A cramped room, no windows.
In such a place, Se-Hoon and Meirin found themselves avoiding each other’s gaze awkwardly. Whenever their eyes accidentally met, they both flinched and quickly looked away.
But as time passed, they gradually grew accustomed to each other’s presence.
And with their hearts pounding like broken machines, they drew closer and closer until....
Of course, that never happened.
In the first place, while both appeared to be in their early to mid-twenties, they were far too mature for such a thing. As a regressor, Se-Hoon was much older mentally, and Meirin simply was older.
Sharing a room—especially when it wasn’t even the same bed—was hardly enough to make their hearts beat erratically. And even if it was, both of them were skilled enough in the Blood Arts to fix it in an instant.
As a result, they both spent the night either sleeping until dawn or just staring at their phones, completely avoiding the incidents their neighboring hotel’s guests might have worried about.
That didn’t mean nothing changed between them, though. Meirin, in particular, had been feeling a strange sense of discord that she couldn’t shake off.
“Go grab some coffee?”
Before she could even finish her sentence, Se-Hoon had already stepped into a cafe.
He returned a moment later with two cups of coffee, holding them out to her. “Which one do you want—regular or extra shot?”
“Ah... I figured you might want something stronger before work. You can just pick whichever you like.”
“...Then I’ll take the extra shot.”
“Got it. I also got some dessert. I thought it would be too bitter without some.”
Meirin took the coffee and dessert, perching herself on a railing before nibbling on the treat.
Settling down beside her, Se-Hoon started explaining their next steps. “I checked the path from the warehouse where the special forces fought to the final location where the target was found. It looks like the suspect might’ve gone into an underground facility built during the war...”
His briefing flowed smoothly—neither too fast nor too slow.
Sipping her coffee, Meirin glanced at him with a peculiar expression.
She had been sensing that Se-Hoon’s behavior was odd ever since they started living together at the hotel, and now the feeling was even clearer. She had been thinking it was just awkwardness, but now she finally understood exactly what had felt so strange.
It’s way too comfortable.
Whenever she needed something, it was already prepared, as though he had known in advance. He even avoided overstepping and anything bothersome. She couldn’t help but feel like she was living with a long-time roommate—or, more accurately, a well-trained assistant.
Yet that made Meirin’s expression grow complicated. While it was certainly better than not being in sync, at such a level, it naturally raised her suspicion.
Thinking back... he’s been since the first time we met. Don’t tell me he’s been investigating me behind my back...
She thought his sudden recruitment offer made sense now. Perhaps he had been studying her for a long time, waiting for the right moment to approach. Or could it be...
Debating between suspicion, interest, and pragmatism, Meirin was deep in thought when Se-Hoon suddenly called out to her.
“We should start moving.”
Seeing Se-Hoon casting a glance around, Meirin followed his gaze.
The early morning streets were mostly dark, save for streetlights and a few illuminated buildings. Hardly anyone was around, yet faint presences and watchful eyes could be felt in the distance.
“It feels like I’ve suddenly become a guide.”
“Should I chase them off? Or... should we go for a hunt?”
“Hmm... The latter sounds better.”
If the two of them approached alone, their target would be cautious and react carefully. But if dozens of high-ranking heroes followed and surrounded their target like a pack closing in on prey, it would be impossible for them to remain unfazed.
Preparing, Meirin downed the rest of her now lukewarm coffee, lit a cigarette, and exhaled a thin trail of smoke.
Together, they made their way toward the warehouse on the outskirts of the city, where a special forces operative had been killed. Not long later, the silhouettes of soldiers controlling the area came into view.
“This area is restricted—”
“Shh. Just pretend you didn’t see anything.”
Following their order from those above, the soldiers all immediately averted their gazes as if nothing had happened.
Having slipped into the warehouse without a hitch like ghosts, the two gazed at the interior of the warehouse. From the outside, it looked perfectly intact. But from within, a completely different story could be seen. Cracked pillars, shattered floors, melted surfaces—a disaster zone. But what was most striking of all were the splatters of dried, dark red blood staining the ceiling, walls, and floor. There was so much the entire warehouse looked rusted over.
“The target must’ve fought on purpose.”
“Most likely. If he wasn’t in control of his power, the whole place would’ve been blown to bits.”
The remains were a blatant display of power and brutality. While the bodies had long been cleared away, the signs were enough to give them an idea of their gruesome state, making Se-Hoon narrow his eyes.
This guy’s smarter than I expected.
The culprit, Nicholas, had gained S-rank strength thanks to the Golden Origin Armor. But that didn’t mean he had an undead-like body that never tired.
For him, minimizing the number of battles was crucial. For that end, he had left behind such a brutal display as a clear warning—an intimidation tactic to make future opponents hesitate.
It’s a good choice... but the timing unfortunately sucks.
Sure, such intimidation would likely have worked before, ensuring that only a few would come for him. But not now. The recent Black Tower Incident had made all factions desperate for power, and more importantly—thanks to an Eternal Nocturne’s Blessing—resurrection had become possible.
There was still skepticism since no one had revived after that one day, but regardless, people had undoubtedly become bolder than before.
“How should we start the investigation?”
“I’ll handle it. You just stay put.”
Waving him off, Meirin extended her right hand and the blood in her palm sharpened into a blade.
Having cut into her own hand, she let blood trickle down. But instead of pooling, the crimson liquid slithered across the floor, walls, and ceiling like a spreading spiderweb. And the moment her blood merged with the bloodstains in the warehouse—
Demonic Blood Art: Resentful Blood
The dried, blackish-red stains all flowed toward her hand like a river reversing course. In an instant, a massive blood orb formed. Seeing it, Meirin flicked her half-burned cigarette into it.
The orb immediately trembled violently, sending small bubbles to the surface. Then, with a faint glow, it began moving with eerie, lifelike fluidity.
The blood orb rippled like a living slime, and Se-Hoon’s lips curled into a smile.
Resentful Blood, huh? It’s been a while since I’ve seen this.
Resentful Blood was a skill that created a familiar by fusing one’s blood with that of another. It was primarily used for tracking rather than combat, just as Meirin had frequently done when she had been his master.
It’s a little different from back then, though.
The Resentful Blood Se-Hoon remembered had taken on a more humanoid form, unlike the current slime-like state it remained in, refusing to change any further. Though, perhaps that was because, unlike back then, Meirin had yet to fully develop her Soul Honing.
“...You don’t seem too pleased with it.”
Meirin shot him a glance, noticing the subtle disappointment in his reaction. Normally, she wouldn’t have cared about how others reacted, but for some reason, Se-Hoon was an exception. She couldn’t just brush it off.
“Huh? Oh, no, not at all.”
Realizing she wouldn’t let it go, Se-Hoon hesitated before choosing the safest answer.
“It’s just... a lot cuter than I expected.”
The humanoid shape he remembered had had a certain cool factor. But now, it was just a blob of slime, which felt strange to him.
Meirin silently stared at the familiar. Then, crouching in front of it, she began kneading it between her hands.
The blob changed shape, now with a row of spikes down its center like a mohawk. But while the spikes did look sharp, the overall design clashed oddly with the intended aesthetic—leaving Se-Hoon conflicted.
“It looks... way cooler!”
Belatedly realizing how disappointed she’d be if he reacted poorly again, Se-Hoon quickly adjusted his expression and responded more enthusiastically.
Thankfully, it seemed it satisfied Meirin from how she gave a pleased nod.
“Then let’s get moving. Track.”
With a soft slithering sound, the familiar led the way out of the warehouse.
“W-What the hell is that creepy th—?”
Before the nearby soldier could finish his outburst, someone had quickly covered his mouth.
Se-Hoon paid them no mind, busy keeping an eye on the heroes trailing them.
More and more keep showing up.
At first, it was just a few, but many had sensed an opportunity and abandoned all pretense of hiding, openly lingering nearby instead. Under normal circumstances, he likely would’ve teleported away or summoned an Einherjar to drive them off.
Such a situation was actually ideal now, though.
The messier the battle, the easier it is to intervene.
If the Golden Origin Armor simply vanished or was destroyed in a secluded area, suspicion would immediately fall on him. But in a chaotic scenario, no one would bat an eye at a little misfortune.
As he was passing the time calculating his next move, the familiar came to a sudden stop.
“Looks like it’s in there.”
They had arrived at a run-down apartment complex. Trash littered the ground and weeds grew unchecked—clearly a place abandoned for a long time. In other words, it was the perfect place for a fugitive to hide.
Rushing past as soon as they halted, the group of heroes all crammed into the complex, followed closely even more.
“They’re all so eager.”
“Still feeling relaxed?”
At Se-Hoon’s remark, Meirin took out a cigarette and lit it with a calm expression.
“If he were that easy to catch, the client wouldn’t have hired me in the first place.”
Most of the requests Meirin received fell into two categories: those related to forging or highly troublesome tasks that were difficult to handle publicly.
With her experience, the swarm of heroes charging in ahead of them didn’t faze her, and she just nonchalantly smoked her cigarette.
Every building in the complex exploded simultaneously all of a sudden. Flames erupted as debris shot out in all directions. Reacting instantly, Meirin manipulated Resentful Blood, reshaping it into a vertical wedge-shaped barrier.
As the crimson wall deflected all of the incoming shrapnel, injured heroes stumbled out from the wreckage.
“Damn it.... What the hell just happened...?”
“Does anyone have healing skills? I’ll even pay for it, so just—”
Despite the ambush, most had avoided serious injury, having likely entered with some level of preparation.
Still behind the crimson wall, Se-Hoon and Meirin just silently observed the sight. And when one particular man being helped out of the ruins emerged, both their gazes immediately locked onto him.
Grabbing the spear of blood Meirin conjured, Se-Hoon immediately hurled it with a sharp flick of his wrist.
Surprised by the spear, the targeted duo split apart the moment it launched. However, Resentful Blood sensed the change and adjusted its trajectory in midair, veering straight toward the injured man.
Watching the blood spear closed in, the injured man—none other than Nicholas in disguise—bit his lip and channeled mana into the Golden Origin Armor.
A sickening sound of flesh being torn apart echoed through the air. Nicholas’s transformation unraveled as his muscles swelled, and he sent a single punch forward, shattering the incoming spear.
The sheer force of his strike left no doubt—he possessed power equivalent to an S-rank. Yet, despite successfully defending, his expression twisted in frustration.
He had revealed himself, meaning the high-ranking heroes who had been cautiously watching all immediately began moving.
Shit.... How the hell did they figure it out?
He had even altered his bone structure with his disguise, yet they’d still seen right through it? Suppressing an urge to curse, Nicholas quickly assessed the situation.
If I stay here, I’m dead.
He had wanted to avoid stepping into a losing battle, but there was no choice now. Without wasting time, his gaze flickered toward his ally—a lackey from the Demon Force. Upon meeting eyes, a silent understanding passed between them.
They’re about to try something.
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Meirin quickly reshaped the remaining Resentful Blood.
But at that moment, an incantation came from somewhere unseen and the Resentful Blood abruptly dissolved.
Meirin’s eyes widened at the unexpected interference.
At the same time, space itself warped just above Nicholas. And from within, two figures emerged—Sung-Ha and Amir—both lunging straight for the stunned Nicholas.
Shadow Ring: Resonance
Frost Alchemy: Ice Jade
Before he could even react, Nicholas felt his body contort and his mana twist. And in the split-second opening, while Nicholas was coughing up blood, his entire being froze solid.
It had been such a sudden turn of events, leaving everyone else just staring in surprise.
That was when, from above, a figure descended gracefully: Luize.
Landing lightly before Se-Hoon and Meirin, she turned her gaze to Meirin.
She wore the most savage smile she had ever worn yet.