Shortly after, near a mountain lodge in the forest.

"Allow me to introduce them. Since the two of you have been given the names Gold and Gray, you should be called by codenames as well. You can call me Taejo, and please refer to the others by their aliases."

Taejo, who had brought us along with two A-rank agents to a secluded mountain lodge, introduced the two agents to us.

"It's better if they introduce themselves directly, right?"

"Yes! I am Han Jeong-woo, the team leader of the Anti-Terrorism Special Unit, Team A of the National Intelligence Service's Ability Management Division, codenamed 'Giparang'."

"I am Ryoo Ijin, the team leader of Team B in the same division, codenamed 'Ssangeo-goong'."

The two A-rank agents greeted us with respectful postures.

Since Taejo showed us respect, it was natural for his subordinates to follow suit.

[Those people seem very interested in us, just like before.]

[They were sent by Gwang Ik Gong. They must be curious about what kind of S-rank we are, since they don't know who we are.]

Even if that wasn't the case, an unknown S-rank entity always sparked interest.

What kind of abilities did they have?

Was there an S-rank that was unknown to this country?

Were they really Korean?

Even without reading their minds, I could see all the speculations running through their heads.

[But it seems like you are also quite intrigued by them. Do you know them?]

[I knew there was such a team, but I didn't know the people.]

[Wow, so we're learning new information this time?]

[Yes.]

It was quite new to hear their aliases and names, which didn't appear in the original work and hadn't been confirmed by the Secret Society.

'I knew the team existed, but I didn't know their appearance, names, or codenames.'

Since the National Intelligence Service's black agents were closely guarded to prevent information leaks, even the Secret Society found it difficult to obtain information about them.

I knew such people existed, but I couldn't pinpoint their abilities, appearance, or names.

'I should inform Brewer later. Although contact with National Intelligence Service agents is difficult, this information might be useful in the future.'

Who would have thought I'd gain such information here?

Coming all the way to Sinuiju was worth it.

"Nice to meet you. We would also like to reveal our true selves, but—"

"No, it's fine! You two are on a more important mission than us. There's no need for you to reveal anything to us."

Giparang waved his hand with a vehement refusal.

"But it's the National Intelligence Service."

"Normally, we would need to know, but since you were sent by Gwang Ik Gong, it would be rude for us to demand such information."

Despite his words, there was a faint glimmer in his eyes, hoping we might reveal something.

Of course, there was no need to reveal anything when he was explicitly stating otherwise.

"There will be a time when you'll find out. When that time comes, just think, 'Ah, that's who that person was.'"

"I'll keep the information confidential to ensure nothing leaks."

"That's good."

Anyway, they'd definitely find out soon.

"Taejo. What should we do?"

"You two should wait here at the lodge. Feel free to use any resources available here. Also, there's a detonation device to bury the underground mine within this lodge."

Taejo pointed to a spot under the three-seater sofa inside the lodge.

"It's a bit difficult to show you now, but if you check later with magic power, you should be able to locate the detonation device. If something goes wrong, please use the detonation device to collapse the mine."

"Even if there are people inside?"

"Yes. We will escape on our own."

What the heck.

"The explosion won't be an ordinary one."

"It's not a magical explosion, so it's fine."

"What if the mountain collapses?"

"We will create a hole to escape through the sky."

I didn't know the size of the mine, but the amount of explosives required to intentionally collapse a mine must be enormous.

Even amidst such an explosion, without asking or questioning, they wanted us to collapse the mine.

'Why does this feel so unfamiliar?'

Seeing Taejo with black hair instead of the usual blond bratty kid gives a strange feeling.

When we talked about patriotism on the train, I thought he was just different in appearance but the same inside. But now, seeing his serious demeanor for national loyalty, it's quite unfamiliar.

"If an explosion occurs, you two should immediately go to the container and head to Kaesong with the support agents. Although it might be inconvenient, a freight train ready to depart for Kaesong is waiting at Sinuiju Station."

"If the mission succeeds, can we take a special train back as we did on the way here?"

"Yes, of course."

At Yumir's question, Taejo nodded with a bright smile.

If things went wrong, it would be a freight train. If the mission succeeded, we could return comfortably as we came.

"Then follow me. I'll introduce you to the mine we need to protect."

Taejo and the two A-rank agents stepped outside the lodge.

"I will transfer access to the lodge to you. Mr. Gray, please bring your Taeguk Watch here."

"This is Mr. Hyeon-cheol's Taeguk Watch, is that okay?"

"Yes, it's fine. We can handle it later."

Taejo extended his hand, and I matched my Taeguk Watch with his.

"By the way, it suits you well. Mr. Gray, you definitely look more comfortable in that role rather than being respectful."

"Although I wear a mask, there's no reason to hide my skills."

"......! Indeed. I understand. The access has been shared. Now, when you enter the lodge, just present the Taeguk Watch in front, and it will open. As for Ms. Gold..."

"I'll stay close to my brother, so no need to worry."

They left nothing to chance, even down to the smallest consideration.

'Is it a split personality?'

Maybe Taejo had a split personality, with the bratty Taejo and the Black Taejo.

In everyday life, the bratty side roamed freely, but at a certain keyword, the consciousness of the patriotic Black Taejo put the brat to sleep and took over.

It's possible.

It's not a joke; many ability users actually had split personalities.

"Please follow me this way."

While I was pondering Taejo's personality, he ran ahead towards the mountain.

Although he moved faster than an average person's sprint, no one fell behind, and we quickly reached the mountain base.

"When descending, follow this path. This iron gate will also open if Mr. Gray presents his Taeguk Watch to the sensor."

A metal gate was visible inside a crevice, just big enough for one person to pass through.

Taejo placed his Taeguk Watch on the sensor attached to the gate, and soon the gate split open and disappeared into the rock crevice.

[Brother, this was made with ability, right?]

[It looks like a rock on the outside, but it's all metal. It seems to be Taejo's work.]

[When did he come up to Sinuiju to create such a facility?]

[It's probably been a while.]

After the fall of North Korea, when refugees tried to break through the DMZ, it's likely that Taejo and other ability users went north and created these devices.

[Unlike Baridegi, who was an academy student, Taejo didn't enter the academy and stayed in Busan.]

[So he actually came up to Sinuiju, explored resources, and built these facilities?]

[His ability is metal manipulation. Instead of bringing equipment piece by piece, creating such facilities on-site with available metal is faster and more efficient.]

The path down to the mine was a pitch-black cave.

Without the long iron rail handles extending sideways, we would have stumbled even with the Taeguk Watch's flashlight illuminating our way.

"The condition is like this because it's far from Seoul. Over there in Gangwon-do, people can come and go like it's a coal mine...."

Taejo muttered as he continued walking, seemingly embarrassed by the unstable facilities.

"It must have been tough. Developing abilities alone is already busy enough."

"........"

A faint chuckle escaped Taejo.

Even without detailed words, Taejo would understand what I meant by this much.

The time others spent developing their abilities, this man had to use that precious time for the nation.

During the period when he should have been learning public education or ability training at the academy, Taejo was probably called wherever there was a need for metal and had to use his abilities.

Although using abilities can also be considered ability training, considering Taejo's frequently used skills, it's likely that repetitive simple tasks occurred.

His main skill being steel manipulation—

"Stop."

I quickly called out to Taejo, who was about to move forward, and tapped my Taeguk Watch.

"It seems there are already people inside. Are they the agents who were deployed first?"

"...No."

Click.

"There shouldn't be anyone inside."

"In that case, they must be uninvited guests."

"Yes."

As soon as the flashlight was turned off, Taejo lowered his voice even further.

"You two should head back to the lodge...."

"There seem to be two S-ranks. Why don't we go in together?"

"......."

Taejo's eyes flickered momentarily at Yoomir's suggestion.

"Then, Giparang. Sangeo-goong. Both of you, switch to combat mode as soon as we enter."

Click.

As soon as Taejo touched the back of his neck, a black iron powder-like substance covered his head.

'Oh.'

Flash.

In the darkness, Taejo, wearing a helmet like a black tiger, leapt forward in an instant.

[Brother. That....]

[Yes.]

For a moment, I saw it.

The black iron powder crawling up like ants from below his neck.

[It's a bit excessive for just hiding his identity.]

Taejo's helmet.

[If he goes in like that....]

He looked like a rider.

No matter if it was the National Intelligence Service—actually, because it's the National Intelligence Service in this world and an ability user.

'If they give up their theme, they are not ability users.'

Living for style and dying for style.

Because he was a man.

==Chapter 298: Gold Rush (2)==

5 minutes ago.

"Huaah!"

A group of ability users emerged through a narrow hole, stretching and catching their breath as soon as they entered the joint space.

"We've arrived. Is this the right place?"

"The GPS location matches here."

Although catching their breath inside the underground cave meant inhaling dust, they were relieved just to have reached their destination after digging a fairly long tunnel.

"Is this really the place? There's nothing here. It's supposed to be a gold vein, right?"

Rasputin surveyed the entire cavity.

The fairly wide cave looked more like a natural cavern than a human-made mine, with no signs of human intervention.

"It's a gold vein. It's just undeveloped. The reserves are..."

"That can't be. How could such gold remain until modern times? It must have been taken during the Japanese occupation."

"The ability to do so is what makes us special. Come this way."

Cheonma shone a flashlight inward, infusing her fist with magic power.

"Hap!"

With a short shout, she thrust her fist forward, and soon, dark blue magic power shot out like a punch and flew forward.

Boom!

The fist-shaped magic projectile flew across the air, hitting the wall and exploding.

Soon, the wall shook violently, dust poured down, and the light from the flashlight began to glint gold through the crumbling wall.

"...Crazy. Is that really gold? Unbelievable."

"You might not have known, but such things do happen. This time, I'm sharing the information generously, so take note."

Cheonma approached the wall she had breached and lightly tapped the glittering gold lump beyond the camouflage wall.

"Have you heard the saying 'money can be duplicated'?"

"Isn't that what people say when money gets deposited into ability users' accounts?"

"Right. Now imagine converting that money into gold. The answer is simple, isn't it?"

"What, like alchemy?"

"Maybe."

Thud, thud.

Cheonma continued tapping the wall next to her, causing more gold-colored minerals to glitter through the crumbling surface.

"Crazy, is all that pure gold? How is this possible?"

"Do you think it's right to question 'how' in the era of modern abilities?"

"No, but still, this is not normal. If this is a gold mine, how could we extract it this way? It would be a waste."

Rumble.

Soon, the entire wall crumbled down.

As the camouflage wall completely collapsed, the inner wall of the vast cavity glittered entirely with gold.

"......Even if we bring five large containers from the port, it wouldn't be enough."

"Would five be enough? What if it's deeply embedded underground?"

"Crazy. How is this possible?"

With only the flashlight and smartwatch lights in the underground cave, it was hard to be certain, but it looked like huge chunks of gold glittering like the giant golden Buddha statues found in temples.

"This is insane. What is this?"

"Looks like nothing has been confirmed yet on the Vladivostok side. But we have."

"If you're going to tell us, just say it straight. What is this? How does the whole ground glitter like pure gold?"

"It's because it's infused with magic power. It might be because it's a resource buried in the great Korean land. There are various possibilities, but for now, we call it 'resource assimilation.'"

"Resource assimilation?"

"The surrounding resources transform into very expensive and valuable resources."

Cheonma, speaking as if unsure if this was correct, placed her hand on the gold.

"I don't know. Whether it's someone with the ability of alchemy randomly altering the resources in this land, or whether it's the magic power spread by a meteorite that fell into the East Sea turning the world upside down."

"Haha. At this rate, all kinds of gems might emerge from North Korean soil in the future."

"Right. Who knows, later, oil might gush out from the sea off Taean. Well, let's think about those phenomena later."

Thud, thud.

Cheonma tapped the gold lump again.

The solid sound seemed to resonate deeply within the gathered group's hearts.

"Let's quickly cut this out and take it. Let the researchers figure out the principles later. Now, move-avoid!"

Just as Cheonma's shout echoed, something flew from the darkness.

Thwack!

The sound of something sharp piercing flesh.

The sound, like an arrow shot from afar embedding into a body in a historical war movie, echoed throughout the cavity.

"Ugh!"

The ability users fell.

All the fallen ones had black arrow-like objects embedded in their knees, and those beside them pulled out the arrows.

"Black...steel...?"

"Who are you!"

[You don't need to know.]

"...Just by seeing your ability, I can tell who you are."

Swish, swish.

A man in a black suit walked out of the darkness.

Wearing a helmet slightly different from a motorcycle helmet, like a rider's helmet sold at Haegneul, the man with black gloves slowly revealed himself from the darkness.

"Long time no see, Taejo."

[.......]

"There's no one else in Korea who can manipulate metal so well besides you, right?"

[It's quite tiring to be recognized just by using an ability. Being famous has its drawbacks.]

Flash!

A burst of orange light exploded in the air.

The light shot up to the ceiling and stuck to the wall, soon bathing the entire cavity in an orange hue, illuminating the interior brightly.

[If you've defected, you should live quietly in your own country. Why come all the way to Korea to steal resources?]

"Oh my. Isn't this North Korean land?"

[Are you uneducated? This land has been Korean territory for a very long time. The North illegally occupied it.]

"It's better not to learn such things through brainwashing education."

[Tsk. This conversation is going nowhere.]

"You didn't come here to talk, did you?"

Cheonma interlaced her fingers and stretched them forward, while Rasputin stepped out beside her, extending both arms to his sides.

"Do you think you can handle us both?"

[What nonsense is that, from someone who isn't even S-class.]

"...Still an arrogant brat."

Buzz.

The blue crystals emanating from Rasputin's hands began to take shape.

"Let's see if you can still talk like that after being crushed by me. Huh? I'm looking forward to seeing the mighty Taejo cry."

The ether-glowing crystal looked like a long club.

Its end had a sinister shape, difficult to describe in words.

[Sorry, but I'm more about making others cry than crying myself.]

Taejo tilted his head from side to side, then stretched his hand forward.

[I'll let you make the first move.]

Pow!

No sooner had Cheonma and Rasputin disappeared from their spots than the battle of the S-classes began.

[Oppa. That guy seems to be imitating you.]

[Imitating me?]

[He's like Goblin Mk.2. The way he talks and his lines are all similar to Dodjirider.]

[...Maybe.]

Just as he was feeling a sense of déjà vu, Taejo became Taejo Rider, provoking Cheonma and Rasputin.

[There are more enemies than expected. Shouldn't we go support them?]

Yumir's concerned voice echoed in his ear.

Facing so many ability users, including two S-classes, with just Taejo and two A-classes seemed like a daunting task.

[While the S-classes are engaged, the other A-classes are tied up with the other A-classes over there.]

[That's right.]

[Then, in the meantime, won't all those gold chunks... be taken away?]

Crack!!

The entire cavity turned into a battlefield.

Taejo faced Cheonma and Rasputin, while Giparang and Sangeo-Gung fought the A-classes from China and Russia.

And in the meantime, ability users, estimated to be around E-class, wielded magic-infused shovels, hacking at the gold vein.

Thud, thud.

The bright gold chunks fell away as easily as tofu.

Even though it's gold, and no matter how soft the iron in the shovel was, it posed no problem for an ability user who infused 'mana' into the shovel and enhanced their body with mana.

If they didn't clear this up quickly and chase them away, all that gold would be smuggled overseas.

[It's okay. There's one dangerous enemy, but we have enough power to handle it.]

[Is the dangerous one Cheonma?]

[Yes.]

A woman who was purely an S-class within Korea.

In other words, someone beyond Taejo's S-class baseline.

[Rasputin was below Taejo. It was only after she went to Russia and got the name Rasputin that she was classified as S-class. In Korea, she would be considered A+ class.]

[But she could have gotten stronger since then. Rasputin is one of the top three in Russia. And if she's teaming up with Cheonma....]

[It looks disadvantageous for Taejo.]

On the surface.

In a situation where battle was imminent, Yumir seemed uncomfortable with the idea of Taejo getting hurt or dying after showing his other side.

Like attracts like, and birds of a feather flock together.

No matter how Canadian she was, Yumir was now almost half Korean.

[Yumir. Being S-class is ultimately determined by the Hero Association, right?]

[Yes?]

[That judgment is based on overall combat ability, including the ability to save people as a hero. But there's one aspect that's not measured.]

Something that could not be openly discussed in the light.

[Lethality.]

==Chapter 299: Gold Rush (3)==

Each person's abilities were different, but among these varied abilities, there was one most specialized for the modern era of 2025.

For example, there was the metal manipulation right in front of our eyes.

Ka-ga-ga-kang!

Metal plates flew through the air.

Metal shards buzz around like bees, stabbing with sharp stingers like needles.

"Annoying!"

Cheonma stomped hard on the ground, shaking it, while Rasputin leapt up with suppression rods in both hands, swinging them in a large X-shape.

"Die!!"

Without mercy, she swung the rod, aiming to smash Taejo's head.

However, Taejo leaped backward to distance himself from them, simultaneously extending his hand forward.

Cha-kang!

A sharp sword extended from his hand toward Rasputin's crown.

The silver blade not only has the form of steel but also spins like a saw blade.

"Hmph!"

Rasputin took it head-on.

Tilting his head slightly backward, he thrusted it forward, ramming his forehead into the blade.

Metal blade versus human forehead.

Surprisingly, it was the blade that broke.

Pa-ji-ji-jik!!

Orange sparks flew, and the blade started to crumble.

Without even a scratch or a red mark on her forehead, Rasputin, with just mana enveloping her body, destroyed Taejo's blade.

"Do you think you can beat us with your power?!"

[You're just a Cheonma bus rider.]

"Shut up!"

Whether it's his original personality or he had truly mastered fighting like the Goblin.

'Even Rasputin alone cannot defeat Taejo.'

His skill in provoking the opponent with words was superb.

And his skill in proving those words with actions was equally superb.

"You, I'll kill you-"

Swae-eak!

As something silver glistened and flew from Taejo, Rasputin quickly turned her head to the side.

'Even an S-rank would naturally get scared.'

No matter how high-ranking, if something sharp flew towards their eyes without protective goggles, they had two choices.

Dodge it.

Or deflect it.

Rasputin couldn't deflect it and twisted her body excessively to dodge the attack.

[Hmph.]

"Damn it!"

It was only one attack, but it was clear who was more composed.

Though Rasputin continued her attack, Taejo blocked them all with the surrounding metal chunks.

[You should stick to being an S-rank in Russia.]

Taejo reached out and pulled his hand forward.

Rasputin frowned but soon stepped back, still frowning.

"What the...!"

Kwaaak.

As Taejo clenched his fist, Rasputin's belt began to tighten.

The metal buckle was pulled from both sides, and the leather belt began to constrict Rasputin's abdomen excessively.

"You bastard...!"

"Anyway."

Suh-reok!

The belt was cut.

The leather was sliced by Cheonma, who had sharply slashed Rasputin's back.

"At the start of the battle, you should have taken off all the metal pieces."

"Cheonma...!"

[Tch.]

Cheonma threw away her smartwatch, standing only in light clothing, and stepped forward toward Rasputin.

"Watch carefully. This is the dignity of a true S-rank."

Kwa-aaaaang!

Steel blades erupted from the ground, but Cheonma didn't dodge them.

The blades only managed to cut her fluttering clothes, breaking upon touching Cheonma's white skin.

"Your weakness is already exposed."

[......!]

Taejo stepped back, crossing his arms in an X shape in front of him.

At the same time, molten metal rose over his arms, forming a thick shield, but Cheonma lightly jumped forward, undeterred.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Cheonma kicked off her shoes, leaping barefoot towards Taejo's shield.

[!!]

Kwa-aaaang!

With a sound like a person being hit by a dump truck, Taejo flew backward with his shield.

In an instant, his body was in the air, and Cheonma lightly landed, immediately chasing after Taejo.

Bang, bang-bang, bang!

"Cheonma's consecutive strikes."

[Some strange technique...!]

"Yes, you can't block it, right?"

Every time the rapid consecutive strikes landed, a loud explosion echoed.

With just her bare fists swinging, explosions resounded, shaking the entire cavity.

Pa-ji-jik!

Each strike on Taejo's shield caused his shirt to tear explosively, blood dripping from under his helmet.

"Hey, kid. This is what happens when you mess with your elder sister. Got it?"

[......Fighting recklessly.]

"It's not reckless, it's called a difference in class."

Cheonma gently landed, extending her hand forward.

"You have more magic power than me? No, right?"

[.......]

"I'll just take half of those gold pieces. Then it would be simple, wouldn't it?"

[What did you say?]

"Those two."

Ka-aaaaang!

"Gah!"

With a fierce sound, the two A-rankers were quickly cornered.

"I'm sorry...!"

"Damn it, cowardly...!"

Dozens of ability users from China and Russia, armed with shovels, rifles, and their own weapons, were cornering them.

"Let's kill those two and keep our mouths shut. How about that?"

[.......]

"Originally, there was only the leftover gold, except for what we were taking. Isn't that simple then?"

[You'd kill people over a lump of gold?]

"Just a lump? Hey, who knows what will happen with that gold? If you bury it in the ground, who knows if it will turn the minerals around it into gold? Right?"

[...Then even more so, I cannot hand it over.]

Taejo staggered forward.

[Never!]

He reached out his hand towards the rifle.

As long as it was made of metal, if he didn't infuse it with mana and grab it, then surely-

[What...?]

"It's plastic. Do you think you can handle plastic too?"

[......!]

"Not the shovels!"

Taejo reached for the shovels lying near the gold mine, but Cheonma kicked towards the direction Taejo's hand was reaching, causing a gust of wind.

The shovels that were floating in the air quickly fell to the ground.

"Too bad. It's just your bad luck that your perfect counter came along."

[Do you really want to take resources from another country that badly?]

"We're just sharing among people living on the same planet."

[Really? Too bad, but there are ways to not share.]

Taejo raised his hand behind his neck and then extended it forward again.

[I'd rather blow it all up than give you even a speck of gold.]

"......!"

Click.

As Taejo pressed something like a switch, Cheonma and Rasputin crouched down and stepped back.

But.

Nothing happened.

[.......]

"What is this? A bluff?"

"Hey. In these situations, something usually blows up in like 10 seconds or so."

The tension was high, but nothing happened.

Surprisingly, only time passed.

"...Is this just one of those things? Like, a bomb was planted but the detonator didn't go off or something?"

"Or the switch was really just a bluff. ...Considering the situation, that doesn't seem likely. Phew, got scared for nothing."

[.......]

Taejo slowly lowered his hand.

Then he tilted his head up towards the ceiling, placing his hand on his face.

Pah-sus-sus.

The black iron dust that made up his helmet clung to Taejo's gloves, revealing his face, soaked in sweat and with blood dripping from his mouth.

"What, are you trying to do something with your face?"

"No, I was just trying to focus a bit more...."

Taejo smirked and took a step back.

"Don't call it cowardly, okay?"

"......?"

Whiiiing.

A wind blew.

A cold wind that shouldn't be blowing from deep underground.

"What the hell is this-"

"I don't know either."

Taejo just lightly shrugged his shoulders-

Flash!

Soon, from the hollowed-out gold lump, a golden sphere emerged.

The golden light, big enough to fit two people comfortably, shone brightly like the sun in the cave. Soon, the sphere split open, and footsteps echoed from inside.

"What is that...?"

"A knight...?"

The being that appeared was an ability user they had never seen before.

But the appearance was somehow both unfamiliar and familiar.

"Wait, why is that coming out here?"

"Platinum... Sun...?"

[Esacta.]

A blonde woman stepped forward with an unknown phrase.

Though she wore a mask, unlike the Golden Priestess, she was dressed in a black suit and yellow shirt like an office lady, with her golden hair shining brightly - she was undoubtedly the famous demon purifier, Platinum Sun.

"Why is Platinum Sun here...?!"

[You don't need to know that.]

"This...!"

[But if you really need a reason, it's because if that gold falls into your hands, you'll commit all sorts of evil deeds with it. And you could create demons with it.]

"How is that even possible?!"

[Why do you think it's impossible? Too bad.]

Platinum Sun stepped forward, clenching her fist.

[A Korean protecting Korea's resources, is there a problem?]

"...So, you're saying you're Korean too? Fine, I have a proposal."

With a tense face, Rasputin stepped forward.

"How about 'Talco'?"

[...What?]

"Talco. Literally. Leave Korea."

Grin.

"If you meet Russian men, you won't even think about Korean men."

[Not that I want to compare, but your words are quite unpleasant. Well, you won't be able to return intact anyway.]

Click.

[I'm not the only one here.]

"......What?"

Cheonma's expression hardened.

At the same time, Rasputin's face hardened.

The faces of all the ability users from China and Russia hardened.

"Why, why are you here...!!"

[Why am I here?]

The masked being.

Suspiciously, he wore large black armor.

With giant claws on both hands.

[You cannot be allowed to open the gate of Qlipoth.]

==Chapter 300: Gold Rush (4)==

Wait, the appearance was delayed.

Originally, I should have burst out the moment Taejo pressed the device, but instead of Taejo's intention to collapse this entire cave, we responded by stepping forward ourselves.

Honestly, even if 10 S-ranks came, I wouldn't be afraid.

It seemed that Taejo had also considered blowing up the cave, but there was no need for that.

It's enough to blow up the enemy.

The slight delay was due to the concern about 'how should we appear'.

-Yumir, what do you think about the Dark Charisma stepping forward?

-Then I'm not going out. I'll just lend you magic power from behind, so go alone.

-.......

After a moment of silent contemplation for the unintentionally snubbed Dark Charisma by Yumir.

I set up a few tactics with Yumir, then immediately transformed into Hessed Black War Dragoon.

The message to Taejo through this is clear.

Gwang Ik Gong was connected to the Sephiroth Knights.

I thought it might be an appropriate hint to let them know that one of the Sephiroth Knights is Gwang Ik Gong—or a descendant of Gwang Ik Gong. Thus, I intentionally took the appearance of a Sephiroth Knight in front of Cheonma and Rasputin.

"What is this thing called the 'Gate of Qliphoth'...?"

Cheonma tilted her head, and Rasputin bit her lower lip as if something came to mind.

What was Qliphoth?

In contrast to Sephiroth, if Sephiroth were angels, then Qliphoth were demons.

In other words, they were beings like demons to the Sephiroth Knights.

It was okay to give Taejo a hint through the appearance of the Sephiroth Knights, but I was worried about the justification for stepping forward, so I came up with a random one.

There was a demon in this underground.

[I will not let you open the gate.]

As Hessed, I equipped claws on both hands and charged forward.

"Where!"

Cheonma immediately rushed towards me.

My body tilted forward, and Cheonma's face drew closer as she also lunged forward.

"I've always wanted to fight you! Hessed!"

Cheonma grinned as she brought her face closer to mine.

At the same time, she swung her right hand over her shoulder, gathering magic power to thrust her fist at me.

[What meaning does this fight have?]

"Pleasure!"

Although I tried to bewilder her with a plausible question, Cheonma began to smile even more broadly as I easily twisted my body to avoid her attack.

"The joy of winning a fight!"

[Is that your distortion?]

As her name implied, Cheonma was indeed addicted to battles.

The reason she fought with Tosin over the sea last time was because she preferred hand-to-hand combat.

[Then, I will correct that distortion.]

"!!"

Facing Cheonma, who was striking me with bare hands and feet, I thrust the Dragoon Killer forward.

Thunk!

The blade pierced the side of Cheonma's clothes.

The blade only pierced the clothes, but unlike the time she kicked Taejo's blade with her bare foot, Cheonma's expression changed dramatically.

"This...!"

Unlike Taejo's steel, this was not just steel, but a 'magic blade' that looked like steel.

Naturally, it was a clash of magic powers.

The blade of the Dragoon Killer was sharply honed, and it could easily cut through the mana shield protecting the body, even if it was Cheonma's shield.

[Rest assured.]

After pushing the Dragoon Killer further in.

[I don't intend to kill you.]

"!!"

Releasing my grip on the Dragoon Killer, I grabbed Cheonma's clothes.

[But I don't intend to let you go either.]

"!!"

Cheonma, who was suddenly grabbed by me, infused her feet with magic power and tried to kick me.

If she kicked me as she was, it wouldn't just break my leg bones; it would sever my leg entirely.

[Where do you think you're going?]

So, I took a big leap with one foot on the ground.

Cheonma's kick swung widely below, and as she descended, I took the upper position.

[Too slow.]

Boom!

I shot magic power from my back and slammed Cheonma vertically into the ground.

Grabbing her clothes with one hand, I pressed her abdomen with my fist, and with the other hand, I thrust the Dragoon Killer's blade into both sides of her neck.

Crunch!

Red blood began to flow from both sides of her neck.

As the blade cut through the mana shield protecting her body, thin blood started to flow from Cheonma's neck.

"......Ha."

[Stronger opponents than you... No, I don't even need to say more.]

Subtly hinting that there were far stronger opponents than Cheonma, I pushed the Dragoon Killer further into both sides of her neck.

[If you move, your head will fly off.]

"......."

No matter who, the neck was thinner than the head.

In special cases, Cheonma's neck might be thicker than her head, but that's not the case here.

As such, with the blade embedded right next to her neck, there's no way to escape.

"...Why did the Sephiroth Knights appear?"

[You don't need to know.]

"Is the 'Gate of Qliphoth' a gate through which demons emerge?"

[.......]

I wanted to say, "Don't you even know that?" but remaining silent seemed like a good way to awaken her mind.

"Ha, a demon being born inside that gold lump? That's nonsense... no, wait. Could it be...!"

Cheonma was talking to herself, answering her own questions.

"From the future...?"

She then provided the reasoning herself for why the Sephiroth Knight Hessed would come all the way here to stop anyone from touching the gold mine.

"So that's it, that's how it is...."

Just as I was about to speak, feeling that my line had been taken.

Boom!

A cloud of dust rose as something crashed into the wall.

"Cough, cough, cough...!"

[You're weak.]

Through the dust, Rasputin, bleeding from the head, was panting, while Yumir, with golden magic power wrapped around one foot, leisurely lowered her foot and dusted her hands.

[You, who couldn't even reach S-rank in Korea, trying to defeat me. Ridiculous.]

"You, damned...!"

[What? Thinking of becoming a demon because you feel like you're losing?]

"......!!"

Ah.

That hit the mark.

Striking the anger, the shame, and the inferiority complex of the ability user perfectly.

Reaching for a cheat because you think you'd lose.

It was a statement that dealt a serious blow to the mind of an ability user, and naturally, Rasputin sublimated her anger into magic power and stood up.

"I will devour you, Demon Purifier...!!"

Whirring.

Magic power began to emerge from Rasputin's body.

The mass of magic power gushing out from under her fluttering dress wriggled like tentacles, and the tentacles shot out between her legs and rose upwards.

[Ugh.]

Yumir openly expressed her disgust as soon as she saw it.

Everyone else felt the same, but Rasputin, who had revealed her magic in such an obscene form, confidently stroked the tentacle-wrapped column with her hand.

"Why? This is the secret to why I got the name Rasputin. The man who monopolizes the love of Russian women. Once you taste this, even men go crazy for it."

[Are you in your right mind?]

"Of course. I'm in my right mind. This land made me this way."

Rasputin grasped the spirally twisted bundle of tentacles with both hands as if holding a Gatling gun.

As she turned to the side and aimed the bundle of tentacles forward, it looked as if she was about to shoot a real Gatling gun.

"I'll do everything you want in this damned country."

[.......]

"Hey, do you know what my original alias was? It was 'Crystalizer.'"

Before becoming Rasputin, her first alias was Crystalizer.

Now, it looked like tentacles, but to someone who didn't know tentacles, it would look like writhing crystals.

"But you, the men of this country, insulted my ability! Calling me Tentacle Girl! Saying a woman carries tentacles around!"

[Uh, um.]

"I will take revenge on this country that insulted my ability! And with these tentacles, I will punish all those who insulted my ability...."

Slice.

The tips of the tentacles split open to the sides.

Instead of opening vertically like a snake's mouth, they opened slightly to the sides like a crab's mouth.

"With these tentacles, I will violate their filthy minds!"

[Ugh, really...!]

"Rolling Vulcan!!"

Ratatatatatatataㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!

Countless magic bullets began to pour out like a mountain, firing rapidly from the ends of the writhing crystals.

The barrage of bullets was unfortunately a murky color. I grabbed Cheonma and leaped back, pulling out the Dragoon Killer.

"What, what...!"

[Firing something like that indiscriminately. Tsk.]

Why was Rasputin treated as a villain?

Why did Rasputin never show herself publicly?

The reason was clear from her technique.

Ratatatatat.

The murky magic bullets scattered in all directions soon melted and covered the ground.

Like squid ink splattered everywhere, the white mana crystals flowed like liquid, sticking to everything they touched.

"My ability: crystallization of magic power, viscosity of magic power. And...."

"Ha, ha, ha!"

"My newly developed unique ability."

One by one, those inside the cave began to breathe heavily and collapse.

The Chinese ability users, dressed similarly to Cheonma, all grabbed their lower parts and fell, while the ability users who came with Rasputin casually approached and started cuffing them.

"It's a neurotoxin. Instead of paralyzing the body... You get it, right? If you're a woman."

[......!!]

Smirk.

As Yumir flinched and limped, Rasputin's face twisted grotesquely.

"We're taking all the gold here. Sephiroth? Qliphoth? I don't care about those-"

Bang.

A lump of gold flew at Rasputin's forehead.

A heavy lump, like a golden baseball, fell to the ground, and the one who threw it was none other than Yumir.

"How, even for an S-rank-"

[Such drugs don't work on me. Because-]

Yumir glanced at me before extending her hand towards Rasputin.

[I'm always addicted.]

A light as bright as the sun instantly enveloped Rasputin.

==Chapter 301: Gold Rush (5)==

There was a saying, "immune to all poisons."

It's mainly used in martial arts novels, referring to a state where one developed resistance to all poisons and no poison could affect them.

The poisons used in the world of supernatural abilities, those utilized through magical power, were slightly different.

Fundamentally, supernatural abilities were based on the premise that one's ability affected the opponent's ability, and the opponent, even unconsciously, tried to resist that ability.

If it's an ability that was 'not recognized' at all, the resistance was weaker.

To counter an opponent's ability solely with instinct and the body's basic defense mechanisms, one's ego must be incredibly strong.

There must be a belief, almost like faith, that no poison could affect them under any circumstances.

However, if there existed a being who could disregard such things, it was naturally because their basic magical power was at an EX level, nullifying the opponent's abilities through mere survival instincts.

That being was Yumir.

Yumir's magical power was so strong that no poison used by the opponent could affect her.

Unless Yumir herself recognized that she was 'affected' by the poison, she remained unaffected by it.

Therefore.

"No, this is impossible...! How can a woman always be in a state of heat?!"

'That's not it.'

Rasputin, trembling violently, pointed angrily at Yumir, but Yumir just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, standing relaxed.

[Well, I understand your poison. You scatter it around. Probably, those behind you are all resistant to the poison. Or, they've been poisoned once before, or have directly accepted the poison.]

"This, this...!"

Ability users became genuinely flustered in two situations.

One was when their ability didn't work at all.

The other was when their ability was completely understood by the opponent.

[These ability users who came along on this mission, all of them have been directly infused with your magical power using those tentacles, right? So only the Russians have developed resistance.]

"......!"

[From the beginning, you intended to betray China. You couldn't trust each other and were planning to betray them after crossing the Amnok River, weren't you?]

"......There was a spy."

Rasputin's tentacles tremble.

"Yes! There was a spy! Information leaked out! That's why you appeared! Bringing the antidote, you great scoundrels!"

Her face contorted rapidly as she started answering her own questions about the current situation.

"If it wasn't for that, how could you be standing here like this!"

Rasputin naturally thought so because she didn't realize that Yumir figured out all their plans and the situation just by 'intuition' based on circumstances.

Deducing the correct answer just by observing the situation on the ground is really impossible.

As Rasputin said, it's more convincing that we got the information through an internal spy, developed resistance to the poison, and came to this place.

"But, you wouldn't have known this!"

Rasputin's tentacles started to wriggle.

The tentacles, which had multiple barrels like a Gatling gun, repeatedly contracted and expanded, transforming into a single giant pillar in an instant.

[Ugh, do you have to shape it like that?]

Yumir takes a step back in disgust at the sight of Rasputin's giant tentacle.

'It's a form intended to shake her mental state.'

It was only natural for Yumir to step back in disgust.

The shape was so intimidating that neither women nor men would dare to attack the tentacle or think of 'receiving' what it ejected.

While a cannonball from a fish-head rocket could be blocked with a shield, avoiding the white, sticky liquid from a turtle-head rocket is the best course of action.

"Increase sensitivity by 100 times!!"

Fwoosh!!

The tentacle cannon wielded by Rasputin starts spewing immense magical power.

It may be a magical bullet, but it's a powerful magical barrage reminiscent of a fire hose from a fire truck, and its appearance leaves no room for other thoughts.

Since it was fired with such intention, I grabbed Cheonma's neck and jumped far back.

"Let, let me go...!"

[Didn't expect this, did you? Are you poisoned?]

"Shut up...!"

Cheonma, with her face flushed red, bit her lower lip and struggled to escape from me.

Being betrayed by Rasputin itself wouldn't be embarrassing.

The Chinese ability users were probably planning to betray the Russians as well.

But being helplessly affected by Rasputin's poison, someone she thought was weaker than her, an S-class who became one after being detected by an overseas S-class detector, hurts her pride.

[I'm sorry, but I have no intention of curing your current state.]

"What...?"

[This poison has no antidote. You either solve it yourself, get help from another person, or get baptized by Rasputin's tentacle; otherwise, the poison will keep eroding your body.]

Since the poison in the form of mana has already entered Cheonma's body through her respiratory tract.

Even if Rasputin was killed, Rasputin's mana would permeate the bodies of the poisoned ones like cancer cells, continuously causing abnormalities in their bodies.

[The method to detoxify is simple. If this poison artificially stimulates 'pleasure,' you can overcome it through stronger natural pleasure.]

"What kind of nonsense is that!"

[It's a truly effective method, that's why I'm saying it. I don't lie.]

"...Is it true?"

Cheonma, breathing heavily, looks up at me with a worried face.

"Is, is that really the only way? No other methods?"

[None.]

"Damn...! Without even thinking of looking into other ways...!"

Since she thought of me as someone from the future, she probably believed that what I said was a solution obtained from the future.

"Dammit...!"

[And I have no intention of helping you.]

"Who... who would ask for help from someone like you, an unknown future dweller...!"

[Instead, there is someone over there who can help you.]

I grabbed Cheonma and threw her backward.

Cheonma, who flew helplessly through the air, slowly came to a stop in midair, supported by a black iron hand that reached out to catch her.

"Huh, what...?"

"......."

Cheonma slowly descended to the ground, landing safely away from the white mass of magical power.

Taejo used the iron that clung to his body to form Asura's arms and caught Cheonma with them.

"Huff, huff, huff...."

Unfortunately, Taejo was also poisoned.

Although he hadn't come into direct contact with the deadly poison Rasputin had spread, the underground space, which was almost completely enclosed, allowed the poison to permeate through the respiratory system.

[Handle it yourself.]

After throwing Cheonma to Taejo, I jumped forward and stood next to Yumir.

[Are you okay? Do you need help?]

[I'm not interested.]

Yumir asked.

She was curious if I was giving Cheonma to Taejo by throwing her in that state.

She looked puzzled, as if wondering why I wouldn't just take Cheonma myself, but I shook my head firmly.

[Cheonma can't ride a unicorn.]

[...Ugh.]

Yumir's eyes narrowed momentarily.

[Are you that kind of person?]

[Just think of it that way. I'll explain in detail later.]

It seemed like I was implying that I despised those who couldn't ride unicorns, but it was better than explaining everything in detail.

The important thing was dealing with Rasputin.

"Heh, hehehe! Yes, you two! You must have a relationship, huh?! The fact that Platinum Sun keeps getting poisoned, it was you!"

Rasputin, whose eyes were filled with madness, aimed the tentacle cannon at me.

Inside the split muzzle, the white magical power was swelling, aiming straight at me.

"Don't interfere with my missionㅡㅡㅡ!"

Fwoosh!!

A massive amount of white mana was fired at us.

Without even having time to dodge, Yumir faced the rapid barrage that spread in all directions, covering the entire cave.

[Tsk.]

[I'll block it.]

Yumir extended her hand forward, creating a golden hemisphere.

The golden shield, spread like an umbrella, blocked the barrage, and the white mana scattered to the sides of the shield.

[She's really an unpleasant type to deal with.]

[She deliberately takes that form to erode the human spirit.]

I lightly tapped Yumir's back.

[Are you okay? You're not just holding on, right?]

I wondered if she was actually poisoned but enduring it with willpower.

[Yes. It seemed like it was trying to enter through my breath, but I immediately blocked it with my mana.]

[That's a relief.]

I was momentarily worried, but it seemed Yumir was indeed fine.

[Well, it's true I'm addicted to someone.]

[.......]

I lightly tapped Yumir's shoulder from behind and extended the Dragon Killer forward.

[I won't kill you, so don't worry. But...]

Click.

[For some people, it might hurt as much as dying.]

I aimed the Dragon Killer's blade precisely at Rasputin, pulling the trigger connected to the handle.

Bang!

Three blades flew forward, slicing through the barrage and heading straight for the inside of Rasputin's tentacle cannon.

And then.

Thud!

The Dragon Killer pierced right through the center of Rasputin's tentacle cannon, which had split apart.

==Chapter 302: Gold Rush (6)==

Rasputin fell.

Before the Dragoon Killer that dug into the tentacle fort, Rasputin, who had been pouring all her energy into the tentacles, fainted from mental shock.

[Maybe I went a bit too far.]

Seeing the foam at her mouth and her collapsing over the mana lump she had scattered, I felt a bit sorry.

But if Rasputin had not been taken down, those above—Kiparang, Ssang'eogung, Taejo, Cheonma, and the many suffering Chinese people—would have been ravaged by Rasputin's tentacle cannon.

[The rest... there's no need to say.]

I stretched the Dragoon Killer sideways.

I pulled the trigger on the side where the blade had not yet been restored and shot the Dragoon Killer into the air.

[Go.]

The blades flew around like bees with their own will, piercing the hearts of the Russians.

Of course, they did not die or bleed.

It just gave the visual effect of having their hearts pierced by the blade, simultaneously shocking them so they could not use mana and fainted.

[That was scary. Even if it was a miss, I thought you were killing them.]

[They are opponents I can handle without killing.]

I did not kill people carelessly in front of Yumir.

Though they were villains who came to steal resources, if they had committed acts akin to Laplace's demon...

'I don't know yet.'

I needed to find out through the Society's database what Rasputin and her gang had done to decide whether to kill or spare them.

Until then, I just needed to prevent them from using their abilities recklessly and stop them from awakening alone and becoming demons in their own worlds.

The ability most suitable for that was not mine or Yumir's, but the man moving Asura's arms diligently over there.

[Taejo.]

".......Ah."

Taejo, who had been moving Asura's arms to detoxify Cheonma, turned his gaze to me.

"Huff, huff, huff...."

Cheonma was not in a state to converse right now.

Even against four opponents, Taejo could move the black iron hands easily, focusing all his hands on one person. Moreover, he was concentrating on removing the remaining toxins from Rasputin inside Cheonma, so how could Cheonma be in her right mind?

[It would be nice if you could push the ground with metal once. And trap all the ones here in 'our' place.]

"......."

[What's wrong?]

"Uhm...."

Taejo tilted his head and alternated his gaze between me and Yumir.

"Just asking because I'm curious. Since no one is here right now..."

Bang!

Taejo's Asura hand slammed down on Cheonma's head.

Cheonma fainted, and Taejo checked if anyone around was conscious.

"Are you...."

[To discuss that, we need to resolve this first.]

I tapped my left wrist, and Taejo nodded, extending his hand.

"Disassemble. Divide. Unite."

Crackle!

Metal fragments gathered from all directions, forming a sphere in front of Taejo.

Those metals were all pieces of smartwatches, traces of all electronic devices in this space.

"Clean up."

Taejo placed the sphere on the ground and, through mana manipulation, created a broad plank.

He started sweeping the ground with it, pushing the white mana staining the ground towards the tunnels dug by the thieves.

"Now, there's no one here to hear our conversation. Can I ask now?"

[Of course. If it's about Gwang Ik Gong-]

"Goblin, right?"

[.......]

What?

Did this guy always have such keen insight?

[What makes you think that?]

"Seeing Platinum Sun's reaction to you...?"

[How does that mean I'm Goblin?]

"Because the person Platinum Sun likes is Goblin, and Platinum Sun looks at you that way."

Taejo's eyes were filled with certainty.

As if his belief was the truth, without a hint of doubt.

[If I am Goblin, does that mean the supporter sent by Gwang Ik Gong is Goblin, implying Gwang Ik Gong is allied with Goblin?]

"I don't know the connection between you two, but I judged based on Platinum Sun's gaze. It's more plausible to think that Goblin is Hessed and acting, rather than Platinum Sun looking at a being called Hessed from the future with loving eyes."

Taejo pointed to his eyes with a tense voice.

"I don't know much else, but I can always tell who a girl likes by looking at their eyes. Even just from CCTV footage."

[Maybe we talked too much.]

It seemed that I shared too much with Taejo on the train.

[Is this my fault?]

[Seems like it. Next time, how about wearing a visor that covers your eyes?]

[Shouldn't I have avoided looking at anyone right from the start when I boarded the train in disguise?]

Yumir's eyes curved into a crescent shape.

[Should we erase his memory? Even as an S-rank, it's possible.]

"Wa, wait a moment. Hold on. I have no intention of fighting you two."

As Yumir rolled up her sleeves and gathered her magic, Taejo hurriedly stepped back to create some distance.

"Let's help each other out as fellow Koreans. For now. Okay?"

[I'm not Korean.]

"...No way."

[I'm just an international novice bride aspiring to be Korean.]

[You're very open about it.]

I lightly placed my fist on the back of Yumir's head, deactivating my transformation as Hessed and putting on a suit.

[It's been a while, Taejo.]

"...As expected. Revealing yourself means there's a bit of room for discussion, right?"

[I'm not interested in talking to Armored Taejo, but I think it's worth talking to Black Agent Taejo, who is willing to self-destruct for the national interest in a place like this.]

"......."

Taejo smiled.

"Just one more question. If I touch that gold mine, will a demon pop out?"

[It's just a story made to cause confusion.]

"Then, I can use it, right?"

[Of course.]

"...Phew. Then."

Taejo sighed deeply with relief and approached the gold mine.

"First, I will restrain everyone here."

Gugugugu.

As Taejo placed his hand on the gold mine, the entire mass of gold began to move.

[Wow.]

[The most expensive bulldozer in the world.]

The gold spread across the entire width of the cavity, moving like a squeegee.

The white mana lumps pushed by the gold were driven towards the tunnels dug by the thieves, and the fainted thieves lying on the ground were swept behind the moving gold.

"...Come, golden prison."

With an incantation added to Taejo's ability, the gold quickly formed a giant hexagonal box that swallowed the thieves.

Inside each box, as big as a one-room bathroom, were all the ability users, and I leaned my head against Yumir's ear as I watched.

[That's Taejo's ultimate killing power.]

[...If he doesn't make a space for air, they'll just die.]

[Right.]

The technique shown by Armored Taejo, 'Iron Casket.'

The motif of that casket, Crown Prince Sado, starved to death inside it.

If the casket were made of wood, one might be able to breathe, but what if it were covered with metal plates, leaving no air?

Naturally, they would die of suffocation first.

Even if they were ability users, they would die from lack of oxygen if they couldn't escape from inside.

Once all the mana in their bodies was exhausted, they would really die.

"...It's done."

[It's understandable for Rasputin and Cheonma, but trapping Kiparang and Ssang'eogung as well?]

"If others knew, it would become a complicated situation."

Taejo imprisoned everyone in a golden cage.

Even before, when I revealed my identity, we could have talked, but Taejo became even more cautious.

"Did you test me?"

[Huh?]

"Appearing as a member of the Sephiroth Knights, and previously revealing yourself as Hyun Chul-soo. Did you test whether I could notice your true identity based on these discrepancies?"

[.......]

No.

Strictly speaking, I didn't plan to reveal myself as Hessed.

I intended to appear as a member of the Sephiroth Knights to suggest that 'Gwang Ik Gong and the Sephiroth Knights have some relationship.'

'I missed the timing.'

When I tried to present another concept of Sephiroth, a big problem arose.

-Oh, isn't this closer to silver than gray?

The moment I thought it seemed more like silver than gray, my mind wavered, thinking of myself as gray.

Because of that, I couldn't focus my ability as well, and eventually, I had to bring out 'Black War (Gray) Dragoon.'

It was a mistake.

But I could have made an excuse that Hessed became a serious character only when he wore armor.

The fact that my identity as Goblin was revealed is purely because of Yumir.

[I would have let it slide if you hadn't noticed, but now that you have, I can't just let it go.]

"...If you revealed yourself because you want something from me, let's talk. I don't know what kind of conversation it will be."

Taejo clenched his fist and manipulated the gold to create a square table and three chairs.

"If it's a story that benefits this country, I'll gladly cooperate."

[Let's hear it, then?]

[.......]

This guy.

He made chairs that put Yumir and me side by side instead of a round table.

Well.

It didn't matter much.

[Taejo.]

This was also the Society's way.

[Are you willing to join forces with the Society for the sake of this country?]