Chapter 30: CHAPTER 28 – Looking for money (Part 2)

*KIM HAJIN’S POV*

“I’m so fucking tired… *sigh…* that son of a bitch… Couldn’t he have some kind of consideration with me?”

I was inside my room, dropped on the bed, trying to move my body. Between Cristopher’s training and today’s anti-personnel training, it was basically impossible to move even a little more…

“*sigh…* and that instructor… It was just a little biting… And her hair was kept intact…”

Just then, I received a message on my smartwatch.

“Huh?”-I murmured as I tried my hardest to lift my arm up.

[Cristopher: I’m outside of Cube. I’ll probably get there before training time, but… don’t expect me. I have things to do.]

{What’s with this guy? Something to do? What could he have to do outside of Cube? I haven’t even finished the lists of dungeons thanks to the bastard’s training…}

[Kim Hajin: What are you doing outside of Cube?]

[Cristopher: Not your business dude.]

“Huh!? This…”

[Kim Hajin: … Fuck you. What? Are you stealing or something? What would be so hard for you to tell me? Aren’t we supposed to be friends? And companions through this madness even.]

[Cristopher: Still, not your problem man… Look. It isn’t anything bad ok? I’m just doing some personal stuff. So, don’t worry too much, I’ll try to be there. Also… Could you finish that list of dungeons?]

“…”-I stare at the smartwatch. But I can’t find any words.

“*sigh…* whatever. I’m not even answering him. What could be so important that he doesn’t even want to talk about it? And personal stuff? He isn’t even from this world… What personal stuff could he…”-I stop for a moment.

{Wait. Is he really not from this world? I mean… I just have his word… And that’s all… And it is indeed weird… If he is from my world, how can he have power? That was not possible back there… Maybe if it was just a little bit of power, but nothing like him… It would probably be in the news… right?}

[Kim Hajin: Hey… What kind of personal stuff?]

[Cristopher: What’s with you all of a sudden? Just personal stuff. People say that when they don’t want to give an answer. You should learn some social communication rules.]

“This son of a…”

[Right now. The Hero Association is trying to find this mysterious helper, who suddenly appeared during the monster attack last Sunday. We have right here someone who claims to have seen the masked fighter during the attack, and also, a video captured by one of the drones deployed to the multiple places of attack in Seoul.]

Right when I was about to curse him. The channel on the TV suddenly started talking about something that picked my interest. Somehow, the “Mysterious masked fighter” seemed somewhat familiar to me.

“Maybe it was him?”-I say as I sit up to have a better look at the TV, where an interviewer is with some guy inside a TV station.

[So, tell me… Mr. Lee Wo-Sung? Is that your name, right?]

[Yes. Precisely sir. That’s me.]

[Great! So, you claim that you saw this mysterious fighter the Hero Association is looking for, right?]-The interviewer, a guy in his forties, maybe, finally asked the question that picked my interest.

[Yes! Yes! I saw him. He saved my life from one of those monsters!]-The guy that’s being interviewed excitedly exclaims.

[Oh? Is that so? What happened? It seems you’re pretty excited about him.]

[How can I not? He saved me when a monster was about to kill me! I think it was called a Venomous Monkey? You know, the ones that look like white monkeys, with the size of a human grown male and with really long fangs; red eyes and long claws dripping with poison?]

[Yes. You’re right. That would be indeed a Venomous Monkey. One beast type monster, not that strong. But really dangerous for the normal folk and even some intermediate-ranked heroes without little resistance because of his powerful venom. So, you almost died to one of these?]

[Yes! Yes! I remember I was running for my life like a lot of people that day, and in desperation, I didn’t see the small crack that was on the floor, which made me stumble and fall. Right then, one of these monkeys got close to me, and I could see my fear reflecting in its red eyes while he ran to where I was, ready to scratch at me with those big claws of it!!]-The interviewee stood up while telling his story, with a mixed face of fear and surprise.

[Wow! That sure isn’t something I would like to experience. Being on the edge of life and death, with a dangerous monster launching itself to me!]

[Yes! Yes! It was a terrible experience! I think that I peed on my pants right there!]

[Hahaha, I’m pretty sure not all of our audience would have liked to know that kind of info. But oh well, I understand that it had to be a horrendous experience. So… When was it, exactly, that the mysterious masked fighter intervened to save you?]

[It was right when the monster was about two or so meters in front of me, a sudden black figure cut between us, and with one blue punch, it blew the monster’s head, then he grabbed its arm as if it was nothing, and threw it away.]-Said the interviewee while he tried to imitate some kind of fighting scene.

“He sure is excited about it huh…”-I said while looking at the guy throwing some kind of punch to the air.

[What do you mean when you say “one blue punch”? Like, he had gloves or something like that?]-Asked the interviewer while lifting an eyebrow.

[No, no, it wasn’t a glove! It happened fast, but I still can remember it. His hands were glowing in a really light blue color, like if they were covered by glowing ice!]

[So, he used ice to kill the monster?]

[No! It wasn’t ice, it’s just that that’s the only thing I can compare its color that comes to mind, like an icy blue, or icy cyan color. Also… At first, I thought it was ice, but the corpse of the monster was still hot. And there wasn’t any cold sensation when he appeared.]

[So, it was just like an icy blue glow that covered his hand? Nothing to do with ice.]

[Yes! Exactly!]

[Okay, so we at least have some clue, he’s someone who fights with his punch covered in some kind of ability, right?]

[Yes, precisely!]

[And, could you tell me if you saw his face?]

[No, it was impossible, he looked back at me, but all I could see was a masked face with a long black hood covering it. Actually, he was all covered in black…]

[So, you couldn’t even see his eyes?]

[No… I couldn’t, sadly. And just when I was about to thank him, he disappeared, as fast as he came.]

[Oh well, don’t worry. From what we could hear, he was really occupied that day, going from here to there looking around for monsters to kill.]

[At first, I thought he was some hero, but when I found out that the Association is looking for him, I became uncertain… I also haven’t heard about any hero like him in Korea…]

“Of course, you wouldn’t have heard of him… He’s still a cadet… Though I can’t say his power is something that could be from a cadet…”

[Certainly. It was also a surprise to us when we found out that a mysterious hero was in Seoul that day, and that even the Association was looking for him. At he seemed to be at least of intermediate-high rank… Having some undocumented hero with that power is indeed something dangerous.]

“Oh… Fuck… You have to be kidding me… Is he going to become a criminal or something?”

[Sadly, it seems that no one has been able to locate him, or even discover who he is. All we have are a few videos from the drones, and nothing else. And right now, we’re going to see one of these videos. Start!]-Said the interviewer as he pointed to what I assume is the production team.

“Finally, I’ll be able to see him fight…”

Right then. The TV changed to some video, where you could see a group of giant green rats running in the city, with the drone right at their side.

Then, a black shadow suddenly appeared in the middle of the rats, blowing up one of them immediately with a punch, that also blasted away a few of them with the wind’s pressure generated with the force of the punch, as if there was some kind of explosion when he punched.

The dust rose, and the rats started to look into what had become a crater. Right then, the black shadow came out of the dust, ready to punch the next giant rat.

[STOP!]-The interviewer screamed, and the video paused, with the mysterious fighter in the middle of his way towards the giant rat.

[Can we better up the image?]-He asked. And the picture of the hero suddenly got with a better resolution, and zoomed in, focusing just on him.

“*whistle*Technology here sure has come really far… To be able to do that in a live show as if nothing…”

[Right there! Look at his mask! It’s designed as it had horns! And the hands! They are indeed glowing in an icy blue color. And to top it all. All black with a hood. Just as you said, so you indeed were saved by him.]-The interviewer said as he looked at the interviewee.

[Were you doubting me?]-Asked in surprised the interviewee.

[Sorry! Sorry! In these times, a lot of people would do anything to appear on TV, even falsely claim things. So, I always keep a little bit of doubt.]

[But didn’t you saw this video before!?]

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[Of course not! I like to keep my reactions as truthful as possible. And to do that, I don’t watch anything before stepping here. So, this is the first time I’m watching this. Hahaha.]

[…]-The interviewee just stared at the guy.

{… Did he really think that we would believe he didn’t watch the video before?}-I thought as I stare at the interviewer blankly.

[*kuhum* Restart the video.]-He says as he clears his throat.

The masked guy got to the next rat, punching it and making it explode, and just before another rat got to him, he made a spinning kick that also blew it away. The remaining rats all ran to him as a group, almost ten giant rats threw themselves at him.

But as if it was a lie, he merely grabbed one rat’s snout and used it as a hammer to repel the others. Then he just crushed the rat’s snout, blowing up its head and splashing blood all over the place. After it, he started rushing from one rat to the other, killing everything. Some of the rats tried to resist, but he either answered with a kick or a punch, killing them instantly.

Once he finished. He turned to where the drone was as if looking at it. But he just downed his hood a little more and left the place. And that was the end of the video.

“It’s not as his eyes were seen… So, what’s with lowering his hood even more…”

[Well… It sure was a little disgusting, with all that blood and flesh blowing up with every punch…]-Said the interviewer with a white face.

[What worries you so much? If they were just some monsters…]-Asked the interviewee, the same question I made myself. I’m a pacifist, and I’m terrified to see blood right in front… But… It was just some monsters, in a video, and not up close… What’s to be all afraid of?

[Well… It’s just that… With the Association looking for him… I suddenly thought… What if that guy started killing humans and not just monsters? With that same cruelty…]

[…]

“…”-All my thoughts blanked out, and I think a chill went up to my back… He’s right… What if someone just went somewhere crowed and started killing in the same fashion as the guy did with the rats… It’s surely not something nice to see…

{Well… At least I know that won’t happen… Maybe…}-I thought. This time turning off the TV.

“Too much blood for the day…*sigh…*”-I murmur to myself. “Oh… right, did he see this?”-I say as I turn on my smartwatch.

[Kim Hajin: Hey, you’re on TV.]

[Cristopher: Huh? What do you mean I’m on TV?]

[Kim Hajin: I just saw a TV show, they were interviewing some guy you saved from a Venomous Monkey. You wore all black, with a hood and a mask. They even showed a video of you fighting some giant rats.]

[Cristopher: Oh… OH… Shit. Why they would show me? There were a lot of heroes and even mercenaries out there killing monsters during the attack.]

[Kim Hajin: Well… It seems that you’re now on the Association’s radar… They’re looking for you. And for what I saw, it isn’t to give you an award…]

[Cristopher: … I fucking help, and they think I’m some criminal?]

[Kim Hajin: Well… An unidentified fighter with the strength of an intermediate-high rank hero sure is a problem for the Hero Association, you know?]

[Cristopher: … Well, whatever. It’s not like they can find me or something.]

[Kim Hajin: Aren’t you worried? They could contact Yoo Yeonha’s uncle, Yoo Jinhyuk to look for you.]

[Cristopher: And that would be a problem because?]

“*sigh…* this guy…”

[Kim Hajin: He has a gift that can look into the past of anyone.]

[Cristopher: Nah. Not happening.]

[Kim Hajin: What makes you be so sure of it not happening?]

[Cristopher: Well… First of all, for a Gift like that to work perfectly, he sure should need some kind of info. I don’t think that just looking for ‘masked fighter’ he will find me, right?]

[Kim Hajin: Well… You’re right. But he still can look for some clues if he truly invests time in it. Until he finds you.]

[Cristopher: Yes. But for that. The Association, or anyone else for that matter, would have to pay a lot of money. And for someone that just happened to appear once and then disappear completely? They don’t have that much money to spare… You said it yourself. They look at me as some Intermediate-high rank hero, not a High rank or a Master rank. Too much of a hassle to invest that much money for someone like that.]

[Kim Hajin: …]

[Cristopher: Besides, if his Gift works with mana only. He probably won’t be able to look for me.]

[Kim Hajin: Why?]

[Cristopher: My body doesn’t just contain mana. Well, it isn’t even mana per se, but that’s something I should give you a Master Class if I want you to understand, and you know I don’t have the patience to do that. He wouldn’t be able to ‘look at me’. Only a blur would appear, and that’s when I’m not taking into account the concentration of Natural Energy around me, as my body naturally attracts it… So yeah, not happening. That guy? He can’t see shit about me.]

[Kim Hajin: Are you sure? It sounds like the truth if you put it like that… But I’m still worried.]

[Cristopher: Ohhhh would you look at that? You’re worried about your friend! Hahahaha]

[Kim Hajin: Olivia’s right. You’re an asshole, you know?]

[Cristopher: Yes, yes, whatever. Look. It’s okay. He won’t be able to find me. He’ll need a concept-type of authority to do that. And the Gifts… Well, they’re normally not that powerful from what I can see. I mean, only Kim Suho and you have a concept-type of Gift for what I know.]

[Kim Hajin: Concept-type?]

[Cristopher: Yeah… To put it simply. It’s like something that “has to happen no matter what”. A concept materialized. Some people even call them Laws. And they usually take the form of an Authority. Like your Setting Intervention. That’s a Creation type concept. It can create things or even modify the things that already exist, basically without limitations. Only the amount of SP you have on you. Imagine if you had a constant amount of SP, that would allow you to gather it as fallen leaves in autumn. You would be a God here. That’s a concept-type ability. An unbreakable Law that HAS to happen.]

[Kim Hajin: And Suho… has it?]

[Cristopher: You said it yourself. Kim Suho can ‘cut’ anything. It all depends on his power level. The same as you with the SP. But once you have enough, either power or SP, you both become basically gods. One who can create or modify the world as he pleases, and one that can cut even the world itself. Didn’t think about it before?]

[Kim Hajin: No… I didn’t look at it that way…]

[Cristopher: Well, you gave your main character a concept-ability my friend. A fucked-up thing that could completely destroy the laws of this world, or any world for that matter. But don’t worry. They aren’t that rare. At least a few people have that kind of ability in any world.]

[Kim Hajin: Then, what happens when they become unstoppable?]

[Cristopher: It never happens. Concept abilities have a limitation, usually in the form of the user’s power. And even when they do not. They just become gods. And there’re ways to kill gods. For example. Kim Suho. Given that he can ‘cut’ everything. It just comes to the fact that he first has to cut. And I don’t think he has enough speed to always avoid being killed before that. Destroy the world then? Would he really do that? He would lose his place to live and even destroy himself while doing it. So, I really don’t think he would do that unless he goes the path of suicide.]

[Kim Hajin: …]

[Cristopher: In my opinion. You would be a worse case. A creation god. Someone who can create anything he needs and as he pleases. From power to weapons. Fuck. You could even modify yourself to become as powerful as Kim Suho if you so wanted it. Sure, that’s given the fact that you have an unlimited amount of SP. Which you don’t. So, everything’s safe.]

[Kim Hajin: Do you also have one? A concept ability I mean…]

[Cristopher: Sure. I do.]

[Kim Hajin: What does it do?]

[Cristopher: I hope you won’t need to discover it.]

[Kim Hajin: Why? Don’t want your secrets to be revealed?]

[Cristopher: No. It’s just that I hope there’s no need to use it. As Kim Suho. Mine is not the kind of ability that gives life or creates things. Mine basically consumes. It burns everything and ‘anything’ on its path, not leaving even ashes.]

[Kim Hajin: …]

[Cristopher: Well, it was good to teach you a little bit. But I’m busy. And you should be too. I’m still waiting for the list of dungeons, you know? And we have training in a few hours.]

[Kim Hajin: … Shit… You’re going to kill me…]

[Cristopher: HA! That’s just the beginning. Prepare for next week. We’re adding morning training too. Remember that you asked me to train you. So, don’t be a pussy. Remember you need the power to survive.]

“Fuck… What did I do? It was insane to ask this motherfucker to train me…”- I murmur as I fall on the bed, worried about my future and if I’ll be able to keep my life while training with that freaking lunatic.

[Cristopher: Get to work on that list! I need it!]- Came another text message from Cristopher, as if he knew I’m just laying on my bed…

“*SIGH…* Fuck…”