What is this? Why do I suddenly get goosebumps? It's like someone somewhere is trying to harm me...

"Examiner Baek Seojin? Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Ah. No. Where were we?"

"You had climbed up the hill and encountered the boss monster."

"I see. Then, at first there was one boss, but after a while..."

When I explained the situation, the branch office civil servant diligently typed on the keyboard. He said he needed to write a more detailed report and needed detailed explanations?

Thanks to that, not only me but all team members had to earnestly tell their stories. Hmm. Looking at it this way, it's like coming to a police station to write a statement.

This place is the Ability User Association branch building located in Changwon. This is where they brought us from the dungeon. As soon as we arrived, civil servants who had already heard the news came rushing out frantically.

"Welcome! Um, people from the association headquarters are coming, so please wait a moment!"

That's what they said while grabbing my hand. It seems the news reached all the way to the association in that short trip to the branch. I once again realized how amazing our team members' backing is.

"...This is the end. After subjugation ended like that, we immediately came outside and reported the situation."

"I see. You really went through a lot inside the dungeon. Additionally, we sincerely apologize for allowing dungeon entry without the association checking the interior beforehand."

There's nothing to be sorry about. This wasn't negligence in work but should be seen as force majeure. Who in the world would think that dungeon environments or monsters would suddenly change? And two bosses? This isn't some ××heim, who would consider that?

When report writing was completely finished, I declined their offer to guide us to a resting place. Weekend work alone is hard enough, but the reason for that work is too tremendous a situation. I thought it would be better for us to handle such trivial matters ourselves.

"I'll go on my own. You have a lot of work to do, so please sit."

"Ah! Th-thank you! Then the break room is straight down the corridor and to the right!"

With words to work hard, I passed through the corridor and entered the break room. Kang Hana and Yoo Dasom were already sitting there, apparently having finished everything.

"Examiner!"

"You two seem to be done. Are Suhyeon and Lee Hyunwoo still going?"

"Yes. They still seem to be at it."

That's strange. I expected my story would be the longest and take the most time. When you think about it, I was in an observer position, so I saw much more. Even Lee Hyunwoo went in first, and Suhyeon went in next.

"Don't tell me they're talking about something strange again?"

"...Uh. Hana unnie's words have strangely convincing power."

There's a possibility they're not entirely wrong, but they're not exactly loose-lipped characters. I wonder if that's really the case, while thinking, the door opens with a bang.

"Oh. Everyone came first."

Speak of the devil and he appears. You really can't be a gentleman, Hyunwoo.

"Come sit, junior. You didn't add any strange additional explanations, did you?"

"Strange? I only mentioned the parts that absolutely needed to be told."

"For example?"

"That basic training to build stamina that can endure is important for catching Mist Tigers more easily, and since you shouldn't easily crumble from pain, it would be good to practice getting hit on purpose..."

Yoo Dasom, who heard that far, goes 'Geez, you!' and delivers the healer's terrifying knuckle punch. That's exactly the strange additional explanation. She adds that it's useless behavior.

"Ugh! N-no! Why is this a strange additional explanation?!"

"Because you're saying unnecessary things to people who are already having a hard time with weekend work! They'll do those things without being told even if the association doesn't make them, so just do what you're asked!"

"Y-you can't do just what you're asked!"

"Who said that!"

"The examiner did!"

...What are you saying suddenly? Why am I coming up there? I'm dumbfounded, so I look at Lee Hyunwoo, and Yoo Dasom next to me looks at me. She's asking if this is really true, so I immediately shook my head.

"I never said such a thing."

"You did! Previously after the examination, you said you can never grow more if you only do what you're told..."

"No, so there's no reason to say that in the current situation!"

Yoo Dasom's merciless knuckle punches continued once more. Hit more, hit more. That guy is used to getting hit anyway, so he'll be fine.

While sitting and watching Yoo Dasom discipline Lee Hyunwoo properly, I felt a faint tremor from inside my jacket.

Wooong—

It's starting again. The shadow hidden inside keeps being noisy. I hid it because showing it to others would only cause unnecessary misunderstandings. If it keeps coming out like this, it might become difficult to carry it anymore.

I wonder if it's not perfectly assimilated yet, worry creeps up slowly. It's different from Kang Minseong's sword or Kwak Hyuk's spear, which I copy exactly as shown. This time, I took one of Hyeon Sujin's shadows and made it my own.

I hope there's no problem, but I can't say there definitely isn't. It's not purely copying, but taking something that already existed. Depending on the circumstances, there's a possibility it could escape my control.

'Should I get rid of it before something happens?'

Even thinking that, when I recall the dungeon earlier, it's very regrettable.

Why could Hyeon Sujin become a powerful S-rank? How was her infamy maintained even after becoming an Elder? It's all thanks to the characteristics of that woman's shadow ability.

Kang Minseong or Ma Hakjun's sword, and Kwak Hyuk's spear ultimately go where the arms and hands advance. You can't aim at the opposite side while facing forward. Even if possible, it's only momentary. And this point is the same for the next generation geniuses Lee Hyunwoo and Suhyeon.

But Hyeon Sujin is different. Precisely, her shadows are different. Anytime, anywhere, she can attack in the direction she wants and defend as well. Although that solidity can't match weapons wrapped in magic power, it's sufficient for irregular tactics.

That's why I can't give up even a single shadow regretfully. While fighting Hyeon Sujin, while almost being hit by those shadows several times, I realized. Irregular attacks are truly the best hidden weapon in really high-level combat!

Uuuu—

But if it keeps doing this, damn it, I'll have to give up that hidden weapon.

If the assimilation is really coming undone, I must dispose of it immediately. It would be better if it just returns to Hyeon Sujin. At least it won't stab people next to me suddenly. I decide to try controlling it one more time, and if there's no hope, dispose of it...

'Huh.'

Suddenly a chilling energy penetrates my entire body. It feels like being thrown naked into sub-zero temperatures. This feeling had always occurred for the same reason.

Why did I only notice now? Even though it was giving hints like this. The answer to that is that the opponent's stealth was so excellent. My senses only barely detected it when it came this close.

"Everyone!"

Spitting out curses, I pulled all three men and women sitting next to me into my arms. Almost simultaneously, everything in front of my eyes suddenly turned pitch black.

*

"Cough!"

My whole body feels like it's tearing apart. My battered body won't calm down. Hyeon Sujin slowly raised her hand to wipe around her mouth once. The blood that turned dark red clearly showed her completely ruined physical condition.

"If you push yourself one more time, you might really die then."

That was what the Elder, who could be said to be somewhat okay, had said.

It wasn't exaggerated or said to mock. Those were sincere words. Facts without a single lie. Wouldn't Elder, former S-rank Hyeon Sujin know even that?

But she returned to the place of revenge again, dragging her completely broken body. Government officials tortured to obtain information, that research and experiments would resume. Right here, Changwon. Hyeon Sujin had finally come to this place.

The plan is simple. Destroy everything related. So they can never even dream of it again. After that, secure evidence and spread it nationwide, making the big shots panic and run. Then when surrounding security weakens, catch them all at once and kill them all.

She's thinking of starting by ambushing the association branch. It's just a branch. It's not a place with many people. Yet the reason for targeting the branch is for diverting attention.

This way, most people will think it's terrorist activity by villains. Terrorist attacks on ability user associations are one of the occasionally occurring incidents. That way, she can turn attention here and engage in revenge relatively comfortably.

'Minimize presence as much as possible.'

If she makes a mistake, she might be detected by Han Jiyoon who's tracking her. Despite giving maximum confusion to movement patterns, she's narrowing the investigation net. In this physical condition, not only fighting but even running away is too much.

For that reason, Hyeon Sujin suppressed even her magic power as much as possible. Thanks to that, her physical condition worsened further, but there was no choice. She had to buy a little more time since she left traces of her magic power on the opposite side.

Finally arriving in Changwon, she immediately headed to the branch. Having been active as an ability user before, figuring out the branch location was quickly possible.

Swish—

With a slight gesture, dark energies form at her fingertips. It's different from before. Both the number of shadows and magic power density have fallen significantly.

'There's no need to completely destroy it.'

Worrying about the people inside? No way. She knows she's come too far to think about such things now. And she herself has given up thoughts of being forgiven.

The reason for not using all her magic power is that it would leave too strong traces. To make it mistaken for villain terrorism, she must keep it as weak as possible.

'But why of all times.'

Only just before attacking could she barely notice. Because she extremely limited magic power operation, and her body wasn't normal either.

Right down there is that man, Baek Seojin. Certain. She can feel that shadow stolen from her. That single thread she can no longer control, whose control rights have completely transferred.

Hyeon Sujin bit her lips but didn't withdraw her magic power. Water already spilled, an 'enemy' that can no longer be reasoned with. If she shows mercy, he'll immediately come to interfere.

Having reached that thought, Hyeon Sujin poured more magic power in. Then without a moment's hesitation, she shoved the pitch-black shadows into the branch building.