Chapter 360 – The Bondage of Karma (2)
Recently, bad news has been reported one after another.
That is the rise in crime rate.
As the hunter society entered a period of stability, the crime rate, which had been decreasing every year, began to rise little by little from the fall of this year.
I’m not sure why.
However, it is said that the behavior of villains who commit crimes has become more refined.
Did you say that you quickly achieve your goal, then leave the scene in perfect order and disappear?
As a result, while the crime rate has risen, the arrest rate has fallen slightly.
“It feels really weird.”
I get lost in thought for a moment as I see the flames rising up and covering the entire building as if they would reach the sky.
The number of defense magic circles installed in large buildings with a large floating population, such as department stores, is at least five.
This is a level that can easily block one or two high-level magic spells that can turn three or four ordinary buildings into powder.
“Such a big fire in such a building…”
That wasn’t the only thing that was puzzling.
To cause a fire of this magnitude, an enormous amount of magical power is consumed.
In other words, the concentration of magical power around the terrorist increases enormously in an instant.
In Seoul, measuring instruments are installed throughout Seoul to detect changes in magic attribute concentration.
If the fire was big enough to engulf the entire building, the measuring device would have detected it in advance and could have accelerated the response, but why did the measuring device become so dumb?
As I was slowly pointing out the suspicious parts, a firefighter came running and told me.
“Hunter Kim Do-jin, lifesaving work is over!”
“Thank you for your hard work. “Please tell everyone to stay back just in case.”
With that said, it was time to take a step forward.
“Uh, over there… “Do you really think you can put out that big fire by yourself?”
Suspicious eyes turn to me.
I realize it again.
When I was Son Si-woo and now.
The weight of trust I convey to them is quite different.
When I turned my head with a calm expression, I saw a firefighter waving his hands in surprise.
“Oh, hey… ! Well, I didn’t doubt Hunter…”
It looks like he’s scared that I might do something to him.
The image of hunters among people who work with them in the field is not very good.
Because there are so many arrogant kids who only believe in their abilities, I have been burned many times.
Of course, not many of those guys have been active for a long time.
In order to not be a cheesy person, you have to be sure of your skills like that bastard Kim Tae-yang, but how easy is that?
I answer with a smile, “I’m harmless,” To the very confused firefighter.
“Trust me just once. “I will erase it completely.”
“Yes? Ah, yes, yes… ! Well, then, please.”
As if my attitude was about to change, the firefighter turned around and quickly walked away.
“Well… “I said it’s okay.”
What can I do?
The bitter reality of this world is that there are separate people who poop and people who clean it up.
“… “Let’s just get to work.”
I take my stopped steps again.
Fuwaaaaak!
The closer you get, the more intense heat touches your skin.
Preparation is over.
As he became the ‘Apostle of Gluttony,’ his magical power became even stronger.
While life-saving was in progress, it was all changed to water-based.
After all, isn’t water the best way to put out a fire?
It doesn’t end there.
It activates ‘Gravity’ towards the surrounding magic power, which becomes prey to the endlessly strong flames and disappears.
[The user’s greed devours the surrounding magic power.]
[Magic power increases.]
The flow of magical power flowing arrogantly in the air and being consumed by the flames is heading towards me.
For a moment, I felt ecstatic at the magic that seeped into every pore of my body.
[It is in a state of predation.]
A different feeling of fullness fills you than when you eat food and fill your stomach.
This was both a signal that all preparations were complete and a warning.
I feel the silent pressure not to eat more than this and stop gluttony.
This is more than enough to quell that fierce fire.
It creates a series of flows with the water attribute magic that fills the surroundings, going back and forth between the body and the outside.
A vortex swirling around me, the caster, and rising up.
“Wow… !”
“W-what is that?!”
From earth to sky.
People marvel at the transparent stream of water gushing in a spiral.
But it’s still too early to be impressed.
The real thing starts now.
It adds delicacy to a stream of water that simply flows along the created flow.
The sparkling scales turn red and become transparent every time they are illuminated by flickering flames.
Its dense scales engrave patterns along the gushing stream, and on the tip that spurs preparations to soar into the sky, an ugly face that evokes fear is engraved at the mere sight of it.
Before you know it, the vortex of the loose flow is gone.
Kurularalalala-!
It became a dragon howling toward the sky.
“Let’s see what the name is…”
Because it’s a dragon made of water.
“Water Dragon… “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Dragon of the East.
You can’t even give an American name like that to a guy born in Korea.
In times like this, simple is best.
「Water Dragon.」
The one given an affectionate name cries out.
Wow!
Then rain falls from the sky.
Shoot!
“… “If you don’t like it, just say you don’t like it, man.”
Of course, they won’t change it.
Hehe-!
The guy snorted breathlessly, as if he sensed what I meant.
Push!
Push shush… !
Every time that happens, a stream of water like a large water sprinkler pours down.
“The pampering only goes so far.”
Let’s end the performance at this point, and now it’s time to turn off the lights.
He points his index finger at the building amidst the blazing flames and gives a command to Mulyong.
“Go over there and squirt some refreshing water.”
Crunch!
Last time, I heard that Bingdak, as well as this guy, is clearly a tsundere.
Even though he acts like he won’t listen to you, when you give me an order, he obeys like a sword.
Kuooooo… !
Head raised towards the sky.
An enormous amount of magical energy swirls around the wide open mouth.
A core of bitterly blue and transparent energy.
Eventually, the guy’s eyes shine sharply, and the lump that has gathered at the corner of his mouth shoots out a huge stream of water.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The moment the pouring water hits the large burning building, a huge amount of steam rises.
Push shush… !
Cloudy vapor as if dozens of smoke bombs had been thrown.
「Wind.」
It generates a light breeze and removes the filled water vapor.
Vision secured again.
The flames that had soared into the sky just a moment ago had disappeared everywhere.
However, the building also disappeared along with the flames.
“Uh, um.”
And cleanly, without leaving a single trace.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The building disappeared without a trace along with the fierce blazing fire.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Fortunately, no one seemed to be making a fuss about it.
Anyway, the building may disappear while putting out the fire, but if you say something like that, people will feel intimidated and will not be able to come to the site again from now on.
“Everyone move quickly!”
Firefighters and hunters from the association are busy moving around on the soaked ground.
I move quietly among them, following a single trace.
A remnant of magical power that only I can see, faintly remaining like a residual fire.
I walk along the faint red line drawn in the humid air.
In a complex city center with many people coming and going.
The lines are constantly blurred by people walking here and there.
“… “Look at this bastard.”
Set fire to a building and boldly run away among the crowd?
“What are you doing?”
Even a faint red line leads into an old building located in a deserted alley.
Could it be that he hid there instead of running away?
“Ho… “Look at this guy.”
Did they hide for a while and then try to move again when things calmed down?
I walk quietly along the red line leading up the stairs to the basement.
A red line penetrated through the thick iron door at the end of the second basement floor.
Beyond that, I can feel the presence of people.
Judging by the light footsteps, the culprit is a woman… , No, is he a skinny guy?
Secretly draws up his magic power and wraps it around his feet.
「Silence.」
The opponent is a villain who has shown outstanding firepower, enough to set fire to a department store building.
You need to approach with as much caution as possible, as you may have some secret secrets hidden within you.
One step, another step, completely blocking the sound of footsteps.
Eventually, the iron gate came into contact.
It seems impossible to open it without making a sound because it is locked tightly, which means that it will eventually have to be broken…
Spread out the magic power within your body and take a close look around the building.
“Hmm, okay.”
Because it became clear that there was no other exit beyond the iron gate.
“Then I won’t hesitate.”
He kicks out his foot vigorously and breaks the iron door.
Kwaang-!
The space seen beyond the iron gate that is inexorably dented and falling on the ground.
A sofa full of dust.
A skinny man sitting there staring blankly at an old TV gets up in shock and shows hostility toward me.
“Who are you! W, how can we get here… !”
Hair that has grown shaggy.
Long dark circles growing under the sunken eyes.
A shiny clown who looks even more prominent due to his thin cheeks.
“… This is an arsonist, a hikikomori.”
It looks like Kim Do-jin from the past, when he would stay in a corner of his room and play games.
Of course, it’s just a feeling, just a feeling.
When I looked at him as if I was pitiful, he scolded me, lighting fireworks in both hands.
“Who are you!”
Two eyes filled with fear at the appearance of a stranger.
Arms and legs falling apart, trapped in flames.
That’s strange.
No matter how I look at it, I don’t think he’s a big enough guy to commit a big crime like arson…
“You’re the guy who set fire to the department store over there, right?”
When I ask that, another emotion besides fear is mixed in his eyes.
Anger.
The guy who finally recognized me as an enemy swung his burning arms wildly.
“Lord, you’re dead!”
A fireball the size of a human head extends from a swung arm.
“It has quite a bit of firepower.”
If he was able to shoot out a fireball of this size out of nowhere, his characteristic rank would have to be at least B level.
It’s a shame.
How did a guy who could make a living as a hunter choose to become a criminal?
“Tsk…”
He catches the flying fireball with his magical hand and catches it and explodes it.
This guy is horrified to see the flames scattering into the air.
“Hehe, hehe… !”
Although he only blocked a fireball, he seemed to have lost his will to fight and retreated in a cold sweat.
As I stand in front of the guy who walks straight and hits the wall and can’t back up any further, I hear a low muttering voice.
“This can’t be happening, there’s no way… , I think you’ll be safe here… Boo, I definitely did… !”
Just as expected.
It seems like there is a backseat.
An expert who told us how to start a fire and where to run afterward.
I call out to this guy who can’t even make eye contact with me and rolls his eyes and jumps at me.
“Hey.”
Only then did the gaze finally come up.
He asks while facing sunken eyes that are reminiscent of rotten eyes.
“The bastard who told you that you could run away here.”
If you don’t blow, you’ll get scolded.
