#162
Hahoe Mask Rise (2)
The Arcane Realm was a stage said to transcend the limits of humanity, and accordingly, the stature it held was so lofty that handling such a being according to another’s will was nearly impossible.
A spirit that had achieved perfection and broken free of its mold possessed powerful resistance to all external interference, and a noble, untainted soul could not tolerate artificial change.
Even the corpse of one already dead retained homeostasis under the influence of lingering thoughts; to reuse that body, strength was only the foundation—endless preparation and tremendous effort were required.
[Grrraaaaack—!]
Of course, to the Undead King, who could corrupt even dragons and turn them undead, it was merely somewhat troublesome.
[Hoo— So this fellow was a pawn of the Beoncheonhoe.]
Hans looked down at the squirming mass of Abyss in human form whose head was gripped in his hand, murmuring lowly as if seeing it anew.
Wooooom—
Magic circles were packed densely inside the barrier where the battle had taken place, along with the countless undead used as sacrifices.
They had been used to pour Abyss into Cheonsalmaje’s spirit flesh to its very limit.
‘So he was someone connected to them even before going to the other world.’
Worse still, after erasing all traces of his life before being transported, he was the one who had committed an Awakening terrorist attack on orders from above and fled.
Fully two years ago.
‘Meaning he lived nearly twenty years in another dimension…’
Naturally, as soon as he returned, he had tried to contact the Beoncheonhoe, but thanks to Hans, there was no way to reach them since they had gone completely into hiding in Korea.
After that, trusting only in his own strength, he had run amok and ended up like this.
‘Strange. If he had already risen to such a realm as now, perhaps, but at that time he should have been an ordinary person. What did they see in him to recruit him? Was it simply coincidence?’
The grace period after Awakening was a mere twenty-four hours. It was hard to believe he had been persuaded in that short time, meaning contact had been made much earlier…
‘Those cautious bastards wouldn’t resort to random tricks hoping to catch just one guy. If they had, that existence would have been revealed long ago.’
But not only was the memory from too long ago, it seemed that because Hans had forcibly shaken Cheonsalmaje’s spirit flesh with the Abyss—a poison surpassing radiation—no additional information could be extracted from him.
Having decided to order his subordinates to investigate the matter, he lamented his sudden regret.
‘…Unlike in Auterica, information acquisition paths are limited here. It’s frustrating.’
On modern Earth, which could be called the information age, the only channels he could use now were the Blood Alliance led by Heterosis.
They had grown into quite a large force by now, but the limitation of being an organization of the shadows that could not step into the light was unavoidable.
‘Hmm, I’d like to know what’s happening on the surface, separate from the Blood Alliance.’
As Heinrich had done in Auterica, being able to know the movements and information of mainstream forces would be of great help in many ways.
However, on Earth, where thorough systems and infrastructure were established, using the same method was nearly impossible.
‘Proving one’s identity is difficult enough, and building trust after that is even harder. It would take a long time, too.’
He didn’t know if it might be somewhat possible with the help of Gang Taesan, who had already joined the Awakened Management Bureau, but the kid was still only at the lower ranks, and Hans was reluctant to involve him in such matters.
‘Someone with ties to the mainstream forces, who has been around long enough to build trust, while also meeting the qualifications to access high-quality information—how easy is it to find someone like that… hm?’
Then, suddenly, one figure flashed through his mind.
‘He’s clearly connected to the Awakened Management Bureau, and if he’s helpful enough for investigations, that must mean he is considerably trusted.’
It was not long after Hans had seized the fragment of the Third Undead King at Daeshinjeon and come to Earth.
There had been a fairly skilled black magician whose eyes had met his through a curse left on criminals.
‘With that level of skill, he must be fairly connected to the higher-ups. He might even be acquainted with the Guardian side.’
No matter how much he thought, there was no better candidate.
The fact that the man was even a black magician, making him easy for Hans to handle, could be called fate beyond mere connection.
[Kuhuhu, a truly excellent talent. Now then—shall we see where he is right now?]
Today, the duration of 「Individual Projection」 was ending, so he couldn’t go immediately, but to at least pinpoint the location, he activated 「Eye of the Abyss」 at once.
Saaaaah—
Darkness filled Hans’s eye sockets, sucking in the light from all directions.
Korea—a land narrow for its population. Moreover, unless the black magician whose soul had been observed possessed some special unique skill…
[There you are.]
He could absolutely not escape Hans’s gaze.
***
It was late; streetlights turned on here and there, and people who had gone out began returning home one by one.
An Seongjin, a black magician affiliated with the Awakened Management Bureau, got out of his parked car and entered the restaurant, which was in the middle of closing up.
"We’re closed for today… Oh my~ Seongjin’s here! You must be busy with work, what brings you here again?"
"Ah, it’s fine. I only investigate cases related to my major, so I’m not that busy. Especially lately, law and order have improved, so there aren’t many cases."
He answered affably while naturally helping with cleaning.
Of course, it was true that cases had decreased, but it was a lie that he wasn’t busy.
Among those who committed crimes, big or small, the ratio of black magic users was extremely high, and conversely, cooperative and capable black magicians like him were rare, so it was unavoidable.
‘But that doesn’t mean I should sacrifice my daily life. This is the peace I regained, the family I reunited with.’
He had struggled and floundered in a mad world where half the continent’s population were black magic devotees, barely making it back.
Because he had inevitably strengthened himself to survive in that extreme environment, delaying his return, this daily life he had met with such difficulty was incomparably precious.
"Right, there’s been a lot of talk lately. Someone called the Hahoe Mask is beating up all the bad guys."
"Ah, ahaha… T-that’s right. The Hahoe Mask… he’s amazing."
At that name from his mother’s mouth, An Seongjin’s lips twitched—he hadn’t even told his family exactly what he did.
Because the memory of that day still remained a nightmare to him.
"Ahem—Seongjin’s here?"
"Yes, Father!"
"Since you’re here, try some of this. For quality control, you have to check periodically like this."
His father, who had been in the kitchen, laid out a table full of food and forced him, who had been cleaning, to sit.
All of it was steaming hot, as if cooked the moment he arrived.
"Father, you didn’t have to go this far again…"
"Now, now! This is all for the shop. Cooperate willingly!"
Of course, he knew well that it was just an excuse.
How could he not know that they simply wanted to set a plentiful table for their child as parents?
Slurp—
"As expected, Father’s cooking is always the best."
"Of course. Who do you think made it?"
"Oh my~ this man is really something else today!"
Laughter never ceased at the table where the family sat, and smiles filled everyone’s faces.
The peaceful daily life he had wished for, a harmonious family.
An Seongjin looked at his family with a warm smile and gave thanks to God.
Thank you for letting me live to enjoy this small happiness.
And I hope you will allow this daily life to continue in the future… the moment he wished.
‘……!’
God.
Turned a deaf ear to his small wish.
A chill—
An absolutely unforgettable presence suddenly began to make itself felt.
It stimulated his sixth sense from very close by.
"Hm? Why so sudden?"
"Seongjin?"
"…Did something go wrong with my liver? That can’t be. Oh, could it be a contaminant…!"
His breathing quickened.
Voices from right beside him echoed distantly, buzzing as if from far away.
‘No, now’s not the time!’
But his mind, falling into confusion, returned to normal as if doused with cold water when he faced his parents’ worried, bustling expressions.
Once he regained composure, his unique skill, 「Extreme Will」, and other skills like 「Clear Mirror, Still Water」 activated belatedly, helping him maintain his calm.
That skill, which ensured he would not crumble under any circumstance as long as the user’s firm will continued, was the foremost contributor to his escape from the influence of black magic.
‘Huu, is it here.’
He finally arrived in front of the alley near the restaurant where the signal led.
He took a deep breath and strode into that place without a single point of light, which looked like the gates of hell.
Gooooooh—
At the same time, the surrounding scenery changed in an instant.
Thick darkness squirmed, covering the floor, walls, and even the sky.
‘…It really feels like I’ve entered hell.’
And finally, he could face the one who had called him in the center of that space.
That being, as if death had been gathered and molded into human form, radiated an overwhelming presence.
‘It’s unfathomable. At my level, I can’t even gauge his realm. Just how profound is his attainment to have achieved unity with death? The fact that he was able to return means he isn’t a true undead. Does he possess some special skill…?’
The moment his thoughts began to tangle like that, an eerie laugh resonating with mana cut through his contemplation.
[Kkukuk— knowing I was here, you ran not away but came all the way here. Whether that is recklessness or courage.]
"Was that not what you wished? And I have no confidence in daring to flee from you. …Hahoe Mask."
An Seongjin looked at the presence before him and took a deep breath.
The air of this space, filled with the aura of death, was absolutely not good for one’s health, but right now, he felt he had to steady his mind even if only by doing so.
‘Damn, even though the opponent harbors no hostility, to be reduced to this state. Is this an ability that dominates lesser black magic?’
Confronting that gaze, the black magic within his body instinctively shrank, and the aura of fear naturally flowing out relentlessly gnawed at his mental strength.
Had it not been for 「Extreme Will」, he might have prostrated on the spot, begging for mercy.
[A wise judgment. Indeed, my consideration was well rewarded.]
He was surely referring to having sent a quiet signal like this instead of barging straight into the restaurant.
An Seongjin was grateful for that as well.
If his parents had faced this existence, it might have caused a real heart attack, not a joke.
"…Then, might I know the reason you called for me? I had understood that you only dealt with heinous criminals."
Having spoken that far, An Seongjin startled and hastily added:
"For your reference, though I am a black magician, I have never committed a crime! My unique skill frees me from the influence of black magic…"
[Aah, I did not come looking for you because of that, so rest assured.]
At Hahoe Mask’s definitive answer, as if it were no big deal, his expression finally relaxed slightly.
His back was drenched in cold sweat before he knew it, but since it seemed no harm would come to him, his mind eased a little.
"Then… why me?"
[You see, I contribute considerably to this country’s law and order. In the course of my work, there are quite a few troublesome aspects.]
A somewhat out-of-the-blue answer.
Hahoe Mask raised a hand clad in a black glove and slowly pointed at him.
[You seem quite useful.]
"Ah? Thank…"
[Kuhuh— therefore, you must become my slave.]
At those words, An Seongjin’s face, which had relaxed a little too early, grew pale once more.