Instant Kill, Time-Stop Spellcaster

[World Quest]

[Time Limit: 2 days, 8 hours, 45 minutes]

The countdown continued to tick down.

Governments around the world reassured their citizens day after day.

A world quest that signaled a global crisis.

Yet, thanks to the successful propaganda of each nation, widespread chaos was avoided.

Of course, there were exceptions.

Countries with weak administrative power or low public trust in their awakened forces faced riots.

But the GSA swiftly intervened and suppressed them.

This showcased international solidarity, reinforcing the narrative that the world was safe from the World Quest.

‘Their response isn’t bad, all things considered.’

However, the atmosphere was too relaxed.

And the driving force behind resistance wasn’t ‘survival’ but ‘profit’—a fundamental flaw.

Even the GSA’s swift response was merely an act to maintain the influence of the permanent member states.

‘With this level of preparedness, they won’t survive a real war.’

The Black World Tree was a monstrous entity beyond imagination.

Only by uniting completely could resistance be possible.

That was why Kang Hyun wasn’t just focusing on clearing the World Quest but looking even further ahead.

‘Now is not the time to be fixated on setting up blessings.’

Kang Hyun had been steadily placing five blessings a day.

So far, he had installed twenty.

A painfully slow pace.

Especially with the countdown ticking down.

Yet, he wasn’t rushing.

He didn’t use the ‘Dried Divine Water Elixir’ or requisition F-rank mana potions from other countries.

If the existence of a mana recovery method was revealed?

It would provide critical information to the enemy.

As an important asset, Kang Hyun needed to control information.

Increasing the number of blessings immediately?

At the cost of exposing the mana recovery method?

‘What’s the point of that?’

Sure, fewer people might die in the short term.

But from a larger perspective, it was meaningless.

No war is fought without casualties.

The only goal is to minimize them as much as possible.

Even ending a war is ultimately about stopping the deaths of allies.

A more fundamental solution was needed.

A clue to approach an end to the war.

In the short term, a lead to clearing this World Quest.

‘I’ll wait for the countdown to end.’

Counterattacks begin with defense.

Push back a defeated enemy before charging forward.

Or strike an empty base while their forces are deployed.

The true opportunity arises when the enemy attacks.

Right now, the demons were in a probing phase.

Wasting energy and revealing one’s cards here would be foolish.

‘And maybe… letting Earth struggle a bit could actually be a good thing.’

Who knew what would happen when the countdown ended?

But if they endured it well…

If the world gained some much-needed awareness…

It could be beneficial in the long run.

Right now, humanity was not ready for war.

A shock was needed to break the long-standing peace.

Thus, rather than getting caught up in dungeon raids, now was the time to prepare for the next invasion.

“Still, that doesn’t mean I can just sit around doing nothing.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“I’m heading out.”

He grabbed the heavy [Kyle’s Dark Slayer].

It felt heavier than usual.

Because Aden was clinging to him like a koala.

“Let go.”

“C-Can’t you leave this behind?”

“Hugging a weapon brings bad luck. Let go.”

“But you can’t even use it!”

“Ugh.”

Inventory.

Poof. The stone sword disappeared.

Aden dropped to the floor.

“Ouch!”

“Take care of the house.”

“N-No! My Lord Kyle!”

Who said he was yours?

Kang Hyun donned his suit and vanished into the darkness.

###

Today’s Target.

Assemblyman Jo Hyun-seok.

A D+ rank Awakener who rose to power at a young age.

“Same rank as me, huh.”

I infiltrated his home.

He was typing away on his laptop.

I approached from behind.

But at that moment—

The “Heartbeat of the Prey” ring tightened around my finger.

“…!”

There had been no sound, no movement.

I quickly scanned the surroundings.

Yet no matter how hard I looked, the only one in the room was Jo Hyun-seok.

The ring’s ability: detection of murderous intent.

It moved on its own, directing my finger toward Jo Hyun-seok.

“…?”

What the hell?

I stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Hurk!”

Jo Hyun-seok immediately swung a fist.

I dodged with ease.

Slow—especially for a D+ rank.

Failing his attack, he staggered back.

“P-P-Phantom!”

He was terrified.

Understandable—Phantom was known as an S-rank.

But even though he was trembling, the ring kept tightening.

“What’s going on here?”

I glanced at his laptop.

The document he had been working on.

Jo Hyun-seok gulped but didn’t stop me.

“Let’s see… Villain Execution Bill. Phantom Suppression Act. GSA Appeal Speech.”

I scrolled down.

It seemed he was planning to involve foreign powers to hunt down Phantom.

Preparing for international public discourse through the GSA.

“Smart move.”

An S-rank villain was a global threat, after all.

Not that his plan would succeed.

Who do you think leaked his information to Phantom in the first place?

None other than the United States, the highest-ranking permanent member state.

“So that’s why the ring reacted. It detects murderous intent, not just killing intentions.”

In other words, this was a document written with the intent to kill Phantom.

Why? Was he afraid his own head was on the line?

No.

“Because he’s a traitor.”

The document said it all.

The one who proposed this plan was an advisor from the Abyss Legion.

The ultimate goal: Phantom’s execution.

After that, his corpse would be handed over to the demons.

Most likely for their S-rank skill research.

And Jo Hyun-seok was the one tasked with carrying it out.

“Unbelievable.”

I looked at the trembling fool.

“What did they promise you in exchange for selling out humanity like this?”

He swallowed hard.

Then, with newfound resolve, he spoke.

“I… already received it.”

“What?”

“Thanks for waiting.”

His eyes flipped back, his body convulsing.

Crack, crunch—

Chitin and spikes erupted all over him.

A grotesque fusion of a sea urchin and a conch.

“Ah, the same old story.”

So it had come to this.

Just like 100 years ago.

Fools blinded by petty power, selling out their own people.

Park Chul-woong had done the same.

“Graaahhh…! This power! It’s overwhelming!”

Phantom was an S-rank.

He wouldn’t expect to win.

This was his last, desperate struggle before death.

Or maybe an attempt to escape.

“Want me to tell you how this ends?”

“Huff… huff….”

“You probably thought it was just a temporary boost. But you can never turn back into a human now.”

“…What?”

You really trusted demons?

Park Chul-woong’s heart must have been toyed with in the same way.

Jo Hyun-seok flinched and tried something.

“W-Why isn’t it… reverting…?”

“In a day, you’ll feel an uncontrollable urge to kill humans. In a week, you’ll struggle to breathe on land.”

“No way!”

“You’ll either hunt humans in the ocean or cross the gate and join the Abyss.”

“How do you know that?!”

I drew my sword.

“Because I’ve seen countless fools like you.”

【Silence】, 【Blind】, 【Forget】.

Darkness spread across the room.

Ding!

[Skill has activated.]

Jo Hyun-seok lost sight of me.

I went straight for his throat.

Clang—

A metallic clash. An unpleasant sensation in my hands.

“Tch.”

“There you are!”

So, he was a durability type.

Annoying.

His spiked hands lashed out.

Fast—just barely dodgeable.

Even the shockwaves were powerful.

“About B-rank, huh.”

Oh? And specifically B-rank?

Back then, I couldn’t take on pure B-ranks in hand-to-hand combat.

But that was a 2v1.

“Let’s see…”

How would I fare now?

No 【Open】, no 【Die】—just pure skill.

“【Vera】.”

Clang, clang!

Even with 【Vera】, my strikes barely left a dent in his shell.

Meanwhile, Jo Hyun-seok?

His speed overwhelmed me without 【Gara】.

“Stronger than the last two.”

His stats weren’t just partially B-rank. They were all high.

His spiked hands tore through his own office.

Crash! Crack!

“You’re not S-rank!”

“Nope. D+.”

“Kuhaha! Then die!”

Drunk on power, he swung wildly.

Yet it was still dangerous.

His raw stats were overwhelming.

“Even so, your durability’s the only thing carrying you. The rest is underwhelming.”

Had it been the last two, maybe.

But a high-tier B-rank was still too much.

“See? This is power worth betraying humanity for!”

“Not really.”

What an arrogant bastard.

Should I just kill him?

…Damn, this is getting annoying.

How do I break through that shell?

“Ah.”

Maybe I should try that.

I leapt back to gain distance.

Good thing his house was spacious.

“Inventory.”

“HRAAH!”

Unlike the previous B-ranks, Jo Hyun-seok didn’t hesitate at the chant.

His stats were inflated, but his competence remained D+.

The inventory opened.

A crude stone sword materialized midair.

It dropped right between us.

[Kyle’s Dark Slayer]

[…The optimal weapon for Dark Swordsmanship.]

Still too heavy to wield properly.

But it listened to commands perfectly.

“【Gara】.”

The falling sword halted—

Then shot toward Jo Hyun-seok like a living thing.

And—

“【Vera】.”

A sharp aura enveloped the crude stone blade.

“A mere sword—!”

Crunch!

The blade pierced his defense like tofu.

A completely different result from my usual blade.

“…Huh?”

“【Ignite.】”

Fwoosh.

The moment flames danced on the sword’s surface—

Whoosh!

A burst of intense heat filled the room.

Far stronger than my previous 【Ignite】.

It devoured the darkness itself.

The furniture turned to ash.

“Whoa.”

This was it.

A blade that resonated with its wielder’s will, amplifying incantations—a true demon sword.

“Yup, familiar weapons are the best.”

The flames died down.

Jo Hyun-seok lay on the floor, impaled through the chest.

Not even a scream.

His body had turned pitch black.

“Right, even if your durability is B-rank, it doesn’t matter if I burn you from the inside.”

I nudged him.

He was still breathing.

“Kh… guh…”

I yanked the sword free.

Splurt!

“Ugh!”

“Don’t die just yet.”

I knelt beside him.

“You’re with the Abyss faction, right?”

“P-please… spare me…”

“What happens when the countdown hits zero?”