The final howl of one of Seun-mi Ho's wolves faded into the night, still resonating in the calm forest air. The mercenary, kneeling in the clearing, watched as Seun-mi disappeared from sight. When he was finally out of view, the man tried to stand, his body trembling with fear. Seun-mi Ho's aura had terrified him.
"It's... it's impossible...," he stammered, his throat dry. His pale face still bore the marks of the terror he had just experienced. Glancing nervously at the wolves surrounding him, he made a quick decision. He had to escape.
Taking advantage of Seun-mi's departure, the man clumsily got to his feet, his legs weak beneath him, and fled into the forest, his breath short and erratic. Only one thought echoed in his mind: escape Seun-mi Ho's wrath.
Meanwhile, Seun-mi Ho strode purposefully through the dense forest, focused on his primary objective: tracking down Aven and the other mercenaries. His wolves had already found their location somewhere in the mountains to the east. Through his connection with them, he sensed their presence—faint but precise enough to know the hunt was nearing its end.
"Mountains, three kilometers," he murmured, his eyes piercing through the darkness as if it were broad daylight.
He paused momentarily and activated his scan to confirm the mercenaries' exact position. The interface silently came to life, projecting a mental map of the area into his mind. Bright points appeared on the map, each representing a lifeform.
"Three life signatures, three kilometers away," the interface indicated. They were there.
Seun-mi Ho examined the map closely. He knew it was Aven and the two other mercenaries. It was time to act.
[Cancel Summon: Wolf Pack.]
The energy sustaining the wolves began to dissipate instantly. One by one, the summoned creatures vanished, their task completed. With a final wave of his hand, Seun-mi Ho dismissed the remaining traces of mana around him. He no longer needed his wolves; at this range, he could handle things himself.
Seun-mi Ho turned toward the mountains. Three kilometers. That distance was nothing to him. He took a deep breath, crouching slightly as he gathered power into his legs. In an instant, his body tensed, and he launched himself forward at blinding speed.
This wasn't a mere leap. It was a controlled burst of strength—a movement so fast that the air seemed to tear around him. Trees and rocks blurred as he zipped past, leaving only swirling leaves and gusts of wind in his wake, like a predator closing in on its prey.
In mere moments, he arrived at the foot of the mountains. His movement had been so smooth and rapid that he barely felt the beating of his own heart. Scaling the slopes with the same ease, he climbed swiftly, and in seconds, he was within reach of the mercenaries' position.
There, about twenty meters ahead, stood Aven and the two other mercenaries. They hadn't noticed his arrival yet. Aven, still as imposing as ever, spoke in hushed tones to his men, unaware that the trap had already sprung. He wore light armor, his long hair tied into a ponytail, and his face betrayed fatigue from their escape.
Seun-mi Ho emerged slowly from the shadows of the trees, stepping forward. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.
"Aven," he called out, his voice icy.
The three men jolted, spinning around in unison. They were caught off guard. The two younger mercenaries instinctively took a step back, their faces pale with fear. They knew they were doomed.
"How...?!" one of them gasped, struggling to comprehend how Seun-mi had found them so quickly.
Aven clenched his jaw and straightened up, instinctively assuming a combat stance. He had known that Seun-mi would come for them, but he hadn't expected him to arrive so soon.
"You couldn't just let us go, could you?" Aven said bitterly.
Seun-mi Ho didn't answer right away. His cold gaze swept over Aven and the two mercenaries. He could feel their fear. They were weak. He knew this even before analyzing them, but out of habit, he activated the interface.
[Mercenary Analysis]
Aven — Level 15
Mercenary 1 — Level 13
Mercenary 2 — Level 12
"Weak," he thought.
Aven was the strongest of the group, but he was no match for Seun-mi Ho. The others would be nothing more than a formality. This wouldn't be a fair fight—and Seun-mi Ho wasn't looking for fairness. He was looking for vengeance.
"I'll give you one last chance," he finally said, his aura vibrating around him. "Surrender, or suffer."
A heavy silence fell over the group. The two mercenaries exchanged anxious glances, hesitating. But Aven clenched his fists. He knew they didn't stand a chance, but he had no intention of going down without a fight.
"Never," he spat.
"Very well."
Seun-mi Ho closed his eyes briefly, then released a portion of his power. His aura intensified. Level 2. A wave of invisible energy radiated from him, creating an oppressive pressure around the mercenaries. The air thickened, and an irrational fear gripped the two younger men. They staggered back, their bodies frozen by the overwhelming force.
"It's... impossible..." one of them whispered, collapsing to his knees under the pressure.
Even Aven could feel the weight of the aura. He grimaced, his muscles straining under the effort to remain standing. He was stronger than the others, but even for him, staying upright under such pressure was almost impossible. The difference in power was too great.
"Still standing?" Seun-mi asked, his voice as sharp as a blade.
Aven groaned, mustering the last of his strength. He knew he couldn't win, but he refused to die without a fight. He still had some pride left.
"I'll make it quick," Seun-mi Ho said, stepping forward, his gaze locked on Aven.
Aven straightened up, drawing his sword with a trembling hand. He knew he had only one chance: to strike hard and fast. But before he could lift his weapon, Seun-mi Ho had already moved.
The world seemed to slow. Seun-mi Ho vanished. In an instant, he had shifted so quickly that the mercenaries couldn't follow his movement. He reappeared right in front of Aven, his expression impassive, placing a hand on the mercenary's chest.
"Too slow."
A shockwave rippled through Aven's body, hurling him backward with incredible force. He crashed against a rocky wall, his sword slipping from his hand. He hadn't even had time to react.
The other two mercenaries, seeing their leader fall so easily, were paralyzed with fear. One of them tried to flee, but before he could take a step, Seun-mi Ho crushed him with a simple wave of his hand, pinning him to the ground with invisible energy.
"It's over," Seun-mi Ho said calmly, advancing toward Aven, who struggled to stand despite his injuries.
"You... you'll never understand," Aven whispered, coughing up blood, but Seun-mi Ho paid him no mind.
"I gave you a chance," he replied coldly, raising a hand glowing with mana.
The mercenaries had made their choice. Now, they would pay the price.
End of Chapter 21.