The situation room aboard the exploration vessel.
Agent Vigar looked down at the onboard restaurant.
"Started earlier than expected."
"Yes. We got lucky. If things had stayed peaceful, we would've had to step in ourselves."
"So that woman pulled the trigger."
Vigar's gaze shifted.
A slaughterer moving across the battlefield, wrapped in a dark blue haze.
A faint smirk formed on his lips.
"Some 'American researcher.' What a joke."
It's not that he hadn't seen through it.
He knew she wasn't a researcher—just never imagined what she really was.
That someone who looked that fragile could be the infamous Valkitz.
"Name?"
"Unknown."
"Once she's drained, we'll ask. Why Russia's so invested. Maybe they caught onto something the others didn't."
"Understood. But… is it really fine to leave things like this? The ship's taking a lot of damage."
"Don't touch it. This is perfect."
The ship's purpose was simple—pull them as far away from Ilulissat as possible.
If they beat each other down in the process, even better.
"Lucky break."
Thanks to that blood-crazed Valkitz, everything had gotten easier.
"Prepare the suppression team. The moment the fight ends, we move in under the pretext of restoring order."
Valkitz was still just one person.
Their opponents? Dozens of top-tier mercenaries, unofficial but deadly.
Even if she won, she wouldn't walk away unharmed.
"Change course. Skirt Greenland and head left. We need distance from the Ilulissat icebergs."
"Understood."
They were blind anyway.
Even if the direction changed, even if they moved away from Ilulissat, they wouldn't notice.
And even if they did, navigating that maze-like sea to reach Ilulissat was impossible.
Splash.
Vigar and the agents turned.
A man approached, completely drenched.
Vigar frowned.
How is he alive?
The sea was minus two degrees, packed with icebergs.
It had been over twenty minutes since he jumped in.
He should've been dead from hypothermia—his heart stopped long ago.
"Hello."
A calm, almost peaceful greeting.
Was he blind? Deaf?
Below them was a bloodbath.
The entire ship echoed with grinding metal, explosions, and screams.
And yet… that tone?
It sent a chill down Vigar's spine.
The man checked something he pulled from his pocket.
"You were heading toward Greenland just fine… then you turned around."
Vigar's eyes widened.
It hadn't even been five minutes since the course change.
How did he notice?
When Vigar didn't respond, Jinhyuk just shrugged.
Didn't expect much anyway.
Didn't think they'd take him all the way.
Still, it worked out.
They'd gotten close enough to Greenland—to a region full of icebergs he could step on.
"So this is the situation room."
He stepped forward.
On the way here, he'd come up with something.
Needed a few supplies.
Not in Momo's storage, but they'd definitely have it here.
Vigar clenched his fist as he watched him approach.
One man.
Nearly fifty on their side.
And yet… sweat ran down his back.
Valkitz—the Russian special forces unit that brought death and disaster wherever they went.
Their members and numbers were unknown.
The only rumor—one of them used dark blue mist and scissors.
Which meant…
That man could be Valkitz too.
"Don't do anything. I'll just grab what I need and leave."
…That might actually be the smartest choice.
Their objective was already achieved.
No reason to die for nothing.
Just as Vigar was about to signal his agents to stand down—
"One thing I'm curious about. What are you planning to do? Don't tell me you're thinking of pulling it out, hypnotizing it, or taming it? Using it as Iceland's weapon or something?"
No way.
No one's that stupid—
…Wait.
Jinhyuk's face twisted slightly.
Vigar's eyes went wide.
…So it was true.
"Don't. If it's frozen, you should kill it, not—"
"Take him down!"
Didn't matter if he was Valkitz or not.
He knew too much.
They couldn't let him leave.
The agents lunged.
Jinhyuk watched quietly.
Then spoke.
"How many beats do you move in? My martial arts master told me something."
He lowered his stance.
"The stronger you are, the more you do in a single beat."
He gauged their numbers. The distance.
Still too much for one beat.
He calculated how many it would take—
[Dokkaebi Killing Fist]
His fist shot forward.
Crack—crack—CRACK!!!
"…Ah."
Vigar stumbled back.
Not out of fear.
Not trying to flee.
Just instinct.
To an ordinary eye, it lasted less than a blink.
But in that instant—
Over a dozen agents were struck.
Sent flying.
Smashed into walls.
It made no sense.
He'd struck in short bursts—so how was the power like that?
"Exhale…"
Jinhyuk let out a breath and raised his palm.
"I didn't kill anyone. Doesn't look like you were trying to kill me either. But next time… I won't hold back. I'm in a hurry."
No one moved.
Vigar didn't give the order.
Even a fool could see it.
This wasn't a fight they could win.
"Nice."
Jinhyuk relaxed and walked into the room.
'Oh.'
His eyes lit up.
There it was.
He opened the emergency supply box, then glanced back.
The agents stiffened, swallowing dry.
"Mind if I take one thing?"
…?
A flood of question marks.
Now he's asking permission?
"Y-Yes."
One of them managed to answer.
"Thanks."
Jinhyuk spread his arms and scooped up the oxygen tanks and hoses inside.
Then neatly stored them in his inventory.
The agents' eyes shook.
Didn't he say one thing?
The box was completely empty.
Jinhyuk scratched his head.
"…Drive safe. You're out of emergency supplies now. Wouldn't want an accident."
"Y-Yes…"
He gave a thumbs-up and walked out.
Climbing onto the railing, he looked at Vigar.
"If you care about your country, call them. Tell them not to take it out. It's already awake. If it's still quiet, it's waiting—for the right moment to escape."
He hoped they'd listen.
Then turned toward the restaurant.
It wasn't a chaotic free-for-all.
Roche was the one getting jumped.
Gulp.
Watching the fight reminded him of something she'd said—right before cutting Momo's hair.
Don't worry. I'm good at cutting.
'…This is what she meant?'
Yeah.
She was good.
Way too good.
The scattered body parts across the floor proved it.
Vigar spoke from nearby.
"…Are you Valkitz?"
"No."
"Then why get involved? You already know. There's nothing left for you on this ship."
"For now… at least."
Jinhyuk smiled as he shifted his weight forward.
"We're allies."
And then he dropped—
Vanishing from Vigar's sight.
Vigar bit his lip.
Valkitz showing up was fine.
Expected.
But that man?
No.
He was completely outside the equation.
And because of him—
The board was no longer in Vigar's hands.
From here on out—
Everything depended on him.
Where this all went…
That was his call.
Slash!
Blood sprayed from her nose.
Her wrists, calves, shoulders—burning heat from fresh wounds.
Didn't matter.
Lives balanced on razor edges.
Kill or be killed.
Wounds were inevitable.
Clang! Clang—CLANG!!
The scissors swung nonstop, attacks slipping through every opening.
No time to think.
The moment her senses caught something—
She had to move.
Or she'd be too late.
Something shot from behind.
She twisted her head.
A spear tip barely grazed past her face.
Roche's lips curled up.
A fraction slower—
Her skull would've been pierced.
A shiver ran through her body.
Excitement.
Her mind rejected complexity.
Reduced everything to one thought.
Kill.
She moved faster.
Because every second meant another kill.
What if she got killed instead?
Then so be it.
No fear.
Just a matter of when.
Slaaash!!
Her sliding body hit the railing.
Somehow, she'd been pushed this far.
She looked up.
Dozens charging.
Dozens staring.
They all wanted the same thing.
Her death.
Some might call it a lonely fight.
Outnumbered.
'Not really.'
Didn't feel lonely.
She was used to this.
Ever since she could remember—
She'd always been alone.
The same situation.
Kill or be killed.
No one ever came to help.
Of course not.
Who would dare reach out—
To a demon that carried death and misfortune?
A faint smile.
The dark blue mist erupted.
Bloodied hands tightened around the scissors.
No thought of retreat.
No thought of escape.
Didn't matter who died at the end.
For now—
Kill.
She kicked off the ground.
Shot forward—
And then—
Someone's back appeared.
Confusion.
Why show your back?
In a fight, there were only two roles—
The one who kills.
The one who dies.
They were supposed to face each other.
"The guy from before…!?"
Jinhyuk lifted his head, staring at the enemies rushing in.
They were asking—
Why are you standing here?
He answered in his head.
With a grin.
I came to save the demon.
BOOOOM!!!
----------
T/N:
Just for being a free member, you'll get 5 advanced chapters every week!
Access 35 chapters in advance on my Patreon:[email protected]//towerup