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Sandworms were tiny monsters ranging in size from 60cm to 1m. Like all bugs, they weren't pleasant to behold.

In particular, the way they attacked by extending their fur and using it to scratch at their prey was ghastly.

I detested caterpillars, so I couldn't bear to confront them for long.

A sea of them had congregated before me, their hair standing on end.

"Demonic Dragon Skywrecker!"

My black-colored Strong Energy spread wide over the Sandworms.

Sgung!-

"Boooooh!"

With a grotesque scream, the Sandworms scattered.

They were being cut apart by the Strong Energy, but since there were so many of them, my vision became blurry with sticky blood.

Belatedly, the system notification window scrolled past.

<Critical Hit!>

<SYSTEM: You've killed a Sandworm. You gained 45 (+30%) EXP.>

<Critical Hit!>

<SYSTEM: You've killed a Sandworm. You gained 45 (+30%) EXP.>…

Although it took some time to form the Strong Energy, it was possible to eradicate the Sandworms in two strikes with the combination of Heavenly Demon Stealth and Heavenly Demon Replication.

Since the Sandworms were of a low level, I only gained a little experience.

"Blaaargh!"

There was also a side effect.

[My goodness. Tsk, tsk, tsk.]

I felt nauseous when I saw the Sandworm's hair clump together with their fluorescent green blood.

It felt like that hair was stuck to the back of my neck.

Goosebumps grew on my arms.

I couldn't bear the idea of collecting mana stones from them.

[To think a guy so used to being covered in blood and rummaging through monster corpses would vomit over something like this. Tsk, tsk, tsk.]

"I can't help this at all."

[Check the system notifications you missed.]

"Oh, right."

When I swept the Sandworms away with Strong Energy, a new system notification appeared.

I scrolled through them in reverse to check the contents.

<SYSTEM: You've killed over 300 Sandworms with a single attack.>

<SYSTEM: Acquired the title 'I Like Popping'. >

<SYSTEM: Increases the target's damage taken by 15% when attacking with explosive-type skills.>

[Hmm, it's a Hidden Piece.]

"This is an unexpected title. However, there is a limitation, given it is specifically for an explosive-type skill attack."

[Hmm… Seeing as the title effect is applied to other martial arts skills, it seems it doesn’t have to be an attack skill.]

"It might be suitable for the Blade Breaking Technique."

After a while, I easily dealt with the Boss monster that had appeared, and although I continued to vomit, that didn't stop me from working diligently.

Even if it was disgusting, I had to do what I had to do.

"Blaaaarghhh!"

[Shouldn't you take the mana stones if you're going this far?]

Mana stones were money. I couldn't leave money behind.

[Money is scary. Tsk, tsk, tsk]

It didn't take long to collect the mana stones since they were all eliminated in the same place.

But I couldn't help getting covered in gooey fluids. The viscosity was so thick that I struggled to shake it off.

"Let's destroy the Summoning Stone first."

Whooosh-

I flew over to the Summoning Stone, illuminated by a light falling from the sky using Heavenly Demon Air-Stride.

***

Early summer had arrived in the outside world, but the night air inside the Gate was no different from winter.

Because it was a desert, the temperature difference between day and night was stark.

"Achoo!"

"Hahaha, you must have caught a cold. Not even a dog catches a cold in the summer, man."

"Don't get me started. It feels awful to be trembling like this."

In front of the Summoning Stone at Haeundae Gate, two men who seemed to be hunters conversed.

These were the hunters of the Phoenix Guild who guarded the Summoning Stone.

"No one is coming to destroy it, so I don't know why we have to be on guard. Sniff."

"We're just being prepared in case someone decides to take revenge for the things we've done."

As he said, the Phoenix Guild had a history of sabotaging the Gates managed by rival guilds.

"Sniff, I heard about Gangsuk, that bastard was completely smashed in this ranking match."

"He was punished for acting proud while hanging out with manager Lee Seo-yoon."

"Hehehe, I heard they broke up… Achoo!! Sniff... because she wasn't satisfied with their evening activities."

"Eww, you’re spitting."

He continued, wiping away saliva.

"Where on earth did you hear those rumors?"

"I have my ways. Sniff"

The man with a runny nose wiggled his little finger and smiled.

"Then, did you hear about the people from Japan this time?"

"Well, I don't know much about that. They must be here to open a business. It’s some kind of guild from Japan."

"Tsk, that's more like you. By the way, when is the next shift coming? It's almost time..."

Rustle-

"Hey! I guess they're here."

Thinking their tedious vigil was finally over, they looked in the direction of the sound with a welcoming heart.

"Huh?"

A look of confusion came over their faces. It wasn't the shift they were waiting for.

A huge green object was wriggling as it approached.

"Fuck! Why is there a Slime here?"

Confused for a moment, they couldn't help but be surprised again because the Slime responded.

"Japanese guild people?"

***

"Uhh, the S… Slime..."

"Gasp!"

'I even got mistaken for a Slime after coming back.'

['I came back and became a Slime.' Something like that? Kukuku.]

‘That's a boring joke.’

The hunters of the Phoenix Guild were confused for a moment about who and what I was.

But after hearing their conversation while they stood guard, I interrogated them to learn more.

‘It's a pretty useful skill.’

[You've done this much, but curiously, they haven't opened their mouths.]

What I used on them was the Bone Breaking Technique, a kind of torture technique the Heavenly Demon showed me.

Yet even with this technique, I couldn't get any other information except that the Phoenix Guild was doing something with an unknown guild from Japan.

‘It’s certain that the Phoenix Guild is up to something.’

Even if I searched through my memories before returning, I couldn't remember what the Phoenix Guild was doing at this time.

In the past, there were many things the executives did alone, so it could have been natural that I, a low-ranking hunter, simply didn't hear about it.

[You'll find out if you torture the one you caught during the day.]

‘I think I'll need So-eun's cooperation.’

I struck the Mouth and Sleeping Points of the fallen guards and set them aside.

This was an unexpected harvest at the Gate I entered just to ruin Oh Young-seok after he messed with me.

Now it was time to get the final thing I came here for.

Whoong-

Black-colored energy formed on the fake Demonic Dragon Blade.

[The more you use it, the less time you’ll need. It is proof you’re getting used to it. If you practice more, you might be able to use a bundle of Strong Energy or Malleable Energy.]

‘A bundle of Strong Energy and Malleable Energy… I’m curious about its power.’

As the Heavenly Demon said, the time I needed was significantly reduced compared to when I formed the Strong Energy at the Gate in Daeseong Mountain earlier that day.

It reduced from several minutes to mere seconds. The feeling of my inner power flowing back also became quite natural.

I swung the fake Demonic Dragon Blade at the Summoning Stone.

"Demonic Dragon Skywrecker!"

The wave of black-colored Strong Energy carved a half-moon through the air and struck the Summoning Stone.

Boom-

<SYSTEM: Time attack succeeded. Remaining time is 29 minutes 59 seconds.>

<SYSTEM: Acquired 94,268 (+30%) EXP.>

<SYSTEM: Destroyed the Summoning Stone with a single blow. A surprised System Administrator grants you a new title that didn't exist before.>

<SYSTEM: Acquired the active title 'Night Hair Starting Point.'>

<SYSTEM: You will understand its purpose when you use it! Our rivers and mountains, lush and verdant, and our hair, black and lustrous!>

<SYSTEM: The Gate will expire after 48 hours.>

<SYSTEM: Remaining time 47 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds.>

“…”

[The title name is strange.]

"Haven't you talked about System Administrators before?"

[Yes. That it could be related to an Immortal or a God...]

"Looking at the system notification window this time, it seems like it will answer if I call for some reason. That God or whatever."

[Hmm, sure, it's not a rigid explanation like before. Did Oh Young-seok's system window say this in the past?]

"I don't know."

[Anyway, why don't you call them if you're curious?]

I followed the Heavenly Demon’s instructions and called out to the system in my head, but only the previously created notifications scrolled by.

"It doesn't work."

[There might be a password you need. Who knows?]

After diligently searching for further information in my head, I got the sense he knew more.

Anyway, my work here was complete.

I used Heavenly Demon Air-Stride to quickly escape through the Gate.

This Gate would soon be destroyed. They would be furious when they realized what I had taken from them.

[Did So-eun find out something from that pervert?]

"I want to check, but it's too late. I'll ask her at the office in the morning."

[Hmm, okay. What are you going to do next?]

"I need to shake some of their other funds as well."

As it was a large guild, the money they made would be significant.

I had started this to shake the Phoenix Guild. But if I continued to cut off their money lines and pried further behind him, I might discover what he was plotting.

For some reason, I strongly felt the Phoenix Guild might be related to the missing hunters.

[Messing with you will be the starting point of the Phoenix Guild’s downfall.]

"You didn't choose that vocabulary to make fun of my title, did you?"

[Why not? But how will you get into the car looking like that?]

"Oh. This won’t come off.”

My body was still covered in Sandworm fluids. The guards had even mistaken me for a Slime because of this.

[Your practical skills are poor. Something like that can be easily shaken off with martial arts.]

"You should have told me earlier."

As soon as he said that, I understood how.

[There are many more convenient things about these martial arts skills than you thought. Kukuku.]

I immediately started operating the Heavenly Demon's Origin Art. I brought out my energy to the extreme to clean the fluids off.

***

Phoenix Guild.

Oh Young-seok and a woman with a ponytail who appeared to be a secretary were talking in his office.

"Were they all caught?"

"Yes, they are now in custody at the Bureau."

"I can't believe it. Have you cleaned up their mess?"

"There is no evidence our guild was involved."

"Good work. Where is he now?"

"That is… he didn't return to the guild."

"Or home?"

"No."

"Did you say he has parents?"

“…”

'This trash...! We shouldn't be messing with anyone’s family.'

The secretary cursed in her mind.

She had no choice but to work under Oh Young-seok.

She wanted to quit right after she learned of his methods, but since she was already deeply involved by that point, she didn't know what would happen the moment she quit.

The Oh Young-seok she knew was such a horrible human.

"What do you want to do with Lee Byeong-gi's parents…?"

Oh Young-seok buried himself in his chair and lit a cigarette.

"Whoo—no, that should be reserved as a last resort."

Acrid smoke billowed into her face.

'Son of a bitch!'

This time, she almost let out a curse.

"What's going to happen to that Kanazawa pervert?"

"The Japanese authorities will..."

When the secretary replied to Oh Young-seok, he nodded.

"And it seems they are also interested in Lee Byeong-gi's existence because of this…."

"Really?"

Tiririri -

Just then, the phone on the desk rang loudly.

"What is it?"

-…

Oh Young-seok's voice grew louder as he spoke.

"What? How does that make sense?! A talking slime?"

-…

"Check the CCTV or whatever!"