It was hailed as the Absolute Chaos Epitome. By name alone, it sounded like a technique of immense power.

 

Yet, to my eyes, it appeared no more than a deviant exposing her sensual body with both hands joined, without a hint of hesitation.

 

Frankly, this situation was somewhat amusing...

 

“Uh.”

 

In such a serious moment, I couldn’t let a laugh slip.

 

I tensed my face as much as possible. Seeing this, Kirieon burst into laughter, thoroughly amused.

 

“You’re tense. As expected, you’re inexperienced. Your expression is practically screaming to the neighborhood that you’re nervous.”

 

Kirieon, in high spirits, continued.

 

“The pinnacle of Yin Energy, the Absolute Chaos Epitome, is the embodiment of a life-and-death situation in the form of a spear. Yin signifies the aura of death. Hence, the zenith of Yin Energy is synonymous with a lethal move.”

 

I see.

 

Though I didn’t quite grasp it, it sounded like a dangerous technique.

 

However, my gaze kept following something swaying.

 

It was an involuntary reaction as a man. So, I tensed my face even more. But Kirieon merely smiled at my expression.

 

“Haha, I can see the fear in your face. Yet, you still plan to stand against me? Would you really put your life in such grave danger just to protect mere criminals?”

 

I couldn’t respond to that question.

 

I felt like I might burst out laughing if I opened my mouth.

 

“To think you’re so scared, you can’t even speak, yet you choose to fight me. Ha, hahaha. Where do such insane people come from?”

 

Kirieon glanced at the ceiling for a moment and then muttered.

 

“Indeed, someone like you can only be taught this way. The Absolute Chaos Epitome.”

 

Kirieon made a motion as if throwing a spear, and I pretended to be hit.

 

“Arghh, ahhhhhh!”

 

And I let out a spirited scream.

 

I had no choice but to act.

 

Based on my guess, Kirieon wouldn’t use physical techniques against a strong opponent.

 

But if she realized that spiritual powers were ineffective, she would resort to physical means.

 

Kirieon watched my act of agony, then casually waved her hand, slicing the fleeing researchers and the corridor in half.

 

Naturally, chunks of concrete fell from the bisected ceiling.

 

My prediction was spot on.

 

Kirieon’s pattern seemed to be as follows: against the strong, she would use techniques that directly impacted the soul with minimal physical harm; against those with weak spiritual powers, she would deal physical blows to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

 

I had to keep pretending to be strong so Kirieon wouldn’t use her physical attack techniques.

 

However, if I acted like they had no effect on me at all, she’d surely catch on to something odd about me.

 

So, I had to pull off a Hollywood-style performance.

 

Facing techniques that could slice a corridor in half or triple its size would likely spell disaster just from the aftermath alone.

 

Pretending to be in pain, I glanced at Black Sheath.

 

Actually, if Black Sheath's abilities were real, there might be a chance to block even the aftermath.

 

“Yeah, it hurts incredibly, doesn’t it? Being pierced by a spear close to the ultimate Yin, penetrating the soul, it must be hundreds of times more painful than a mere physical penetration. That pain is the very truth of this world.”

 

Kirieon spoke with a mocking tone. No, to be precise, it was more like she was ruminating on something.

 

I looked up at Kirieon and said,

 

“That seems a bit different from the truth I believe in.”

 

The truth I’d like to believe in is that there are no ghosts in this world. And since I’m not in any pain, I can’t acknowledge pain as the truth of this world.

 

“What a fool.”

 

Kirieon’s expression now looked almost like she was crying.

 

“Die believing in your falsehoods as truths. Yang Energy, Scarlet World.”

 

And so, Kirieon’s nude acrobatic show unfolded once again.

 

The swaying, the serious expression, the softness, the earnest movements.

 

Bounce, bounce?!!!

 

My eyes just couldn’t help but follow.

 

“Ugh.”

 

So, I had no choice but to pour all my strength back into my face. I might as well bite down on my lips.

 

I must endure!!!

 

 

Kirieon gazed at the man before her, a fool standing up to an overwhelming adversary to protect the criminals behind him.

 

Seeing in him a reflection of her former self, Kirieon couldn’t suppress her rage.

 

How many attacks had she unleashed? Even though she wasn’t fully recovered, it was enough to exhaust Kirieon.

 

The man couldn’t possibly be unharmed after such an onslaught.

 

His expression was grotesquely twisted from enduring the pain, his lips bitten so fiercely that blood pooled at the corners of his mouth.

 

“Why go to such lengths!!!”

 

Kirieon gathered her strength once more.

 

To kill. She didn’t want to kill, yet she resolved to do so.

 

But she hadn’t decided whom she wanted to kill.

 

With that, Kirieon prepared to end it, forming a hand seal.

 

“Yin-Yang Energy. Heaven’s Command.”

 

Humans are born with a bright soul, yet as beings destined to die, they also possess the energy of Yin. Most live utilizing only their Yang energy, unaware of how to control the Yin within.

 

Heaven’s Command was developed for this reason. By coming into close contact with the opponent, it connects with their Yin energy, causing it to surge uncontrollably within them.

 

Kirieon naturally closed the distance between herself and the man, activating Heaven’s Command.

 

There were only two possible outcomes now: either the man would die, or he would seize the opportunity to kill Kirieon.

 

Kirieon was indifferent to either conclusion. If the man died, she could kill her past self along with him. If the man killed her, it would be her broken self that died.

 

Yet, the man simply turned his face away and pushed Kirieon, taking no further action.

 

“With your skill, you could have killed me while I was vulnerable from using Heaven’s Command. Why didn’t you kill me?”

 

The man, evidently in pain from Heaven’s Command, adopted an awkward stance, clutching at his waist. He murmured in a faint voice,

 

“Because I promised to save you.”

 

In truth, the man had been too flustered to react because a suddenly naked woman had pressed herself against him.

 

But he couldn’t just admit to such a reason. So, he made up something more plausible.

 

Kirieon, however, was oblivious to this fact.

 

Upon hearing his response, Kirieon simply bowed her head and then seemed to lose strength in her legs, collapsing and trembling on the ground.

 

“What a fool. An idiot, just like me, a complete moron... Ah, aah.”

 

While lying down, she raised her hand and repeatedly slammed it into the floor.

 

 

Each strike caused cracks in the floor and made the ceiling lights flicker.

 

“Why does someone I don’t want to kill, yet feel an urge to destroy, appear before me like you...!”

 

 

Kirieon screamed out in anguish.

 

“Why does someone I don’t want to kill, yet feel an urge to destroy, appear before me like you...!”

 

Kirieon was having a meltdown, crying and ranting. But this was no ordinary tantrum. It was an earthquake-level outburst.

 

The artificial earthquake continued until the wall next to us cracked open, spewing a giant chunk of concrete towards the man.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

I thought, and instinctively used Black Sheath to block it.

 

 

The concrete chunk that should have hit me square in the face just dropped to the floor after touching Black Sheath.

 

Is this the power of Black Sheath? It might be a better item than I thought.

 

Ignoring Kirieon’s breakdown, I turned to the captured people and urged them.

 

“Everyone, get up and run! Take that elevator!”

 

“Thank you, thank you.”

 

“You blocked all those terrifying attacks for us.”

 

“Thank you...!”

 

Fortunately, Kirieon was too busy crying and ranting to attack the fleeing people.

 

After ensuring the last person had taken the elevator, I headed to where the puppy was held captive.

 

The lab was in a horrific state.

 

The mother, seemingly lifeless, wasn’t moving, and what appeared to be her puppy, oblivious to her death, kept licking her wounds.

 

“Mew, mew.”

 

As the puppy looked up at me, I was at a loss for words and bowed my head.

 

“There’s some crazy woman tearing this building down. Let’s get out of here first.”

 

“Mew! Mew!”

 

I placed the mother’s body in a duffel bag I used for delivery gigs, and then gently put the puppy beside it. The puppy just kept licking its mother, oblivious to everything else.

 

It seemed like I had done all there was to do in this lab.

 

What was I holding onto now?

 

A gem called the Ultimate Yin and the box to seal it in, Black Sheath, the spirit orb that felt somewhat regrettable to return to the director at the headquarters last time, similar to that coveted keyboard.

 

And the puppy I had rescued from the abusive researcher.

 

There was nothing else to take. It was time to escape this hellish lab.

 

As I walked through the corridor and took the elevator, Kirieon remained curled up in a corner, sobbing, doing nothing else.

 

“...”

 

She was a monster capable of causing earthquakes just by whimpering, so I figured she’d find her own way out.

 

I left Kirieon behind and pressed the elevator button.

 

Reaching the ground floor, I was greeted by fresh air and unpleasant humans.

 

The sight of these displeasing thugs, just by their faces, soured my mood.

 

They had the people I had saved kneeling before them, glaring at me with menacing eyes.

 

“Is this the guy who raided the lab?”

 

“Master Cheonsu ordered us to bring the person who has the Black Sheath alive. Just break his limbs, that should suffice.”

 

“I can’t stand it unless I mess up that annoying face too.”

 

“But Master Cheonsu said—”

 

“Shut it. I make the calls on the scene.”

 

The suits these thugs were wearing gave them away.

 

They were underlings of Cheonsu.

 

Why were Cheonsu’s men here?

 

Were these bad guys networking or something?

 

One of the larger thugs cracked his neck and addressed me.

 

“Hey, you, the pretty boy there, you know what’s going on?”

 

“What are you on about, punk?”

 

“I was a rising disciple in the Qigong Sect. I would have been a master if it hadn’t been for getting involved with that prostitute.”

 

Oh, is that so? I picked up Black Sheath.

 

The thug with a background in the Qigong Sect said,

 

“If that whore hadn’t run off with a gigolo like you, I might have... Ah, forget it. It’s done. I’ve settled my debts by killing them both.”

 

“Got a big mouth, don’t you? Are we doing this or what?”

 

But the problem was the sheer number of opponents. I wasn’t planning on getting involved just yet, but if those dozens of people were to grab some tools, it would become quite a hassle to deal with them.

 

To me, thugs are scarier than ghosts.

 

“Anyway, indulge my hobby a bit. I’d love to give your face a little makeover.”

 

“You crazy bastard.”

 

The plan was to knock one out with a sincere punch first.

 

Then, think about what to do next.

 

Lately, it seems like I’ve been finding myself in these group fight situations quite often.

 

“You’re young and immature. Even in such a situation, you hesitate to kill. With your skills, you could have easily killed them all by now. To think you’re holding mercy in your hands in this situation. You keep making me worry, no, you keep catching my eye.”

 

Just then, I heard a voice from behind me.

 

It was Kirieon’s voice. This crazy woman. When did she get out of the lab?

 

But our Qigong Sect thug didn’t recognize Kirieon.

 

He could act this way because he didn’t know she was a monster capable of causing earthquakes just by thrashing around.

 

“And who is this woman? Hey, go kneel over there if you don’t want a taste of my Qigong.”

 

“Qigong?”

 

“Yes. You’re not unaware of the Qigong Sect’s Yang Energy Qigong, are you? The life force dormant in the soul...”

 

Hearing this, Kirieon smiled slyly.

 

“Qigong? Sure. Show me your Qigong then.”

 

“This crazy bitch. Master Cheonsu said it’s okay to kill a few. Dieeee!”

 

With that, the man shouted and threw a punch.

 

But that punch never reached Kirieon.

 

It was the man’s upper body that flew off first.

 

Even more astonishing was that it wasn’t just the punching man’s upper body that flew off, but the upper bodies of all the men, except for those who were kneeling, had flown off.

 

“How pathetic. This is how you use Qigong. You gather all the energy of the world and concentrate it into one point. You then use that point to create a line or a plane. What kind of Qigong are you practicing without even knowing about world concentration... Ah, why am I even bothering to lecture someone who isn’t even my disciple?”

 

Kirieon looked at the man floundering with half his body gone and laughed.

 

“Ahaha. It’s refreshing to kill indeed. I want to kill more, much more.”

 

“Kirieon.”

 

“Man. Tell me your name.”

 

Kirieon, with a laugh, raised her hand towards those kneeling.

 

If I resist, she’ll likely unleash something on them immediately, won’t she?

 

This crazy woman.

 

“My name is Yoo Hajin.”

 

“You really resemble me a lot. Even more than my own parents. That’s why I took a liking to you.”

 

I don’t see any resemblance at all.

 

For starters, we’re of different genders.

 

But faced with Kirieon’s earnest expression, I couldn’t bring myself to voice such thoughts.

 

“Have you considered becoming my disciple?”

 

“If I say I haven’t thought about it, will you perhaps...?”

 

“I knew you’d say that. I would have said the same in my younger days. To give up the chance to reach the pinnacle of Qigong, you really are... Ha, Haha. Hahaha. Oh, how adorable.”

 

Upon hearing this, Kirieon gestured in the air, and suddenly, a small book-like object appeared as if summoned.

 

She then threw the book at me.

 

“This is the introductory manual to my Secret Energy Qigong. My disciples betrayed me, coveting this secret.”

 

“That’s unfortunate, isn’t it...?”

 

“Once you master this introduction, you’ll be clamoring to become my disciple. I will show you the right path, so you don’t end up broken like me. Look forward to that time. Until we meet again, you naive and adorable child.”

 

After finishing her words, Kirieon simply jumped.

 

With just one leap, she soared to where the clouds were.

 

At this rate, she might even reach the moon.

 

“What a crazy monster.”

 

I couldn’t help but utter those words upon seeing her.

 

And as the tension eased, anger surged within me as well.

 

“Cheonsu, you bastard!!!”

 

She promised they’d be taken care of, didn’t she?!!

 

Then why are Cheonsu’s forces still perfectly intact??? I quickly opened KakaoTalk.