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The warrior dressed in tattered space attire brandishes a sword.

From the silver tungsten sword, a blue sword energy reminiscent of Earth rises, changing colors like a beautiful blue star, shifting with the movement of clouds and scattering splendid beauty all around. Then, as if to blend in with its surroundings, it changes to brown, standing tall like a tree, awaiting.

May the unfortunate victim arrive at this place.

But how many would visit this place which is merely a resort on days when gatherings are not held? Even if it can be utilized as a resort on non-meeting days, how many would choose to use this place, where only one companion is permitted?

Especially, how many would regard participating in this gathering as a privilege while trying to lower this special space to a mere resort?

Thus, signs of presence are hard to come by.

Aside from the faint vibes of those managing the forest in the distance, it’s nearly nonexistent.

However, the warrior does not lower his sword.

He merely spreads the sword energy.

Like melting into the sea of darkness.

With the realization that within the calm waves, he is but a speck of dust.

Among the blazing stars, he acknowledges he is just a spark.

Knowing that, as dust, he is not much different from other particles.

Thus, he could mingle here with that realization.

The sword energy spreads out, erasing the man’s presence.

Bending light to obscure the man, blending into nature with peculiar insights and movements, making it difficult for anyone to sense his presence.

Thus, he becomes one with this world.

With skills that rival a warrior who has grasped the knowledge of stealth, or perhaps derived from even deeper insights, he practiced this technique to merge with the forest.

The movements born from that profound clarity are at a level unimaginable for ordinary beings.

So it is that those managing this forest were unable to find him.

Thus, this forest has now completely fallen into the hands of the warrior.

‘One has entered.’

Now, this place has become nothing less than the lair of a spider and a death trap created by ants.

Those who enter inevitably perish, and when it becomes insufficient, it turns into a base for a madman to go hunting outside.

And the even more horrific part is that he is neither an insect nor a monster.

He will thoroughly kill those with power in society.

And it is said that Park Jinseong and those who disturb his plans will be the first to perish.

‘Full of strength yet contemplating the unnecessary… he’s certainly a shaman, but is akin to a warrior.’

But neither Ivan nor Park Jinseong possesses mercy.

Thus, there is no guarantee that the sword will spare another power holder.

There’s no need to let them live, either.

Killing them all would undoubtedly put a stop to the plans that opposed him.

Moreover, the essence of power they have known does not tolerate a void.

Whether related to the plan or not, that space will be filled by someone else.

And in that process, struggle will inevitably arise, conflicts will occur, and exhaustion of power will ensue.

Should that happen, regardless of how important the plan is that made them oppose him, it will likely be extended indefinitely.

Those enchanted by power exert strength to seize power, not to dedicate themselves to the public good. Even those who claim their goal is for the public good will struggle to gain power to enact it.

Thus power consumption will occur, and the plan will be extended.

Isn’t that quite a delightful occurrence?

Indeed.

Swish.

The sword moves.

What claimed to be a tree, now stained brown, vanished from that spot, and a brown line distorts space. Simultaneously, as that line is drawn, the space twists and cleaves, appearing in remote spaces.

Rustle.

It overlaps with the body of a power holder who came to enjoy a vacation.

“W-what…?”

A wealthy man who, instead of helping his father’s mining business, became independently successful in IT, categorized as a unicorn company. Thanks to this, he was recognized for his abilities and was recommended by an entrepreneur he met at a party in his childhood to step into the Bohemian Club.

The unfortunate man who had never truly engaged in the ‘real’ activities of the Bohemian Club, yet inspired by being recommended, had come camping to savor that excitement before the gathering.

Splash.

Now he lay on the floor, lifeless, reduced to a meat chunk.

The brown line slicing through space.

It was the line resembling the color of the sword energy that severed the man’s body in half.

Yet, even if he were unfortunate, he might not feel resentment.

Ivan was targeting those associated with satellites.

And this man was also involved in that business.

He was actively participating in the project for the shares post-satellite installation, collaborating with NASA scientists to develop programs related to orbital analysis of space objects, accelerating space development.

Thus, perhaps this was merely an early arrival of the blade he was fated to face.

Given his contributions to space development, Ivan’s sword was sure to strike him at some point.

Or perhaps Park Jinseong might have intervened.

If one thinks this way, the fate he met now might be a stroke of luck.

At least, he died instantaneously without having the chance to feel pain.

Unlike Park Jinseong, whose end could deliver a horrific and miserable fate, it was a swift and firm blade, thus merciful.

* * *

A signal arrives.

‘Assassination of the societal elite…’

Park Jinseong smiles as he receives the information sent by the National Intelligence Service.

The report states that several figures within the societal elite have gone missing, among whom some are categorized as important by America, making the Federal Bureau of Investigation frantic. They were working hard to find the missing people, having delayed other affairs.

Yet, they couldn’t find any traces of the missing individuals, leading the National Intelligence Service to believe it was likely an assassination. Not just an incident, but a planned crime conducted by a specific organization capable of evading the force of the FBI.

‘That’s a reasonable inference.’

Who could predict such things?

In the former Soviet Union, a crazy warrior capable of causing trouble existed in space.

A shaman contacted that warrior to infiltrate America.

That warrior destroyed satellites in stationary orbits and established a base within the forests owned by the Bohemian Club.

How could one predict that this warrior would go around killing the powerful and infiltrating the U.S.?

Corpses?

Traces?

It’s natural to struggle to find them.

If he had pulverized them with martial arts, risen to the heavens through floating in the air, shot the corpses into space, buried them deep in the sea, or thrown them into a chasm underground by transcending space, how could one possibly find them?

The reason Ivan beheaded those in power before his return was not merely because he could.

It was a sort of judgment.

Not an ordinary disappearance or a bizarre phenomenon, but a distinct sign that the warrior was targeting specific individuals.

Of course, one cannot deny that the effectiveness of a sword capable of transcending space made beheading the most efficient method.

‘Hahaha, America is going to be thrown into chaos from here on out.’

In any case, it was undoubtedly good news.

America was sure to descend into chaos.

He figured that even now, Ivan must lack nothing to be called the world’s best.

While he was less mature than before his return, considering his skills, it would be hard to find him even in the prime of America.

And if one did, it would undoubtedly be difficult to capture him.

Thus, Ivan would become a parasite within those wielding power, a poison that would make it difficult for them to pay attention to Park Jinseong.

And Park Jinseong would then take advantage of that…

‘The clues to immortality lie closest to me. Yes.’

He merely needed to find the hint given by Ashutosh Singh.

A hint that was frustratingly vague.

Yet… it felt like he vaguely understood what it spoke of.

Literally finding the clue itself and heading to America.

He’s going to America.

 

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