Falling Into A Trap? Who?

The three of them were scheduled to commute to and from work together for the time being.

“It feels like I’m going back to work right after clocking out. Is this right?”

An So-mi’s grumbling was heard, but no suitable response came to mind. It was because enough incidents occurred frequently to make one feel that way.

“Seriously~ Why do these people clear dungeons at this time every single time and make things difficult for others!”

A job had come in thirty minutes before the end of the workday.

Since they were living together after work anyway, Go Yu-jin spoke as if it were no big deal.

“It’s enough for me to go alone; since it’s a Grade 2 Gate, it won’t take that long.”

“I’ll go with you.”

As I also intervened, An So-mi sighed and glared at me and Go Yu-jin. Then, she proceeded to ask a question with a serious expression.

“Are you two dating?”

Go Yu-jin denied it while flinching in surprise; as for me, although one incident had occurred, at that time I had simply ended up doing it after being swept away by the situation, and I had not expressed any emotions afterward.

‘Am I being a bit heartless?’

Perhaps it was right for the man to respond to the woman first in such matters.

I didn’t know if Go Yu-jin desired it, but at the very least, making her wait for too long wouldn’t be right. However, it would be right to express my heart while waiting for the right moment.

“I’m coming too!”

“It’s fine. It would be ridiculous for several high-level black mages to go to a Grade 2 Gate.”

It was exactly as ridiculous as Go Yu-jin said. However, given the recent friction with the Cultists of Ruin, it was right to take every precaution since it wouldn’t be strange no matter what happened.

Go Yu-jin also nodded after hearing my suggestion that it might be better for An So-mi to come along as well.

“Since we’re at it, let’s go together and handle it. Since So-mi will have trouble if she sees blood, wouldn’t it be right for her to stay a reasonable distance away and wait?”

“Administrative work is also necessary, so I can just take care of that, but… is this right!”

It was impossible not to know what she was dissatisfied with.

I, too, might have expressed dissatisfaction if I could feel emotions deeply.

However, regardless of what An So-mi said, Go Yu-jin reached the conclusion to move for the purpose of handling the job, and since I had nothing else to do, I followed Go Yu-jin.

An So-mi’s grumbling continued to be heard, but at Go Yu-jin’s words that she would be given special allowances for overtime, An So-mi fell silent with a broad grin.

‘She was grumbling because of money.’

That was how it seemed to me.

Anyway, we arrived at the destination after traveling for about thirty minutes, and I spoke up slightly because it was an empty ruin.

“It seems we’ve been tricked.”

“…Did they lure us here on purpose?”

“Perhaps they thought she would move alone since it’s Grade 2… How disappointing for them.”

I looked to one side, and people were emerging from all over the abandoned building.

Since their intentions were clear at a glance, both Go Yu-jin and An So-mi prepared for battle, but the person at the front stopped at a reasonable distance and spoke.

“I called you because I wanted to talk, so why not lower your guard a bit?”

“There are too many people here to attempt a conversation. If the talk doesn’t go smoothly, do you intend to make the situation smooth with force?”

“What kind of fool would try to settle things with force alone against The Worst? Wouldn’t all such people no longer be of this world?”

It wasn’t wrong. However, it wasn’t the right answer either.

There was no way I was the strongest. However, it was true that I was a powerhouse.

It was fortunate that a group like the Cultists of Ruin didn’t act ignorantly, but if Go Yu-jin or An So-mi had come alone in this situation, they would have stood no chance against such forces.

‘They’re trying to talk because we came together. Perhaps they’re playing tricks elsewhere.’

While I was pondering how it would be right to respond amidst the various thoughts passing through my mind, Go Yu-jin spoke.

“We also have no desire to be involved with you, but since we keep getting entangled, I’ll speak seriously.”

“What is it?”

“If you provoke us once more… I intend to start a war to the end with the Cultists of Ruin.”

“A war to the end… How frightening. There aren’t many groups that could withstand the Golem Meister and The Worst. But conversely, I’d appreciate it if your side didn’t touch us either.”

“Wasn’t it your side that touched us first all this time?”

“There’s no end to pointing out each other’s rights and wrongs, so it’s a question of whether we fight or stop. Whatever we do, we simply act if it aligns with the will of those above. But aside from a dog’s death, we don’t want a death where even our souls suffer. It’s also the reason why we haven’t touched the Black Mage Association or the Black Tower until now.”

I remembered hearing this before.

It was that the Cultists of Ruin could go to the side of the God they believed in and followed after a noble death.

And the God they believed in lay in the purification of this filthy world.

In other words, if one died while devoted to purification, they would be saved and their soul would go to God. But black mages were the kind of people who would drag even those souls out to exploit them.

To the religion they believed in, they were heretics and the worst of the worst.

But the problem was that because the Black Mage Association and the Black Tower maintained such immense power, the Cultists of Ruin couldn’t handle it with their strength alone, so they were in a situation where they were avoiding the ‘dung’ because they were afraid of it.

‘Perhaps they’re struggling to gain the power to clear it away.’

They were trying to strengthen their interests and power in various forms.

Among them, their influence over the Magic Tower seemed to have already been secured to some extent, and since even the regime had a prominent figure like Chu Myeong-hun caught, they would be able to achieve the utopia they desired if they maintained this relationship well.

However, since a sudden obstacle had risen high and was blocking their view, how frustrated they must be?

‘So they tried to cut them off one by one, but since things didn’t go as planned, they’re attempting a conversation… Have other groups also been worked on in this manner until now?’

“Cultists of Ruin… Do you really think the salvation you desire, offering the lives of innocent people as sacrifices to God, is the right thing to do?”

“They sacrificed themselves. Kidnapping, confinement, blackmail, and murder are not the sins we commit. The world is simply condemning us.”

It was an absurd story. The way they turned all those victims into noble martyrs was simply appalling.

But the important part was that the testimonies of those who survived while such things occurred were not normal at all, and the most absurd among them was that the very first thing they did after kidnapping was to soak the person in all sorts of drugs so they couldn’t perceive things properly, and then subject them to a stage of mental brainwashing to make it as if they were truly making a noble sacrifice.

Perhaps they were making them want to die instead, but since the exact circumstances were unknown, I couldn’t jump to conclusions about what kind of picture the Cultists of Ruin truly desired.

“If you promise just one thing, we will never treat you with hostility again.”

It was a Cultist of Ruin waiting for an answer with an arrogant tone while looking at us.

“What do you want?”

“Never show interest in what lies behind us. As long as that is kept, we will not interfere in whatever you do. However…”

I raised my hand toward the man who was about to say more and asked him as he looked at me in confusion.

“Are you at the middle management level?”

Since he smirked without a second of hesitation, I immediately released mana, and as the flustered Go Yu-jin and An So-mi turned to look at me, I used Blink to close the distance to the center of the Cultists of Ruin and proceeded to use the magic I had memorized.

“Mass Hold”

A wide-range hold curse was used, and the curse that spread everywhere in an instant suppressed everyone.

Then, it made their bodies stiffen instantly, but there was one Cultist of Ruin who reacted in this short moment.

“Ugh, damn Worst!!”

He seemed to know quite a bit of information about me, and just seeing him immediately respond and use his ability to distance himself made it clear that he was a fairly strong Awakener.

“I was curious about what kind of information an upper-level manager would have. And it seems I’ll be able to get information today.”

“Mr. Geum Seong-chan!”

I heard Go Yu-jin’s urgent shout but ignored it and used Blink repeatedly to pursue the Cultist of Ruin fellow, and after watching his actions as he seemed busy fleeing as if he didn’t care about his subordinates, I used message magic toward Go Yu-jin and An So-mi to convey my intent.

We have to catch this man for our own peace. The Cultists of Ruin never give up on a target once they’ve set their sights on it. As the wars and history tell us, unless we see things through to the end with them, we will continue to be exposed to danger. -

No answer came back, but Go Yu-jin and An So-mi did not follow.

There was only one thing those two had to do.

It was to hand over the Cultists of Ruin suppressed through the Mass Hold magic to the government.

Their treatment would be execution.

Cultists of Ruin were treated like extremists and terrorists.

They were potential murderers who could kill people at any time. Had it been right after the Great Cataclysm, they wouldn’t have been driven to such extreme situations just for committing a crime.

But it was different now.

Partly because the population had decreased sharply, and society was not merciful toward criminals.

If one was not justified or lacked power, they were not even given time to resolve their grievances.

While it was cold-hearted and rampant with corruption and tricks, because of that, it was a world where playing the criminal had become difficult unless one was so perfect or such an existence that even the government’s power couldn’t handle them.

“How long do you think you can keep running?”

Along with Mass Hold, I also used ‘Marking’ magic.

I limited the target to just the fellow in front of me, but since the fact that he was marked was at a level that wouldn’t be easily discovered or shaken off, I intended to let him go while pretending to pursue him reasonably.

‘It’s a golden opportunity to round them all up. If he’s an upper-level manager, he must also know the location of the Cultists of Ruin’s main base. That means it’s a perfect chance to uproot the Cultist of Ruin rascals in the country.’

An enemy I couldn’t handle might be lurking, but at the very least, in that situation, it would be right to say that this land of the Republic of Korea was already soaked in despair.

Afterward, I attempted several attacks and began to loosen the reins on him as if I were gradually falling behind.

Then, he mocked me with a triumphant face.

“Where did all that high spirit go?”

“Since you seem to have strength left to flap your mouth, why not stop and finish off the exhausted me before you go?”

“Even if your body is exhausted, it doesn’t mean your mana has dropped; at least, even if I’m foolish, I’m not stupid.”

While watching him gradually increase his speed and pull away, I conversely began to slow down.

Soon, I confirmed that the distance had clearly widened and stopped my steps, while he continued to run as if he knew no exhaustion and disappeared from my sight.

‘Now, guide me to where the cockroach nest is. Because I will exterminate it completely…’