heart ever since he had first encountered him fighting Aria.
Until then, the figure of the criminal, which had been made up of conjecture and circumstantial evidence, had now appeared in a clear form.
Siwoo wanted to release the power of ether in one breath and kill Merlin, but he held back again and again.
Seeing Merlin die with his own eyes was part of the deal Siwoo had made with Ryu Ji-hwan.
“But my dear, shouldn’t we stop the ‘Dimension Gate’ first?”
“It’s already in operation. If we try to break it by force, the recoil will cause it to expand and explode.”
Siwoo shook his head at Crow’s question.
Ryu Ji-hwan, who was standing next to him, frowned and asked.
“Well, you’re the world’s 0th-ranked person, so you know best, but just in case, wouldn’t it be better to explode?”
“No. There are too many artifacts, and there are even some mythical artifacts mixed in. Even if it doesn’t destroy the whole thing, about half the size of the United States will be blown away.”
If it were simply exploding, it might be possible to suppress it with magical power.
However, the one who built that ritual was the greatest Archmage on earth.
There was no telling what kind of tricks he had up his sleeve.
Moreover, since he didn’t know what functions the artifacts themselves had, it was almost impossible to forcibly destroy the ritual.
“Kukluk. . . ! A traitor, a half-demon mongrel, and the man who had beaten the 4th realm Demon King and came back to life. A bunch of sons of bitches gathered to fight me.”
Merlin took a deep breath and taunted them.
His gaze fell on the devils and IZIZ members who were fighting in the distance.
Roughly estimated, it seemed that only Jin Do-wa had the ability to subdue Azazel and Mastema.
‘𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦. 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘧𝘧.’
Although he was a former member, he was also the strongest who had been in ‘Misteltein’.
Ryu Ji-hwan’s strength was said to be at the S-rank level, and the half-demon woman couldn’t be any stronger.
The problem was Min Siwoo.
“Hey, I’m not a traitor. This old man can’t understand what I’m saying.”
“Watch your mouth, Ryu Ji-hwan! I don’t know why you came into 〈Pandemonium〉, but don’t think you’ll survive if you go against me!”
“Why did I go in? I went in to turn 〈Pandemonium〉 upside down.”
“You bastard. . . ! Do you think we’ll collapse just because of you?”
Merlin shouted at him, his black eyes blazing.
Ryu Ji-hwan spat on the floor and returned Merlin’s glare.
“You’re so scared of one person that you’re ordering an assassination. What are you talking about?”
“Assassination. . . ? When did I order an assassination?”
“A long time ago. I had a younger brother who I cherished in IZIZ. He was obsessed with ancient history, that idiot. But one day, he was killed by someone while he was out researching the secrets of the demon race.”
“By the trash who got immense power and authority in exchange for clinging to the Demon King.”
However, Merlin looked at Ryu Ji-hwan with a face that seemed to say he really didn’t know.
“Why would I assassinate IZIZ? They’re all trash anyway.”
“You damn old man. . . ! Don’t tell me you don’t even remember who you ordered to assassinate!!”
Ryu Ji-hwan gritted his teeth, unable to hide his anger.
He had not expected the other man to react like this at all.
“You’re talking nonsense. How can I remember each and every one of them?”
Merlin even laughed out loud and mocked Ryu Ji-hwan.
“Did you think I kept a diary every time I killed a bastard? Those who were supposed to die died because they deserved to die. That guy must have had a shitty life anyway.”
To him, the name ‘Jeong Min-jun’ was nothing more than that.
He couldn’t even remember the name.
Merlin clicked his tongue and looked at Ryu Ji-hwan.
And then he felt an ominous presence and turned his gaze to the side.
“Hoo.”
There, Siwoo was staring into the void with a cold glare.
The uncontrollable bloodlust was bubbling like magma.
An immeasurable anger swept through the surroundings like a cold wind.
Siwoo, who had been keeping his mouth shut, uttered the sentence that would be his last question, one word at a time.
“Merlin. Have you forgotten about Jeong Min-jun?”
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