―Press.
With one hand, he squeezed and released her face.
“...What...”
“But you’re impressive. I mean that sincerely.”
Han Woo-hyun let out a slight note of admiration.
When he unfolded [Holy Ground], he had shown no consideration whatsoever.
Without caring about side effects or aftermath, he had bound the greatest possible area with the greatest possible force.
He had projected all of his Force and concentration.
“Ugh, grrk···.”
“And you’re even continuing to adapt···.”
What Han Woo-hyun had unfolded now was not simply suppressing his opponent’s actions.
A research institute under the United States Department of Defense.
The Bureau of All-Domain Anomaly Investigation, AARO.
A place where scientists, most of whom were not even players, had succeeded in analyzing Force, which only players could use, with the utmost rigor.
And also the cradle of geniuses who had developed countless original skills.
The skill that stood at its pinnacle was [Stasis Field].
Based on topology, it interpreted the space of reality by dividing it into manifolds and continuums, then tied every structure into spatial-temporal knots.
Through that, it made spacetime flow around the skill caster’s will and mind.
A miracle that overturned and distorted the concept of continuity in phenomenal physics.
It had taken him more than a year merely to understand the concept, let alone learn it.
Moreover, even this Stasis Field was nothing more than the most basic application of [Reality Readjustment Interpretation].
“···Da···mn···it···.”
She was not even an [Electromagnetic Being], the only class group capable of Force interpretation calculations without learning.
Yet she instinctively resisted a skill that could not even be perceived unless properly learned.
Pure talent in Force operation alone.
A talent surpassing the level of application ability one could obtain simply by being high-level.
She was useful. Very useful.
In other words, interpreted differently.
It meant she was a player who would have certainly stood out in the future as well.
“Feng Shui Master, Feng Shui Master ranker··· Aha.”
As Han Woo-hyun gently stroked her face, he remembered.
“You’re a little different from my memory, but··· Roly-Poly. So it was you.”
Roly-Poly Na Yu-na.
A player who held daily votes on internet communities for famous people she disliked.
And a torture fetishist who would seek out the chosen person, pull out their arms, legs, eyes, and tongue, and leave them in a state worse than death.
Before his regression, she had always worn a mask, so he had not recognized her right away.
“···.”
Han Woo-hyun personally did not have that great a grudge against her.
Na Yu-na was a Villain Commander who had been subjugated before Han Woo-hyun began properly acting.
However, that did not mean she was an unimportant villain.
Because she had been the villain who delivered the decisive blow in completely collapsing Korea, the most important country in the world.
Before his regression.
Every blood relative of Oseong Group, Korea’s largest chaebol family, had been turned into roly-polies by her.
Then former and current National Assembly members and ministers followed after them.
When that happened, terrified chaebol families hired players with enormous amounts of money and valuables.
Na Yu-na fell into a trap and died while chasing Jung Jae-seon, a third-generation chaebol of Mirae Group who had provoked her.
―Ha, did you think we’d just stay still without Roly-Poly?
―Anyone can do what they’ve learned on their own!
But by then, it was already far too late.
Because Korea’s politicians and social leadership had all gone insane or become cripples because of Na Yu-na and her subordinates.
It was a persistent attack on social order severe enough that the powerful nation known as the Republic of Korea completely collapsed within a mere six months.
Because of that, countless major political and social systems, including Korea’s leaders, had completely lost function.
“Ah, come to think of it, that bastard existed too···.”
Jung Jae-seon, the third-generation chaebol player of Mirae Group.
While Korea’s politicians and chaebols all fled to America, he was the player who struggled to do something, announcing all kinds of research projects and guild sponsorships, only to die.
He had not been particularly capable as either a player or an executive.
But he was the only one in Korea who had properly cooperated with players to attempt raids and research and development of items.
Now that Han Woo-hyun thought about it, even if Oseong Group’s technology was slightly better.
When it came to players, Force, and items, they would be starting from zero.
It seemed better to work with the chaebol company whose family had a player in it instead.
“I’ll have to change this plan to Mirae Group as well.”
Having finished his thoughts, Han Woo-hyun slowly raised his Force.
“To be honest, it isn’t as though I have no desire to talk with you right now···.”
His brain was slowly reaching its limit.
“But there is no time.”
A cold shadow swept through Han Woo-hyun’s eyes.
“[Light-Sealing Sword].”
“Waaai···t···.”
“Stay still.”
―THUNK.
The Feng Shui Master, who had been trying to say something, stiffened throughout her entire body.
“Kgh···.”
At the same time, Han Woo-hyun frowned slightly at the dizziness and headache that struck him.
He had to hurry.
There were seventy-four Villain Players currently in the Blue House.
If even one bastard came to their senses and used an attack skill, the Blue House would be smashed apart.
Even if he somehow blocked the skill, there was no guarantee that he could control 100% of the aftermath around them.
If that happened, every civilian inside would die instantly.
Therefore, he would end it quickly.
Overwhelmingly.
With transcendent divine might.
He would suppress them instantly without any damage.
“[Light-Sealing Sword].”
“[Light-Sealing Sword].”
“[Light-Sealing Sword].”
Enduring the headache and dizziness that grew more severe, Han Woo-hyun mechanically repeated the skill.
―THUNK.
―THUNK.
He did not drive them only into the necessary parts with care, as he had when subduing the assassin.
The cervical spine and lumbar spine. The pathways through which most nerves controlling human activity passed.
He drove only two into each person.
Even that much made them unable to use skills or move.
Of course, a skilled player could use skills with only the Force emission of the cranial nerves.
But in this place, even the Feng Shui Master Na Yu-na seemed unable to do that, so he drove them in roughly.
“···Kgh.”
―THUNK.
At last, after driving sealing swords into the final player, Han Woo-hyun released the strength from his entire body.
“···It’s done.”
Then, he released the spatial perception he had been concentrating on with every nerve.
A silent wave of gravitational force spread out, and the frozen space began to move.
―THUD.
―THUD.
―THUD.
“···Guild Leader!”
“Wh-what is this?!”
In an instant, all seventy-four players collapsed.
In their center, Han Woo-hyun was looking down at the fallen people with an indifferent expression.
“What, what is this?”
Kwon Seung-hwan, who had stepped forward right after Han Woo-hyun, muttered in a bewildered voice.
It seemed rather shocking to him that although they had stepped forward, saying they would do their part as guild members, they had unfortunately failed to play that role.
Well, it was not as though they had been of no help at all.
Even if Han Woo-hyun had handled the important part, in the end, they had barged into the Blue House together while using skills.
As for making everyone recognize the strength of the guild leader and, at the same time, inspiring a sense of belonging.
Even being a folding screen had enough meaning.
“There is··· a skill like this? For Paladin?”
“No, I don’t think it was a skill···”
“Did anyone see it?”
“It wasn’t something we saw. The scene just changed···”
“Quiet. Priests, step forward.”
At Han Woo-hyun’s low words, the guild members silently exchanged glances.
Then three people came forward.
“Heal all of these people.”
“Yes, yes··· [Healing]!”
“[Healing]!”
“[Healing]! But the three of us didn’t take the healing tree.”
“[Healing]! The healing effect is a little weak···.”
“U-uuugh···!”
“Auaagh···!”
Looking at the politicians who thrashed as their arms, legs, eyes, and tongues slowly grew back.
“It is fine.”
Han Woo-hyun answered.
“You can do it several times. The cooldown for Healing is about two seconds, yes?”
“U-um, none of us invested many skill points, so five seconds···.”
That much was enough.
“Keep doing it. Until they are whole.”
“Yes! [Healing]!”
“You people over there! Gather all the fallen bastards and pile them in the back.”
“Yes!”
“Heave-ho! Lift them!”
“Stack them here!”
About ten minutes passed like that.
“···Hah, haa···”
“···Who··· are you···?”
Only then did the politicians, who had finally obtained the shape of intact bodies, look at them with vacant eyes.
And behind them were the security commander and the deputy director of the Presidential Security Service.
“Did you, did you··· bring them?”
“That···.”
The deputy director of the Presidential Security Service glanced slightly at Han Woo-hyun.
Han Woo-hyun glared at him, conveying the emotion that if he was going to say some fucking nonsense, he should get lost.
“Th-this way! This person···.”
Fortunately, he seemed quick-witted and hurriedly stepped back.
Han Woo-hyun relaxed his expression slightly.
He was not completely clueless.
“Is this our first meeting? Good to meet you, Mr. President.”
“You··· Who are you? Why did the Security Service.”
“Let me formally introduce myself. I am Han Woo-hyun, guild leader of Guild [Lucid].”
“Guild? What does that.”
“To put it more simply, I am the representative of every player in the world. The representative of the superhumans.”
The politicians and bureaucrats, who were still blank because they had only just escaped torture and had yet to recover their minds.
The eyes of all of them widened as though they would split the moment they heard Han Woo-hyun’s words.
“Yes. The friends who were torturing you until just now.”
“···.”
“Well, we have suppressed all of them now. You do not need to worry too much.”
In order to show the image he had intentionally designed.
Han Woo-hyun spoke arrogantly from beginning to end.
Because that was necessary.
The Korean president, the opposition party leader, and the ruling party leader.
Before his regression, every one of them had been nothing but incompetent fools who could not even protect themselves.
So now was the time to treat them not with persuasion, but with coercion.
“Should you not thank us? We protected the statesmen of the Republic of Korea, the executive branch, and the legislature.”
Han Woo-hyun glanced at Kwon Seung-hwan.
“Hey! Are you just going to stand there staring blankly?!”
“Are politicians so ungrateful they don’t even know a favor?”
“We saved your lives!”
Fortunately, Kwon Seung-hwan was quick-witted.
“Fuck, we came here risking our lives to protect you too!”
Perhaps it bothered him that after speaking so grandly, he had done nothing.
He performed the role of the plant magnificently.
“I feel pretty damn hurt here.”
―FLARE.
Flames rose from the enormous two-handed sword Kwon Seung-hwan held.
“Feeling ripped off and disappointed?”
The Dragon Knight’s basic attack-power enhancement skill, [Dragon-Breath Sword Energy].
“H-hiiik!”
“That is not what we meant!”
“W-we were too dazed just now!”
“Th-thank you! Thank you! You are the heroes of the Republic of Korea!”
As though their PTSD had flared up, the president and politicians instantly convulsed and poured out flattering words.
As expected of people whose job was to live off incitement and fabrication.
“You truly did a great deed! You protected the order of the Republic of Korea···”
“What is your name? We will immediately award commendations and designate you as national meritorious persons···”
“Is that enough? We must immediately grant reward money as well···”
“Where do you work now? In a state institution, we can now···”
“We will never forget this noble···”
Once they opened their mouths, it was as if they gradually regained their true nature.
They poured out all kinds of dazzling flowery rhetoric in plausible fashion.
It reached such a level that even the guild members, who had been looking at them with eyes that seemed to say, Let’s see what they bark.
Gradually began to wonder, Huh? Really? Is that possible? Truly?
To the point that their expressions slowly changed.
“Now.”
Yes, they had regained their senses to a suitable degree. This was enough.
“Enough.”
Han Woo-hyun silenced everyone with a heavy voice.
"···."
"···."
At that single heavy word, the guild members, who had already had Han Woo-hyun’s authority perfectly engraved into them, all shut their mouths.
“No, what I meant···.”
“Uh···.”
Of course, the politicians, who had not yet fully grasped the situation, tried to continue speaking.
―Tingle.
Even that stopped when Han Woo-hyun glared at them with cold eyes.
“Reward money, medals, scouting offers. All good. But there is something you must do first.”
Han Woo-hyun took documents from within his coat.
The authorities claimed by the Villain Players who had reigned as Korea’s lords before his regression.
He had revised them to suit the guild that would exercise them, then stitched them together more systematically and meticulously into a treaty document.
“Read it and sign.”
He threw them to the president, the prime minister, the opposition party leader, and the ruling party leader.
One bundle each.
“Press your fingerprints and seals as well.”
"···."
"···."
Complicated gazes passed among the politicians.
Had he given them too much time to recover? Judging by the way they exchanged looks, it seemed idle thoughts were rising.
“Do you not have many things to do? Why don’t you read it first? Well, if you stamp it without reading, that would be fine with me.”
“Ahem, ahem··· That is not what we meant. This is also a sudden situation for us, so we merely wished to proceed cautiously.”
“Guild Leader Han Woo-hyun. We will remember your contribution. We will examine this as positively as possible. However···.”
“We cannot read something like this and decide so quickly. Moreover···”
“Read it. Now. Immediately.”
Han Woo-hyun spoke with killing intent in his voice.
“Do I look like a pushover?”