A bright laugh.
Sophie felt a strange sense of foreboding.
Of course, she had hardly ever seen Lee Geon smile like that.
The Lee Geon she knew had always worn a mask.
Half his face was hidden by the mask, and even the visible part was so ruined that reading any expression was out of the question.
But it was the same. The way his eyes curved into thin crescents.
He must have been smiling like that beneath the mask.
And now, even more so with that appearance.
With that face smiling so radiantly, it was enough to make her heart tremble, but the person before her was who he was.
'Wha, what on earth is he thinking?'
How could he smile when a missile was flying at them?
And one with the power to shatter this entire country to pieces at that!
So Sophie tensed her neck. Backing away in fright was pure instinct.
"Hey. Did you actually hear what I just said?"
"Yeah. That it's noisy."
"You don't seem to know, but that missile is an anti-monster weapon made by the Makara Sign!"
Commonly called Marmot.
It was a Sign weapon installed by the Capricornus Sign, the Master Artisan Sign, at observation posts across every continent.
Its power was one thing, but there was another reason that bomb was so terrifying.
'It turns you into a Capricornus Sign experiment.'
Exposure to the bomb's dust turned anything, human or monster, into a specialized experimental soldier of the Capricornus Sign.
Capricornus was called the Master Artisan Sign, but it was also the Implement Sign. Those exposed would have various skills or effects implemented by Capricornus applied to them.
And even for Lee Geon, there was no way he could just catch a missile.
Yet Lee Geon, seeming to take her explanation in some strange way, smiled chillingly.
"Yeah, it's fine. Your inherent trait will be enough."
"......!"
Sophie felt her heart plummet. It was because she felt like she knew what Lee Geon was thinking.
In fact, Lee Geon was harboring a sinister thought.
.
An inherent ability granted to each Sign, almost like a racial trait. And the Sign traits of the Aquarius Sign were [Transparency: Invisibility] and [Matter Liquefaction].
In particular, Matter Liquefaction was a nullification skill that melted anything that touched the body.
That was the very skill Lee Geon had been so regretful about not obtaining from Sophie.
Because if he could melt substances that wouldn't melt even in fire, he could likely create special items as well.
Anyway, with that ability, dissolving a missile was certainly possible.
As if on cue.
As if realizing this, Sophie immediately turned her back.
But.
"Hey. Where are you running off to?"
As Lee Geon grabbed Sophie, she went into convulsions.
"Are you insane? You're planning to throw me at the missile, aren't you!"
"No? It's just a matter of taking a few hits from me, you know?"
What?
She shot him a look asking what kind of bullshit this was now, but Lee Geon just smiled brightly.
"Don't worry. I'm a kind person too. No matter what, I won't beat you like a dog in front of people."
"......!?"
Just as Sophie was about to scream that this wasn't the issue at all.
Thwack!
Sophie flew back with a scream.
The bonus was a pain that felt like her frontal bone would shatter.
Literally, a pain so intense she couldn't even scream.
"S-s-saintess!"
The holy order commanders tasked with guarding the Saintess ran over in horror.
It was a relief she hadn't fainted.
But Lee Geon, who had delivered the monstrous forehead flick, clicked his tongue.
[Data has been acquired]
[Sign Trait: 'Water Emission']
"Ah, shit, it's a useless one. Hey. One more."
"......!"
"What? I'm going easy on you, aren't I? Hurry up and present your forehead."
No, your forehead flick isn't just a forehead flick!
On the verge of death, Sophie yelled.
"What are you doing! Stop that person, quickly! As for money, we've already paid you!"
At this, the other high-ranking holy knights assigned to guard duty glanced around nervously.
Of course, normally they would have protected the Saintess according to the request, but well.
They were looking back and forth between Lee Geon and the Saintess with bewildered eyes.
It was understandable, as the person in front of them was none other than Lee Geon.
And if that boy really was the very same Lee Geon.
'I'm a total fan...'
'My childhood idol...!'
Sophie froze at their reaction.
And at that moment, Lee Geon made a flicking gesture with his fingers. Telling them to move aside.
And at Lee Geon's gesture, the high-ranking holy knights subtly backed off.
"Well then."
"......!"
In the end, Sophie's face turned deathly pale.
And just then, the holy knights squeezed their eyes shut.
Thwack!
[Sign Trait 'Water Duplication' has been acquired]
[Sign Trait 'Water Spirit Manifestation' has been acquired]
[Data has been acquired]
[Data has been acquired]
...
[Data has been acquired]
In the end, Sophie completely fainted.
And Lee Geon, who had extracted data as if he might never see Sophie again, smiled for some reason.
"Good. This is how it should be."
Three minutes remaining now.
Grabbing Sophie by the collar, Lee Geon looked somewhere.
* * *
"This is insane."
Around that time, Choi Seonghyeok, the Order Master of the Gemini Sign, was panicked.
It was only natural.
'A Marmot missile, of all things.'
That was something that would absolutely never be launched except during a sudden invasion by unknown civilizations.
But why was it heading for Korea?
'That missile can't be sent away with teleport.'
It was a weapon designed from the start to prevent direct magical interference.
And at this rate, all of Korea would be blown away.
Of course, the holy knights of the Gemini Sign could flee overseas using teleport, but well.
As the Order Master, abandoning his country and running away was not an option.
So Choi Seonghyeok was extremely anxious.
'The Gemini Sign Saint is unreachable...!'
But it was right then.
"Hey. Head chaff."
"!"
At the voice striking his ears, Choi Seonghyeok's face contorted.
Sure enough, a familiar face was standing behind him, looking insolent.
"You haven't forgotten my contract's special clause, have you?"
"......!"
Choi Seonghyeok seemed to have an awful lot to say.
Wasn't it from the auction house, after all? Wasn't he the one who had hung on, trying to scout Lee Geon more than anyone else?
Of course, it was his own fault for not noticing sooner, but still. A person should have a bare minimum of conscience.
'To think someone of Lee Geon's caliber would shamelessly curse himself while pretending otherwise...!'
His eyes clearly labeled him a fraudster, but Lee Geon just laughed.
This wasn't the time to discuss such things anyway.
"Since you're an Order Master level, teleport is a basic ability for you, right?"
As if knowing exactly what he was implying, Choi Seonghyeok flatly refused.
"It's impossible. That missile has magic defense on it, so we can't directly remove it with teleport..."
"Idiot. Not the missile."
"Excuse me?"
"Move me."
...Excuse me?
Choi Seonghyeok's face was a sight to behold.
"Why. Aren't you called Korea's Top Two? Surely an S-rank isn't incapable of moving a single person?"
Choi Seonghyeok shot him a look asking if this was a joke.
"It's moving at Mach speed. No matter how superhuman someone is, falling onto that means death!"
"Yeah. I'm different from you guys, so I'm fine."
"......!"
It was then.
"Two minutes until arrival over South Korean airspace!"
"!"
The plaza turned into pandemonium.
Lee Geon wiggled his fingers.
"Why. Going to play dead since I'm sworn enemies with the Gemini Sign?"
Tense glances clashed.
In the end, the hesitating Choi Seonghyeok touched Lee Geon's hand.
And in that instant, something astonishing happened.
'!'
Lee Geon vanished in the blink of an eye. It was teleport.
Of course, specifying the coordinates wasn't difficult.
Because there was the rental skill of the Sagittarius Sign, the symbol of tracking and absolute accuracy, the Sign that never missed.
But seeing that sight, Sophie, who had been lying pretending to be unconscious, smiled wickedly despite her shock.
'I don't know what he's planning, but it's suicide.'
As expected.
When Lee Geon truly disappeared, the faces of Choi Seonghyeok's subordinates turned pale.
The reporters also looked at Order Master Choi in disbelief.
"D-did you actually teleport him to the missile?"
"He'll die!"
"In the first place, how does he expect to deal with the missile...!"
Choi Seonghyeok broke into a sweat. He had sent him because he had no other method for now, but he couldn't fathom his scheme at all.
But it was right then.
"Kyaaak!"
"!"
Sophie, who had been pretending to faint, suddenly vanished.
The reporters were shocked by the sight. The holy knights were shocked too.
It was only natural.
'Teleport shouldn't work on the Saintess right now?'
The Gemini Sign's holy knights had been aware that teleportation was already impossible when the Saintess's subordinates tried to evacuate her earlier.
So it couldn't be teleport.
But a disappearance like that couldn't be explained except by teleport.
Then how.
'Lee Geon's ability?'
Just then, the holy knights of the Aquarius Sign, who were using tracking skills to find the Saintess, screamed.
"Kyaaak! The Saintess is in the sky!"
"Wait, isn't this location towards the missile?"
"......!"
They felt like they knew where the Saintess had gone.
They didn't know how she flew there, but at least they felt like they knew what Lee Geon intended.
'The Aquarius Sign's Matter Liquefaction ability.'
With that, he might certainly be able to melt the missile.
Still, the risk was great.
As expected.
"Ah, if this is how it is, I should have just tied the Saintess to a homing missile and launched her from the start. I don't like my uncle being in danger."
"......!"
The one who appeared was Cheon's children.
It seemed they had been helping evacuate people following their uncle's words.
"My crafting skill is high, so I can make something like a homing missile. I can set the coordinates using Dad's skill."
At this, Choi Seonghyeok and the holy knights looked on in horror.
'That child just treated the Saintess like...'
But the younger sibling got smacked by the older sister instead.
"You idiot. Then uncle wouldn't be able to get the ability."
"Ah, that's true."
The high-ranking holy knights listening sweated.
These terrifying little kids.
* * *
And above, in the rough winds of the high sky.
"Kyaaak!"
Sophie's scream echoed out.
She was on the verge of losing her mind at the sight unfolding below her feet.
"Alright, bed-wetter. Ready?"
"Aaak!"
The one holding her collar was none other than Lee Geon.
He had brazenly summoned Sophie using a skill.
And their current location was atop the missile.
No, to be precise, atop the floating launch device.
It seemed the Capricornus Sign's missile device was a massive automated floating machine.
And the missile, having traveled from a neighboring country, had stopped flying and was preparing for interception.
Positioning didn't seem to be a problem. He had even prepared a skill to anchor his body just in case.
[Coordinate adjustment complete]
[Launch initiating]
[50 seconds to launch]
The devices began to move with a mechanical whirring.
The object appearing to be the warhead was about 30 meters below.
And the moment the cylindrical object revealed its head, Lee Geon lifted Sophie up.
Sophie was horrified.
"W-wait a moment! Are you really doing this? Weren't you the one going to handle it?"
"Am I crazy? If you've been playing around and eating well for 20 years, it's time to work."
"?!"
"Then good luck."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Lee Geon threw Sophie down the 30 meters.
It could miss, but that didn't matter much.
Sophie fell, screaming.
And it was right then.
[The master of the Crater Sign attempts to protect the Saint]
[The Sign Trait 'Matter Liquefaction' manifests more intensely than ever]
Along with that voice, light erupted from Sophie's body.
And then something amazing happened.
Boom!
With firepower exceeding Lee Geon's expectations, the missile melted away in an instant.
"Oh. As expected of a Saint-level, loved by the holy gods."
Perhaps it thought Sophie's bones would shatter if she collided directly.
The melted remnants of the missile turned into liquid and scattered into the empty sky.
It was a Sign with almost no attack skills, but it was certainly useful.
Amidst this, the falling Sophie pleaded for help.
"Lee Geon! Catch me!"
[The master of the Crater Sign requests you rescue their holy knight]
Lee Geon didn't even listen.
Upon this, the voice came again, perhaps having grown desperate.
[The master of the Crater Sign states they will give you their sacred object if you rescue their holy knight]
"What nonsense. What I make is better."
Ultimately, Sophie plummeted to the ground, letting out a piercing scream.
It was at a height similar to when the Leo Sign had fallen.
It was right then.
A chunk of stone that had escaped from the melted liquid flew towards Lee Geon.
"!"
Lee Geon caught the stone chunks with superhuman speed.
Tak! Tak! Tak!
[A portion of the core containing the Makara Sign's magic power has been found]
[It will explode if mishandled]
Lee Geon smiled.
So, in short, it was a part of the bomb.
It seemed the dust that turned things into the Capricornus Sign's experimental soldiers had vanished during the melting process.
And then, as if getting an idea, Lee Geon took out the badge he had received from Seong Jaehan.
It looked vaguely like a mirror.
With a few touches, a sound came through.
[Activating rental skill]
[Activating Sagittarius Sign skill 'Long-Range Homing']
Lee Geon touched the shrunken bomb fragment. The target: the enemy's holy territory.
[Would you like to complete coordinate designation for this object?]
[It will fly to the Gemini Sign's holy territory]
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
(Continued in the next chapter)