novelThe Next Phase Part III
| ← Ch.104 | Ch.106 → |
Translator: HunterW
Editor: RED
I was going to pig out on some pork belly, but I wanted to treat myself after what I just got from the Store. I roamed around looking for a good place to eat, until I came to a five-story steakhouse where the parking guards and the entrance guards were all devas. The entire building was so high-end and clean that it almost screamed 'Don't come here if you don't have the money. ' It seemed decent enough. I confidently walked towards it.
The guard standing outside quickly scanned my clothes and let me through. Thank you, Myth Guild. The clothes they gifted me really were expensive and well-made. I walked in and ordered the most steaks that I had ever had in my entire life.
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Meanwhile, at the Han Dong building in Yeouido, the five Gnosis Guild members were gathered once more.
"Have you all heard the report from Store 72?"
"Of course we have."
"Damn... talk about national pride. He barely made any strides in his own country, leaves for less than a year, and comes back this strong, " Jay said sarcastically.
"Crazy bitch, " scoffed Lim Gina. No one commented on the two's everyday banter.
"It's obvious that he's the talk of the town these days."
"Damn right. I received so many reports on him these past three months, way more than the great Sunbin Guild. Hell, there are more people talking about him than about any other country."
"He's a star, I tell you, a star!" Jay said jokingly, but no one minded her.
"We haven't been able to observe him directly ever since he received Stop Watching Me from the Myth Guild, but we were still able to learn more about him than anyone else. We can confirm that he also has an item that is at least Rank 8."
"I'm telling you, it's definitely Rank 10."
"I think so too."
"Look. Even X thinks so and he can see almost everything. The chance to successfully assemble Azazel's Shards is 1/1, 491, 041, 720, 931, 840, 000, so it has to be a Rank 10. There was also that huge phenomenon. It has to be a Rank 10."
"Fine. Let's say it's Rank 10." Alpha finally caved at Lim Gina's ranting. It was better than letting her go on."Anyway, now that he's back in Seoul, we need to know if he'll come back to put in a request. He won't be suspicious of us if we let him come to us first. Han Yong Suk, what do you think? You're the only one here who got to talk to him."
Everyone else turned to look at Han Yong Suk, who was quiet the whole time.
"I believe... he'll be back soon. When I turned him down, he seemed a little dejected."
"Perfect. We'll keep track of his movements for now. And, if, worse comes to worse, he comes back into contact with the Sunbin Guild... we'll have to move."
This was the Gnosis Guild's biggest worry these days; the mysterious relationship between the Sunbin Guild and Lee Jiwon.
The Sunbin Guild had protected Lee Jiwon for four years while he slept. The Sunbin Guild wouldn't do that to someone they had no relation with.
However, when they discovered that the Hitman Guild was tasked to kidnap Lee Jiwon, they also discovered that it was Song Haechang who had given the order. By their inference, there was no way Song Daechul did not know about this, but nothing happened to Song Haechang or the Hitman Guild. From that, the Gnosis Guild could assume that Lee Jiwon was no longer a part of the Sunbin Guild, but they still couldn't know for sure.
"Anyway, if he comes here, find out the extent of his abilities and strength."
"Very well."
The Gnosis Guild began their preparations to meet with Lee Jiwon, but did not know it would happen sooner than they expected.
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I happily put the last piece of steak into my mouth and rubbed my stuffed belly."There's nothing better than Grade A Korean beef." It was way better than the beef I had in Egypt.
"Now that I have stuffed myself, I better make my way to the Gnosis Guild." Today, I was going to find out as much as I could about Lee Kangchan from the Gnosis Guild.
"It took longer than I expected, but that doesn't mean you're lucky. It just gave me more time to get stronger, " I said to myself as I reached for the check. I froze when I looked over it.
"160, 000 golden rings?" A piece of Bread from the Store cost 100 golden rings and could get me through a single day. I could buy 800 Bread and Drink with that money.
"Is something wrong?" a waiter asked when he noticed that I was just standing there.
"No...it's nothing." For a second there, I thought about using Blink to get out of there. The waiter was a mortal and the guards outside didn't seem to know who I was.
"Ugh. What's wrong with me? I'm not one to tremble at a measly 160, 000 golden rings now."
I walked over to the counter to pay the bill and left. I used Blink to get to the roof of a nearby building and ran the rooftops towards the Gnosis Guild.
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"He's...he's coming!"
"Say what now?" The Gnosis Guild had grown bigger over the months and had guards posted in a ten kilometer radius around the Han Dong building.
"Lee Jiwon! He's heading for the headquarters...Ah! He just flew past over me. He'll...he'll arrive in less than one minute!"
"Gah! Got it!"
Lee Jiwon was the Gnosis Guild's top priority, right after Song Daechul. Even the lowest guild member knew what he looked like.
The Gnosis Guild began to busy itself.
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'Was that a Gnosis Guild member?-
I noticed a deva hiding himself as I jumped over a rooftop. The way he was positioned told me he was part of the Gnosis Guild.
-Well, I suppose I should expect that much from them. -
The Han Dong building soon came into view. I jumped high from the last building and gracefully landed a hundred meters away from the entrance.
There were five people waiting outside.
A man standing in the middle stepped forward and introduced himself."Welcome, Mr. Lee. I am the leader of the Gnosis Guild, Alpha."
They obviously knew who I was and were waiting for me, but I wasn't really put off by it. I would expect that much from the famous Gnosis Guild.
"It's a pleasure." I also saw the man who told me to come a week later, and the woman who had watched from the window.
"I would like to apologize for when you first came eight months ago. We had a priority request back then, and were unable to accept any other jobs."
"That's quite all right. We all have busy times. Can you accept my request now?" It seemed that all five leaders of the Gnosis Guild had come out to greet me. They wouldn't do that if they weren't going to accept my request.
"Of course we can, especially if it comes from someone as famous as you. Please, come inside."
I didn't comment on Alpha's true intentions and followed them inside.
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X, the wielder of the Near-Seeing Eye, stared at Lee Jiwon's back. At that moment, a scar on his forehead began to open, revealing what seemed to be a human's eye. However, this eye was completely black.
X's Near-Seeing Eye revealed only a portion of the truth, but it could also reveal a few things, like how much stronger the other person was than him. His Eye helped his guild decide who was worthy enough to spy on and who was insignificant enough to ignore.
X's Eye formed an apparition in X's likeness and the apparition charged at Lee Jiwon from the back.
-One...one hit!-
X's apparition died from a single blow from Lee Jiwon's attack. The apparition could barely make a move and Lee Jiwon's spear was impaled in its chest in an instant. At that moment, the Eye closed about 20% of the way. X formed another apparition and had it attack Lee Jiwon.
-A single hit. -
The second attempt yielded the same results. X began to tremble. He had used this method on Song Haein and Song Myungsoo, but neither of them could kill his apparition in a single blow.
"X, are you all right?"
"You're shaking!"
"I'm...I'm fine." X remained focused on Lee Jiwon even with Han Yong Suk and Jay's concern.
Unable to accept the results, X repeatedly formed apparitions and had them attack Lee Jiwon. He tried seven times before his Eye fully closed, leaving his forehead scar-free.
-They...all died in one blow!- He had no choice but to accept the reality.
"Hey, what are you doing? You know you can't use it consecutively like that. You're going to hurt yourself. How much longer do you have to wait now before you can use it again?" Han Yong Suk asked the still-trembling X.
"I used it seven times, and they all died in a single hit. This guy...is the real deal."
"What?"
"That...can't be right."
X, Han Yong Suk, Jay, and Lim Gina all stared at Lee Jiwon as he continued to walk away beside Alpha.
"But, he slept for four years..."
"That's not the important part. He's this strong AFTER sleeping that long. If he didn't, then..." Lim Gina trailed off. It scared her just to think about it!
| ← Ch. 104 | Ch. 106 → |