Chapter 155

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Ability System fundamentally differed depending on the caster, even if it ultimately produced the same result.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was unlike the Martial System.

Martial ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍System users merely added destructive power through Psyonic Energy to the perfected form known as martial arts.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ability System, on the other hand, manifested the desired phenomenon through one's own unique method.

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Saun's method was none other than **Words of Power**.

*‘Why... ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Why?’*

Staring at Myo Seol-rin with eyes still clouded in confusion, Saun spoke quietly.

「Speed」

His Words of Power were not directed at himself...

But toward his squad members rushing at the vines Myo Seol-rin was sending erupting sporadically through the asphalt.

Many people misunderstood something.

They believed that those classified as Support Types were merely healers.

Of course, even among Ability System researchers the debate was still ongoing.

But Saun evaluated his own ability quite simply.

**Buffer.**

Words of Power came with far too many restrictions.

Unlike other Ability System Special Operations Officers, his ability could be rendered completely useless the moment his mouth was sealed shut.

Naturally, there were ways around that.

Even so, he never favored close combat.

The reason...

Well.

Getting hurt hurt.

Furthermore, Saun's Words of Power were focused less on direct offense and more on strengthening others.

Likewise, every member of Squad Byeong was fundamentally a Martial System superhuman trained specifically to complement their squad leader's abilities.

Shwaaaaaaak!

Temporarily accelerated to speeds approaching Triple Gear by Saun's Words of Power, the squad members exchanged quick glances.

The vines were sliced apart or torn to shreds before they could even touch them.

But to them...

Neither Myo Seol-rin's betrayal...

Nor the Church of Dawn followers standing behind her...

Was what truly mattered.

“Ghk!”

“...Huff.”

Though not a single attack had reached them...

An overwhelming pressure pierced their skin, forcing ragged breaths from their lungs.

The enormous form of **Qiongqi**, large enough to rival an entire skyscraper...

Looking down upon them with boundless arrogance as though they were insects...

Instilled in every intelligent being the instinctive terror born of the unknown.

Perhaps because of that...

As though they had all agreed beforehand...

They rushed straight past Myo Seol-rin and the Church of Dawn followers toward Baek Hong.

*‘We have to kill her!’*

Perhaps that very thought had been engraved into all of their minds simultaneously.

To survive...

They had to kill not Myo Seol-rin or the Church of Dawn...

But the **Immortal-rank** High Priest controlling Qiongqi.

“Hm.”

Watching the squad members avoid her vines and charge forward, Myo Seol-rin hummed softly as though cheering them on.

It was, at first glance, a bizarre scene.

The enemy was blatantly running past them to attack the person they worshipped above all else...

Yet neither Myo Seol-rin nor the Church of Dawn followers showed even the slightest sign of agitation.

Had the squad members not been overwhelmed by panic...

They would have noticed that unsettling inconsistency without much difficulty.

Unfortunately...

Their minds were as frantic as prey fleeing a predator.

And so...

Upon finally reaching Baek Hong...

They unleashed their attacks without the slightest hesitation.

“...Die!”

A dagger-like blade infused with Psyonic Energy came crashing down upon Baek Hong's shoulder.

Shwaaaaaak!

Blood sprayed wildly from the long crimson slash.

Yet they did not stop there.

CRAAACK!

A sickle-shaped weapon smashed into her bare chest.

BOOOOM!

A revolver loaded with reinforced rounds fired directly into her skull.

“Hah!”

CRAAACK!

A Lang Clan soldier flashed his razor-sharp claws...

Precisely severing the artery.

*‘We got her!’*

Even for a Special Operations Officer...

Those injuries were severe enough that survival would have been nearly impossible without being placed inside a Life Support Capsule.

Naturally...

Certain they had killed Baek Hong...

They began retreating with visible relief.

But then—

“How far has our pride fallen?”

Unlike before, her voice did not reverberate through the air.

Instead, she murmured quietly...

As though they were simply pathetic.

At those words...

Every member of Squad Byeong froze where they stood.

They stared at her in utter disbelief.

Drip.

Drip.

Blood flowed from the countless wounds covering her body.

Special Operations Officers...

Superhumans...

Neither were incapable of feeling pain.

Quite the opposite.

Many were driven to the brink of death...

Only for their monstrous vitality to prolong their suffering until they longed for death itself.

Yet...

Baek Hong's face remained utterly calm.

“Pathetic. Truly pathetic.”

The blades embedded in her body slowly melted together with her blood.

The flesh that had been sliced, torn, and mangled beyond recognition...

Regenerated into flawless white skin as though nothing had ever happened.

The speed of that regeneration clearly surpassed human limits...

No.

It far surpassed even the limits of superhumans.

Perhaps because of that...

One squad member, too stunned to even think of retreating...

Caught the rich scent of fresh grass drifting past his nose.

With a trembling voice, he muttered.

“...How... is this even possible?”

Those were the last words he was ever allowed to speak.

PAAAAAAAAANG!

The squad member's body exploded...

Like a flower bud bursting open to scatter its seeds.

Crimson blood became fluttering petals.

Scattered bone fragments became drifting pollen.

Admiring the splendid floral display that marked the miserable end of their pitiful lives...

Baek Hong met the gaze of the teal-haired boy glaring at her as though he wished to kill her.

“......”

Saun could not speak.

Only the boundless hatred and fury burning within his once-empty eyes remained.

—A child blessed with talent.

Yet what filled her gaze was not reproach toward the boy's arrogance for daring to challenge her.

It was simple interest in his talent.

Naturally.

Just because an insect bit you...

Didn't mean you hated every insect.

Especially those so insignificant that they would die beneath a single step.

But the child before her was different.

Though he would never reach the Immortal-rank...

He possessed the talent to attain the Blessing-rank.

And the path leading there had already been partially paved.

*‘Though he chose the misguided shortcut known as Gear... he never abandoned the secret arts of the Sa Clan.’*

Indeed, many Jyuins chose the same path.

Though their methods diverged...

Both ultimately transformed the supernatural into reality.

Granted...

What flowed through his path was not **Bright Force**...

But the impure energy known as Psyonic Energy.

Even so...

Erasing that path and forging a new one was hardly difficult for an Immortal-rank High Priest.

—In the end, you too are one of our children. End your pitiful life and embrace the Dawn.

After all...

Wasn't there an adorable and pitiable example standing right before them?

Myo Seol-rin.

Baek Hong's low voice carried the husky tone of a mature woman.

Yet paradoxically...

To the frightened Jyuins standing frozen in place...

It sounded impossibly gentle.

Was this what it felt like to reunite with a mother long lost?

To outsiders visiting Jyu Planet...

It was nothing more than a threatening growl.

But to the Jyuins...

Without realizing it...

Their fear slowly transformed into admiration and reverence as they looked upon her.

“That's right, Saun. Even now, if you repent, you may devote yourself forever. In the name of the Dawn. For the sake of the Jyuins.”

Only moments ago, Myo Seol-rin had called Saun a “dog of the Composite State” and tried to kill him.

Yet the instant Baek Hong spoke...

She smiled brightly with her characteristic crescent eyes and gently coaxed him.

That wasn't all.

Spreading both arms wide...

Her black military uniform, stained by the blood of countless members of her own race, stood out vividly.

As though inviting him into an embrace.

“—.”

Naturally...

Saun's answer had already been decided.

“Hoo...”

Taking a deep breath...

His eyes flashed beneath his teal hair.

His narrow shoulders rose...

Then spread wide.

The veins running across the scales covering the backs of his hands writhed as he rapidly formed hand seals.

“**Rin (臨).**”

He opened his right hand...

Placing his clenched left fist atop it.

“**Byō (兵).**”

His thumb and index finger touched.

“**Tō (鬪).**”

His left index finger struck the palm of his right hand.

“**Sha (者).**”

His left hand wrapped around his right.

“**Kai (皆).**”

His fingers spread...

Interlocking together.

“**Jin (陳).**”

The crossed fingers intertwined.

“**Retsu (列).**”

His hands came together upright.

“**Zai (在).**”

Finally...

His clasped fingertips bound together.

“**Zen (前).**”

At last...

Words of Power and hand seals intertwined...

And the vision he had long desired descended upon this land.

“...Words of Power.”

Talent approaching Quad Gear.

Saun's subconscious, greedily absorbing the dense **Bright Force** emitted by Qiongqi.

His rage at the annihilation of the squad members he had cherished...

Sometimes even regarded as older brothers.

And finally...

The inherited secret art of the Sa Clan, passed down to him as its former heir.

All of that combined...

Produced a result utterly impossible for the current Saun to achieve.

「Six Jia Secret Incantation」

KUGUGUGUGUGUGUNG!

Serpent-shaped stone generals erupted from beneath the earth all at once.

The aura flowing from Qiongqi was instantly cut off.

Then...

Hundreds of serpents surged from the cracks in the ground, charging toward Baek Hong.

—Ha, hahahahahahahahahahaha!

Witnessing the sight...

Baek Hong burst into mad laughter unlike anything she had ever shown before.

Saun's small body had already sunk to one knee.

Blood poured from every opening in his body...

Forming a crimson pool beneath him.

As the price for forcing himself beyond his limits...

His ruptured vocal cords no longer functioned.

Only hoarse, corrupted breaths escaped.

“Ah... Ahh...”

Even through the agony of feeling his throat tear apart...

Saun kept his eyes open.

And within his Domain...

He ordered them to punish those before him.

At that very moment...

Qiongqi behind Baek Hong spread its baleful gaze and roared.

—GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

It was...

Truly...

A battle belonging to beings beyond humanity.

As though the gods themselves had gone to war.

---

Something of unknown origin had appeared in Jungto.

After telling the bewildered Captain Lang Wei that he could go on ahead...

Jin Crow turned to the Military Police.

“Cooperate with the local Public Security officers, stabilize the wounded, and regroup at Platform 9 if necessary.”

“Yes, understood, Instructor.”

It was ironic that they were receiving orders from Jin Crow even though the Military Police Battalion Commander, Obia Timist, stood right beside them.

But what could anyone do?

The chain of command had already collapsed.

“Obia.”

“Yes~, Instructor.”

If there was one thing Jin Crow had learned through countless past experiences...

It was that he absolutely had to keep **Obia Timist**, **Baek Hui-young**, and **Dokgo Ran** close by.

There was no telling when any of them might cause another disaster.

For a brief moment...

He sighed, wondering how Baek Hui-young—who should have been a dependable ally—had somehow become another walking headache.

Still...

At least this time...

*‘The only one I have to keep an eye on is Obia Timist.’*

Thinking that...

He stepped onto the eerily silent boulevard where everyone seemed to have already evacuated.

*‘First, head to the Governor-General's Office and work together with Lecom Ging.’*

Creatures had appeared.

The Church of Dawn had invaded.

And if the Red Hand truly stood behind all of it...

Then this was far beyond what the Governor-General's forces alone could handle.

If possible...

The logical choice would be to summon any nearby Federal Fleet and suppress the situation.

The problem...

Was that Federal Fleets were notoriously slow whenever the Governor-General's Office requested assistance.

Which, admittedly, was understandable.

The Governor-General already possessed its own military forces.

And historically...

Every Governor had dumped endless troublesome problems onto the Federal military.

*‘Still... if I, an instructor from the Central Special Operations Academy, make the request... it'll carry more weight.’*

And if they still refused to come...

He fully intended to drag both Ideale and even Rosen into the mess.

Whatever happened...

The people who could still be saved...

Had to be saved.

Whether she understood his thoughts or not...

Obia, following behind him, looked endlessly cheerful.

*‘She's probably treating this entire situation as some amusing little incident.’*

Back then...

Her madness had terrified him.

Now...

It merely made him sigh.

That twisted personality posed no small risk even for someone trying to make use of her.

...Though, at some point...

He had begun to wonder if he wasn't even making use of her anymore.

He deliberately ignored that thought.

Then—

Obia Timist, walking behind him, suddenly blinked before speaking.

“Instructor, but...”

“Obia Timist.”

Jin Crow turned his head.

“Get down!”

Without a moment's hesitation...

He grabbed her by the collar and threw both of them onto the ground.

Wooooooooong—!

Something black swept through the space behind their backs.

For an instant...

Even the air itself vanished before the distorted space restored itself.

*‘If I'd noticed even 0.1 seconds later... we'd both be dead.’*

Both himself...

And Obia Timist.

For the first time in a long while...

A cold sweat ran down his spine.

Step.

Step.

Then...

Mixed with the sound of military boots...

Came the voice of someone desperately trying to suppress his excitement.

“It's been a long time.”

The sound of breathing...

As though he were inhaling something.

“Shhh... Battalion Commander Jin Crow... No.”

A man's quiet voice.

“Shhh... Staff Sergeant.”

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