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Chapter 164

Caught in the mist, Se-Hoon surveyed his surroundings slowly.

I don’t think I was teleported, since I can still feel my body in the car.

Looking again, the surroundings closely resembled reality, but there were definite differences. In that case, they were likely in a dream.

Upon reaching that thought, Se-Hoon immediately activated Ethereal Vision.

Dream mana surged in his eyes, and the scenery around him instantly shifted. Now able to adjust his focus back to reality, he gradually began to make out the backseat of the car. It was still shrouded in mist, and the unconscious forms of Jin-Hyun and Sung-Ha could be seen.

Looks like just our consciousness was targeted since completely teleporting human bodies is difficult.

Everything was going according to his expectations, so Se-Hoon adjusted Ethereal Vision, choosing to delve deeper into the dream rather than wake up immediately.

His consciousness plunged back into the dream as swiftly as it had escaped, and soon the purple mist dissipated to reveal a new scene.

He found himself standing in a dark forest with no clouds in sight. Everything was completely natural, including the way he stood and the way he was looking around.

A forest, huh...? Are they trying to deceive me into thinking this is real?

If the ones trapped in the dream realized where they were, the influence and control the perpetrator could exercise were more likely to diminish, so it was an understandable tactic.

Understanding the situation, Se-Hoon started walking calmly.

Those two should be somewhere around here...

Then, just as he was about to search using Ethereal Vision, he sensed someone\'s presence from up ahead.

Soon, a person emerged.

“You...”

Carrying Jin-Hyun on his back, Sung-Ha’s eyes immediately widened with surprise upon seeing Se-Hoon. But it wasn’t long before they quickly turned cold. Tensing, the muscles in his left arm tightened, ready to strike at any moment.

Noticing, Se-Hoon calmly assured him.

“I\'m not a fake, so don\'t worry.”

“You’ve got any proof?”

“If you’re not going to believe me, how can you trust that it’s Yeom Jin-Hyun on your back? In situations like this, you need to either completely distrust others or pretend to trust them and stay vigilant.”

At the lecture, Sung-Ha quietly stared at Se-Hoon before relaxing the tension in his left arm.

“You must be real, given your annoying way of speaking.”

“What?”

“Do you know where this place is?” Ignoring the question, Sung-Ha quickly shifted the topic.

Aware of his intentions, Se-Hoon glanced at Sung-Ha before scanning the forest.

“I\'m not exactly sure. Seeing that it’s nighttime, it could be a far-off place.”

He had decided to play along with the enemy\'s setup, so didn’t he have to pretend he knew nothing?

However, Sung-Ha was unaware of all that. His expression hardened.

“They transported us so far...”

He looked at Jin-Hyun on his back, worrying if something had happened to him during the transfer.

Even a normal person would suspect that their close ones betrayed them, yet he’s still so devoted to his master.

If he had shown just a tenth of this attitude to others before the regression, he wouldn\'t have earned the strange nickname “Mad Dog.” It was completely baffling to Se-Hoon.

Rustle-

The two men\'s faces hardened instantly.

A strange noise had suddenly reached their ears. Its source was both distant and near, impossible to pinpoint.

“...”

“...”

They moved their bodies instantly—there were no allies here.

Shank!

Immediately after, two spears pierced the ground where they had stood. At the appearance of enemies, clad in black from head to toe, from beyond the trees, Se-Hoon looked toward Sung-Ha.

“Run!”

Wasting no time, the two dashed in the opposite direction of their enemies. More had begun to appear from all sides, each launching fierce spear attacks.

Clang!

Each attack was clearly aimed at their legs rather than their vital points, making it obvious they were intending to subdue them.

Sung-Ha\'s eyes narrowed at the onslaught. While could easily fend off the attacks himself, he also had to protect the unconscious Jin-Hyun on his back, which made it a tough task.

And as time passed, the attacks only grew fiercer instead of diminishing. Struggling against the tightening assault, Sung-Ha decided to turn and counter.

Bang!

However, before he did, Se-Hoon deflected a spear aimed at Jin-Hyun with a shield and shouted, “I\'ll cover your rear, so just keep running!”

Trusting Se-Hoon, Sung-Ha pushed through the attacks and ran forward with Se-Hoon behind him, skillfully deflecting the attacks with his shield and hammer.

It doesn’t seem like they’re trying to catch us.... Are they trying to immerse us in the dream?

The standard method to maximize the strength of attacks in such dream spaces was to confuse the target’s perception with what was real. Yet, this pursuit seemed more about preventing them from realizing it was a dream.

Assuming that, their next move should be...

The relentless chase continued, and eventually, they broke into an open clearing. It was a bad place to hide or escape.

Instantly realizing the danger, Sung-Ha tried to dive back into the forest.

Bang!

Unfortunately, a giant spear fell from the sky and blocked his path.

Thud, thud, thud!

Dozens of spears followed, raining down like arrows to force them deep into the clearing. When the spears stopped, they were surrounded by the dark forest, which hundreds or more enemies began to emerge from.

At the sight of all the enemies, Sung-Ha gripped his short spears with a grim expression, and Se-Hoon readied his shield and hammer. The tension was palpable; it looked grim.

A mocking voice echoed through the forest: “You guys should give up already.”

Following the voice, four figures then emerged from the shadows, parting the bushes. Unlike the other enemies clad in black from head to toe, the figures didn’t hide their faces. They were all middle-aged, well into their fifties.

“Haven\'t you done enough already?” sneered the man at the forefront.

Recognizing him, Sung-Ha\'s expression twisted with rage. All of them had been mentors who had worked for the Flame Sect since Jin-Hyun first established it.

“You scum...”

“Woah, woah. Such harsh words. But I can understand, seeing as how you\'re still clinging to that old, worn-out corpse,” a mentor said dismissively, glancing at the unconscious Jin-Hyun.

Looking back at Sung-Ha, he continued, “Don’t you also find him pathetic? He sacrificed everything for humanity and the Flame Sect, yet he received nothing in return.”

“Shut up.”

“It\'s truly unfortunate but also inevitable at the same time. I mean, what can a powerless person accomplish in this world—”

Boom!

Before the mentor could finish, Sung-Ha had lunged forward, having handed the unconscious Jin-Hyun over to Se-Hoon. With the earth cracking beneath his feet, his twin spears erupted into a fiery, crimson blaze, creating the feared Black Flame Wheels, a sight known only through rumors.

“Interesting.”

Twisting his lips into a smirk, Mentor Kwon Jang-Woon, swung his spear to meet the attack.

Clang!

A shockwave shot out, uprooting trees and causing explosions all around. Standing amidst his flames, Sung-Ha\'s eyes narrowed.

Is this...?

While it was true that Sung-Ha’s initial strike was due to his uncontrollable anger, it was also a strategic move. By reducing the number of the four mentors, he hoped to increase their chances of breaking through their encirclement.

However, his attack was effortlessly blocked.

“What a sloppy form.”

In fact, he was about to be completely overwhelmed and pushed back.

Thunk!

Deflecting the spear aiming for his throat, Kwon Jang-Woon thrust his spear, wrapped in flames, toward Sung-Ha\'s heart. The terrifying force behind it left Sung-Ha with no other choice but to cross his spears and have them resonate.

Bang!!

A shockwave exploded between them, flinging Sung-Ha back to the center of the clearing.

“Ugh...”

“Hah. I didn’t expect you to block it so easily...”

Kwon Jang-Woon knew for a fact that his strike just now would have skewered the other mentors without resistance. He truly admired Sung-Ha, who was staggering and unable to comprehend the result.

“You bastard... what have you done?”

“What are you talking about?”

“How did you suddenly improve so much after falling all the way to B-rank?”

Even if a hero miraculously avoided any injuries throughout their entire career, it was impossible to escape aging. And Kwon Jang-Woon’s was no exception. Though not officially reassessed, it was assumed he had fallen to B-rank. Yet, the strength he was displaying right now was akin to his former A-rank, even nearing S-rank, self.

Kwon Jang-Woon couldn’t help but laugh at the suspicion in Sung-Ha’s eyes.

“Haha, isn’t it obvious? It’s because of enlightenment, of course.”

“...Enlightenment?”

“The advancement of rank, breaking the wall, progression in the inferno ring—all of that which had stagnated for me for decades has finally moved forward.”

Trembling in ecstasy, Kwon Jang-Woon looked down at his body. That attack allowed him to understand his current state had far surpassed the limit he had seen with the Synesthetic Mindscape Projection Device. While such a sensation was fleeting in reality, here it felt undeniably part of him.

“If I hadn’t been bound by old customs, I could have reached S-rank long ago.... I wasted so much time...” His muttering was filled with a mix of regret, resentment, and anger.

Sung-Ha’s face hardened, sensing that something was off about him.

Did he become a demon?

Though his senses didn’t detect any demonic aura in him, the strange, unrecognizable aura surrounding him suggested otherwise. Noticing it surrounded the rest of the mentors as well, Sung-Ha took a deep breath and gripped his spears tighter.

“I’ll hold off these four somehow. Meanwhile, you escape with Master,” he quietly said to Se-Hoon.

“We have a better chance fighting together, though.”

“Then Master will die.”

If they fought together, the unconscious Jin-Hyun would be left completely defenseless, and even the aftermath of their battle could be fatal to him.

“But didn’t you say you didn’t care if the old man lived or died?”

Given Sung-Ha’s personality, there was definitely some truth to that statement. So why was he prioritizing Jin-Hyun over himself?

Sung-Ha fell silent. A moment later, he calmly said, “If the situation was completely unavoidable... I would have done so.”

“And what about now?”

“If I just kill them all, both Master and I will survive through this.”

With a glimmer in his eyes, Sung-Ha gripped his spears tightly and drew upon his full power.

He then added, “Since that case, there’s no reason not to fight.”

He was saying that he would kill all four mentors, who were likely all semi-S-ranks. His arrogance bordered on insanity, but he was fully convinced he’d achieve it.

What nonsense.

Although Sung-Ha acted like he didn’t care about those around him, he was actually planning to fight under the premise that he\'d save everyone unless he was put in a life-or-death situation.

Well, at least he\'s not surrendering immediately, so I guess it’s decent enough.

Perhaps Sung-Ha’s “inevitable situation” meant surrender or something similar.

Turning away from Sung-Ha, Se-Hoon looked around.

It\'s obvious they’re hiding somewhere around here... but they’re not showing themselves.

Wondering if a bit more provocation would draw them out, Se-Hoon acted.

“If that\'s what you want to do, don’t worry. I have a hidden card up my sleeve,” he whispered to Sung-Ha.

“...What is it?”

“It\'s something I got from the Chairman. With that, we can all teleport to safety far away from here.”

Not missing the slight ebb in the air the moment he explained his ‘hidden’ move to Sung-Ha, Se-Hoon proceeded to reveal a gold ring on his right ring finger.

“I’m going to use it now, so make sure you can run immediately after we get teleported.”

“...Alright.”

Having explained everything to Sung-Ha, Se-Hoon infused his mana into the Ring of Ascension, giving it a bright golden shine.

Flap.

And a purple butterfly immediately appeared on his right ring finger.

“What...”

Right before their eyes, the ring disappeared from his finger and the butterfly fluttered into the air.

Tracking it, they watched it naturally land on the finger of a man, who appeared out of nowhere.

“I did suspect you had something up your sleeve, but I never imagined it would be this.”

The man had pale purple skin, short black hair, sharp horns protruding from his temples, and yellow pupils glowed eerily against his black sclera. Se-Hoon’s expression hardened at the man who was clearly a demon.

“Who are you?”

“I\'m Makif, in charge of Zone 17 of the Pleasure District. From now on, call me Chief Makif.”

Done confidently introducing himself, Makif lightly grasped the butterfly on his finger.

Swoosh~

At the sight of the butterfly transforming back into the Ring of Ascension, Se-Hoon froze in shock.

“If I\'d known you had something like this, I would\'ve dealt with it in advance. You almost gave me a heart attack back there.”

Gazing at Se-Hoon, Makif flicked the ring with his finger and slipped it into his pocket.

Sung-Ha’s face darkened at the sight. Not only had their only escape route vanished, but another enemy, seemingly as strong as the mentors, had appeared.

Is there any chance of escape left...?

Perhaps if he abandoned his master and cooperated with Se-Hoon, a glimmer of hope might remain. Torn, Sung-Ha clenched his fists.

At that moment, Makif looked at the mentors across from him.

“I know it\'s fun to play around with your prey, but let\'s wrap this up. If we take too long, people might come searching for them.”

Though no one would actually come in pursuit, displaying too much leisure could arouse suspicion.

Understanding, Kwon Jang-Woon clicked his tongue inwardly.

“Yes... we should.”

Playing around no longer, the mentors each drew their spears, while Makif gathered his dream mana, ready to eliminate any unexpected variables Se-Hoon might bring out.

Facing the seemingly hopeless situation, Sung-Ha gripped his spears tight enough to turn his hands white. Then, he came to a decision.

Looking at Se-Hoon, he barely squeezed out the words, “Se-Hoon. Take Master and—”

“Ha. What a shame.”

Cutting Sung-Ha off, Se-Hoon helped Jin-Hyun to his feet and nonchalantly muttered, “If only we had a single S-rank hero assist us... then we wouldn\'t be in such a helpless situation.”

“...?”

Completely confused, Sung-Ha turned to Se-Hoon, while Makif’s eyes narrowed as he watched.

How many aces does he have up his sleeve...?

Makif had a feeling that if he didn’t stop them now, they would figure out they were in a dream. He tensed up.

“Don\'t you think so too?” Se-Hoon asked Sung-Ha, turning to him.

Bewildered, Sung-Ha reflexively replied, “Uh... yeah.”

If they had even a single proper S-rank hero or if Sung-Ha’s master were in good shape, things wouldn’t have turned this way.

Satisfied with Sung-Ha’s response, Se-Hoon nodded.

“Heard that? Your disciple agreed so...!”

Whoosh!

Surprising everyone, Se-Hoon drew the Phantasmal Spyblade from his chest and swung it at Jin-Hyun in one swift motion.

Reacting the moment he saw the mysterious-looking dagger, Makif quickly summoned his dream mana to use Dream Distortion. It was a skill that could transform an object into something entirely different—with a mere illusion. But it was enough to deceive his opponent for now.

Like the Ring of Ascension earlier, the Phantasmal Spyblade began to morph into a butterfly. Before Makif could steal it, however, Se-Hoon grabbed the transforming butterfly.

“I thought so.”

Se-Hoon, with his eyes glowing purple, smirked.

Fwoosh!

A burst of purple flames from his hand reverted the butterfly into the Phantasmal Spyblade, causing Makif\'s eyes to widen in shock. With the blade back, Se-Hoon then plunged it into Jin-Hyun\'s chest.

Woong~

The flames from the Phantasmal Spyblade spread and enveloped Jin-Hyun’s entire body. In the blink of an eye, the purple flames consumed him entirely, leaving everyone in the clearing utterly flabbergasted, blankly staring.

A moment later, the flames went out and everyone’s attention was directed to Jin-Hyun\'s charred corpse.

From it, a faint murmur could be heard, “I guess it can\'t be helped...”

Boom-

The shell of Jin-Hyun\'s body shattered, and a colossal figure emerged, crashing toward the enemies. The first to face the figure was Makif, who was still standing dumbfounded.

“...!”

Makif\'s eyes were filled with terror seeing the massive figure appear before him, moving faster than he could react.

His body tried to reflexively dodge, but it was too late.

Crunch!

Without any special techniques, the giant’s hands tore Makif\'s limbs like paper, and its knife-like fingers pierced through his abdomen and vital points mercilessly.

“AAAAAAGH!”

Instead of a cry of shock, a scream of pain echoed as the incapacitated Makif collapsed to the ground.

With his body drenched in blood, the towering figure slowly turned to face the four mentors.

“You... you are...”

“This can\'t be. It’s... im-impossible...”

A multitude of scars covered the giant’s face, and its murderous aura reeked of blood. The mentors stared in horror at the hero who was once infamous for massacring countless demons in his active-duty days.

“...Long time, no see.”

The S-rank hero, the Flame Demon, had been revived.