Episode 186

Methods for Subduing Ability Users

One: Inducing Concussions

Clang!

Swinging the bat at the speed of light, I struck the agent’s head from behind.

Striking the nape of the neck with a water pipe was less likely to render someone unconscious.

A surefire method to subdue them was by delivering a powerful blow that rattled the brain, such as hitting them on the back of the head with a frying pan, thereby causing a concussion.

Of course, it’s crucial not to kill them.

Through numerous experiences, I have mastered the art of subduing ability users with ease and quickly knocked each agent to the ground.

Kagang!

Doul swiftly gathered the agents’ Taeguk Watches in one place, and Gunggi ignited a flame that instantly melted the Taeguk Watches.

An emergency will be triggered.

If the Taeguk Watches suddenly went offline, especially from inside the ship, it would be odd not to notice.

Whether they’re S or A grade, they’ll come running within 30 seconds.

“We need to move fast.”

“Just after healing!”

Yumir stretched her hand towards an agent who was stabbed in the heart, channeling magical power into him.

It was more akin to rapid cellular regeneration than healing, but since it saved someone who had been stabbed in the heart, there wasn’t a need to nitpick.

“What, what is this?”

“Lucky for us. He didn’t kill anyone.”

I grabbed the collar of the next Zenros and threw him back.

Gunggi had already gathered the fallen Zenros in one place, and Doul had also tied up the Zenros they were trying to replace, preventing them from moving.

“First, go to Yangyang with Gunggi. It might be a bit tough to move as a group.”

“Don’t worry! We’ll be back soon, so hang in there!”

Yumir quickly spread her hand towards the wall.

A golden wall appeared on the break room wall, and Gunggi was the first to jump through the dimensional gate.

“Doul.”

“Right away!”

As Doul swung one hand back and then thrust it forward, a powerful wind arose in the break room, instantly blowing the unconscious people into the dimensional gate.

The only ones left in the room were me and one agent who had been stabbed in the heart.

Everyone else, without exception, had gone through the dimensional gate opened by Yumir.

Zenros, the spy of the righteous enemy, and those who tried to replace him, all would be thoroughly detained and managed by our agents, transported to a place prepared by our society in advance.

Though it concerns detaining ability users, our society was second to none in this field.

“Hey. Are you coming to?”

“What, what is this…”

“Think of it as a punishment for trying to smoke indoors. Fortunately, you didn’t die. Just think the knife briefly passed through your heart.”

It was literally a stroke of luck.

“You, you’re…! Not the guy I know…!”

“Correct. But I have no time to talk to you.”

Pffft.

I filled my hand with magic power and struck the agent’s head.

The agent collapsed to the side, and I immediately concealed my form through spirit body transformation.

Quang!

The break room wall collapsed.

The one who attacked the break room was none other than Lee Jun-young, who had thrown himself in.

“What, what is this…!”

‘That’s what I want to know.’

Instead of coming down the stairs, he made an entrance by blasting a hole into the passenger ship.

What a brutish yet effective method.

“Heh, what’s this? Suddenly coming into such a place.”

Through the hole that was blasted open, Heavenly Demon Lee Yerin entered.

“Nothing’s here?”

“Just now, over a dozen Taeguk Watches evaporated here.”

“Oh my, really? Could someone else have sneaked in?”

“Is this your doing?”

“Not me. I don’t kill people.”

Lee Yerin drew a clear line.

“Even if you think I’ve betrayed our country, I wouldn’t do something that causes a lot of bloodshed like this… Has it even been a minute?”

“Yeah. People disappeared in that one minute…!”

Lee Jun-young clenched his fist towards Lee Yerin.

“If you hadn’t appeared!”

“You think you could’ve handled it sooner? That’s hypothetical. A ‘what if’. Even if you were right next door, those intent on doing this would’ve done it anyway.”

She was right.

The righteous enemy, for example, had tried to replace Zenros right under the noses of the Hero Association’s agents, without even S-grade heroes knowing.

“This is bad. Zenros disappeared too? What happened? Huh? That’s serious. The person I was supposed to rescue disappeared.”

“…Rescue? Don’t speak carelessly.”

“People disappeared suddenly, if not rescued then what? Haha, the government is going to be in chaos. Wonder how many will be beheaded this time for negligence. As usual, the top brass will escape, and only the staff below will suffer.”

Indeed.

Was the traitor demon a national disgrace demon?

She flirted with the protagonist, pretending to be smitten at first sight, showing a bubbly side, but maybe this was closer to her true nature.

‘Was it okay not to kill her yet?’

Before she became a heroine, I had tried to kill her.

Precisely, before she became a ‘demon’.

It’s overwhelming to confront an S-grade turned demon without unification.

If she became a demon hated and resented by 50 million Koreans, she’d surely want to overturn the entire Korean peninsula.

She’s not a villain.

Just someone who’d become the most dangerous person in the world if she turned into a villain or demon.

‘Because of Ermina and Yuliana?’

Somehow, foreign heroines seem like they’d snort mana powder, steal genes, and turn into demons on their own.

‘Was there another reason?’

I couldn’t quite remember.

There seemed to be another negative aspect regarding Lee Yerin-

‘Ah, I remember.’

Like Ermina was flawed.

This woman had a serious defect too.

“Hey, Jun-young. How about you just bail on this crappy country?”

“…I’m different from you.”

“Oh, really? If I were you, I’d have gone to the Middle East long ago. Over there, you could walk around with a truckload of women and no one would bat an eye.”

A traitorous broker.

“Why are you so loyal to this crappy country? If you went to the Middle East like me, you could make trillions, not just fifty but a hundred.”

A woman encouraging treason to those staying in Korea.

Recalling this left a bad taste, understandable when knowing the background, but initially, it was quite displeasing.

“Jun-young. If it were me…”

“What’s going on!”

Other heroes rushed in from behind.

Seeing them come down the stairs normally, Lee Jun-young really did rush here by brutish means, proving we disappeared with those present at an impossible speed.

“Check the CCTV! Now! At least 15 minutes back!”

“Checked! But…”

“Ah, I’ll be outside. Not going to report.”

Lee Yerin waved her hands and jumped out through the hole.

“…Agents only brought down Zenros here.”

“What? Who gave that order?”

“None. The agents just brought Zenros down on their own.”

“Damn…! What were you doing without checking that!”

Anger was justified.

Zenros and even Hero Association agents disappearing all at once was bound to cause panic.

“Considering the situation… it’s as if they were kidnapped…”

“Then, who!!”

“Hmph.”

I let out a light laugh.

After materializing inside the warehouse from which the intended Zenros came, excluding all elements of the Goblin—compromising with Yumir’s suggestion—I stepped outside.

“If it’s about Zenros, don’t worry. They’ve all been moved to a safe place.”

“You, who are you!”

“If you’re asking who I am.”

Answering is common sense.

“I am-”

At that moment, somewhere underground in Gangwon Province.

“We’ve tied them all up!”

“Ensure all ability users are restrained to prevent them from using their powers. Take measures against self-harm. Isolate Zenros over there, brief them on the situation, and begin verifying the identities of those who attempted to impersonate them.”

“Yes!”

Following Gunggi’s commands, the secretaries sprang into action, equipped with various tools.

“How does it look? More organized than you anticipated?”

“It’s astounding. When did you manage to prepare all this?”

“Since the day Duoexini passed away.”

As Doul offered a drink, Yumir accepted it, took a sip, and observed the society’s agents’ movements, steadying her breath.

“Not everyone here is an ability user, correct?”

“Correct. Many have been wronged by ability users instead. They’ve lost family members, been terminated from their jobs. This society is a refuge for those who’ve endured hardships in the age of abilities.”

“……”

“I won’t pressure you to join us. Our methods are… somewhat radical.”

“Aaaagh!”

A scream echoed suddenly.

Yumir’s face fell at the distressing cry, but realizing the screamer was the culprit behind an innocent agent’s stabbing, she exhaled in relief.

“…Huh?”

“Does it please you to see that man in pain?”

“No, not exactly. It’s just…”

“We’re not subjecting him to severe torture. We’re merely neutralizing his magical power.”

“Neutralizing?”

“Not eliminating it entirely, but akin to boiling the water in a full tank until it evaporates. Should it appear the water might replenish, we boil it off again. We’re maintaining them in a perpetual state of mana depletion.”

“Do you have time to elaborate?”

With a casual wave of her hands, Gunggi tidied her hair and passed over a tablet.

“We ought to return.”

“Ah, the true leader.”

“It’s not about being the leader. We can’t leave Director Do by himself-”

“Uhahahahahahahah!”

A boisterous laugh erupted from the speakers.

The sudden outburst startled both Gunggi and Doul.

“What’s this?”

“It seems like a completely different person, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed. That’s no Goblin.”

Yumir clicked her tongue as she looked at the unidentified man on the tablet.

“The teacher said if you’re going to do it, do it thoroughly. …Admirable indeed.”

“I am!!”

In the video:

“The ally of justice, ‘The Dark Charisma’!”

The unidentified man, wearing a black helmet, struck a nonsensical pose.

“Hmph☆”

With a truly nonsensical laugh.