Rachel explained enthusiastically, using gestures and movements.
“…That’s what happened!”
“Hmm.”
Choi Hyun-seok, having heard the whole story, remained lukewarm.
He wore a dubious expression as he spoke.
“You’re not lying, are you?”
“I’m not! Rachel here personally! Heard everything that rat bastard said!”
Rachel puffed out her chest as she spoke.
Having watched Rachel until now, he knew she was genuine.
It was the pose Rachel took when she was very confident and boasting about something.
Choi Hyun-seok was lost in thought again.
‘It’s plausible enough.’
Considering the circumstances, there was a high possibility that Rachel’s words were true.
Because then all the lingering doubts would be resolved.
Rotark’s anger that was glimpsed in front of Hemes.
Yet, the excessive kindness he showed to himself.
It felt like too much to simply attribute it to Hemes’ orders or the Demonic Pact [a magical contract between demons].
If Rotark was plotting something else as Rachel said, all these doubts would be resolved.
‘Since it will fall into his hands anyway, he’s generously giving it away.’
The guy was waiting patiently.
For the day when everything would fall into his hands.
“Rachel, if Park Hyun-ah and that rat bastard join forces, even the Lip Monster would be helpless, right?”
“Wouldn’t they be? No matter how strong the Lip Monster is, it would be too much against two legion commanders.”
From his experience, he knew that Hemes was stronger than the other legion commanders.
From Choi Hyun-seok’s perspective, they were all extraordinary monsters with combat power exceeding 200,000.
But there was a hierarchy among them.
Even so, the question of ‘Can Hemes win against two legion commanders?’ inevitably arose.
Frankly, the chances didn’t seem that high.
As his thoughts continued, Choi Hyun-seok’s expression darkened.
“That rat bastard… I didn’t like him from the start.”
“Hero, what should we do? We need to tell the Lip Monster about this quickly.”
“There’s no way right now. If I say I’m going back to the Black Star [Hemes’ territory] at this timing, I’ll only arouse suspicion.”
Choi Hyun-seok’s treatment was progressing smoothly, and he had achieved tremendous growth.
But what would they think if he suddenly said he was going back?
Especially in a situation where he had brought up a plan to strike Hemes?
They would obviously be suspicious.
He couldn’t take that risk.
He might be imprisoned before he could even do anything.
Or have his skull cracked open on the spot.
“First, we can’t show that we’ve noticed anything. We have to act natural, just like we have been.”
“And then?”
“I need to think about that some more.”
Choi Hyun-seok pondered.
How could he convey this crisis to Hemes?
Then something flashed in his mind.
“Rachel, that communication device. Can you use it too?”
“No. It operates with mana [magical energy].”
“Then how about me?”
If the communication device operated with mana, could he use it?
Rachel shook her head.
“It’s not just about injecting mana. It requires a complex process. It’s absolutely impossible for the Hero in his current state.”
“So, communication is out… What should I do?”
He pondered for a long time, but no answer came to mind.
There was no way to contact Hemes.
‘Then I need to find something I can do here and now.’
Choi Hyun-seok decided to change his approach.
Could he overcome this situation on his own?
What weapons did he have?
What weaknesses did the enemy have?
His thoughts continued.
“Ha, this is frustrating.”
“Why?”
“No matter how much I think, I can’t come up with a solution.”
“Hero, don’t waste your brain on things you’re not good at. Let’s keep it simple!”
Choi Hyun-seok stared at Rachel.
His eyes seemed to ask what she meant.
“Hero, listen to me!”
Rachel wore a grim expression.
“If someone was about to stab you in the back, what would you do?”
Suddenly talking about stabbing in the back.
He was momentarily taken aback by the violent vocabulary.
Choi Hyun-seok, who had been pondering, opened his mouth.
“I’d have to take care of them before they stab me, right?”
“That’s it!”
“Huh?”
“Let’s stab them first before they stab us in the back.”
It was the moment Rachel’s mind was locked and loaded with a preemptive strike.
***
Lead Researcher Radke.
Like the other researchers here, he was from the Skavin clan,
with a rat-like appearance.
Radke was one of the promising researchers in the Magic Tower.
He was trusted by Legion Commander Rotark and was in charge of a part of the core project, Chimera research.
“Squeak! It’s going smoothly today too.”
A smile appeared on Radke’s face.
The Chimera research, which had been stuck recently, was making rapid progress.
Because Rotark, the owner of the Magic Tower, had obtained good data.
‘Choi Hyun-seok, was it? A pretty useful test subject for a human!’
Rotark was helping Choi Hyun-seok’s treatment while extracting data in his own way.
The Magic Tower was bustling with activity because a new system and concept that didn’t exist before were being introduced.
‘I wonder what kind of results would come out if I properly research Choi Hyun-seok someday! Squeak!’
He hadn’t properly researched Choi Hyun-seok yet.
Just a small amount of data that could be obtained through observation.
Even that had brought great results to the existing research.
He was already looking forward to what kind of data would come out if he started full-scale experiments.
Then, with a buzzing sound, the automatic door behind Radke opened.
At the same time, Radke chuckled.
‘Speak of the devil!’
The person who appeared was Choi Hyun-seok.
He was wearing strange goggles and looking around as if he was looking for something.
“What’s going on? This isn’t a place for you to enter.”
The place where Radke was located was where the core materials for Chimera research were stored.
That was the mana ampoule [containers of concentrated magical energy].
Not a typical mana ampoule, but an ampoule containing a super-high concentration of mana from special magical beasts.
Many of them were from magical beasts that were already extinct.
There was also a mana ampoule of Mortenebre, a legendary magical beast.
These were invaluable resources that were essential to Chimera research, so they couldn’t be taken lightly.
“Didn’t I come here with Rotark last time?”
This wasn’t the first time Choi Hyun-seok had come to this place.
Not long after he came to the Magic Tower.
Rotark showed Choi Hyun-seok around the Magic Tower, and this place was one of them.
“Rotark told me to bring some of the mana ampoules he showed me back then. He said there was something to check.”
“What…?”
Radke’s eyes narrowed.
Bring the mana ampoules.
It was a plausible story, but there was a problem.
“He ordered you to do that?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
To have an outsider, a human at that, bring those precious ampoules?
It was a suspicious situation.
Radke stared at Choi Hyun-seok and sighed.
“Squeak! Wait a moment. I’ll check with Rotark myself.”
“There’s no need for that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You. Your combat power is only 10,000?”
“Huh?”
In an instant, a thick arm wrapped around Radke’s neck.
Choi Hyun-seok had grabbed Radke’s neck.
“Squeak, squeak…!”
He couldn’t breathe.
Radke’s face quickly turned red.
Unlike other Demon King army units, the Magic Tower didn’t have a hierarchy based on military power.
Even as a lead researcher, his own military power was insignificant.
With a combat power of 10,000, he couldn’t handle Choi Hyun-seok’s strength.
“If you’re weak, you have to suffer?”
“Sque…! Squeak…!”
Soon, Radke lost consciousness.
Choi Hyun-seok grinned.
“Tsk. You should have just let me go nicely.”
“How dare you rat bastards block the Hero’s path!”
Rachel, who had appeared unnoticed, punched the bridge of Radke’s nose.
“Is it here…”
After putting a few more researchers to sleep.
Choi Hyun-seok and Rachel arrived at their destination, the place where the mana ampoules were displayed.
The operation was about to succeed, but Choi Hyun-seok’s expression was uneasy.
“Rachel, is this really okay?”
“Of course it’s not okay!”
“Could you not say that with such a bright smile.”
“Think of it comfortably. Surely I won’t die, right?”
“Yeah. Surely I won’t die.”
Choi Hyun-seok raised his fist and shattered the glass box containing the high-concentration mana ampoules.
Crash!
The glass shattered, and he grabbed the precious ampoules all at once.
“I’ll survive somehow. This is for me to live.”
He grinned.
His eyes were gleaming with madness for the first time in a while.
“And to become stronger.”
Choi Hyun-seok opened the ampoule caps.
At the same time, terrifying mana spread in all directions.
“I’m doing this to slap the back of the head of the treacherous rat bastard one last time.”
Choi Hyun-seok drank the mana ampoules as they were.
***
Recently, Rotark had been in a good mood.
Partly because he was enjoying collecting Choi Hyun-seok’s data.
But the real reason was the anticipation for what was to come.
‘An ancient monster and a mutant hero… I want to see them tear each other apart as soon as possible. Squeak!’
He had to finish Choi Hyun-seok’s treatment as soon as possible and get the Demonic Pact back from Hemes.
Afterwards, if he ambushed Hemes with Park Hyun-ah, everything would be over.
The Demon King’s permission hadn’t been granted yet, but it didn’t matter.
Rotark estimated the probability of the Demon King’s approval to be over 90%.
Anyway, the point was that Rotark was in a very good mood.
Until 5 minutes ago.
“Squeak, squeak! What is going on!!!”
Rotark’s roar echoed through the Magic Tower.
“W-we don’t know what happened either…”
“We felt a sudden surge of mana and rushed over, but it was already too late.”
In the Chimera research building, which occupied the largest space in the Magic Tower’s basement.
An unbelievable thing had happened in an important place where mana ampoules were stored.
“Ampoules that can never be obtained again…!”
The precious materials had all disappeared.
Into Choi Hyun-seok’s stomach.
Among the unconscious researchers, Choi Hyun-seok was seen writhing on the floor.
“Cough, cough…! Keheck!”
His eyes were rolled back, and his skin was bulging and retracting as he couldn’t control the mana.
It was as if countless bugs were passing under his skin.
Empty glass bottles were rolling around him, each of which had contained very rare mana ampoules.
‘What on earth was he thinking when he did this! Squeak!’
Was he trying to commit suicide?
Even if it was the same mana, the properties of each individual were different.
The mana here was all extracted from dangerous magical beasts.
Moreover, it was highly concentrated, so the amount was enormous.
It meant that it wasn’t mana that Choi Hyun-seok could handle at all.
But he drank not just one, but five of them.
If left alone, his body would melt away and die within minutes.
“Ugh! I absolutely can’t let that happen!”
Rotark would save Choi Hyun-seok no matter what.
Because it wasn’t just about Choi Hyun-seok alone.
The mana concentrate that could never be obtained again.
Three of the five ampoules that Choi Hyun-seok swallowed were materials that had already gone extinct and could never be obtained again, and one of them was even from Mortenebre, a legendary magical beast.
It was as precious a material as Choi Hyun-seok himself.
What if Choi Hyun-seok died here?
All of this would disappear.
“Live…! No, I’ll make you live! Squeak!”
He would definitely save him.
He would somehow save him and make him digest all that mana.
So he would get all the data.
In Rotark’s eyes, which were determined, madness flowed towards the ultimate material.