Instant Kill, Time-Stop Spellcaster

Cho Hyun-seok’s house begins to collapse.

Exposed to the final high-powered 【Ignite】 attack.

Even during the interrogation, the pillars and ceiling gradually cave in.

Crack. Creak.

Kang Hyun finishes the interrogation.

He wipes the blood off his hands.

“You don’t know who’s coming?”

“Please… kill me… just kill….”

“You still haven’t come to your senses?”

Cho Hyun-seok, covered in wounds and burns.

He looked far more grotesque than before.

“You really don’t know? You said ‘invasion.’ That means someone is definitely coming.”

“Please… kill me….”

“Tch.”

Yeah, he hadn’t expected much in the first place.

If something could have been leaked through someone like this, other organizations or the government would have already found out.

Still, he didn’t walk away empty-handed.

“Invasion… so that’s what it is.”

It meant the real offensive was beginning.

Not just some sneaky dungeon anomalies.

“Guh… ple… please… kill me….”

Without a word, he beheaded him.

Swish—

Then, he placed the head on the table.

Even though he had become a demon, traces of the old Cho Hyun-seok’s face still remained.

‘There’s no better proof of betrayal than this.’

Just in case, he stuffed the printed documents into the dead man’s mouth.

“【Ignite】”

Whoosh—

Flames quickly engulf Cho Hyun-seok’s house.

He grabbed the rugged stone sword, “Kyle’s Dark Slayer.”

Maybe because of the firepower he had just seen, but—

The weight felt oddly satisfying.

‘Familiarity is always best.’

Once he starts wielding it in earnest?

That alone would make him much stronger.

Kang Hyun stepped out of the collapsing house but paused.

‘Ah, mana.’

The final attack using Dark Slayer had consumed a significant amount of mana.

Dark Slayer had pushed its firepower beyond its limits.

‘I have to install blessings tomorrow afternoon.’

Well, he could just eat some dried Shincheonsoo Elixirs to recover.

There were still plenty of unopened random boxes.

One of them should contain some.

The specter turned his back on the burning house and stepped into the darkness.

The Next Day.

[World Quest]

[Time Limit: 1 day 23 hours 43 minutes]

With only two days left before the countdown ended—

The Korean government made an announcement.

Kang Hyun watched the TV and clicked his tongue.

“Unbelievable. How did I not get a single one?”

“Why are there so many other elixirs?!”

“They’re all yours.”

“Kyaaaagh!”

He forcibly pried open Aden’s mouth.

Aden flailed desperately.

Once again, precious elixirs disappeared into Aden’s stomach.

<…Therefore, we ask for the generous understanding of the nations that were scheduled to receive blessings.>

He turned off the TV.

His luck was absolute garbage.

And then, his phone rang.

It was Chief Choi.

“Yes. I just used a lot of mana last night, that’s all.”

“There have been cases on Earth before.”

They had just gone unnoticed.

The Abyss had always moved in a sinister, underhanded way.

“Anyway, I’m taking the day off.”

With the countdown nearly over—

They might have to start moving in earnest soon.

Might as well spend today training.

“Tell the countries waiting for blessings to be patient.”

Chief Choi’s confident words—

But in reality, the situation was a mess.

Korean media, along with countless global outlets, were in an uproar.

With tension and anxiety rising, people desperately wanted someone to rely on.

And that someone was EX, who had a history of clearing World Quests.

But now he had collapsed from overwork?

And with just two days left on the countdown?

The crisis that had been temporarily suppressed surged back to the surface.

“Come on, Chief, you were the one who heard me say I was fine.”

“I’ll leave for Italy early tomorrow morning, so just keep things under control until then.”

Relying so much on just one person—

This wasn’t a good sign.

Countries should be able to protect themselves.

But barely a moment after hanging up with Chief Choi—

“Open up.”

“N-no more elixirs….”

“Open up!”

“Kyaaaagh! If I drink too many elixirs, I’ll die!”

“That’s why I, the elixir expert, am helping you. This is a huge opportunity, you know?”

“Bitter! It’s so bitter! Too disgusting! Pfthh!”

“Oh? Did you just spit at your master… huh?”

His phone rang again.

“Chief Choi?”

<…The Italian president has arrived.>

“Huh? Why? I told them I’d come tomorrow.”

“Sigh….”

“No more elixirs! I hate bitterness!”

These weaklings…

Will they even survive this invasion?

While other countries were in turmoil—

Korea was relatively relaxed.

Online, people were having light hearted debates.

└ Who’s the strongest among the Three Sacred Beings?

└ What the hell is that, you nerd?

└ Obviously The Phantom, Perfect Clear Awakened, and the S-Rank Word Mage.

└ Perfect Clear Awakened doesn’t belong there. He’s only D+ rank.

└ If he reaches S-rank, he’ll be the strongest of the three. That’s a fact.

└ You really think you can underestimate the guy who killed the world’s toughest man?

└ If EX is gone, Korea’s screwed.

└ If EX fully grows, he’ll be the strongest in the world. That’s a fact.

The debate naturally boiled down to:

“A fully grown Perfect Clear Awakened vs. The Phantom.”

└ The S-Rank Word Mage doesn’t count.

└ Yeah, they haven’t shown enough.

└ Honestly, they only have legacy going for them.

└ And that’s not even confirmed.

└ Unlike the British successor, even Thea hasn’t acknowledged them.

But then—

A stone was thrown into the peaceful waters.

└ Breaking news! Japan’s S-Rank just called our Word Mage weak!

└ ?

└ Here we go again.

└ What the hell?

Japan’s S-Rank Awakened, The Moonshade Warrior (月影士).

No one knew their face, name, residence, or even gender.

They prided themselves on maintaining a mystique.

But to the public, they were just a loudmouthed internet addict who couldn’t resist posting nonsense.

And now, their latest post had gone viral.

“A mere F-rank collapse? And they’re S-rank?”

“And a so-called hero’s successor? Kyle’s, no less?”

“This is a joke, right? wwww”

As always, it was an almost reckless attempt at stirring up controversy.

But being an S-rank, their account had a massive following and fan base.

Though Moonshade Warrior had never really gained much public support before, this time, the rising anti-Korean sentiment played right into their hands, and their post was shared at an astounding rate.

└ Who the hell is this guy?

└ Wasn’t he also a Hero’s Successor?

└ Nah, he’s a fake. Just someone pretending to be one.

└ Unlike the British successor, even Thea didn’t acknowledge him.

└ So he’s just acting out of inferiority complex.

└ If anyone’s gonna criticize our Word Mage, it’ll be us.

Aden saw this and flew into a rage.

“What the hell?! Who does he think he is, calling himself a Successor when he’s a fraud?”

“Huh, so that guy’s supposed to be the successor of the Sword Castle?”

Kang Hyun, showing some interest, checked the post and frowned.

Moonshade Warrior ‘s character seemed far more frivolous compared to the Sword Castle in his memory.

“Well, I’d like to see his face someday.”

“Master, that bastard is insulting you!”

“Leave it. Let’s just open some random boxes.”

“This is ridiculous! He dares call himself a Hero’s Successor just because of some flimsy connection to the Sword Castle—”

“Disciple.”

Kang Hyun cut him off.

“…Yes?”

His voice wasn’t particularly deep or angry, but somehow, Aden felt like he should shut up.

“Drop it and come open the boxes.”

“Y-yes, sir….”

The Sword Castle—an outstanding figure who was never recognized as a hero.

Aden might not care about anyone outside the realm of heroes, but—

‘You shouldn’t speak lightly about him.’

The Sword Castle was Kyle’s dear friend.

Still, Kang Hyun didn’t scold Aden.

He knew Aden didn’t mean harm—she’d just gotten a little too worked up.

“Wait, there are still boxes left?”

“A reward for ten consecutive clears. They’re Silver Boxes.”

“Oh! It’s been a while since we got Silver!”

But neither Kang Hyun, who dismissed this as a minor incident—

Nor Aden, who was still fuming—

Had any idea what was coming.

“Just two. Let’s open them.”

“Drumroll, please!”

This invasion would reveal the true nature of the Spiritmaster to the entire world.

Ding!

[You have unlocked a new Command.]

“Sweet, just another junk item!”

“Argh!”

Not just Japan, but the GSA, nations across the world, and even Thea—

All would witness the power of the Word Mage.

[Time remaining: 0 days, 23 hours, 59 seconds.]