Room For Possibility

A research institution under the Ministry of Magic of the Republic of Korea came under attack.

Kwaaaaaang!!

After the sound of explosions continued, emergency sirens immediately rang out, and many researchers, mages, and Awakeners rushed out of the building.

Amid the sudden situation, where they could not even respond properly, the being that had created the explosions leisurely headed toward the Chimera laboratory inside the National Magic Research Institute and began destroying the facilities visible here and there.

“It is excessive technology. If this becomes established, we will be quite troubled.”

The Saintess of the Calamity God, Jo Yun-hui, had launched a sudden attack on the National Magic Research Institute. At that, the military and guard forces were urgently deployed, but the problem was that they could not get past the research institute entrance.

“No one enters. I block.”

A massive man drooling from the corner of his mouth stood there, and the countless attacks flying toward him bounced off his tough skin, which brought steel to mind. Those who tried to somehow slip past the man and enter inside ended up being blocked by the man’s exquisitely timed movements and collided with him.

It was not particularly a movement meant to eliminate personnel, and everyone felt helpless before the existence standing there solely for the purpose of preventing them from entering inside.

Along with an emergency report saying that military elites had to be deployed, an alarm was raised and the commotion was growing, but just then, Jo Yun-hui, who had arrived deep inside the research institute, looked at several test subjects and exclaimed in admiration.

“What a truly amazing result. Humans really can’t be underestimated, can they?”

Jo Yun-hui clasped her hands together while looking at Bak Hyeok, Wang Sun, and countless test subjects whose names and identities were unknown. Soon, a gray dawn glowed and spread behind her back.

“God has answered you. He earnestly wishes for you to forcibly break the eggs that enclosed you and emerge, and thereby… cause discord and call forth chaos. So find your freedom, all right?”

At that moment, gray light filled the room, and then it happened.

The giant glass tubes containing the test subjects shattered, and soon, the test subjects that flowed down onto the floor began raising themselves up on their own.

After that, Wang Sun looked over his body here and there and spoke.

“Are you… the one who did this to me?”

“It wasn’t me. It was the humans of this country. Are your memories still not intact?”

Jo Yun-hui snapped her fingers, and at that moment, he clutched his head, dropped to his knees, and shouted. Then he opened his mouth as if he had remembered everything.

“Keu, keukeukeu. Pi Jin-hyeok, and the Cultists of Ruin…. Good, very good. You played me properly.”

“It’s not just you. Everyone here is the same. Bak Hyeok, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Bak Hyeok frowned at Jo Yun-hui’s greeting.

“I remember everything. I never forgave you.”

“I’m sorry?”

At that moment, an enormous amount of mana erupted from Bak Hyeok’s body, and he pressured Jo Yun-hui in an instant, but Wang Sun interfered by digging into it.

“Let’s not do this. If we start a shamanistic brawl here, we’ll both end up with nothing, won’t we?”

“I imagine all of you feel wronged that you became victims, and I think you know that this country continued keeping you as test subjects despite having the technology to restore you. So I’ll give you a chance for revenge. How about it?”

At that moment, the Chimera victims emitted a tremendous aura.

However, Bak Hyeok alone took a step back and spoke.

“I have no intention of joining that shabby nonsense, so do as you please.”

Then Bak Hyeok left the laboratory without lingering.

However, the Chimera victims blocked his path.

Bak Hyeok had become a victim too, but when they considered the matter, they thought Bak Hyeok was the one who had made it possible for all these experiments to be carried out.

Pi Jin-hyeok’s teacher. That alone was enough grounds to drive Bak Hyeok into a corner.

At that, Bak Hyeok raised his aura and spoke.

“Do you think I am on the same level as you bastards?”

The tremendous amount of mana that surged up in layer after layer instantly crossed the wall of the 8th Circle. Jo Yun-hui was also shocked by that.

“When did you cross the wall of the 9th Circle?”

“I was attacked during that process. I am simply devastated to have had such a cunning bastard as a disciple.”

Jo Yun-hui, laughing as if she found it amusing, gestured to the Chimeras, and they opened a path.

“What do you plan to do now?”

“That is none of your business.”

Then Jo Yun-hui smiled as she watched Bak Hyeok disappear in an instant using magic.

‘This country has so many amusing humans…. There are far too many situations outside the standard, aren’t there?’

Jo Yun-hui felt enraptured by the variables.

After that, she led all the Chimera victims away and disappeared.

The Sea Sun Brigade and the small number of people who returned after the closure of the Black Gate were heating up the media day after day.

Naturally, the disappearance of Iceland also acted as one of the issues, but in the end, the fact that Beral had not been subjugated also became known, increasing the world’s anxiety.

Anxiety grew that a second Iceland incident could occur.

However, the confusion was subsiding somewhat because of the Sea Sun Brigade’s official position and their additional announcement that they would recruit members on a large scale, designate the Calamity God as their main enemy, and eradicate the Church of Ruin.

On top of that, due to this Black Gate incident, it had been clearly revealed that the Calamity God possessed a method to utilize Gates. There were even rumors spreading that most Gates might perhaps be the Calamity God’s scheme to destroy this world, and countless disputes were occurring all over the world. But unlike that chaotic world, a single incident erupted in the Republic of Korea, which had been maintaining a relatively stable situation.

The news was conveyed as a simple terrorist attack, but the problem was that those who knew understood that the Korean government had merely downplayed the announcement.

“…The damage is greater than expected. I hear the researcher casualties are severe too?”

“More than thirty people died. Many of those who had been working intensively on the research were included among them, and many important Chimeras, including Wang Sun, have been stolen.”

“Hoo. Is it the Church of Ruin again?”

“Yes. The Saintess of the Calamity God that Geum Seong-chan previously provided information on has been identified as the mastermind behind this incident.”

“She is still hiding and operating well in our country. This has become troublesome.”

Kim Dae-san wanted to somehow prepare a countermeasure.

Moreover, it had only been a few days since he received a report that the research had produced quite a few results.

There had also been a report saying that since it was now on the verge of commercialization, even if test subjects using humans were difficult, if Chimeras made by combining monsters were utilized, they could seize an extremely advantageous position in conflicts.

He had been certain that the situation was proceeding well in many ways, and he had also thought they might be able to use this powerful force separately to establish themselves as the strongest country in Northeast Asia.

But Kim Dae-san felt empty, as if everything had turned into foam in an instant.

“We cannot catch the culprit immediately, and we have also lost the means to find the vanished Chimeras…. There is no reason to maintain the research institute in an expanded state.”

“A considerable amount of the data has been backed up and remains. Since the samples are gone, they will have to go through trial and error, but they say it is only a matter of time.”

It was at least welcome news among what he had heard.

After giving an order to support them actively, he asked about the group of black mages scheduled to enter the country today.

“Han Sang-gil and Geum Seong-chan are entering the country, are they not?”

“It is known that they will enter the country using Teleport with Marcelo’s help. The Magic Tower is preparing a corresponding magic.”

“We should also slowly prepare.”

It was a victory report packaged under the name of humanity’s victory.

Whatever the inside story was, the fact that they had survived a trap that involved a Lich who had reached the wall of an 8th Circle Master and hundreds of thousands of sacrifices meant they had achieved an enormous military feat.

Furthermore, if that Black Gate had Broken, there was no guessing what kind of calamity humanity would have faced.

So it was indeed a victory report.

Kim Dae-san was about to rise from his seat like that, but then it happened.

In an instant, he felt as though the world had been isolated, and instinctively realizing that this had not been done by a simple method, he circulated Aura through his entire body and opened his mouth.

“Who is it?”

“Your senses have not died.”

It was an unforgettable voice. Though somewhat mixed with a hoarse tone, it was a voice he had heard many times, and he turned his head in shock.

“Bak Hyeok…. How did you?”

“Are you wondering how something like a Chimera is walking around?”

“Do not think of being sarcastic, and I would like to hear the reason. How did you return to being human?”

“I am not human. Even now, countless genetic factors swirling inside my body are tormenting me. However, I am inducing transformations one by one and settling them into place.”

“…Was this your doing?”

“You know everything, yet you say otherwise. The reason I came to find you like this is that I would like to receive some help.”

Kim Dae-san sat down and asked with his fingers interlaced.

“I do not know what you will have, but I hope the price is appropriate.”

“You are a truly amusing person. You are righteous, yet endlessly vile. That must be why you have survived until now…. I would like you to obtain one item for me.”

Then Bak Hyeok created an illusion and showed it to him.

It was a small sphere, but Kim Dae-san knew what it was.

“I do not have it, and the person who possesses it is not cooperative toward either me or you. Furthermore, he has reached a realm, so there is no way to force him.”

“I would still like you to obtain it.”

“What can I gain?”

“I will give you everything I have.”

Then Bak Hyeok opened his Sub-space and showed him the inside.

He showed Kim Dae-san the countless treasures he had collected until now, and after confirming them, Kim Dae-san subtly asked,

“Just what is that thing for you to go this far?”

“To put it simply, I suppose it is something like a ‘heart.’ I have no desire to end my life as a monster.”

Only then did Kim Dae-san roughly gauge the reason and ask seriously.

“It seems you do not have much time.”

“That is right. I am gradually losing myself as a human. In the end, this world will have to handle a monster beyond even a ‘Lich,’ so I would like you to obtain that orb.”

Kim Dae-san had many things to think about in several ways.

Moreover, because the region where Bak Hyeok was active was Korea, he was reminded of the situation that would occur if he went berserk.

‘…Just the calamity caused by an 8th Circle black mage Lich alone forced this country to regress by decades. But… if Bak Hyeok, who clearly seems to be in a realm beyond that, goes berserk, can we handle it?’

The Awakeners’ abilities themselves were far superior now compared to back then, but he was certain they still could not stop him completely without damage.

So Kim Dae-san spoke seriously.

“In that case, how about meeting him together with me?”

“He is a being who despises me even more than he despises you. If you want to start a war, let us go together.”

Kim Dae-san let out a sigh and said that was enough.