Chapter 97

"Fortunately, we're in the lobby; otherwise, an even bigger disaster would have happened."

Lee Gwan-woong pointed a sword resembling the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade at Seo-won and Cha-haya. Although it didn't contain Cosmos yet, it was still intimidating. Seo-won, not understanding what was happening, tightly gripped the handle of Matahari. Cha-haya had already drawn his sword with a swish.

Seo-won slightly shook her head at Cha-haya, who stood beside her.

"A, I don't take the first hit."

Don't attack first. Seo-won directed this with her eyes.

"Guild Tachien, since you're here, I expect an explanation."

What explanation do they want from us? Seo-won frowned. The two upper-class members of the Oseong Guild suddenly entered the pond and lifted the corpse they called a human mutant from both sides.

"!"

Seo-won let out a low scream upon seeing the corpse. She thought she heard Cha-haya click his tongue, but her ears were ringing, so she couldn't be sure. As Seo-won quickly ran over, Lee Gwan-woong's sword blocked her path.

Clang! Seo-won drew Matahari and pushed the thick sword away. With Cosmos, Lee Gwan-woong was pushed back, barely holding on to the hilt. Cha-haya followed behind Seo-won, emitting a strong white aura.

If you attack, you'll all die.

The menacing aura was so intense that it made the bodies of the Manseongshong tremble. Although other top-tier members, including Lee Gwan-woong, were present, they had never faced Cha-haya before. They thought they were caught off guard when he tore through the gate. However, today they realized there was a clear gap among the top-tier members. If they were caught in Cha-haya's white aura, they might be crushed to death.

"Tachien! Causing trouble here won't do you any good! This isn't Korea, it's a foreign country!"

Lee Gwan-woong shouted, but Seo-won pushed past the two Oseong Guild members and lifted the corpse they called a human mutant. The blood-soaked hair was a mess, so she swept it off the forehead with her hand.

Splash. Seo-won knelt down, drenched in blood. The exotic, slightly tanned face belonged to Abdulaziz.

With his eyes open, Seo-won poured purple Cosmos onto Abdulaziz. However, it only circled his body and didn't get absorbed. Why are you here like this, brother? Why... Even though she saw it with her own eyes, she couldn't believe it. Clenching her teeth, she suppressed her sobs. She kept touching Abdulaziz's face and body, but he was getting stiffer.

Seo-won continued to pour energy into Abdulaziz. While guarding the surroundings, Cha-haya eventually lifted Abdulaziz's body, laid him outside the pond, and covered his naked body with his shirt.

"Cha Seo-won."

Seo-won didn't give up. Holding Abdulaziz's ankle, she released her Cosmos, filled with thousands of purple buds.

"Cha Seo-won."

At Cha-haya's firm call, Seo-won slowly raised her head.

"It's too late."

Through her blurred vision, she saw the Manseongshong surrounding them. With hostile gazes, Seo-won turned around. A corpse torn by human, or rather, Manseongshong, was drenched in blood.

"Abdulaziz of Guild Tachien was a human mutant and caused this. This situation is entirely Tachien's responsibility."

Lee Gwan-woong's gaze was aggressive, as if challenging them to handle it.

Why. Why did my brother end up like this? Seo-won couldn't understand. She had gone to bury Yeong-il's body in the northwest and then heard that he had crossed the gate to Korea. But where did things go wrong? Why did he disappear without a word...?

Seo-won roughly wiped her wet eyes with her hand. She didn't push away Cha-haya's outstretched hand but held it and stood up. She couldn't rely on her uncle anymore. The remaining members of Tachien were now only Cha-haya, Han Don-hee, Kang San, and Yu Chan. What should I do? How can I handle this...

Suddenly, Cha-haya snapped his fingers in front of Seo-won.

"I'm here. Trust me."

His words sounded like a reassurance, but he was actually checking the positions of the Manseongshong, as if ready to kill them all.

Seo-won quickly shook off her daze and firmly gripped Matahari. If she doesn't regain her composure, things might get out of control.

"If we need time for the guild leader to arrive, we'll wait."

Lee Gwan-woong, who was essentially the head of the alliance, was signaling them not to act rashly.

"No... There's no need to wait."

Seo-won's voice was a mess. Lee Gwan-woong, sensing hostility, seemed to imply that if Tachien tried to show off, they wouldn't stand idly by. There were already three high-level Manseongshong on the second floor drawing their bows. Seo-won gathered her purple Cosmos and told Cha-haya to do the same. Lee Gwan-woong was right; if Manseongshong caused trouble in a foreign country, it would make overseas travel even more difficult. Moreover, two ordinary people had died.

"We need to understand the full story... No, first, we will apologize to the families of the victims."

This was the best she could do now.

"This could become an international issue. With a Tachien member's mutation causing this, how do you plan to take responsibility?"

Lee Gwan-woong sounded genuinely concerned.

"...As you said, it's a mutation."

Seo-won didn't want to call Abdulaziz a mutant, but the people here were essentially witnesses.

"As you know, the mutation of all living beings is something that can't be prevented by human effort. We will investigate the circumstances."

"That's not wrong, but since it's your guild member, you can't avoid responsibility."

Just as numerous alliance members were surrounding Tachien, a noise like hundreds of helicopter blades whirring overhead was heard, followed by a massive vibration that shook the entire hotel.

The Manseongshong looked up in confusion, and Cha-haya drew his sword from its sheath. As someone shouted a warning, the alliance members aimed their Cosmos at him. Various auras—white, black, crimson—were emitted, creating a scene that looked like a compressed universe in the lobby.

Cha-haya suddenly turned and sent a white sword energy toward the hotel's main entrance. With a whoosh, the energy shattered the glass and doors. The white energy didn't dissipate but expanded, slicing through the air. Those who mistook it for a preemptive attack launched arrows imbued with sword energy, but Seo-won quickly spread a purple barrier.

Then, Oseong Searcher Kim Seo-kyung, who had run down from the second floor, shouted in panic.

"Estimated to be a Stage 4 mutant locust swarm! Over a thousand! Each one is nearly three meters in size!"

<Correction, two thousand.>

Cha-haya had already detected the mutants from the noise of the approaching locusts, and Seo-won knew through the messenger.

As soon as Lee Gwan-woong understood the situation, he imbued his voice with Cosmos.

"From now on, the upper and top-tier members of the alliance will go outside to defend the hotel! All mental system users will support from inside the hotel!"

Excluding Tachien, there were about fifteen Manseongshong who could actually participate in the battle.

"Tachien Guild will join as well."

Lee Gwan-woong adjusted his sword and instructed them. The hundreds of locusts that Cha-haya's sword energy had already destroyed were far away, but the sound of their wings was as loud as before.

"We only follow our guild leader's orders."

Cha-haya placed his sword on his shoulder. Seo-won looked up at the hotel ceiling and let out a low breath. Then she imbued her sword with a long purple energy.

"Two thousand."

Seo-won muttered.

'If there were a thousand Stage 3 mutants, how many could you handle?'

'All of them.'

Seo-won recalled the conversation she had with Cha-haya before crossing the tunnel to the northwest.

'Is that just boasting?'

'Your rat senses are really good. I could handle about two hundred.'

But the ability Cha-haya showed after crossing the tunnel was even greater. Seo-won moved her lips toward Cha-haya.

"How many can you handle?"

Cha-haya smiled more confidently than before.

"All of them."

Seo-won, no longer bound by inferiority, nodded.

"Mr. Lee Gwan-woong, we will only participate in this mutant hunt if the alliance members are all repelled."

"Damn, these crazy guys."

Lee Gwan-woong turned pale at the sight of the locusts that were starting to cover the sky. The areas the locusts had passed through were completely stripped, leaving only barren land.

Can we capture thousands of Stage 4 giant mutants without any casualties? Lee Gwan-woong wasn't sure. With the loss of even one Manseongshong from the alliance being regrettable, he didn't want any casualties. The support team sent to Indonesia was the elite of the alliance.

"What do you want?"

"We will hunt alone, and all the U-gems will go to Tachien."

Ha, that's so cool. My Cha Seo-won. Cha-haya wanted to kiss her puffed-up lips but didn't show it. He wasn't in a good mood after seeing Abdulaziz's body, which had turned like Yeong-il.

"We can't recall the alliance members who are already in battle. But if you handle it without any casualties, I'll give you all the U-gems. I promise."

Cha-haya shook his sword off his shoulder, and a sound like a black hole hummed.

"Will you go back on your word?"

His Cosmos still sounded like the eerie cry of a monster.

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