—At dawn.
The main entrance to the main lobby of the Nefertem Hotel.
“Haaoo~, I’m tired.”
“Wait a little while. It’s a shifting time in a little while.”
The two bodyguards deployed in front of the front door yawned in exhausted boredom.
Normally, they wouldn’t be this tired.
However, it was a very difficult day due to the management of the trainees who came to experience the work.
“However, seeing the children bring back memories.”
“That’s right, sir. I once made a name for myself in the academy.”
“Was it same level as, this generation, the disciples of the Sword King and the the Princess of England?”
“Is that enough?”
“Haha, cut the crap and raise your guard.”
“After all, it’s shift time soon. uh? Here he is.”
“…Wait for a moment.”
It was a senior bodyguard who sensed that something was wrong.
The exact location they were standing in was strange.
“There’s a protective boundary over there ……? Hey, you! Who is it!”
The moment the senior bodyguard carefully drew his sword and approached them.
KRIK! KRIK – THUMP…
“Hmm?”
“What?”
The two bodyguards didn’t seem to understand what was happening at this moment.
It was a Blackout.
Furthermore, the entire hotel from the first floor to the fiftieth floor had a power outage.
Just as the senior bodyguard tried to take the radio.
Wooosh-
“Whoa!”
“Huh?”
A sharp dagger flew at the senior bodyguard’s neck.
The senior bodyguard, who was hit by the dagger trembled and spat blood.
“Eh? Li…ne-”
Wooosh~
After he finished saying one word, another dagger flew again.
This time it pierced the throat of a junior bodyguard and met the same end.
The front door was surrounded by darkness and silence.
Two men appeared who seemed to be working shifts, appeared.
It was a large man with a black hood on his head, and a man in a neat suit with a sharp sword.
Shortly after, a man of enormous size opened his mouth.
“Begin.”
“It has.”
As the words fell, dark purple gates that emitted an ominous aura formed on either side of the two men’s bodies.
Outside the gate, countless men who looked exactly like the two men who had come before appeared.
“Pull back the curtains.”
“”Yes.””
Their actions were contradictory.
Three or four men just came out of the gate and put their hands on the floor. A huge magic formation appeared, and a semicircle of black curtains formed around the magic formation and began to envelop the entire hotel.
Soon, a huge barrier enveloped the entire hotel.
A low voice came out from the corner of the big man’s lips and was confirmed.
“Clean up.”
***
Meanwhile, Yoo Seol-ah and Anna, who came from the general manager’s office on the 45th floor, and Kang Jung, the head of the security department, ran down the dark hallway and continued toward the main hall on the second floor to understand the situation.
“What about the contact between each team leader and the surveillance room?”
“I’ve been trying to reach them on the radio, but I couldn’t reach anyone. It’s probably jamming the radio- –! That!”
That was then.
The guard’s head stopped and pointed to the black curtain he saw through the window.
Seeing this, Anna’s expression began to harden gravely.
This was because Anna recognized, what it was at a glance.
“It’s a dimensional separation barrier,” she said.
“I can’t.. someone has broken through the protective barrier of our hotel?”
“Looking at the situation, I think so. And unless the core of the barrier is destroyed, we probably won’t be able to ask for help from the outside. The space itself is separated, and at the same time, everything looks just fine from the outside.”
“This…”
Things were not going well.
It was difficult to understand the situation because the entire power supply was cut off at the same time as the power outage.
In addition, the dimensional separation curtain was created inside the protective barrier when it was normally deployed, so it was difficult for the Hero Association to understand the situation.
“Bodyguard, please check the power reserves of the surveillance room.”
“But, miss …”
“Only the security chief can do that. The surveillance room must have already been taken over. Please rest assured that I will be with Miss Anna.”
“…Ugh! Okay…”
With those words, the security chief disappeared, leaving an afterimage.
Because he knew Yoo Seol-ah’s intentions and at the same time believed in the abilities of the next generation of Sage.
But.
“Miss Anna, I have a favor.”
“Yes? However…”
“Please. Only Anna can do that.”
“Then you will be in danger. The villains will surely– …”
“it’s okay.”
Seol-ah Yoo smiled with bright eyes full of confidence.
It was a smile full of confidence, enough to instantly remove Anna’s anxiety.
“I’m confident to run away. I’m used to that.”
“…What is your request?”
“There must be a objects in the hotel that are blocking the circulation of magic. Miss Anna, please find it and destroy them all. Only Miss Anna can find it the fastest.”
“..I know. After I destroy the barrier, I’ll call you right away.”
“I beg you.”
With these words, Anna activated the floating magic and began to fly up through the window. In the silence left alone, Seol-ah Yoo’s head quickly turned around.
If this situation was an attack by the Villains Alliance, then they probably already occupied the main hall on the 1st floor.
In addition, it is essential to guess that if their goal is to kidnap her, then they will definitely take the hostage.
If so, what you can do now is buy time.
It took time to save more hostages.
The moment you (I am) are captured, the value of the hostage disappears.
“Hm … okay.”
Seol-ah Yoo ran to the roof on the other side.
Then countless footsteps echoed through the hallway.
***
“~-”
Kang Jung-an, the head of the security department, gritted his teeth and clenched his fists so tightly that they bled.
Sure enough, the surveillance room had been taken over.
I quickly organized to check the reserve team, but the villains had already destroyed the reserve team. Moreover, the villain he defeated was not a human.
He looked like a human, but his head was broken and his arm was pulled out, but there was no blood spurting.
Inside was an empty doll.
Looking at his clothes, he realized that he had infiltrated as a guest.
“There’s a Puppeteer ……”
A-rank Villain Puppeteer.
The number of dolls he mass-produced was immeasurable.
By default, he can pull about 100 to 200, and some say he can pull up to 500 in power.
“Wow!”
Kang Jung-an immediately tried to run towards Yoo Seol-ah with the information he had learned as fast as he could.
That was it then.
– Was the doll destroyed?
A mechanical voice came out from the head of the destroyed doll.
Kang Jung-an immediately stopped and looked at the doll that heard the voice.
Soon after, the head of the doll, which had rolled toward him, began to clench its mouth and speak in a bizarre form.
– Since you killed the doll, you’re pretty strong. This puppet is pretty much my own creation.
“Are you a puppet master?”
-Okay. So you’re the head of security management?
“What do you want?”
– Holding Hostages.
Hearing those words, Kang Jung-an just stared at the doll.
The doll’s words continued.
– Bring Seol-ah Yoo. Or I’ll kill one person for every minute you’re late.
“Damn It!”
-… Yes? Oh, you don’t have to… I found it.
The moment he heard that voice, Kang Jung-an’s expression slowly began to harden.
– Are you alone?
“Hey, it can’t be! that motherfucker! If you touch her, I won’t stay still!”
– Hehehe, if you can, try it out.
After saying that, the puppeteer’s words were not heard again.
“Shit!”
Crunch-
It was Kang Jung-an who immediately smashed the puppet he was the ground and ran towards Yoo Seol-ah.
It was at that time.
There was a sound that could not be heard in that situation.
Keech~ Keech~
“This!”
The noise related to communication was heard from the radio and could not be heard due to radio interference.
Shortly after
[Ah, ah, can you hear me? If you can hear me, please speak up]
A boy’s voice came from the walkie-talkie.
The communication interruption disappeared.
Kang Jung-ah hurriedly grabbed the radio and shouted.
“You, who are you?”
[Who are you?]
It was Kang Jung-ah, who lost his cool at that word.
Then came the boy’s voice.
[Ah Ah, the blocking stone was destroyed …… huh? Villains have taken hostage in the main hall on the 1st floor? I’ll save you]
“Come on, wait! Stop!”
Whatever the circumstances, the head of security had no choice but to stop him.
When I heard the voice, it was obvious that it was a little boy.
What a little boy can handle by himself?
[The situation is over. I will take the rescued guest upstairs.]
“What? That’s what! That’s no joke!”
Within a minute, the radio was heard.
Finally, as the angry security supervisor shouted at the radio.
Tuk! Tuk! Tuk Tuk!
I could hear the footsteps of countless people coming up the stairs.
Kang Jung-ah, whose brain couldn’t keep up with what was happening for a moment, began to stare blankly at the people rushing up the stairs.
***
“Hah hah… -.”
The last corridor on the 35th floor.
Seol-ah Yoo, cornered at a dead end, takes a deep breath and looks at the villains and dolls around her.
She leans her back against the wall of the dead end, with her hand on the wound in her abdomen, bleeding.
Before long, a man in a suit stepped out from the villains and approached Xue’er Liu.
“Aren’t you more talented than I thought? Ruined a few of my dolls.”
“Kuu-”
Yoo Seol-ah gritted her teeth.
It was because she could never have imagined that the villain alliance would send a puppet master.
“Ugh-hah hah hah.”
“Oops, you’re bleeding too much. I have no intention of killing you. Please come with me.”
“I… have no intention…. of using my powers for you.”
The reason she became the target of the Villains Alliance’s top ranking was because of her ability.
A perfect healing ability that can heal any wound quickly and completely without causing any internal damage.
Healing herself is impossible, but even if it is ruled out, the value of her ability is unparalleled. So much so that the Villain Alliance and many others were scheming to kidnap her.
“Come with me and you’ll change your mind. Even if you don’t like it, is there a way?”
“There are still guards-”
“Their suppression is over. I’ve brought you extra power.”
“Ah-”
However, despite his desperate words, Seol-ah Yoo stood up.
With a sword in one hand, and ready to engage in battle.
Because she was convinced that he would never kill her by the words of the puppet master.
However, the puppet master only sighed deeply at this action.
“Hey, it’s okay to cut off limbs.”
“Ah-”
Hearing that, Seol-ah Yoo began to tremble with fear.
She became tearful as she looked at the puppeteer, but she never gave in.
Because I thought, if I get caught here, that’s the end of it.
“Tsk, stupid …… I thought you had a good brain ……”
The puppeteer slowly approached Seol-ah Yoo.
That’s how it was then.
Keech~ Keech~
The radio began to buzz.
However, Yoo Seul’s expression was not good.
No matter how much she broke the boundary, the situation didn’t get better.
Moreover, the opponent was an A-ranked villain puppet master.
Perhaps even her bodyguard might have a hard time dealing with him.
“Huh? I see, the blocking stone has been destroyed.”
Once again, the puppeteer’s reaction was insignificant.
Even if the blocking stone was destroyed and the radio went off, it didn’t mean that the situation would change.
However, an unexpected voice came over the radio.
[Ah, ah, can you hear me? If you can hear me, please speak up.]
A boy’s voice rang out.
It was a familiar voice full of relaxation, not appropriate for this situation.
Seol-ah Yoo lifted her weak hand and opened her mouth to the radio.
“Are you …… are you Kim Ha-jun ……?”
[Yes? Is it a rumor? Where are you now?]
“You can’t do anything even if you come. More than that, the safety of the guests and students -”
[Where are you?]
Ha-jun, ignored Yoo Seol-ah’s words and asked a question.
Yoo Seol-ah gritted her teeth and continued.
“Please please. I don’t care, so please check their safety first.”
[… Where are you?]
The imperative, heavy, muffled tone that followed.
In the voice that came out, I could feel the weight of full seriousness.
The moment I heard that voice.
Why did I suddenly have this thought?
“… I, I.”
I closed my eyes and put my trembling hands on the radio.
Tears began to flow from my tightly closed eyes.
Without wiping away the flowing tears, she said to Ha-jun.
“..gu, can you help me?”
In the end, I got the words out of my mouth that should not have been said.
No matter how much she pretended not to be, she was scared, too.
I wanted to lean on him, who I thought he was the last hope for me.
Soon his voice was heard.
[…Where?]
“It’s at the end of the hall on the 35th floor.”
[…I’ll be there soon.]
Keech!
And that was the end
I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t.
Seol-ah Yoo had no choice but to regret what she had just said.
“It’s over.”
The puppet master’s voice followed.
She heard footsteps slowly approaching her.
She slowly opened her eyes and used her sleeve to wipe away the tears that were flowing.
That moment.
“..Uh?”
“Speak quickly when asked.”
Kim Ha-jun was in front of him.
It was Yoo Seol-ah, who could not hide her surprise as her eyes were wide open.
At the same time, the puppeteer who was about to approach her also looked at Kim Ha-jun with surprised eyes.
“Uh, where…!!!”
However, the puppeteer’s words didn’t last long.
Crush-! Creak—!!! Boom—-!
Countless villains and puppets that filled the hallway began to disperse into the air.
Some had their heads exploded. Some were thrown against the wall, and others were pushed through the wall and fell through the window.
“Uh, how!”
The puppeteer’s mouth began to twitch.
He stared in disbelief across the hallways covered in blood and doll remains from his shattered body.
Shortly after, a boy with a huge golden hammer approached the puppeteer.
“Isn’t the body still there?”
“You, who are you!!!”
“That’s not necessary to know.”
Crush!
Those were the puppeteer’s last words.
Ha-jun stepped on the Puppeteer’s head and destroyed it, then turned his gaze to Yoo Seol-ah.
She just looked at Ha-jun with a surprised expression and kept blinking her poopy eyes.
Ha-jun’s words followed.
“Soon people will come to this floor, including bodyguards, so run to the top floor.”
“Uh, yeah? But obviously the bodyguards…”
“We got suppressed because of the hostage. Just cut everything off.”
Ha-jun sighed deeply and turned around with shaky, weak steps.
With Maharaj on his shoulder, he walked up the stairs.
Then Yoo Seol-ah’s voice was heard.
“…where are you going?”
“… I have to finish. And tell Anna never to come down.”
That was the end.
After that, Kim Ha-jun disappeared without leaving an afterimage, and the creaking of the stairs and people coming up could be heard from the stairs in the central hallway.
