Secret (2)
Kang Taesan, a rookie agent of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Republic of Korea Ability Management Bureau.
Facing Awakened individuals who used abilities with the body of an ordinary person was by no means easy.
And if the target was not just an ordinary Awakened but a criminal, how much worse would it be?
“Kergh!”
Though most of his assigned duties leaned toward assisting government-affiliated ability users in investigations and arrests, the fact that he still had to go out onto the front lines and handle matters himself meant the danger was the same.
No, since he had to protect his own body in emergencies, it would be more accurate to say he was in even greater peril.
Villains who had already crossed the line wouldn’t go easy on him just because he was an ordinary person!
“Guuugh!”
In other words, for an investigator, training was not an option but a matter directly tied to survival.
In that sense, it was only natural that Kang Taesan, who had not neglected his training for even a single day, possessed exceptional physical ability.
‘As expected, both his mental strength and physical capabilities are excellent. Not to mention his instantaneous combat sense. At this level, even if he crosses over right away, he won’t end up dying by the roadside somewhere.’
Thanks to 「Analysis」, I already knew as much, but after personally pushing him into an extreme situation, he was definitely beyond my expectations.
Beyond simply having talent, his ‘unbreakable conviction’ and ‘tenacious fighting spirit’ were likely what supported him in pushing past his limits.
“Good. Take a short break.”
“Krgh! Hah, hah—!”
I smiled in satisfaction as I looked down at Kang Taesan, who lay sprawled on the floor in tatters.
While tapping a heavy club engraved with all sorts of patterns against my palm.
“Y-you ignorant bastard… Be honest with me. You’ve got some kind of grudge against me, don’t you?”
“Now, now, what’s with that? I already explained everything, didn’t I? I’m telling you, this method is the most effective for you right now.”
“Don’t bullshit me, you bastard! Even so, what kind of human keeps beating someone when they’re rolling on the floor after getting hit in a vital spot?!”
With labored movements, he opened a bottle of potion and downed it in one gulp before venting his rage.
Well, considering he had done nothing but get beaten for over a day, I could fully understand how he felt.
Not that I intended to go easy on him.
“But you’re not actually seriously hurt anywhere, are you? I told you. This club is a magic tool too. It only makes the pain feel severe; if anything, it’s better for strengthening your muscles and bones. If you really want, drink another potion.”
“…Agh! One more round, you bastard!”
“Oh? You’ve already recovered? The effects are good.”
In truth, even though adjusting the time ratio had given us some breathing room, the time gained from it amounted to only a few days at most.
And there was a limit to what could be done with only a few days—.
‘In the end, I have no choice but to focus on what’s most important.’
What mattered most above all was survival.
Hammering the movements needed for that into him at an instinctive level.
That was the essence of the training we were doing now.
Whoong—!
The club, imbued with a killing intent so dense it seemed to have taken physical form, shot forward.
When Kang Taesan had first faced it, his body had stiffened and he had immediately allowed the attack to land, but thanks to the training so far, he was now gritting his teeth and somehow forcing his body to move.
‘In most other worlds, power is justice.’
A primitive world ruled by violence and barbarism.
If he froze in fear of killing intent there, he would be able to do nothing.
He might even die absurdly in a situation he could have easily won.
‘As an investigator, he’s worked on the front lines until now, so he must have gotten used to a certain degree of killing intent.’
But there was always a need to prepare for the unexpected.
The killing intent gathered in this club right now was no ordinary level.
It belonged to the extreme realm… the killing intent of a being who had reached the limits of humanity.
An aura that could cause a weak-willed person to suffer cardiac arrest just by coming into contact with it stimulated his survival instincts as it chaotically embroidered the air.
‘For now, I’ve figured out one thing about 「Indomitable」.’
The reason he could somehow respond to this killing intent, which was excessive enough to be cruel for someone who had just awakened, was probably all thanks to that.
That unique skill must be supporting Kang Taesan’s already extraordinary mental strength.
Thwack!
But everything had its limits.
“Cough!”
In the end, Kang Taesan allowed an attack to strike his solar plexus and curled up.
Yet the club did not stop moving even then.
Killing intent surged in as if it would split his head in two at any moment.
“You son of a…!”
Just before the attack touched his head.
Even as drool spilled from his mouth, Kang Taesan instinctively bent his body back and retreated.
Then, as had been carved into his flesh, he widened his eyes to grasp the attack that would follow.
‘That’s it. Whether it’s pain or fear, if you lose your composure in any situation, it’s over.’
Since Kang Taesan had a 『Return Ticket』, as long as his reason remained, he could flee back to Earth at any time.
For that, it was important to keep his head and maintain calm thought no matter what happened.
“I think we can stop this training here. Good work.”
After confirming that all of those things had been properly imprinted, I withdrew the club and nodded.
Was this what talent was?
Even if I had fed him an 『Elixir of Growth』 before we started, his rapid growth was certainly encouraging.
“…Phew. I really wanted to land at least one hit on you.”
At those words, Kang Taesan relaxed his body and let out a sigh.
At that moment.
Shwaaaak—
With the sound of air being sliced, the club cut through the empty space.
And he quickly lowered his head and threw his body backward.
“I knew you’d do this, you bastard! I’m not falling for it forever!”
“Oh? Not bad.”
By the time we finished even the training for responding to sudden ambushes, it was about when the outside was slowly beginning to grow dark.
They moved again to the base in central Seoul, the villa where they had lived before moving.
If it were up to me, I would have continued training until the time limit arrived, but Kang Taesan still had family he needed to be mindful of, so I couldn’t do that.
“…It felt like several days had passed, but only a few hours outside?”
He sighed and shook his head.
He had heard about it, but experiencing it himself definitely felt strange.
If even that short while felt like this, then what would it be like to spend years in another world and return…?
“Still, thanks to you, I can return anytime if a problem arises, so I feel at ease. I can tell my grandmother I’m going overseas for a secret mission for a while. If I’m honest for no reason, she’ll only worry.”
“…If you really want, you can go and come back right away. There’s no need to take risks by spending time there, is there?”
“I can’t do that. If anything, that would become more troublesome. I’ve already reported everything to my superiors, so they’ll interrogate me about how I managed to return so quickly.”
He could not tell anyone about the 『Return Ticket』.
If he revealed it for no reason, he would only cause trouble for the close friend who had willingly given it to him.
And if there was one more reason to name…
“In a way, this is an opportunity. A chance for me, who was just one of many unremarkable agents, to grow stronger and climb higher. I can’t just let such a golden chance go to waste, can I?”
The moment an Awakened returned to Earth, they lost their driving force for growth.
If he used the 『Return Ticket』 and returned early, he would end up as the weakest of the weak, a returnee in name only.
There was no way Kang Taesan, who was quietly quite ambitious, would let such an opportunity he had finally grasped slip away.
“Fine. If that’s how you feel, then there’s no helping it.”
I already knew he would say that.
That was why, even at this very moment, Howard was shut away in the workshop of 「Dragon Lair」, diligently hammering away.
“Then for now, go back and spend time with your grandmother. Once she falls asleep, come straight here. I’ll keep looking after you until the transfer begins.”
“…Huh?”
“What do you mean, ‘huh’? Were you planning to waste time sleeping peacefully at home?”
Even if he was going to sleep, it was better to sleep in a space where the time ratio was adjusted.
Only then could we use the remaining time to prepare further, couldn’t we?
Just as we had until moments ago.
“R-right. Yeah. That’s what I should do.”
“By the time you come back, I’ll have a gift prepared too, so look forward to it.”
I gave a dependable smile to Kang Taesan, whose lips were twitching.
Though for some reason, he seemed even more uneasy after seeing it.
Well, it was probably just my imagination.
***
Just after midnight.
I brought Kang Taesan, who had arrived with heavy steps, back to the hideout.
“What’s this?”
And I handed him a backpack containing several items.
They were piping-hot new products that had just been made.
“What else would it be? I told you before you left, didn’t I? That I’d prepare a gift.”
“…Well, you did. But I already have equipment?”
“Use this instead. This is better. It’s a special product from Howard Industries, no less.”
“Huh? I heard it’s not easy to get goods from there even if you have money, so how… Ah! Right. Come to think of it, that company was founded under the Blood Alliance’s leadership.”
The items issued by the Ability Management Bureau weren’t bad at all.
A plain, unobtrusive design that would allow him to blend in easily wherever he went, and sturdy protection without greatly hindering movement.
But there was no way such ready-made goods could compare to masterpieces personally crafted by a master-class dwarf.
‘Since I separately used 「Technological Revolution」 to work on them, their effects should be maintained to some extent no matter what world he goes to.’
Unfortunately, sending him off with a pile of high-grade magic tools was impossible.
Usually, such items had basic requirements, like needing to possess a certain amount of energy or more.
“Huh? What is this? Why is the backpack’s space so wide? Don’t tell me all of these are magic tools? Unless they were lucky enough to be made in that world, I won’t be able to use them anyway, right?”
“Do you think I would give them to you without considering that? You can use them all, so it’s fine.”
“…Seriously? I did think they were no ordinary company when they started mass-selling magic tools worldwide, but I never imagined even that would be possible. Just how many things are you hiding…?”
I handed one more item to the guy as he marveled at Howard Industries’ technology.
It was the type of weapon Kang Taesan, who had received long training as an agent, was most familiar with.
A holster made of sturdy monster leather, and a matte black handgun fitted inside it.
“You can use a gun, right?”
“Is that even a question? It’s the only means of protection an ordinary investigator has to defend himself. But firearms can’t be taken to another world… No, never mind.”
Having now given up even on being surprised, Kang Taesan quietly accepted the holster.
Naturally, that firearm was no ordinary item either.
It was a trump card masterpiece that Howard had put exceptional effort into crafting in 「Dragon Lair」, where time flowed at one hundred times the speed of Earth.
“I’m asking just in case, but do you have any religion you believe in?”
“No? I’ve been a little interested in the Auterica Order lately, but not enough to be a believer.”
With the symbolic existence of a saint who crossed dimensions at its center, the Auterica Order was rapidly expanding its influence on Earth.
Because of that, Heinrich had also had to busily move around and suffer for a while.
In any case, if he had no god he believed in separately, then all the conditions were as good as fulfilled.
I placed one hand on Kang Taesan’s shoulder and put on a serious expression.
“…You. Make a contract with me.”
“What? A contract?”
A strange energy rose from the hand resting on his shoulder.
The power of 「Chains of Covenant」 borrowed from Hesperon.
“Yeah. Well… that’s what my unique skill is like. I can grant special abilities to those who believe in me. Something similar to divine power.”
“What the hell is that? Are you a cult leader?”
“Similar… maybe?”
I couldn’t bring myself to deny it.
If I had to point out the difference, it would be that I wasn’t merely a cult leader, but the very object of faith himself.
“You can amplify the power you receive from me through the gun and shoot it. It generates energy bullets on its own, so there’s no need to reload.”
That handgun was a weapon created by the dwarf blacksmith Howard by hammering the 「Faint Divinity」 that had sprouted in my main body into it, and it was closer to a holy relic or divine artifact than a magic tool.
Though compared to the holy sword Heinrich possessed, the rank contained within it was absurdly faint.
‘Still, for now, that alone is enough.’
Divine power was a higher energy not bound by the laws of a world.
Even if it couldn’t reach the special grade of the holy sword, whose rank couldn’t even be measured, it could sufficiently surpass most high-grade magic tools.
‘Taesan’s trust in me is 94%.’
From what he had learned so far, once reliability exceeded 90%, they would never betray him, even if it meant putting their own life in danger.
At that level, he should be able to use most of the divine power that grew stronger through faith without any great loss.
Excellent portability, about the size of a handgun, and able to return to his hand whenever he wished, no matter how far away it was.
Outstanding destructive power, capable of rapid fire, with each shot rivaling a sniper rifle.
Unlike bullets that relied solely on physical force, it was based on divine power, giving it broad utility that could respond to anything, whether the hide of a monster reinforced by vitality or a barrier constructed with mana.
With this alone, he should be able to take care of himself and escape from any situation.
As long as he did not run into an enemy beyond the extreme realm, one who could casually cut down even a sniper round fired unexpectedly from outside their perception range.
“...Thanks, Seonghyeon. It couldn’t have been easy to give such precious things even to an outsider like me. The return ticket, too...”
After the contract ended.
Kang Taesan, who had been holding the handgun and feeling the power contained within it, quietly spoke.
Even if he was a collaborator, Seonghyeon had handed over items that were practically organizational secrets, not to him, but to his friend.
Because of this, Han Seonghyeon’s position within Masquerade must have been shaken quite a bit as well.
No matter the circumstances, he could not help feeling bitter, as if he were dragging his friend down.
“This much is fine. It’s not like we’re strangers. And after you come back, you can help us.”
“...Yeah, that’ll do. I’ve supported Masquerade’s course all along anyway. Ever since Hahoe Mask began his activities.”
“Oh, right. You name that gun. It’s the weapon you’ll be using from now on.”
“Really? A name...”
Kang Taesan stared at the black handgun for a moment, then let out a faint laugh.
“How about Black Star? After your name, Seonghyeon.”
The seong for star, and the hyeon for black.
A black star, Black Star.
It was somewhat childish, but no other name suited it better.
“...Those aren’t the Chinese characters for my name.”
“Shut up, man. As long as it’s intuitive.”
But their friendly bickering lasted only a moment.
There was still much left to do.
“Now then, let’s start training so you can get used to the equipment before you cross over.”
“...Huh?”
“Ah, you don’t need to worry about breaking it. Black Star wasn’t something that would be damaged easily in the first place, and it has a self-repair function too. As for protective equipment...”
No sooner had he finished speaking than the club appeared again.
A chilling aura rose from the blunt weapon, which had become twice as thick as the one used in their previous training.
“...I brought quite a few spares just in case. If one breaks, I’ll swap it out right away.”
A fresh smile contrasted with a face gone deathly pale.
As joy and sorrow crossed between the two, roughly two days passed in the adjusted time of that space.
And beneath Kang Taesan’s feet, a transfer formation to another world was created.
***
Early morning.
“Huh?”
A young girl, who had been praying with her hands clasped before going out to work again today, tilted her head.
A strange energy was rising from within her.
“What is this?”
A fanatic whose reliability reached 98%.
Diana, the secretary to the head of the Hubert Trading Company, blinked her innocent eyes.