Chapter 110
The Ice Queen was the last hope and protector of the other races secretly operating within Neo Seoul.
Because she existed, those races were able to endure relentless persecution and continue their lineage in Neo Seoul.
Because of that, their loyalty toward her was almost blind.
Borin was no different.
She had become the special operations captain of the Blue Fallen Leaves Unit because of Ice Queen Serian Moliana.
She accepted the harsh position of special operations captain simply because she wanted to be of some help to her.
While leading the Blue Fallen Leaves Unit, she had faced countless dangers and met innumerable people, but not a single one had ever given her a chilling feeling like the man before her—Zeon.
Zeon was smiling.
That gentle-looking smile felt as threatening as a blade.
Borin felt as though she were standing naked, alone, before the sharpest sword in the world.
Zeon asked with a smile,
“I understand why you want to take Levin. He has abilities worth that. But why are you taking that murderer? What value does he have?”
Borin tightly shut her lips.
Even though the mission had failed, she couldn’t recklessly leak secrets.
At her reaction, Zeon made a sorrowful expression.
“Borin! Let’s make this easy. Please don’t make me do something bad to you. It’ll only make things truly unfortunate.”
“Ugh!”
In that instant, Borin’s face twisted.
With an elf’s innate intuition, she could tell Zeon was telling the truth.
She didn’t know what “something bad” meant, but if he took action, something terrible would surely happen to her and the Blue Fallen Leaves Unit.
“Phew…”
Zeon let out a sigh.
After looking at Borin for a moment, he turned to the other elves.
“It seems you still haven’t decided. I suppose I should help a little.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“I happen to have quite a few interesting items. Among them is an insect called the Bone Gnawer. It’s a rather amusing creature—it eats the bones of living beings. Normally, if your bones are eaten, you’d die, right? But this thing injects a paralytic fluid to keep the victim alive. That fluid also causes hallucinations. So the victim experiences the greatest pleasure while having their bones completely eaten… until they die.”
“Don’t lie. There’s no such grotesque creature in this world.”
“Really? As far as I know, this one came over from Kurayan.”
“…!”
Borin’s eyes trembled.
She saw Zeon reaching into his coat.
She didn’t know whether he truly had a Bone Gnawer, but she had once heard of its legend from the Ice Queen, Serian.
However, the information had been fragmentary, so it took time for her to recall it.
What if he really has one?
Just imagining it made her hair stand on end.
In the end, Borin surrendered.
“…Fine. I’ll talk. That man is the byproduct of an experiment.”
“A byproduct?”
“Yes! Exactly that. Just leftovers. That’s why his personality is destroyed—only his killing instinct remains.”
“What experiment?”
“That’s what we were trying to find out by taking him.”
“Hmm.”
“Rumors have long circulated about the Central District where City Hall is located. Even the Ice Queen has been concerned about it.”
“So the experiment took place in the Central District?”
“That’s what we suspect. That’s why we were trying to take the murderer and learn the details.”
“Hmm…”
Zeon frowned.
If what Borin said was true, then the movements of the Northern District made sense.
Although they were all part of Neo Seoul, the Central District and the other four districts each had their own rulers.
Their territories were strictly controlled, making it difficult for outside forces to intervene.
Any intervention would mean war, so caution was inevitable.
“I’ve told you everything I know. Now let us go.”
“Alright. But on one condition—never approach Levin again.”
“That’s…”
“If you don’t make that promise, I can’t let you go.”
“…Understood…”
At that moment, Brielle intervened.
“Swear it in Serian’s name.”
Borin looked flustered at her sudden interference.
Swearing on the name of Serian—the leader of the other races—was no different from staking her honor.
If the oath were broken, Serian’s name would be dragged through the mud as well.
It was something only elves truly understood.
Borin looked at Briel.
“You… you’re an elf, aren’t you? Then why are you siding with humans?”
“I’m not siding with humans. I’m siding with Zeon.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“It’s not!”
“…!”
“So, what will you do?”
Brielle asked bluntly.
After hesitating for a moment, Borin sighed and answered,
“It can’t be helped. I swear upon the name of Ice Queen Serian Moliana, ruler of the Northern District…
Neither I nor anyone from the Northern District will approach Levin again first.”
“Hmph.”
Brielle crossed her arms and snorted.
She looked like a child seeking praise from Zeon.
Zeon smiled.
“Well done.”
“…!”
At that moment, Borin asked Briel,
“You seem close to pure-blooded. Which clan’s bloodline do you carry?”
“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”
“Pardon?”
“So just drop it.”
With that, Brielle firmly shut her lips.
Seeing her stubborn attitude, Borin realized there was no point asking further.
Then—
“Well, would you look at that.”
Zeon’s voice suddenly broke her thoughts.
“What is it?”
“They’ve escaped.”
“…What?”
“The murderer… escaped.”
The place Zeon pointed to was where the murderer had been. But now, no one was there.
At some point, the murderer had regained consciousness and fled.
“That’s impossible. I clearly confirmed he had suffered fatal injuries.”
“Tsk! Levin will be disappointed when he wakes up.”
Though he said that, Zeon didn’t look the least bit regretful.
The murderer’s fate had to be decided by Levin.
Levin probably wouldn’t have wanted the murderer taken to the Northern District anyway. If that happened, his revenge would have become nearly impossible.
Zeon carried Levin on his back and left with Briel.
In a low voice, Brielle asked Zeon,
“Were you really going to use that Bone Gnawer?”
“There’s no way I have something like that.”
“So you were bluffing?”
“Yeah.”
“Seriously?”
“I told you.”
“Wow, what a scammer. You fooled me too.”
Brielle shook her head.
Watching Zeon’s back as he walked away, Borin muttered,
“So a terrifying monster was hiding in the slums…”
***
Zeon brought Levin back to his home.
Levin regained consciousness the next day.
Perhaps due to the aftereffects of what he suffered from the elves, he remained dazed the entire day.
Neither Zeon nor Brielle tried to talk to him or provoke him.
They gave him time to sort things out on his own.
Zeon sat by the window, looking out at the street, while Brielle focused on her experiments in a corner.
Boom!
A flask filled with an unknown liquid exploded.
“Ugh! Failed again.”
“Are you okay?”
At that moment, Levin spoke warmly to Briel.
“You’re finally back to your senses?”
“Yeah. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine! I’m used to it.”
“You’re brave, Briel. Not being afraid of failure.”
“If I didn’t, humans would’ve beaten me.”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
“You’re not the one who hit me. Why are you apologizing?”
“Just…”
“Levin really is kind.”
At that moment, Levin gave a bitter smile.
He wasn’t kind at all.
If he had been, he would have listened to his mother.
If he had, he would have been with his family the day the incident happened.
Because he didn’t… he was the only one who survived.
Levin looked at Zeon sitting by the window.
“What about that bastard?”
“That bastard?”
“I decided to call that murderer that.”
“He escaped.”
“That’s good. I was worried those women might’ve taken him.”
Levin smiled brightly.
Leaving his revenge in someone else’s hands wasn’t his style.
He had to carry it out himself.
He remembered everything about the murderer—his face, his eyes, his scent.
No matter how he changed his appearance or identity, Levin was confident he would find him.
Of course, first he needed to fully recover his body.
Levin asked Zeon,
“Do you think the Northern District will keep targeting me?”
“You don’t need to worry. The Northern District won’t be able to touch you.”
“Huh?”
Zeon explained what had happened the day before.
Including how Brielle made Borin swear an oath in Serian’s name.
After hearing everything, Levin thanked Briel.
“Thank you, Briel.”
“Hmph! That was nothing.”
Brielle raised her chin proudly.
“But you should be careful of the other districts.”
“Will that elf named Borin leak information?”
“More than a few people witnessed your fight yesterday. Rumors will spread through them.”
Levin was a new type of Awakened—something that had never existed before.
Regardless of his combat power, his utility was immeasurable.
His ability, ghostification alone, was essentially overpowered.
If he wanted, he could infiltrate anywhere and nullify any countermeasures.
It was a power perfectly suited for intelligence gathering and assassination.
Any organization would be tempted.
“…!”
Levin let out a low groan.
He had finally fully realized his situation.
He asked Zeon,
“What should I do?”
“You have two choices. Either raise your rank so no one dares touch you… or hide so no one can find you.”
“I don’t want to hide anymore.”
“Then raise your rank.”
“How?”
“Fight as much as possible and push your talent beyond its limits.”
“Hyung! Please help me. You can do it, right?”
“…It’s possible.”
“Please. Make me stronger. In return, I’ll pledge my loyalty to you.”
Levin dropped to his knees in front of Zeon.
“Do you understand how heavy those words are?”
“Hyung! I’m not a child. I know the weight of what I’m saying. Even if it wasn’t for this, I wanted to stay by your side.”
Levin knew.
Even though Zeon appeared ordinary, he was actually a terrifying Awakened.
He had eliminated Goran, the ruler of Sinchon, in an instant, and easily defeated even the Northern District’s special operations unit.
Estimated rank: B-class.
And that was a conservative estimate.
Maybe A-class… or even higher…
Levin needed an umbrella to protect him from the storm of the world.
A large, wide umbrella.
The man he saw as that umbrella answered,
“If you’re staying too, the house will be too small. I guess I’ll have to buy the place next door and expand.”