The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

The dishes Emilia meticulously prepared were met with positive reactions from everyone.

Except for Takashi’s clone, who couldn’t eat for practical reasons, everyone savored the meal.

Especially Elizabeth, who repeatedly asked Emilia to refill her plate.

Contrary to the other members’ expectations of a potential power struggle, the two engaged in friendly conversation.

However, a smiling face doesn’t always signify a kind heart.

Vincent, being perceptive, picked up on the subtle tension between Emilia and Elizabeth.

Both aimed to outshine the other in charm and beauty, a typical competitive instinct.

To mask this mentality, they acted friendly and kind towards each other.

Yu Cheonghwa, another female hunter, showed no interest in such mind games.

Yu Cheonghwa approached Vincent.

“Vincent.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you suspect any assassins?”

“I’m not very familiar with the Korean side. Do you have any insights?”

Yu Cheonghwa shrugged in response to Vincent’s question.

For a moment, the face of a different person flashed through her mind.

A man she had recently learned about, Kang-hoo.

Before Kang Dong-hyun published all the information about Kang-hoo on the Eclipse official website.

Yu Cheonghwa was unaware of Kang-hoo’s alias or real name.

She only remembered him as a skilled assassin who had perfectly blocked her mental skills.

And it was only recently, when she saw his name on the assassination list, that her questions were answered.

She considered him a fairly skilled assassin, and her assumption was correct.

Given that he had provoked Kang Dong-hyun’s wrath, it was clear how much Kang-hoo must have angered him.

However,

No matter how high Kang-hoo’s potential was, claiming a hidden skill seemed beyond his reach.

As Vincent mentioned, hidden skills are not something ‘lucky nobodies’ can acquire.

Yu Cheonghwa concluded that Kang-hoo lacked the qualifications to be the owner of one of the 77 hidden skills in this world.

“I don’t know.”

Yu Cheonghwa shook her head.

No matter how she thought about it, it wasn’t Kang-hoo.

There must have been another skilled assassin in the raid. After all, there are plenty of named assassins.

Vincent sighed in frustration.

“When are Jang Si-hwan and Chae Gwanhyeong going to show up? We need their cooperation to find anything.”

Vincent was already feeling impatient.

Was it because he had a long cooling-off period after the last murder?

He was desperate to cover his face with hot blood again.

Like a pressure cooker with steam rising and simmering, his urge to kill was bubbling up continuously.

Meanwhile,

Just before boarding the plane, Kang-hoo received an unexpected call from Master K and changed his destination.

As the plane stabilized at cruising altitude,

Kang-hoo was listening to the recorded conversation with Master K.

The conversation had been so rushed and hectic before takeoff that he missed some parts.

“I found a place where you can ‘indirectly’ obtain a miniature talisman with a release option.”

“Where? Is it a dungeon?”

“I’ve inquired worldwide, but currently, there are no available items for sale.”

“Is there another method?”

“Yes. There’s a way to combine materials. You synthesize the core of the release into a colorless talisman.”

“What should I obtain?”

“Don’t worry about the core of the release; I can get it through my wife. The colorless talisman is the problem.”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“You should go to Ulleungdo. Kim Sin-ryeong is there. You can purchase it from him.”

“Kim Sin-ryeong?”

“Yes, Kim Sin-ryeong. He’s also known as the Hand of All Trades. Do you know him?”

“Not in detail.”

The Hand of All Trades, Kim Sin-ryeong.

She’s a woman in her late fifties, but her appearance looks like she’s in her twenties due to her skill in modification and procedures.

The reason for her youthful appearance is surprisingly because she wears a mask that looks exactly like a young person’s face.

Creating such masks is also one of her skills.

The masks are remarkably realistic, yet the parts that can’t be masked still show considerable wrinkles.

In the original work, Kim Sin-ryeong’s name appears when Gong Tae-su, the butcher of Ulsan who lost an arm to Kang-hoo, implants a mana stone in his left arm.

At that time, her name was only mentioned briefly, but now it’s a crucial name for Kang-hoo.

-Anyway, it seems that friend is resting at her villa in Ulleungdo. Go and see her.

-Understood. Just give me the location, and I’ll find her myself.

-No, I’ll send Hyung-seo to Ulleungdo, so let him guide you. He’ll also bring my letter of recommendation.

-Ah, you mean that young friend?

-Yes, I’ll make sure he knows not to be rude, so don’t worry too much.

-Understood. I’ll head towards Ulleungdo right away. Thank you for your consideration.

-Consideration, huh? Just make sure to have plenty of money ready. I’ll collect the price later.

-Of course.

-Oh, and… you know, right? Kim Sin-ryeong’s villa is one big trap.

-I know that.

-Good. Don’t overdo it. It’s fine to take the test, but it doesn’t mean you should jump into a coffin.

As K mentioned at the end, Kim Sin-ryeong didn’t easily meet those who sought her.

Usually, to meet her, one had to visit her villa, which she used as a hideout.

The path from the main gate to the villa was filled with all sorts of mazes and traps.

Even with a trillion won, a free pass was impossible. One must pass her ‘test.’

Many hunters have died trying to meet Kim Sin-ryeong.

She didn’t even handle the corpses, so those who came to retrieve the bodies often died as well.

‘A colorless talisman…’

This is the first time hearing the name.

What meaning does it hold to be called a colorless talisman?

Perhaps the answer can only be obtained by meeting Kim Sin-ryeong. It’s time to be on high alert.

Kang-hoo closed his eyes and began recalling all memories and details about Kim Sin-ryeong from the original work.

He couldn’t afford to miss even the smallest detail. Understanding her personality and characteristics was crucial.

Arriving in Ulleungdo was just as dusk began to fall.

Having traveled by boat for three hours from Gangneung, the feeling of stepping on solid ground felt strange.

Many who suffered from severe seasickness often vomited upon landing, but Kang-hoo was not sensitive to such things.

‘It looks just like I saw it in real life.’

Seeing the familiar scenery, Kang-hoo felt a sense of warmth, as if he had returned to his hometown.

When writing the original work, Ulleungdo was a place he would visit when he wanted to experience life away from home.

He often stayed at well-prepared guesthouses scattered throughout Ulleungdo.

He stayed for at least a month, sometimes over a year.

Thanks to incorporating the things he saw and felt during that time into his descriptions, the world was recreated exactly as it was.

But just then.

“……?”

Kang-hoo tilted his head upon seeing a familiar figure’s back.

A man carrying a laptop bag and holding a large 1-liter Americano was walking somewhere.

‘Is that… me?’

It was definitely the same clothes, appearance, and actions he had during his stay in Ulleungdo.

He quickly followed the figure.

What is this? Is it someone who looks like me? Or am I seeing things? Is it just a coincidence?

Though he followed the man who had just turned into a side street, the figure disappeared without a trace.

As if he had never been there, he vanished without leaving a single clue.

“Hmm.”

With no way to track him, Kang-hoo stopped.

It was a strange experience.

Maybe it was a fleeting overlap with memories from his life before the possession.

That seemed the most plausible explanation.

A short while later.

Moon Hyung-seo arrived in Ulleungdo, resulting in an awkward meeting at the harbor.

As soon as Moon Hyung-seo saw Kang-hoo, he bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle.

It was clear that Master K had given him a stern talking-to, as he now seemed exceedingly polite.

Unlike before, his bangs were now styled to hang loosely, and his attire was more casual.

Moon Hyung-seo appeared much softer, almost resembling a college student, with his usual severity noticeably diminished.

“I’ll guide you right away. Sorry for being late.”

“It’s not like the ship schedules are predictable; no need to apologize.”

“I should have taken the earlier ferry and scouted the area beforehand. Please forgive me.”

“Forget it. Just lead the way.”

With an awkward smile, Kang-hoo signaled for Moon Hyung-seo to proceed.

Considering they were about to meet Kim Sin-ryeong for the first time, he felt no urge to hurry.

During their walk,

Moon Hyung-seo kept casting wary glances around.

While it’s always wise to be cautious, his behavior seemed overly so.

“Is there a problem?”

“Um… this is unofficial, but.”

“Yes?”

“In the past ten days, ten hunters living in Ulleungdo have vanished without a trace. There’s been no sign of them since.”

Kang-hoo’s expression darkened slightly at Moon Hyung-seo’s revelation.

Ulleungdo lacked a Public Safety Bureau and had no main force overseeing it, making it a place where everyone had to fend for themselves.

This created a location full of uncertainties.

Despite the presence of many civilians, which generally led hunters to avoid bloody conflicts as much as possible,

If civilians were to die as a result of hunter conflicts, the Hunter Public Safety Bureau would step in directly.

Their involvement would mean the appearance of the Jeonghwa Guild, so everyone ‘behaved’ accordingly.

Yet, there was an unsettling issue.

The concentrated disappearance of hunters was difficult to dismiss as mere coincidence.

“Ulleungdo has several open dungeons, so it’s common for hunters to come and go.”

“Everyone is cautious, but despite that, these disappearances keep occurring.”

Whoosh!

Moon Hyung-seo pulled out a spear he had minimized, infused it with magic, and expanded it back to its original size.

It seemed capable of shrinking and stretching, akin to Kang-hoo’s emergency weapon, the Spear of Intense Strength.

Yet, it boasted a much more superior appearance than the 4th-grade Spear of Intense Strength.

It appeared to be at least a 2nd-grade spear, fitting for someone of Moon Hyung-seo’s caliber.

At that moment,

“Wait.”

Kang-hoo halted, sensing an unusual presence from behind, and seized Moon Hyung-seo.

Suddenly, a dense, cold chill surged from behind.

It was a sudden and overwhelming force that immobilized his entire body.

In that instant, a certain figure flashed in his mind. Kang-hoo called out to Moon Hyung-seo.

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