Chapter 4: Apocalypse (1)
Jin-woo and Harmu ran down the long corridor.
The security personnel inside the research facility ran out and spotted Jin-woo and Harmu.
Although they were martial artists from Hancheon Group, fortunately their level wasn’t high.
Jin-woo drew up his mana and deployed combat magic techniques.
Whoosh!
As he charged forward, cutting through the air, the security personnel hastily grabbed the batons at their waists.
As a magic circle was drawn in front of Jin-woo’s fist, he struck the security personnel’s chest.
To explain it in detail, it was the penetration technique from the martial arts application section of the combat magic techniques.
Bam!
The security personnel who was hit by the fist trembled and collapsed.
The security personnel took combat stances and glared at Jin-woo.
Jin-woo quickly drew a magic circle in the air.
It was an ignition magic circle.
Crackle!
Before the ignition magic circle could activate, Harmu quickly ran up. She brought her hand over the floating magic circle.
Harmu’s magic circle appeared right in front of Jin-woo’s magic circle.
“Explode!”
Boom!
The blazing flames exploded and spread forward.
Thanks to Harmu even shouting the activation word, the power doubled. The martial artists were swept away by the explosion and crashed into the corner.
It was a good magic combination technique.
“A bombardment circle.”
“Yes.”
“Good, let’s break through quickly.”
It was called the ‘Bombardment Circle’.
Among combination magic, if the coordination wasn’t good, the success rate would drop significantly. That’s why it wasn’t used often, but the casting speed was fast and the power was also certain.
Martial artists were indeed difficult opponents for mages.
However, the story was different when two mages with good coordination were involved. The range of magic applications increased tremendously.
Whenever security personnel appeared, they quickly subdued them.
Using the access card they had stolen before being discovered, they were able to go down to the underground research lab.
The interior was bright, as the emergency power supply system had started operating.
“It seems we need to go down there.”
The place where Aina was could only be reached by elevator.
Iris recognition was required.
Although there was a commotion upstairs, the research lab was calm.
As if knowing they were under absolute protection, the researchers continued their experiments.
With classical music playing, it felt like a different world from the surface.
Jin-woo lowered his posture and looked around.
‘What are they researching?’
White cloth covered the operating tables.
Jin-woo carefully approached and lifted the cloth.
“This is…”
It was a beastman.
All the organs had been removed with very clean skill. The face, which was just a shell, was distorted in pain, and the teeth were all broken. It seemed the teeth had broken while enduring the pain.
“Ugh…”
Harmu covered her mouth with her hand.
“Not only the major organs but also the blood vessels and nerves connected to the mana core have been completely removed.”
“Who the hell… would do such a thing…”
“There are no traces of surgical incisions or magic. No one can do this. Not even an Archmage.”
It was too clean.
It was as if they had originally never existed. Harmu looked at the corpse, suppressing her nausea.
Her eyes widened.
“This… person… was a homeless person near the hospital. I saw him when I first met Dr. Kim Jin-han. He caused a scene, demanding more food.”
“It’s not uncommon for homeless people to disappear in this day and age.”
Someone approached.
“Hmm-hmm~”
A researcher approached with a light step, even humming.
As if this was an everyday occurrence, he lightly lifted the cloth, examined the corpse, and wrote something on the chart.
“About a year? It took quite a long time. Hmm, the technique classification is…”
The researcher muttered incomprehensible words.
Swish!
Jin-woo approached behind the researcher.
The colleagues in front of him looked at the researcher with their mouths open.
“Huh? Why?”
The researcher tried to turn around but couldn’t. Jin-woo firmly grabbed the back of his neck.
“Aah, aargh!”
Crack!
The sound of bones dislocating could be heard.
“Se-security!”
“Call security!”
“Aaah!”
Jin-woo dragged the researcher to the front of the elevator. Seeing the iris recognition spot, he lifted the researcher’s head.
Bam!
“Ugh!”
He slammed the researcher’s face hard against it, and the researcher screamed.
“It’s not working well.”
“We might have to do it several times.”
“You’re right.”
Bam! Bam! Bam!
He slammed it down like that a few times.
Only after the researcher went limp did the elevator door open.
“Aaah!”
“Aaah!”
“C-crazy…”
The researchers screamed.
They were terrified by the sudden situation.
It was a much milder sight compared to what they had done, but they were so frightened because their own safety was involved.
Jin-woo reached out his hand.
As a magic circle was drawn, a fireball shot out. It wasn’t aimed at the researchers but at the ceiling. The sprinklers, detecting the fire, activated and instantly turned the surroundings into a sea of water.
“Huh? Ugh?!”
“What the?!”
The elevator door began to close.
Before it completely closed, another magic circle appeared in front of the elevator door.
Ding!
As the elevator door closed, the researchers, drenched in water, gulped and stared at the tightly closed elevator.
“Is… is he gone?”
“Quickly contact the higher-ups!”
“What the hell is going on?!”
“Wait! That magic circle… R-run…!”
The moment Jin-woo flicked his fingers, lightning burst out from the magic circle that had appeared in front of the elevator door.
Crackle! Boom!
Hearing the sound of something exploding from above along with screams, Harmu looked at Jin-woo.
“…You seem used to this kind of thing.”
“There were many things that happened.”
“Aren’t you 15 years old this year? What kind of life…”
Jin-woo’s skill was thorough. And certain.
No matter how much of a genius he was, it wasn’t the kind of experience a 15-year-old could have. Not only in magic, but his martial arts skills were also excellent enough to be called a martial artist.
What kind of intense life did he live to show such an appearance at a young age?
As Jin-woo drew a bitter smile, Harmu shook off those thoughts and spoke.
“Our Aina is cute, but you’re not cute at all, young master.”
“If I’m cute here too, that would be a scam.”
“Ha… That doesn’t seem likely to happen.”
Harmu let out a deep sigh.
The elevator stopped.
Harmu was barely maintaining her composure. She was having a light conversation to maintain as much composure as possible, but the atmosphere was very heavy.
As her smile disappeared, her expression turned cold and fierce. She knew well that losing reason and going wild wouldn’t be of any help.
But emotions couldn’t be easily suppressed.
It was even more so because she had seen the corpse on the operating table.
If Aina had ended up like that…
Perhaps she would have lost her mind.
Ding!
The elevator door opened.
Through the open door, heat could be felt. It was a sticky and ominous heat.
A disgusting smell wafted out.
Jin-woo knew this feeling.
The smell of death.
It was an atmosphere that could be felt only in the destroyed world.
The things that humans emit when they feel despair and pain.
They were stagnant and emitted a disgusting smell.
The interior itself was clean.
White light illuminated everywhere, and the walls and floor were also white.
There were people who were restrained.
They were tied to what looked like operating tables, shivering. It didn’t seem like they were doing research on humans. It was even less likely to be treatment.
Their appearance looked like sacrifices.
Someone was visible at the far end.
Among the people wearing black suits, there was a middle-aged man wearing a worn-out and shabby doctor’s gown.
“Finally, finally…!”
The middle-aged man shouted with a voice filled with ecstasy.
An unknown red glow emanated from the scalpel he was holding.
It was an extremely ominous energy.
“Hmm?”
He turned his head and looked at Jin-woo and Harmu.
Harmu’s eyes widened.
The moment she saw his face, she felt such a great shock that it seemed like her body was shaking.
The kind smile was eerie, and the nicely wrinkled face looked as if it was covered in scars.
It was Dr. Kim Jin-han.
In front of Dr. Kim Jin-han, Aina was tied to the operating table.
* * *
The first thing Aina heard when she regained consciousness was a scream.
She tried to move her body but couldn’t. When she heard the terrifying sound coming from all directions, she could only shiver in fear.
“S-sis… sob…”
Someone roughly tied her body to the operating table.
“There’s a bracelet with magic on it. I’ll confiscate it.”
“No, just leave it. It’s already neutralized anyway.”
“…If you say so, doctor… Understood.”
When she heard Dr. Kim Jin-han’s voice, Aina froze. Dr. Kim Jin-han tidied Aina’s hair.
“Aina, I’m sorry.”
“D-d-doctor… wh-what… is going on…”
“If you just endure it, humanity can be free from diseases.”
“Ah, ah…”
Dr. Kim Jin-han’s words were kind as always.
Aina shivered and struggled.
But there was nothing she could do except tightly gripping the bracelet.
Today was supposed to be the happiest day.
She had made her first friend and had a good time with her sister. She had even worried that it might be a dream. But in an instant, it turned into hell.
“Aina, think about it. Children dying from illnesses will disappear. There will be no need to worry about virus mutations. Countless suffering people will be able to smile.”
“Ah…”
“You just need to endure a little. Everyone will remember your sacrifice.”
Aina couldn’t say a word.
The cruel words contained in the warm words seemed to be digging into her heart.
“Doctor, is this the child?”
A man wearing a luxurious suit politely asked.
Seo Han-soo.
He was the agent in charge of the operation and security of this research facility.
“Yes, according to the data, it’s certain. If we use this child, we can extract the desired technique.”
“It would be nice if all ‘abilities’ were this convenient.”
“Although it took a long time… but it’s fortunate that we can obtain it with relatively few sacrifices.”
“That’s right. Doctor, now all that’s left is to extract the final clue and interpret it. I promise you here. Hancheon Group will make sure the sacrifices so far will not be in vain.”
The two of them spoke incomprehensible words.
Aina was moved underground. The sound of cold metal could be heard from all directions, and the sound of putting on surgical gloves made her shiver.
‘S-sis…’
Aina tightly gripped the bracelet.
It was the moment when Dr. Kim Jin-han was about to pierce her eyes with a scalpel containing a red aura.
“Hmm?”
Dr. Kim Jin-han turned his head at the sensation of someone’s presence behind him.
“You bastard!”
A fireball flew, aiming at his head.
Seo Han-soo quickly blocked Dr. Kim Jin-han’s front and deflected the fireball with his fist.
“Harmu…?! How did you get here…!”
Dr. Kim Jin-han was greatly surprised.
Harmu was reaching out her hand towards Dr. Kim Jin-han.
Dr. Kim Jin-han quickly turned his head and looked towards Aina.
Aina was gone from the operating table.
Jin-woo was standing a short distance away from the operating table, holding Aina.
Aina’s face had turned pale from shock.
“…That was close.”
“J-Jin-woo…? Jin-woo?”
Aina reached out her hand and touched Jin-woo’s face.
As Aina’s fingers touched Jin-woo’s face, she shed tears.
“You…”
Seo Han-soo charged towards Jin-woo at a fast speed.
His movements were on a different level from the martial artists they had faced in the research facility. He was as fast as Jin-woo’s movements and had graceful skill.
Jin-woo blocked Seo Han-soo’s fist with his shoulder and using that force, he greatly retreated towards Harmu.
Blood flowed from Jin-woo’s shoulder and fell on Aina’s face.
“Aina!”
“Sis…!”
Harmu ran over and hugged Aina.
Seeing that Aina was safe, she could finally feel relieved. Harmu’s eyes were also filled with tears.
“Dr. Kim Jin-han… You…!”
Harmu glared at Dr. Kim Jin-han while tightly hugging Aina.
Harmu couldn’t believe it.
Dr. Kim Jin-han was doing this kind of thing.
Aina’s warmth let her know it was reality.
Dr. Kim Jin-han looked at Seo Han-soo with a troubled expression.
Seo Han-soo frowned.
“Infiltrating Hancheon Group’s research facility, you have some guts. Are you that child’s sister? And you…”
Seo Han-soo’s gaze landed on Jin-woo.
In contrast to his calmly settled eyes, he had a leisurely expression.
Far from being intimidated, he was observing Dr. Kim Jin-han as if Seo Han-soo wasn’t even worth his attention.
“Who are you?”
Not only Seo Han-soo but anyone would be curious about the identity of that boy.
