Hyeon stood in front of Wang Kai, blocking his path.
Alex had no idea where he’d suddenly co from.
No… more than that, hadn’t this man just blocked Wang Kai’s attack? How?
“Stop. Are you really planning to kill all these people?”
Hyeon said.
Alex was lost in confusion and questions when the realization struck him.
‘No way…?’
Wang Kai must have realized too, because he shouted.
“You… it’s you? Don’t tell ?”
“…”
“Person123! It’s you, right? Right?!”
A figure powerful enough to block Wang Kai’s attack, belonging to neither the Security Corps nor the Black Star Society. An unknown.
Who else could it possibly be but Person123?
Hyeon didn’t deny Wang Kai’s words either.
…It was unimaginable. To think that this young man he’d briefly crossed paths with at a restaurant was Person123.
The Security Corps and Black Star Society climbers stirred restlessly, montarily forgetting the situation entirely.
The savior of humanity, the secretive figure who had been so tightly veiled until now, had revealed himself publicly.
Then, without warning, Wang Kai began attacking Person123.
“…!”
Person123 dodged and parried Wang Kai’s attacks, getting pushed back.
After a brief exchange of blows, the two stopped again.
“…Why are you attacking ?”
“Hey.”
Wang Kai laughed like a madman, then spoke.
“I’ve been really, really wanting to et you, you cute little bastard. Finally got my wish today. Wow.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but… how about you knock it off?”
“Knock what off?”
“Trying to kill Alex and the Security Corps people. I don’t know why you were fighting, but you’ve already won.”
Person123 was trying to protect the Security Corps.
Alex and the rest of the Security Corps mbers held their breath, watching his back.
“Yeah? You’d like to stop?”
“…”
“Then get on your knees and bow your head. Do that, and I’ll stop.”
In response to Person123’s attempt at diation, Wang Kai started spouting more crazy talk.
“Hm? If the Savior of Mankind himself bows his head, then of course I’ll have to stop. Right?!”
Wang Kai and the Black Star Society climbers burst out laughing.
Alex couldn’t understand what those lunatics thought they were doing.
This was Person123. The savior of humanity who had saved the world more tis than he could count.
Setting everything else aside… did it make any sense at all to threaten and mock him like this?
“Stop joking around.”
“Not joking. Bow your head and ask politely.”
“…And if I won’t?”
“Then I’ll kill them all. Oh, and you, I’ll only beat to within an inch of your life, so don’t worry.”
Person123 sighed before speaking.
“”I’m telling you for the last ti, Wang Kai. Stop here. This is your final warning.”
“A warning? Oh, scary, so scary. And what happens if I don’t listen?”
“You’ll die.”
“…”
“I don’t have any confidence in being able to subdue you halfway. Let’s finish this here, with no one dying. It’s not a difficult thing to do.”
At Person123’s words, Wang Kai’s face hardened into sothing vicious.
Alex’s mind raced with urgency.
He was grateful that Person123 was holding off Wang Kai to save the Security Corps, but their opponent wasn’t sane. Provoking him like that…
Going by their brief skirmish just now, Wang Kai held the edge in level. If they fought seriously, Person123 would be in danger.
“…Hear you out and the bullshit just keeps coming. Fine, don’t kneel. I’ll smash both your legs myself, then make you kneel.”
Killing intent radiated from Wang Kai.
…This is dangerous!
Was that lunatic really about to try to kill the savior of humanity?
Alex was spitting out the blood pooling in his throat, struggling to shout, when it happened.
“Don’t…!”
Darkness engulfed Wang Kai.
Without any warning, without any sound.
Wang Kai simply vanished.
“…”
Huh?
Alex couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. The Security Corps and Black Star Society watching were no different.
Person123 was simply frowning, letting out a sigh.
‘…A skill?’
It didn’t seem like he’d used any item.
So a skill, then? That, just now?
Definitely not Physical Type. It was Magic Type.
But Person123 hadn’t done any ntal Concentration just now…?
No, more than that, how could such a preposterous skill even exist…
Nothing made any sense.
The only reality that had unfolded before his eyes was that Wang Kai had been wiped out without leaving so much as a speck behind.
“Anyone else want to fight?”
Person123 spoke.
He looked back and forth between the Security Corps and the Black Star Society.
One of the Security Corps officers, too stunned to keep his mouth shut, stepped forward to answer.
“Uh, no one.”
The Black Star Society side was even more dazed than the Security Corps.
Of course they were. Their leader, Wang Kai, had vanished without a trace.
If at least a body had been left behind, they could have accepted the fact of his death. But he had simply ceased to exist in the blink of an eye.
“Whoa… what did you do to Lord Wang Kai…”
Person123 hamred it ho.
“He’s dead.”
“…”
“There was no other choice. I told him to stop and warned him over and over, didn’t I?”
The Black Star Society climbers wanted to deny reality.
Wang Kai, the world’s greatest climber and the pride of the continent. Wang Kai, who had effortlessly beaten down even Arica’s Alex, the only man considered his rival…
He had just died, like this?
Person123 hadn’t lifted a finger. He had simply erased Wang Kai like swatting an insect.
That impossible gulf in power was, to them, an inconceivable shock.
“All of you, head back now.”
With those words, Person123 vanished.
Just as he had suddenly appeared a mont ago, he suddenly disappeared.
“…”
And so the situation ca to an end.
Person123 seed to have simply left.
The Security Corps climbers ca to their senses first and began moving in fits and starts.
They gathered up the bodies of their fallen comrades and prepared to return to Zone 0.
“Let’s go, Chief.”
One of the officers stepped forward to support the gravely wounded Alex.
Alex stared blankly at the spot where Person123 had vanished, then stumbled and let himself be helped along.
“Is Jay… cough! is he okay?”
“He’s fine. Better off than you, Chief.”
The officer who had blocked one of Wang Kai’s attacks earlier and been thrown back. Fortunately, his life wasn’t in danger.
The Security Corps mbers were all simply in a daze.
Person123 had appeared. Wang Kai had died.
Such shocking events had unfolded and concluded before they could even gather themselves.
“…What’s going to happen now, with all of this?”
The officer mumbled. Alex had no way of knowing either.
That Wang Kai, dead at Person123’s hands… what was going to happen from here?
It was an unprecedented event. The world was about to be in an uproar.
“Person… ugh, cough!”
“D, don’t speak. Are you all right?”
Alex managed a strained nod.
Whatever happened, Alex was sincerely grateful to Person123.
That man had effectively saved the lives of every Security Corps mber here.
anwhile, the Black Star Society climbers stood frozen, watching the Security Corps depart.
“…We’re going back.”
A Black Star Society officer barely managed to give the order.
Like routed soldiers who had lost their general, the Black Star Society climbers moved out in a gloomy atmosphere.
*
Hidden in stealth, I watched the climbers split apart and head off in their separate directions.
‘Haa…’
I’d done it.
Was this my first ti killing soone in real life? Now that I thought about it, yeah, it was.
I didn’t really regret what I’d done.
Physically stronger than , with who knows what skills in reserve.
There was no reason for to take risks fighting halfway with the intent of not killing him. And he wasn’t an opponent who deserved that kind of consideration anyway.
More importantly, I’d ended up showing my face in front of people.
If I hadn’t stepped in, Wang Kai might genuinely have killed the entire Security Corps, so it couldn’t be helped, but…
If I’d known sothing like this would happen, I would’ve been carrying a mask around with on the regular.
‘…It’ll be fine, probably.’
At most, only a few dozen people saw .
Just because they got a brief look at my face, there was no way they could pinpoint exactly who or where I was. It’s not like anyone took photos or video either.
The most they’d figure out was that I was Asian… Korean.
That much I could live with. I shook off the worry.
The only thing was, I had no idea what kind of fallout would co from killing Wang Kai.
‘Will China curse out?’
Whatever, let them.
I don’t really think I went too far.
With Wang Kai’s death alone, no one else had to die, so all things considered, it was a pretty decent resolution.
Whatever China had to say, I could just ignore it. Worry done.
Still, there was a bit of guilt.
Not because I’d committed murder, but…
After all, Wang Kai had been soone like , climbing the Tower on the front lines, extending the Ti Limit.
And I’d killed him. For humanity as a whole, it was a net loss.
…Should I post a brief statent on the Communication Channel? It was my doing, after all.
For now, I’d better see how things played out.
I didn’t feel much like hunting any more today, so I decided to head back too.
Looks like the news was going to be all about again for a while.
*
So ti after Wang Kai’s death in Zone 3.
Strange rumors slowly began circulating on the Communication Channel.
[Shrew: Wang Kai got killed by Person123? The hell are you on about?]
[Dieter: idk. Where’s this coming from?]
[Starfish: What kinda nonsense is this now]
The rumor that Wang Kai, the Hard difficulty record holder and the world’s highest-level climber, had been killed by Person123 on Floor 5.
At first, people brushed it off as just another rumor.
With climbers from around the world all gathered there, the Communication Channel was a place where countless pieces of nonsense, rumors, and trolling drifted through every single day.
I an, it had to at least be plausible.
Person123, who’d kept his identity tightly hidden until now, had appeared on Floor 5?
And what connection did the two of them even have, that Person123 would suddenly kill Wang Kai out of nowhere?
But the rumor quickly took on specific details and spread.
[Mine: Heard the Security Corps and Black Star Society got into a real fight on Floor 5 and Person123 showed up to break it up…?]
[Vicious: Saying Wang Kai tried to kill Person123 and got killed instead]
[Sensory: What is all this wtf for real??]
[Marker: The Security Corps vs Black Star Society fight seems real tho…? Saw Security Corps guys hauling their dead back into Zone 0.]
[ChipsAndCola: Just heard it straight from a Security Corps friend and it’s true. Person123 actually showed up.]
[Rooibos: They said it wasn’t even a fight? He killed him without lifting a finger.]
[Griffin: How… is that even possible? Wang Kai’s level 60 though?]
[Swordmaster: There’s talk he used a Magic Type skill on Instant Cast…]
[Lightning: Has China made an official statent yet?]
The rumor spread out of control.
[Pasta: Person123 is Korean?]
[NorthPole: The Korean thing for real? Soone fact-check this quick.]
[Cyborg: Asian and a young dude seems confird at least?]
[Siren: Heard his face looked Northeast Asian]
[Vaccine: Killing Wang Kai ans he’s not Chinese, and given he sealed the Japanese Mana Vein it can’t be Japan either right?]
[Lucifer: So Korea’s looking pretty likely then]
[Rolling: Whoa… we’re finally getting so info? Never thought I’d see the day]
[Arrow: Honestly I’m just blown away that Person123 is an actual real person]
[Radiation: But what’s this about Wang Kai trying to kill Person123? He really did that?]
[Music: People always said he was a psycho]
[PeanutToast: Crazy bastard; world almost got f*cked huh]
[Latin: If this is real shouldn’t China get flipped upside down?]
[TheEnd: China’s already flipped. Wang Kai’s dead]
As information about Person123, of whom nothing had been revealed until now, began to trickle out, even just a little…
The world buzzed and trembled with restless agitation.
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