A considerable amount of ti had passed.
The Poison Dragon’s venom was powerful.
Endo was ruined.
Having been struck on her pressure points, her voice sealed, she was like a vegetable—trapped in the prison of her own body, unable to move, forced to endure poison’s tornt.
There was no danger of death.
The world’s greatest Player and the world’s greatest Healer stood constantly at her side, caring for her.
Su-ho tended to her diligently.
So diligently, in fact, that whenever he administered a new poison, he first detoxified the previous one with [Recovery] before injecting the next.
He even gave her short breaks.
That brief sweetness only made the next poison taste more hellish.
“Mmmghhh!!”
As the new toxin entered her system, she convulsed in agony.
But outwardly, she seed almost docile—just trembling faintly while seated in the chair.
After feeding her poison and casting Heal, Su-ho checked the ti.
'Just a little more.'
There is a limit to all things.
As much as he wanted to lock her away like Pi Seong-yeol and let her suffer endlessly, one subject for the ga Crusher was enough.
Besides, Endo’s level was higher than expected. In the long term, managing her would beco cumberso and troubleso.
So he decided her punishnt should be short and brutal.
After a long while, when he deed she had suffered enough, Su-ho released her pressure points.
“Aahh...”
From her lips spilled a groan beyond description.
Her face was sared with tears, mucus, and blood.
But Su-ho, without a trace of pity, spoke with a flat expression.
“You can talk now. This will be the last. If there’s anything you want to say, say it.”
“Why... why are you doing this to ...?”
“And why did you do what you did?”
“W-what...?”
“If you don’t know, then think of it as punishnt. In truth, even aside from my business with you, you’ve already earned divine retribution. You think I don’t know? How many people you killed inside Gates under the pretext of ‘poison experints.’”
“H-how did you...?!”
At her response, Su-ho frowned.
Just as he said.
The so-called “Gate Cris.”
Cris committed among Players inside Gates, with murder at their core.
Kill soone inside a Gate, and evidence almost never remains.
Of course, Su-ho had no proof.
But he rembered the things Endo always used to say before his regression.
“Once, I really wanted to test my new poison, so I purposely ford a party and went into a Gate. When I used it on them all, it worked so well, you wouldn’t believe it.”
And what always followed was:
“Just kidding, you know? Who would do sothing like that? Hahaha!”
Always brushed off with “a joke,” “a prank,” “you wouldn’t really believe that, would you?”
With no evidence, she could never be formally charged.
But Su-ho was certain.
If anyone had truly committed Gate cris, it was Endo—and not just once, but countless tis.
'Just the fact that she used her Myriad Poison on proves it.'
And now, at last, he could confirm the truths of the past.
“It’s obvious. That’s the kind of woman you are.”
“What are you saying...!”
“Call it karma. You alive only causes harm.”
Su-ho struck her pressure points again.
Then he tossed her into the Subspace House, erased his traces, and finally left the house.
He had no intention of burning it down.
Sooner or later, she would simply be listed as a missing person.
One more bitter tie severed, Su-ho mounted Cheolma once more.
*
Ti passed quickly, and Yamaguchi crumbled just as quickly.
The power of the state was overwhelming.
With the National Tax Service, the National Police Agency, and the Paranormal Ability Agency all deployed, Yamaguchi, leaderless, could not help but sink—even as Japan’s largest guild.
And that wasn’t all.
Just as promised to Vice Minister Miyamoto, Su-ho, together with Sumiyoshi, began smashing Yamaguchi’s sub-organizations.
Of course, not all of them.
Those who surrendered midway, raising the white flag, were absorbed into Sumiyoshi on humanitarian grounds.
But they were few.
Most of them had lived in darkness too long; it was impossible for them to suddenly beco new people.
“Good progress.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So, nothing else I need to worry about?”
By now, Hiro had beco Su-ho’s devoted subordinate—no, his loyal vassal.
How could he not?
Whenever Su-ho had spare ti, he instructed Hiro in swordsmanship.
To Su-ho’s question, Hiro replied:
“The Yamaguchi sub-organizations are mostly resolved, but there’s one matter left—important enough.”
“What is it?”
“The Players affiliated with Yamaguchi.”
“The affiliated Players? Ah, right. Yamaguchi was still a guild.”
Guilds, like agencies, managed Players.
Which ant nearly every notable Player in Japan had been under Yamaguchi’s banner.
Though their roots were in the yakuza, when it ca to managent, they hadn’t used yakuza thods.
'They couldn’t, really. Top Players wielded power akin to weapons of war. You can’t control them with gangster tricks.'
Su-ho asked:
“What’s the problem?”
“With settlents and contract options, there seem to be many disputes. Normally, during absorption, we’d et them and sign new contracts but...”
“But?”
“It’s fine for most of them, but there’s one—Kenji. He’s the problem.”
“Kenji?”
“Yes. Kenji of the Storm. Currently one of Japan’s very top Players.”
Top-level ant rank one.
Su-ho recalled who Kenji was.
“Oh, that lunatic obsessed with won?”
“You know him?”
“Of course. He’s a top Player—famous enough. His exploits are too flamboyant not to notice.”
Even without the Library of mory, Su-ho rembered vaguely.
Kenji fought well, cleared Gates impressively—he was indeed a valuable asset.
But his lust was deranged.
His sexual appetite was so insatiable he even targeted those utterly off-limits—minors, married won—causing scandal after scandal, consistently.
'If mory serves, he died in so Gate around the mid-Cataclysm...'
So, in this tiline, he should still be alive.
Su-ho rubbed his chin.
“So what exactly is Kenji’s problem? Don’t tell his contract terms involve won?”
“Yes, that’s right. Yamaguchi had been supplying won to him as part of his options.”
“Click, tsk. Both Kenji and Yamaguchi are insane. But doesn’t Kenji realize that if we publicize this, his image is finished?”
“That doesn’t threaten him much.”
“Why? Is Japan different?”
“No. Here too, if a celebrity commits adultery, they must apologize publicly. But Kenji’s image has always been reckless and womanizing. So when a scandal breaks, people just shrug—‘That’s Kenji’—and it barely hurts him.”
Fair enough.
Like an entertainer famous for swearing: even when they curse, people laugh and say it’s just their shtick.
Sex scandals aren’t much different.
'Do right ninety-nine tis, fail once, and you’re a villain. Do wrong ninety-nine tis, do right once, and you’re a saint.'
Hiro continued.
“Besides, ever since he reached the top spot, Kenji has never once lost his rank. He’s practically a religion in Japan. So the damage is negligible.”
“Hm.”
Yes.
That was the problem he had overlooked.
Popularity was terrifying.
Especially popularity for a ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) person—it bordered on religion, making people lose reason and clouding judgnt.
'There’s a reason cults exist.'
Su-ho avoided flaunting his own popularity precisely for this reason.
Even while staying hidden, he could sway public opinion at will. What then of Kenji, who basked like a god?
The man reveled in his fa and strength, all flamboyant showmanship.
Su-ho nodded.
“Is he over level 200?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And no other issues besides him?”
“Yes. The number two Player, the White Priestess, has already agreed to a contract.”
“Then cut Kenji out. No need to drag him along.”
“Legally yes, but Kenji believes Sumiyoshi dismantled Yamaguchi. He claims that since we caused his inconvenience, unless we provide him with the sa perks, he’ll retaliate.”
“Retaliate how? Declare war like a yakuza?”
“More like... he’ll keep pestering us through his fanbase. If that happens, even the Japanese governnt can’t ignore it.”
Kenji was no ordinary man.
To the state, Players who directly fought Gates—those disasters incarnate—were national assets.
So he wasn’t entirely bluffing.
“What a troubleso bastard.”
“Yes, sir. That’s the issue.”
Su-ho’s brow furrowed.
Normally he’d avoid ddling in such matters, but this ti there was no choice.
“Summon Kenji. To sowhere discreet. I’ll et him myself.”
“You’ll et him personally?”
“Yes. Trash like him can only be dealt with hands-on.”
“Are you sure? He’s—”
At Hiro’s worry, Su-ho laughed.
“Hiro.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
“Worry about sothing worth worrying.”
“...You’re right. My apologies.”
“It’s fine. Just call him. Don’t waste ti.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hiro made the arrangents imdiately.
*
So ti later, in the suite of a designated hotel, Kenji arrived.
“Yo!”
He kicked the door open and barged in.
From his hairstyle to his clothes, everything about him was sloppy. Seeing him now brought Su-ho faint echoes of past mories.
Su-ho sat calmly on the sofa.
Kenji frowned as he noticed him.
“What the hell? You’re alone? Where’s everyone else?”
“Yeah, I’m alone. Sit down. I ca by myself on purpose.”
“What the—who are you? So big shot in Sumiyoshi?”
Kenji didn’t sit.
Instead, he planted his foot on the sofa in front of Su-ho, glaring down at him.
Quietly, Su-ho warned:
“I said, sit.”
[ Mini Fear activates. ]
Buzz!
The skill went off.
Instantly, Kenji was overwheld by a fear he had never experienced before, every hair on his body standing on end.
“Wh-what...?”
He froze like stone.
Rising to his feet, Su-ho extended his hand toward Kenji’s groin pressure point.
“If that’s your problem, I’ll just seal it.”
And then, a precise strike.
anwhile—
“Achoo! Ugh, why do I feel so cold all of a sudden?”
Far away in Gangnam, while working, Son Baek-geum suddenly shivered with chills.
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