At the disaster site in Pakistan, where hundreds of homes had been buried by a landslide.
âDamnâ¦â
Telekinetic Hunters, who had been diligently clearing debris and dirt from the collapsed buildings, froze with expressions of shock. Hunters using search abilities, who had been straining to locate survivors, and those using spatial powers to create habitable conditions beneath the rubble, also halted their operations at once.
Volunteers rushing between temporary tents carrying victims on stretchers and healing Hunters treating the injured stopped in their tracks, and the gazes of the wounded, who had been lying in line waiting for treatment, collectively turned not toward the Healers but toward the sky beyond the tents.
Everythingâdebris from destroyed buildings, heaps of soil, massive rock formations, uprooted trees, and shattered construction materialsâhad suddenly floated into the air. The remnants of the collapsed mountain now hovered above, filling the sky and blocking out the sun.
The sight of an entire mountainside suspended in mid-air was not just shocking, it was awe-inspiring. Yet, despite causing this seemingly impossible phenomenon, Choi Kang-huâs expression was far from satisfied. Ryu Seo-ha, nestled in his arms as they gazed up at the sky, let out a soft sigh.
That's enough⦠Let's save the kissing for later, after we've finished the urgent tasks.
It was these words, uttered to stop Choi Kang-hu, who seemed as if he had found paradise in the form of Ryuâs lips, that led to the current scene.
The news from the U.S. quickly spread across disaster sites worldwide. Their actions, even crossing borders without formal permission using [Spatial Leap], had sufficient justification and went unchallenged.
The problem was Choi Kang-hu's increasing impatience. While it was commendable to handle tasks efficiently, it was as if he were racing forward like a runaway truck with no brakes.
âKang-hu, maybe you should slow down a littleâ¦â Ryu Seo-ha suggested.
âSlow down? If youâre lacking oxygen, I can provide it for you.â
And every time Ryu tried to say something, Choi would try to kiss him again. Ryu Seo-ha thought he had grown accustomed to Choi's out-of-context advances, but it seemed he still had a lot to learn.
[The skill âSanctificationâ is being cast.]
Knowing full well that once it started, Choi wouldnât easily stop, Ryu Seo-ha pretended not to hear him, expanding the range of his ability to cover the exposed disaster area.
[The designated targets (238 non-Awakened individuals) have been granted the buff âRegenerative Healing.â]
[The designated targets (91 non-Awakened individuals) have been granted the buff âStatus Ailment Removal.â]
He administered the necessary first aid to the survivors. From injuries to conditions like electric shock, suffocation, and dehydration, everything was taken care of through this broad and effective treatment.
His vast reserves of magic were rapidly depleted. Unlike before, his increased magic stat wasnât enough to recover as quickly. But soon, a familiar flow of magic entered through the hand he was holding.
He could sense Choi Kang-hu's magic blending seamlessly with his own, enough to prevent his magic from being completely drained.
âThank you,â Ryu Seo-ha said softly, smiling in gratitude. Choi Kang-hu returned the smile and tapped his own lips with his fingers, signaling what he wanted in return.
Ignoring the gesture, Ryu Seo-ha slowly surveyed the area that had been a disaster site moments ago but now lay barren, thanks to Choi Kang-huâs actions. Many Hunters had turned their attention toward them.
The debris that had once blocked the sky had vanished. As he had done at previous sites, Choi Kang-hu had likely stored the debris in his [Subspace] or moved it to an empty area.
âAre you not going to do it?â Choi Kang-hu asked again, lightly tapping his lips with his finger, bringing his handsome face dangerously close.
There was no way Ryu Seo-ha could kiss him with everyone watching.
â...Later,â he replied, shaking his head.
Despite the small refusal, Choi Kang-hu didnât move back, remaining close enough that their breaths mingled. The noise from the military helicopters preparing to land couldnât have drowned him out, so he must have been pretending not to hear.
âAre you worried about what others will think?â Choi Kang-hu asked.
âIf you're a socially aware person, of course, youâd be concerned about that,â Ryu Seo-ha replied, quickly shaking his head, afraid that Choi Kang-hu might threaten to gouge out the eyes of anyone watching them, as he had done in the past.
Just then, Choi Kang-hu narrowed his eyes. Ryu Seo-ha sensed someone approaching from the right but didnât need to turn to know who it was.
âSeo-ha.â
As expected, the unwelcome voice belonged to none other than S-rank spatial Hunter Jung Woo-bin, who had volunteered to join the relief effort.
âYou keep overexerting yourself. What if you cough up blood againâ¦â Jung Woo-bin began, his voice filled with concern.
âIsn't Namibia the last stop for disaster relief?â Ryu Seo-ha cut him off, ignoring Jung Woo-binâs worries and directing his question at Choi Kang-hu instead.
ââ¦Seo-ha,â Jung Woo-bin called again, his voice growing more desperate.
âDo we need to meet with the government officials this time?â Ryu Seo-ha asked, continuing to disregard Jung Woo-bin.
Choi Kang-hu shook his head slightly in response, then gestured toward the government officials waiting in one of the tents set up at the disaster site.
In the past, Choi Kang-hu would have used [Spatial Leap] the moment anyone irritated him or when the job was done. But now, he was making an effort to confirm Ryu Seo-ha's wishes first.
âWe donât need to meet with every world leader,â Ryu Seo-ha said with a smile, echoing Choi Kang-huâs own words from before.
At that, Choi Kang-huâs previously tense expression softened. Jung Woo-bin's frustrated voice, meanwhile, faded into the background as if it were mere noise.
âIf you're uncomfortable, we can still meet with them,â Choi Kang-hu offered.
âI haven't received a formal request, so we should be fine,â Ryu Seo-ha reassured him. Since they hadnât gone through the official entry procedures anyway, disappearing without a word wouldnât raise any alarms.@@novelbin@@
âWhy do you keep ignoring me? Whyâ¦?â Jung Woo-bin finally demanded, unable to hold back any longer.
âShall we move on to the next country?â Ryu Seo-ha asked.
Despite Jung Woo-binâs pleas, Ryu Seo-ha continued to ignore him, sticking to his promise not to engage with anyone without Choi Kang-hu's explicit permission.
The freedom of abandoning his former persona of courteousness felt unexpectedly refreshing. Not long ago, he wouldnât have dared to imagine himself openly ignoring someone like this. It was a strange, liberating feeling.
âHow could you treat me like this, Seo-ha? Howâ¦?â
Jung Woo-bin's face twisted with anger, and before anyone could react, he lunged at Ryu Seo-ha, teeth bared as if to bite his neck.
[The designated target (1 S-rank Awakened) has been inflicted with âParalysis.â]
Jung Woo-bin's sudden movement froze mid-action, his face contorting grotesquely. His irises, now splotchy with dark spots, and his rapidly constricting pupils, combined with the bluish veins standing out on his skin, made him look⦠deranged.
âYou're supposed to accept me⦠You, at leastâ¦â
His words, choked with desperation, trembled as he spoke, but it was clear he wasnât in his right mind.
âKang-hu,â Ryu Seo-ha called softly, looking up for permission.
Choi Kang-hu, who had been holding him close with magic radiating in all directions, gave a nod, signaling that Ryu Seo-ha could do as he wished.
[The designated target (1 S-rank Awakened) has been granted the buff âRegenerative Healing.â]
[The designated target (1 S-rank Awakened) has been granted the buff âStatus Ailment Removal.â]
[The designated target (1 S-rank Awakened) has been granted the buff âDetoxification.â]
With the help of the magic flowing from Choi Kang-huâs hand, Ryu Seo-ha poured a series of buffs into Jung Woo-bin. The amplified effects indirectly confirmed just how serious his condition was.
Like it or not, Jung Woo-bin was one of South Koreaâs key S-rank Hunters. Letting him remain in this state wasnât an option. The country still needed his strength.
Moreover, they had questions for him. Jung Woo-bin displayed symptoms similar to those seen in the early stages of a new disease that would later be dubbed the "Puppet Virus," which the cult would use to usher in their next catastrophe.