Chapter 30

Rio was not someone who should have died like this.

He was the most crucial figure in the hunt for Deioden.

His long-range sniping ability was absolute, which was why even the mayor of Neo Seoul had reluctantly assigned him. And yet, they had lost him before the real battle had even begun.

Jang Yong-beom glared at Deioden.

Deioden stood in the middle of the desert, smiling.

There wasn't a single trace on his body showing he had been hit by a bullet.

Even anti-Awakened rounds enhanced with magic hadn't left so much as a scratch.

"Yeah! This is more like it. Only then is the hunt worth enjoying."

Besides Jang Yong-beom's party, seven other parties had joined.

All of them were highly experienced in hunting Awakened.

There were no S-class strategic weapons among them, but many A- and B-class Awakened were present.

Both Neo Seoul and the slums were filled with countless Awakened parties.

They usually searched for dangerous dungeons around Neo Seoul and cleared them.

But some didn't hunt demonic beasts—they hunted other Awakened.

It was far easier and more profitable.

They usually avoided crossing paths with each other.

They knew each other too well.

The fact that they had gathered for this mission meant the reward was enormous.

The mayor of Neo Seoul personally issuing the request was reason enough to participate.

"We're the ones taking him down."

"Heh! Finally, we get to rip the Butcher's throat out!"

The Awakened riding the other buggies burned with fighting spirit.

They had heard countless legends about Deioden.

The Butcher.

The Madman of the Desert.

A Living Calamity.

There were endless titles describing him.

The problem was—all of them were negative.

And yet, instead of shrinking back, they grew excited.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hunt the legendary Deioden.

Whoever killed him would claim all the glory—and become a new legend.

"We need to get there first. Step on it!"

"Don't let anyone else take him!"

The buggies carrying the Awakened sped forward in a frenzy.

"Those idiots…"

Jang Yong-beom frowned as he watched them.

Even working together, they might not stand a chance—and yet things were already turning into chaos from the start.

It was a bad sign.

Aiden spoke up,

"Boss, let's fall back a bit."

"Damn it!"

"We need to stay calm."

Aiden was the brains of Jang Yong-beom's party.

It was thanks to him that they had even found Deioden in this vast desert.

Without him, they would still be wandering aimlessly.

Jang Yong-beom nodded.

"Alright! We fall to the rear."

"Yes."

Aiden slowed down the buggy slightly.

The others overtook them in an instant.

Those buggies quickly closed the distance with Deioden.

"Old man! Hand over your life!"

An Awakened from the lead buggy leapt toward Deioden.

In his hands was a massive axe.

A powerful aura surged from it.

As he swung, an axe-shaped wave of aura shot toward Deioden.

He was confident this single strike would inflict serious damage.

Deioden was empty-handed.

There was no way to block that attack without a weapon.

Then—

Deioden swung his bare fist.

Boom!

In an instant, the aura attack was completely erased.

"What the—?!"

The charging Awakened widened his eyes.

Deioden, who had erased his attack, had vanished from sight.

The next moment—

Deioden appeared right in front of him.

Like a blink, he had crossed the distance in less than an instant.

Grab!

Deioden's large hand wrapped around the man's face.

"Ghk—!"

The Awakened tried to swing his axe at Deioden's torso.

But Deioden's grip tightened far faster.

Crack!

The Awakened's head shattered like a biscuit.

Blood and brain matter spilled between Deioden's fingers.

"Heh… are you the ones sent by Jin Geum-ho?"

Jin Geum-ho was the mayor of Neo Seoul.

Like Deioden, he was a living giant who had survived the age of upheaval.

He had played a major role in building Neo Seoul and had become its ruler.

He was the ultimate authority at the top of the city.

Once, he had been Deioden's comrade—a companion who walked the same path.

But a hundred years had driven them apart.

Now, they were worse than enemies.

"Shut up, you monster!"

"Full attack!"

The Awakened leapt from their buggies and launched a full assault.

Rumble!

Their skills tore through the desert sand.

But by the time their attacks landed—

Deioden was no longer there.

He reappeared in the middle of their ranks.

Crunch!

With a single punch, the head of a B-class Awakened exploded.

The next victim was a female Awakened who used magic.

She didn't even get the chance to use her signature skill, Flame Wind.

The last thing she saw—

was Deioden's eyes, filled with madness.

"Ah, no—!"

Boom!

In that instant, her torso exploded.

"Gaaah!"

"D-don't panic—!"

"Argh!"

Screams and panicked voices echoed across the desert sky.

'This won't work!'

At that moment, an Awakened named Noh Ji-gwang stepped forward.

"Flame Lance."

Several spears of fire appeared in midair.

With a wave of his hand, the flaming spears shot toward Deioden.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With a thunderous explosion, Deioden was engulfed in flames.

Not missing the opportunity, the other Awakened unleashed their skills all at once.

The martial types charged in with blazing aura, while the magic users bombarded from a distance.

Fire and sand filled the desert.

Someone swallowed nervously and muttered,

"That should be enough to kill him… right?"

Then—

Swoooosh!

A chilling tearing sound suddenly rang out.

Startled, they turned around—

A massive greatsword was flying toward them from afar.

It was Crayon, the weapon Deioden had thrown earlier.

Spinning violently, Crayon swept through the Awakened.

Slash! Crunch!

"Argh!"

"Save me!"

Everything caught in its path was cut apart.

Awakened—
Weapons—
Nothing was spared.

Rank meant nothing.

A-class, B-class, C-class—it made no difference.

All were torn to pieces equally.

In an instant, half of the assault force was wiped out.

"Oh my God…"

"T-this is the… Butcher?"

The faces of the surviving Awakened turned pale.

After slaughtering them, Crayon returned neatly to Deioden's hand.

Despite their desperate assault, he stood there completely unharmed.

"Ha… ha… ha…"

Deioden's mad laughter sent chills down their spines.

Only now did they understand why he was called a living calamity… and a butcher.

He was strong.

Not just strong—

Terrifyingly strong.

Measuring him by rank was meaningless.

Only now did they realize why no S-class Awakened had been included in this operation.

Even an S-class could not guarantee survival against him.

The mayor of Neo Seoul must have already known this mission was more likely to fail than succeed.

"Then why send us?"

"Damn that bastard mayor!"

They cursed Jin Geum-ho, the one who had commissioned the mission.

Deioden didn't even spare the disorganized force a glance.

Instead, he spoke,

"Did you see?"

"At least my eyes aren't useless—even if you call me an idiot."

The one who answered bluntly was Zeon.

"They're all big shots in Neo Seoul."

"So what?"

"With your skills, you'd be treated at least as well as them in Neo Seoul."

"So what?"

"This is your last chance to go back. Idiot."

"So what?"

"If you follow me, you'll never return to a normal life again. If you want to go back, go now. This is your last chance."

"A normal life?"

"Yes. A life like everyone else's."

"Are you kidding me?"

"What?"

"You think I can live a normal life now? Don't talk nonsense, you damn old bastard!"

From the moment he met Deioden—no, from the moment he awakened as a sand wielder—

a normal life had no place for Zeon.

His heart was filled with the desire to grow stronger.

How could he possibly return to Neo Seoul and live like them?

Even if he went back, he would either become a tool of the powerful… or be dissected piece by piece.

To him, returning to Neo Seoul was no different from death.

Deioden laughed.

"Heh… heh. Looks like the idiot's brain finally broke too. Congratulations—you've become a true idiot."

"Wow, thanks. That means a lot."

Zeon raised his middle finger at Deioden.

"Heh!"

Laughing, Deioden charged into the remaining Awakened.

They couldn't stop him even when he was barehanded—

there was no chance now that he held Crayon.

He was a lion among sheep.

Crunch!

With every swing of Crayon, Awakened bodies snapped, tore apart, and were crushed.

In an instant, the desert was dyed red with their blood.

"What the hell… how is that human?"

"We should fall back. Before we become his target."

Jang Yong-beom's party, which had stayed back out of unease, narrowly avoided becoming part of Deioden's slaughter.

Even Mountain—who feared nothing thanks to his massive build and strength—had turned pale.

Aiden and Giselle looked no better.

Jang Yong-beom stared at Deioden in disbelief.

"You expect us to hunt that? The mayor's completely lost his mind."

He had heard plenty about Deioden—but this was his first time seeing him in person.

Jang Yong-beom was an A-class Awakened.

He feared no one in Neo Seoul.

An S-class might make him cautious—but not to the point of despair.

If he was prepared to risk his life, he believed he could fight.

But against Deioden—who was slaughtering Awakened before his eyes—

he couldn't even muster the will to try.

Even from this distance, goosebumps rose along his arms.

He had never felt anything like this before.

Giselle spoke urgently,

"Boss, at this rate we'll end up as the Butcher's prey too. Let's get out of here."

Her face was filled with urgency.

The distance between them and Deioden was about two kilometers.

Far—yet meaningless against someone like him.

If he chose, he could appear here in the blink of an eye.

Jang Yong-beom spoke,

"We're heading back to Neo Seoul. And we never take another job connected to the mayor again."

"Understood."

"Let's go. Now."

Aiden quickly turned the wheel.

The buggy sped away from Deioden.

But Jang Yong-beom couldn't take his eyes off the battlefield.

His gaze drifted—

to a hooded figure standing behind Deioden.

It was too far away, and the hood concealed their face.

'Who is that? If they're traveling with Deioden… they're definitely no ordinary person.'