Chapter 344: To Do List (3)
Not just any ordinary group, clearly a bunch of high-level psychics!
‘What’s going on?’
We exchanged glances as we sensed a large number of Awakened ones right in front of us.
At first, we jokingly wondered about it, but thinking about it more, this wasn’t normal at all. It was also a warning that the difficulty of our task had increased beyond our imagination.
‘This is getting annoying.’
With so many high-ranking Awakened around, could we really meet the PIXY shareholders without a hitch?
‘The obstacles ahead are pretty obvious.’
I honestly thought the chances of that were low.
So, like a Great Mage, I tried to solve the situation using my mystical powers.
First, I needed to give an order to Kang Chang-ho at this point.
“You should’ve warned me there would be so many Awakened here.”
Honestly, apart from that, the information Kang Chang-ho gathered was mostly excellent.
“But I hope that the fact this bunker has only one exit is still true.”
Just to be clear, this place has very few physical pathways.
No rat holes or side routes could be found.
According to Earthling informants’ long-term observations, they seemed to use only one singular entrance connecting the surface and underground.
Given this situation, there was something crucial we needed to do first when ambushing the enemy.
‘Block any escape routes.’
But I was a bit worried about one thing…
As mentioned earlier, if the enemy used [Spatial Movement] or [High-Speed Movement] magic to escape.
‘Heh heh.’
Even if that were to happen, I actually had countermeasures in place.
First off, teleportation magic is extremely rare on Earth.
Awakened ones like Brooklyn Morgan, who have the talent to leap through space, are as scarce as hens’ teeth, with maybe five individuals appearing each year. And those who could drag someone along with them are even rarer.
Moreover, items imbued with teleportation magic are almost as hard to find as elixirs.
‘So, it’s almost safe to rule out teleportation. Even if the enemy tried to use that kind of magic, I have plans.’
So, Earthlings typically use high-speed movement methods for crossing distances.
The most famous example of an item with high-speed movement magic is [Shroud of the Underworld].
In other words.
Unlike teleportation magic, it doesn’t ignore terrain completely.
While I learned this information too late, it seems if you disrupt the ground where shadows are cast, you can drop the humans riding the [Shroud of the Underworld].
‘The movement speed is so fast that it’s generally hard to hit, but the Awakened next to me isn’t some scammer disguised as an S-Class like some alien, so it’s all good.’
Plus, within this system, most other high-speed movement items would likely be unraveled in the same way.
First, to eliminate physical concerns, this was the best plan.
“What? You want me to guard the entrance?”
“Yup!”
“And if anyone tries to leave in here, I should stop them for sure?”
Kang Chang-ho was set to act as the sentinel here.
This was the plan from the get-go.
What I truly wanted was just someone to handle Earth’s complex bureaucratic processing.
I’m no longer an F-Class weakling.
Even in my pitiful, almost ragged state due to incomplete modifications and treatments, I could easily defeat a hundred psychics.
But bringing along such a primitive mage wouldn’t really boost our power in this situation.
‘Honestly, that mammal has already paid off just by preparing smuggling or false identities~’
A fleeting thought passed through my mind.
‘But I’ll need just as much assistance when returning to Korea, so it’s a bit tricky to send him back alone at this point.’
For reference, I couldn’t accompany that mammal inside the building.
From now on, I would need to cast various spells to converse with the PIXY shareholders. Showing all of that to that primitive guy would be inconvenient.
‘Then I suppose the only way is to give him a plausible mission and leave him at the entrance.’
Thus, the request for him to guard this place slipped out.
Moreover.
“Alright. I’ll leave the entrance in your hands responsibly.”
“Yes!”
“It definitely seems better for you to be out alone than two of us wandering around.”
I thought I’d be following him around and handling all the chores inside the bunker.
But if the previous contractor suddenly insisted on standing guard right there, I guess that would be welcome on his part.
‘Anyone would be happy if their workload for the day was less than they anticipated.’
Korea’s third S-Class carefully tucked away the sunglasses he had been wearing into his pocket.
His face was bright as he organized his accessories with a smile.
“Kim Gi-ryeo, Hunter.”
Of course, even if the work had become easier, I wasn’t too excited to overlook important questions.
“But looking to find Andy alone in this vast bunker, you must have some skills like [Seocher]?”
Right after that.
A question popped up from beside me.
“Nope.”
But I answered calmly.
“It’s just that I figured I could find him by instinct once I got this far.”
“Oh?”
“With a lot inherited wealth, living in such a suspicious den day in and day out… If he’s selfish enough to take advantage of targeting foreigners, where would such a person honestly live?”
“Well, I’m not sure.”
For reference, I was preparing [Strengthening Magic] to be able to move quickly at any time.
As soon as I finished this discussion, I planned to start tracking as soon as Kang Chang-ho broke down the door.
“If I were such a petty person, I’d always be glued to the strongest employee in this bunker.”
“That makes sense.”
Hunting down the most powerful psychic in a specific location to run into the target, at least sounds plausible.
But of course, that was a lie.
Naturally, I planned to track him using [Seocher].
‘That primitive magic, even if I hadn’t used it in Alphauri, learning it was a piece of cake once I set my mind to it… and now I more or less know the whereabouts of the non-Awakened I need to find.’
As it turned out, the [Seocher] skill on Earth was structurally similar to the ‘ancient magic of Alphauri for finding familiar objects.’
With that, I had already upgraded my body to possess the function of tracking primitives.
There was no need to bring Seonwoo-yeon along.
But it would be awkward to show off being a Great Mage. So, I just made some excuses.
‘Inference? Pfft. How would I know who this Andy guy is and who he might be around.’
With that, I had successfully deceived Kang Chang-ho.
“I’ll return to the entrance if any trouble arises I can’t handle.”
Now it was time to genuinely undertake the mission.
“The other side isn’t foolproof either. They’ll probably detect an intruder right away…”
“Probably.”
“If too many guards gather near the entrance, don’t hesitate to escape, Kang Chang-ho Hunter.”
For reference, Kang Chang-ho is someone who typically knows how to prioritize his safety over keeping promises.
If the mammal leaves the mission uncompleted from this bunker, it would present a chance for the aliens.
‘Without that guy, I could freely use any magic without worrying about being watched.’
I said this without revealing my true feelings.
Of course, Kang Chang-ho accepted the proposal without pretending to decline.
So, the agreement between us was officially in place.
‘Alright, then, I’ll save my magic power for emergencies as if I might actually use a real [Teleportation]…’
The moment our discussion ended.
We exchanged brief signals and initiated our actions.
‘What? I thought there’d be guards at the door; instead, there’s no one at the entrance.’
Kang Chang-ho smashed the locked door with brute strength.
I instantly stretched out my senses to pinpoint the criminals’ location.
‘Second basement floor?’
What followed was nothing short of superior physical abilities characteristic of an S-Class mage.
The past where I had laid around aimlessly felt like a distant memory.
I dashed through the bunker at a speed well beyond that of an ordinary person.
‘If I apply a high-level cloaking spell to my body, [Dragon’s Eye] might detect something.’
Originally, when I encountered others inside, I planned to deal some damage.
‘Then, I guess I’ll move to attack the approaching Earthling!’
I’ve felt this way every time since being born, but life never flows as we think.
-BONG!
After running for a while, I stopped momentarily.
I had a feeling there was a target right below where I stood, but I had no idea how to go down.
‘Earthlings! Is there an elevator here? Elevator?’
Without a building layout in hand, it was unlikely I’d find an elevator by searching everywhere.
So, I prepared to pierce down through the floor with magic.
But at that moment, something unexpected happened.
“……!”
“……!!”
An Earthling had just turned the corner.
It was a foreigner with a small head and a relatively large build, and I was finally faced with an intruder.
‘Oh no, gotcha! Alright, sleep magic immediately!’
However, the ensuing conversation took a turn that even the Great Mage of Alphauri couldn’t have anticipated.
-BEAM!
The person, presumably a staff member here, simply greeted the intruder with a bland farewell upon making eye contact and vanished.
‘Oh? What? Just left like that?’
Unbelievable.
What was with this lax atmosphere pervading the bunker?
People who merely greet someone they don’t even know without a care for their safety and stroll past?
In such a situation, a specific term flashed through my head.
Safety complacency.
‘This could end up being easier than I expected!’
Fortunately, problems like this only present advantages to intruders.
*
A minute passed.
‘Hmmm.’
If an S-Class Awakened used incredible speed, they’d have already moved through an entire floor by now.
At this point, Kang Chang-ho was standing next to a suitable pillar near the entrance.
-THUD.
He had just broken down the door, so hiding for a moment wouldn’t really change anything.
‘Still, I’d prefer not to run into anyone wandering around…’
He was maintaining his position as per someone’s request to not allow anyone to exit the bunker.
Though he had shown concern, it was true that spatial movers were rare.
The idea of having one side guard the entrance was simple but seemed effective.
‘Guards should be coming soon.’
By the way, why wasn’t a separate force stationed at the entrance of this bunker?
Was it confidence that this place wouldn’t be discovered by others? Or perhaps they had enough troops to deal with intruders without needing to handle them at the entrance?
‘Or maybe the timing was just off. After all, today isn’t a supply day.’
Kang Chang-ho mulled over these thoughts while checking the frayed edges of his fingertips.
This disguise item known as [Mirror of the Vampire] has its merits; however, this was indeed a drawback.
The appearance differs from the actual person inside, so touching it directly reveals an inconsistency.
While it looked rough to the naked eye, when I poked my finger against it, an entirely different texture was transmitted to my skin.
“Hmm.”
Because of this, the [Mirror of the Vampire] also affects combat.
If a giant roughly 192cm is projected onto a smaller illusion, inconsistencies arise when extending an arm.
Whether that becomes a strength or a hindrance is a matter of debate.
Kang Chang-ho was already growing tired at the thought of the fight that was about to ensue.
-If too many guards gather near the entrance, Kang Chang-ho Hunter shouldn’t hesitate to escape.
Revisiting that hunter’s words, it wouldn’t be a problem for him to turn and leave right now.
Korea’s third S-Class reflected on the words of his colleague.
If something big were to happen while blocking the entrance, it would be permissible for him to take flight.
Even if later they confirmed truth through items like [Knight’s Pact] or [Fairy’s Promise], it wouldn’t pinpoint the exact number of people that rushed into the entrance, so he could easily wriggle out.
Even if only two or three guards showed up, he could turn that into an adequate excuse.
However, Kang Chang-ho didn’t bother trying to dissect the flaws in the wording.
‘It’s the final stretch anyway.’
Yeah. It is indeed the final stretch.
They say facing death can make a person lose their cool sometimes.
I’m scowling.
Got awful luck.
Plus, with his qualifications as a hunter, facing off against an incredibly talented psychic he’s never encountered before, there wouldn’t be much he could do.
Thus, Kang Chang-ho resolved to keep his mission as best he could this time.
‘Huh?’
But just thirty seconds after having that thought.
-THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP.
The expansive bunker echoed faintly as the sound of footsteps began to pound in from somewhere.
In reflex, Kang Chang-ho shifted his [Dragon’s Eye] toward the noise.
As the specially made sunglasses came off, he fully confronted the scene in front of him.
A throng of Awakened individuals were pouring in towards this entrance, not Kim Gi-ryeo who had gone inside.
“?”
It was all the forces converging on him, who had just been quietly standing at the entrance.
Kang Chang-ho stood in disbelief, having discovered the unbelievable phenomenon.
And soon after, he raised one eyebrow, surprised at his own disguised face.
