Chapter 44: You’re Mine

[……Breaking news! Around 1 PM today, armed assailants stormed the Korean Peninsula relics exhibition at the National History Museum, causing dozens of staff and visitors to evacuate in chaos. The assailants clashed with Japanese Association hunters on site…….]

[…They have been identified as the unauthorized awakener group ‘Vigilante,’ who stole over 70 relics before fleeing. Most stolen items are from the ‘Ogura Collection’ loaned by Japan. Experts presume the terror act conveyed the message ‘Return leaked cultural assets’…….]

[……Thanks to A-grade awakener Park Ahjeong (36), who was visiting, properly guiding evacuations, no civilian casualties occurred. However, 17 Japanese Association hunters sustained injuries, and one A-grade hunter is missing…….]

***

The interior of the National History Museum’s exhibition hall was devastating, hard to behold.

Walls and ceiling charred black.

Puddles everywhere on the floor, acrid burnt smell lingering.

Soon, Hunter Surveillance Bureau special investigator Bae Minji entered the scene.

“Those Vigilante bastards…… they were dead serious this time.”

Enforcing justice in the shadows that can’t be done in the light. That was Vigilante’s logic to justify their actions as an outlaw group.

But this time, they crossed the line far too much.

Soon, Bae Minji picked up a dark red feather.

Flame Crow feather.

Vigilante released five A-grade magical beasts in a downtown exhibition hall and fled.

If they had escaped outside, the casualties would be unimaginable.

At least over 100 dead.

How did Vigilante obtain A-grade beasts? Who is manipulating them from behind?

But the issue troubling Bae Minji was different.

She looked at five ash piles heaped in one corner.

Flame Crows leave no corpses. 

They burn themselves to ash.

When the Bureau arrived, all Flame Crows were already subjugated.

Then why…….

Where did the Japanese hunter on site disappear to?

Red Demon, Akaboshi.

A prodigy who reached A-grade 2nd at 17.

If he perished with the Flame Crows, his body should be somewhere.

Which means.

“……Someone else was at the scene.”

Bae Minji looked up at the ceiling.

A cleanly cut, gaping hole.

Far above, the bottom of the rooftop water tank was visible.

The tank bottom was crudely welded after being torn apart.

Bae Minji reached toward the ceiling hole.

Awakeners leave mana traces where they use skills.

Moreover, Bae Minji’s sensitivity to mana waves was exceptionally keen.

Shortly after.

A tingling sensation spread to her fingertips, faint mana detectable.

This is…… black mana residue. 

Could it be a black magic user?

Bae Minji thought as she exited the hall.

Possesses black mana, strength to overwhelm A-grade beasts.

Meticulous enough to burst the water tank and erase traces.

At least A+ grade or higher.

At that moment, a woman greeted her warmly outside.

“Tough work. Find anything?”

Lokpia history and hunter studies professor, Park Ahjeong.

Bae Minji shook her head.

“Burnt by fire, soaked in water. Nothing usable.”

“Well…… five A-grade beasts rampaged, and the building still stands—miracle enough. So, about my request?”

“Your F-grade hunter disciple? Searched every corner—no sign. Not on victim list either. Even F-grade is an awakener. Probably slipped out another exit.”

Park Ahjeong finally sighed in relief.

“Good. I brought him; worried something happened.”

“Really took a liking? You avoided coffee with students over fairness.”

Park Ahjeong smiled oddly.

“I’m making him mine.”

“Ajeong. How many times? Avoid misleading words.”

“What? Raising him as my grad student— what’s wrong?”

Park Ahjeong’s eyes sparkled as she continued.

“Listen. Super smart, right? Reminds me of my student days. Wrote a hundred hypotheses on Lokpia’s blank period. One interesting: ‘Mage Empire Morgue dominated half the continent’—plausible. Flaws, sure, but fixable. After graduation, 5-6 more years under me……! My own precious little grad student…….”

“Got it, calm down. I have work.”

“Yeah. Come for tea soon. Got good beans.”

Bae Minji saw her friend off, then turned back.

At that instant, a familiar figure caught her eye.

That person…….

Unmistakable crimson hair and eyes.

Movie-star beautiful face, always frowning.

Red Mage Tower Lord Shin Sodam stared intensely at the hall.

Bae Minji approached slyly and greeted.

“Hello, Shin Sodam?”

Shin Sodam glanced, no reply.

“Heard Rete Tower injuries were severe. Fully recovered?”

Warrant?

“Pardon?”

“No warrant, get lost. Nothing to say to Bureau dogs. Don’t start shit.”

Shin Sodam openly hostile.

Guessed why.

A week ago.

Bureau raided Red Mage Tower, seized unreported mana stones.

Probably that.

Bae Minji smiled brightly.

“Why provoke? Surprising though. Red Mage Tower Lord at a cleanup site—first time. Your skills suit destruction, not cleanup?”

Shin Sodam’s brow crumpled.

“What? Picking a fight? I smash, you clean—jealous? You smash then. Kill beasts. Or I turn everything to ash, no cleanup needed?”

“Fine…… but can Red Mage Tower afford damages? Stockpiled mana stones all seized.”

Suffocating tension.

Then.

Bzzz~! Bzzz~!

Bae Minji’s phone broke the silence.

“Hello. Yes, yes. Coming now.”

Ending the call, Bae Minji looked at Shin Sodam.

“Have to go. Enjoyed the chat. Shin Sodam.”

Shin Sodam smiled, raised middle finger.

Bae Minji left without looking back.

Shin Sodam tsked, turned to the hall.

En route to Red Mage Tower, she sensed odd mana waves.

Snapped to, arrived here entranced.

Mana detection keen for Red Mage Tower Lord too.

Recently, unknown awakener who defeated Death Lord in Rete Tower, saved her.

Same mana wave felt here.

Target already gone, sadly.

But gain.

“Vast mana waves. Black mana……. Ha, even black mage?”

Black mage.

Shin Sodam murmured, lips curling.

Past, Lokpia had six magic schools.

Red, blue, green, white, gray, black.

Six towers across continent pursued truth differently.

But centuries ago, towering Black Tower vanished overnight, black mages disappeared.

Cause unknown.

Erased in Lokpia’s ‘blank era’—rumors only.

Black magic lineage severed.

Many tried restoring originals—none succeeded.

But today, Shin Sodam found black mana.

From one who felled S-grade Death Lord.

Synced with ‘real’ black mage, no doubt.

Shin Sodam trembled with rising curiosity.

“Can’t miss. Must find.”

By any means, any cost—scout him.

Before other tower lords……!

“I’ll make you mine.”

Flames flickered in Shin Sodam’s eyes.

***

“Ugh shit. What? Again suddenly?”

Goosebumps from nape to tailbone.

Like ice pick from freezer jabbing nerves.

Happened before.

Worse than then.

Cursed?

Then, Jeanne’s voice beside.

“Master, you look very pale. Unwell?”

“Fine. Just tired from repetition.”

Soon, another voice.

[Hey now. Young man already like this? Build stamina!]

Shadow Knight, Yi Seonggye.

Three hours since returning from exhibition.

Summoning shadow knights with relics.

But.

“Hmm…… always 2% short.”

None as strong as Yi Seonggye.

Some fakes failed; real but mediocre knights.

Obvious: stronger original, higher grade knight.

I turned to Yi Seonggye.

……Maybe Yi Seonggye’s just too OP?

Ding!

[Shadow Knight―Yi Seonggye]

– Grade: A+

– Title: Bow Master

– Weapon: Shadow Royal Bow (A+)

– Armor: Shadow Light Armor (A+)

※Shadow Knight stats influenced by summoner’s mental stat.

※Current holdable knights: 3. Limit influenced by summoner’s mental stat.

Yi Seonggye (shadow ver.) A+ grade.

Superhuman from start, plus Lokpia buffs.

Hero character in game terms.

Grows with my mental stat.

Like a companion.

Mental increase raises knight limit.

Observation zone mental gains paying off.

Anyway. Max 3 knights now.

Focus needed.

Mediocre ones rejected.

Then, Jeanne looked in relic sack.

“Master, two left.”

“Already?”

Carefully selected—all duds.

No choice.

If these fail, hit other exhibitions.

I took an old book from sack.

[Key to defeating the madman]

“Let’s see. Strike , young , essential , last character.”

[………Gyeokmong Yogyel. ‘Essential secrets to strike ignorance and awaken wisdom.’ Fine book with noble meaning!]

Yi Seonggye nodded satisfied.

Gyeokmong Yogyel?

Heard somewhere…….

Can’t recall.

Then, Jeanne took last relic.

Shrring-

Clear metal ring.

Slender sword in Jeanne’s hand.

Ring ornament at hilt end, single-edged without guard.

This is……

Hwandudaedo.

Sword used longest in Korean history, Three Kingdoms to Goryeo.

Conversely, hard to pinpoint owner era.

Then.

[Ho, that sword…….]

Yi Seonggye smiled meaningfully at Hwandudaedo.

No further explanation.

Anyway, sword-related—decent.

Yi Seonggye ranged dealer; close dealer synergy.

Last slot ideal for mage or healer support.

……Won’t be that easy.

Seeing is believing.

Summoned shadow knights with last relics.

Soon.

<Shadow Knight summoned!>

<Shadow Knight 『』 summoned!>

Checking system, I could only say.

“Party complete?”