[Demon's Clown Mask]
[A clown mask imbued with demonic power.]
I decided to try on the mask. I thought it might be difficult to put on at first, but as soon as it approached my face, it adhered automatically. Surprised, I quickly pulled it off, but it came off effortlessly.
'…Seems like the demonic power thing wasn't just for show.'
Feeling a bit uneasy, I put the clown mask back on.
Once it was on, I realized this mask was no ordinary one. Typically, masks feel stuffy, but this one didn't. It didn't even feel like I was wearing a mask. Even when I rolled my eyes, my vision wasn't obstructed.
'Impressive. Truly a demon's clown mask.'
When I faced the mirror, I opened my mouth. The mask's mouth opened, too, revealing my mouth inside. When I closed my mouth, the mask's mouth closed as well. It seemed like I could eat while wearing the mask.
The same was true of my eyes. When I closed my eyes, the mask's eye holes closed, too.
Tap tap. I touched the mask with my fingertips. It felt hard, like a typical mask.
'Incredible.'
I reached to take off the mask. However, it wouldn't come off.
'It won't come off if I don't intend to take it off.'
It seemed there was no risk of it coming off unintentionally.
Finally, I touched the squirming red wig attached to the mask. Thanks to this wig, none of my hair was visible. I grabbed a strand and pulled hard, but it wouldn't come off. Fortunately, there was no pain.
'Amazing.'
I looked at myself in the mirror and chuckled.
The clown's mouth stretched into a wide grin.
***
I changed into appropriate clothes at a suitable place and drove a stolen car to the front of the 'Noel Fitness Club' in Yeoksam-dong.
A clown mask with a red wig covered my face.
I grasped the Hwarangbido in my gloved hand. With its black scabbard, it looked like an ordinary black stick. The original purpose of the Changpogum was this. It was a sword for assassination.
'I changed clothes in a secluded place, conscious of the CCTV, and put on the mask at the right moment. I hacked and stole a random car on the street. Even if I escape, with my ability and inventory, I won't be tracked.'
I laughed to myself.
In most dramas, movies, or comics, hunters don't exist. Stories become uninteresting if powerful hunters are present because they solve problems too easily with their immense power.
In reality, the vast majority of people are ordinary. Setting without hunters works better for relatability.
And that's incredibly fortunate for me. In this world without hunters, there's no one to stop me.
"Let's do this."
People on the street glanced at me. Some were secretly taking photos with their smartphones.
A man in a dishevelled black suit wearing a clown mask with a curly red wig. Ordinary people probably thought it was some event or cosplay.
I didn't pay them much attention. Let them take pictures if they want.
"Excuse me. Can I take a photo with you? For SNS?"
Someone approached me.
"Fu…"
I reflexively started to say 'fuck off' but then realized she was quite a beauty.
"Sure. Go ahead."
"Please lower your head a bit."
Her face came close to mine. The fragrant smell of cosmetics wafted over.
Click!
"Thank you."
"No problem. But make sure to post it on SNS right away. By tomorrow, I'll be an SNS star."
"Uh? Okay. By the way, your mask is amazing. Did you make it yourself?"
"Well, something like that. Now, I have something to do."
I slapped her ass as a parting gesture. Even through her clothes, I could tell it was firm.
"Kyaaah?!"
Ignoring her scream, I walked toward the entrance of the Noel Fitness Club.
The fully membership-only 'Noel Fitness Club' is actually a training ground for Korean vampire hunters. All the staff are part of the Black Cross Society, and everyone working out there is a vampire hunter.
I kicked the automatic glass door with all my might.
Crash!
The glass door shattered, scattering shards everywhere. I stepped over the broken glass and entered. The female employee at the counter looked at me in shock, then quickly picked up the office phone and spoke to someone.
"We're under attack at Noel Fitness! Requesting immediate backup! Hurry!"
She was probably calling the Black Cross Society headquarters or the vampire hunters upstairs.
"Hi there. You're quite pretty. But sorry."
The frantic-looking female employee was quite pretty. Understandable, since she was played by an actress in the original drama. I would've liked to get her number, but unfortunately, I had business to attend to.
As I approached, she pulled something out of a drawer. A revolver. Not surprising. Vampire hunters mainly use guns.
"I'm in a hurry."
"Yeongcheon Style. Seogwang."
The blade, drawn from its scabbard, left a trail of red light in the air, slicing the female employee's head off. Her blood splattered on me.
Seogwang has the drawback of large preparatory movements, but once executed, it's a swift strike that even hunters struggle to react to.
"Ahhhh!"
"M-Murder!"
"Aaahhh!!"
Screams erupted behind me. People who had been watching my actions through the broken glass door were now terrified by the murder I committed. Some were even boldly filming with their smartphones.
'Modern people…'
I stepped past the headless body of the female employee and headed upstairs to the second floor of the fitness club. I considered taking the elevator but decided on the stairs.
The second floor served as a sauna and changing room. It was divided into a men's and a women's section.
Naturally, I headed for the women's section.
'This is instinct.'
However, upon opening the door, I was disappointed. There were no women. Thinking about it, most vampire hunters are men.
"Damn it!"
Clicking my tongue, I opened the door to the men's section next door.
I locked eyes with a well-built man who was taking off his shirt.
"Shit. A man's body. Disgusting."
I approached him.
The man didn't panic. Instead, he quickly pulled a revolver from his bag and aimed it at me. A trained movement.
"What are you? A vampire? Take off the mask!"
"If I were going to take it off, I wouldn't have worn it in the first place."
"Stay back! This is a silver bullet! If you're a vampire, you know the power of silver bullets, right?"
I didn't stop.
"Why don't you just shoot?"
"You bastard!"
Bang!
I slightly twisted my body. The bullet aimed at my shoulder missed. He probably intended to capture and interrogate me.
Bang! Bang bang! Bang!
I dodged the bullets using Yeongcheon techniques.
Unless he shot from outside my field of vision, he couldn't hit me head-on.
Bang! Ting!
I deflected the last bullet with my sword.
"Oh, it worked."
I had tried it on a whim, thinking, 'No way,' but it succeeded. For the record, my sword was fine.
It was made from the scales of an SS-class monster, the Red Dragon. A mere silver bullet wouldn't leave a scratch.
"D-Damn it…!"
He immediately turned to flee.
"Haven't you been taught not to show your back in a fight?"
I ran up and swung my sword. It sliced through his torso, separating his upper and lower halves. Blood and guts spilled onto the floor.
I stepped around the blood and entered the bathhouse.
Three naked men rushed at me through the steam.
'Were they waiting after hearing the gunshots?'
They tried to take my sword. They underestimated me.
If I were someone unfamiliar with Yeongcheon, I might have been caught. But not now.
"Yeongcheon Style. Yuseon."
My sword moved gracefully through the air, cutting down the men.
The blade painted a picture with their blood in the air. The lines didn't break until they stopped moving.
Yuseon is a combat technique suitable for dealing with multiple opponents.
When my sword stopped, the three men around me were dismembered. I was drenched in their blood as if I had taken a shower in it.
"Damn!"
For no particular reason, I kicked the man in front of me in the head. His head plunged into the large, hot tub. The clear water turned a deep red.
I glanced around the bathhouse.
"No one else left, huh?"
I stepped out of the bathhouse.
A drink fridge caught my eye. I grabbed a banana milk and chugged it.
"Banana milk in the bathhouse really hits differently."
I tossed the empty container carelessly. Since I drank without touching my mouth, no DNA would be detected.
On the third floor, I arrived at the gym, packed with exercise equipment.
And I smiled broadly. In front of me were over twenty vampire hunters, each armed and staring at me.
"Look at this crazy bastard."
"Isn't that a progenitor?"
"And what's with that ridiculous clown mask?"
"Don't kill him. He might be connected to the bus terror attack."
"Cut off his arms and legs and interrogate him. Find out how he got here and who he's with."
Twenty-three men and women.
A lot. But I wasn't scared at all. They should be the ones who are afraid.
I twisted my mouth into a grin.
"Time to kill."
I moved first. More than half of them had guns, so I needed a decent shield. It would be perfect if that shield was one of their comrades.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots rang out, but none hit me. I dodged the bullets, and when I couldn't, I used exercise equipment as a shield.
"Stop shooting! We might hit each other! Just close in and take him down!"
"Shooting might be better, you know?"
I taunted them. The only reason I couldn't go wild was because of the guns.
My body was superior to that of an average person, but I couldn't withstand bullets unscathed. My body was still made of flesh and blood.
I swung my sword at the fool who dared approach me first.
'Carrying a dagger, thinking he's hot shit… Pathetic.'
He moved fast by human standards, but he posed no threat to me.
"Avoid one-on-one combat! He's not ordinary! Surround him!"
Someone shouted orders and the vampire hunters began moving in a coordinated manner. I eyed the middle-aged man giving commands.
'Im Bu-jeon. So he's here. I never expected to kill a team leader here. Lucky me.'
Im Bu-jeon was among the top-tier vampire hunters. His combat skills were excellent, but his brains were even better. Killing him now would benefit me greatly.
The vampire hunters surrounded me. Swords, spears, blunt weapons, and guns pointed at me.
"…Hey, clown. Let me ask you something. Why are you doing something so reckless?"
Im Bu-jeon glared at me, his eyes sharp, holding a well-maintained hatchet in his right hand.
"You're in the way of what I need to do."
"We're in the way, Huh… Are you planning to turn Korea into a vampire nation?"
"A vampire nation? Not a bad idea."
Impossible. Even if vampires tried, the best they could achieve would be forming a mafia-like organization in Korea. If they wanted to build a vampire nation, they'd have a better chance in Western Asia.
"Your actions are nothing but a declaration of war against us… No, against Korea. Because of your rash behaviour, countless vampires in Korea will be hunted down."
"Ah! That would be a problem. Guess I'll just have to kill more of you, then."
[Using Acceleration. Maintains for 10 minutes.]
I moved. I dashed toward the nearest woman with my sword.
"…!"
She swung her sword, reacting to my enhanced speed, but she was too slow against my accelerated movements.
I drove my sword into her chest, piercing her heart, and grabbed her by the neck, throwing her at the man next to her.
The man, unable to harshly deflect his comrade's corpse, showed a moment of weakness. I took advantage and pierced his throat, killing him.
Two were dead in under ten seconds.
I didn't stop, continuing to swing my sword. I killed those closest to me first. Their attacks only grazed my clothes.
"Goddamn it! Just kill him! He's not someone we can capture! Shoot!"
[T/N: This chapter was fire🔥]