Chapter 36: Chapter 36

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Chapter 36: Temporary Employees (3)

— Thud!

The twins stomped their feet in unison.

Then, two icy paths shot forward like lightning, piercing through the gaps in the asphalt.

The sharp chill crawled up my body like a snake, starting from beneath my feet.

Twitch.

Before I knew it, my legs were frozen, fused with the ground.

When I tried to wriggle my immobilized feet, the twins tilted their chins up triumphantly, assuming it was over.

‘I let you have your fun once…’

[Detected: 'Ice Bind']

[Effect of 'Ice Shard' activates Ice Resistance (Lv.1).]

[Remaining duration: 2 minutes 41 seconds… 40 seconds… 39 seconds…]

"Twice would be asking too much."

As I watched them relax and approach, I moved my legs again.

Crack!

The thick layer of ice encasing my body shattered like armor.

[!!]

[!!]

Step.

As I took a step with my now-liberated, lighter legs…

[The freezing! It doesn’t work?!]

Shatter!

The ice shards clinging to me scattered into the air and vanished.

Along with them, the twins’ confidence also crumbled.

[How is this happening all of a sudden?!]

"Ah, well. I came prepared."

[You… You monster!]

"And aren’t you the monsters?"

Otherwise…

‘There’s no way you’d have something like that attached to your legs.’

Grind.

The twins clenched their teeth, their bowl-cut hair fluttering as they charged at me simultaneously.

"Accelerate!"

I twisted the flow of time, deciding it was time to finish this quickly, and sprinted forward.

Even though they moved like balloons floating in slow motion, their aggression didn’t wane.

Level 4 Acceleration Skill.

The remaining time:

‘20 seconds.’

I raised my blade, the Blade Tipped Sword, and launched off the ground.

The twins came into range in an instant.

I dodged their trajectories and prepared to slash downward when…

[Dieeeeeee!]

"!!"

One of the bowl-cut twins twisted his head toward me.

In time slowed to one-twentieth, he dove at me like a bullet, aiming straight for my solar plexus.

Thud!

I twisted my body just in time, and the attack merely grazed my side.

The force was unnervingly strong, as if it wasn’t from a human head.

Still…

['Shell Breastplate' absorbs part of the impact!]

I didn’t have time to feel the full brunt of the blow.

The shell armor encasing my body acted as both a solid and supple cushion.

Crunch!

As one twin’s body slammed into mine, the other latched onto my head, encasing himself in ice.

['Setani' activates 'Ice Bind.']

[Due to the 'Demon Slayer’ title, you are unaffected by the skill.]

They must know their direct powers don’t work on me.

Were they trying to block my vision or sap my body heat instead?

‘Even under Acceleration, they can move this much.’

Impressive, but…

[Effect of 'Ice Shard' activates Ice Resistance (Lv.1).]

[Remaining duration: 2 minutes 27 seconds… 26 seconds…]

‘I told you—it doesn’t work on me.’

Thud!

I slammed the one clinging to my head into the ground.

Slash!

I swung at the other twin, targeting the icicle-like exhaust pipe attached to his calf rather than his body.

Flash!

‘This is…’

As I cut through the long, blue-white icicle, it began to lose its glow, turning dull gray.

And then…

Psssssht!

The icicle, which resembled an exhaust pipe, spat out a few chunks of ice before shattering into pieces upon hitting the ground.

[Aaaaargh!]

Simultaneously, the twin howled in pain as if part of his body had been torn off.

Part of their body, yes.

The icicle must have been like an arm or leg to them.

‘It seems to be the source of their freezing power.’

It had struck me as strange how they always stomped the same foot when using their powers.

Now for the other twin.

Swish! Slash!

I cut through his icicle with precision, taking care not to harm his body.

With that, their abilities were neutralized.

As I carefully wielded my longsword like a sculptor’s chisel, a notification chimed.

[Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has reached its maximum!]

[Skill level of 'Basic Swordsmanship' increases. (Lv.2 → Lv.3)]

"!!"

My Basic Swordsmanship skill leveled up.

It had barely increased even after slaying countless monsters, but the training at the academy must have paid off.

Those stinky bugs…

All that slashing was worth it.

[Would you like to review the effects of Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.3)?]

"No."

I was curious, but these two came first.

[Aaaaaaaaargh!]

Their dilated pupils expanded slowly.

Their small bodies let out bone-chilling roars.

They were ghosts, after all.

I wondered if they were casting some kind of curse.

[May you rot in agonyyyyy!]

Even so, I didn’t kill them outright.

Instead, I severed their abilities alone for a reason.

— Swish!

Using the vines I had cut earlier, I quickly tied their hands and feet before my Acceleration skill expired.

Using the rope they had tied me up with instead.

[??????]

[!!!!!!!!]

The twins struggled with slow but deliberate movements, but it was useless.

Soon, they lay sprawled on thin ice, hands and feet bound.

[Saahhhhhh... let me gooooo...]

Tick-tock—!

[...Please!!!]

Their howling cries drowned out the ticking of the clock’s second hand.

[Please!!!]

[It hurts so much!]

[Stop hitting me!]

Eventually, even with their hands and feet tied, they twisted their robed bodies and knelt on the ground.

These guys are mentally weaker than I thought.

Well, considering that most of their conversations were about being "afraid of getting scolded," I shouldn’t be surprised.

It’s such a predictable reaction.

[We won’t take the report!]

[Spare us!]

Hmm.

This is going easier than I thought?

"Then shall we do that?"

[Yes!]

[Let’s do that!]

Their eyes widened as they nodded furiously, their bowl-cut hair bouncing wildly.

If their hands hadn’t been tied behind their backs, they probably would’ve been groveling.

‘Yep, total weaklings.’

The kind who cause more trouble for their superiors than take responsibility themselves.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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In that case...

"But there’s a condition."

[A condition!]

[Name it!]

Weaklings are meant to be used accordingly.

I’ve been through this enough to know.

"That report from earlier."

『Investigation Report on Zone 13 and Restructuring Efficiency (Draft)』

The one covered with terms like "confidential" and "do not disclose" all over it.

That report.

「...Among East Asians, particularly Koreans, due to their familiarity with a highly competitive environment, they tend to exhibit strong mental resilience but are notably weaker in physical activities.

Additionally, simulation results show that the likelihood of unlocking unique abilities is the lowest among them. This is attributed to a societal atmosphere that discourages individuality...」

It analyzed everything about this place—the vegetation of Earth, population distribution, national characteristics, class structures...

A complete breakdown of this world from a purely "business" perspective.

「...Therefore, the key to effective restructuring lies in efficiently selecting individuals who align with the company’s ideal employee profile.」

"Honestly, it was useful to study."

「Thus, the meticulous design of the 'entry exam' is paramount, and...」

"But it didn’t include the most important detail."

Gulp.

The twins looked up at me, half anxious, half nervous.

[The most important detail?]

[What is it?]

They asked in trembling voices, perhaps instinctively guessing what I was about to say.

So instead of dragging it out, I got straight to the point.

"I want to know the missions for the entry exam in advance."

[!!]

[!!]

Their jaws dropped in shock.

"You’ve got it, don’t you? The data."

[No, no way!]

[We don’t have anything like that!]

Flustered, they shook their heads vigorously, denying it.

「...The detailed mission structure and progression are discussed further in 『Proposal for Entry Exam Project by Zone: Zone 13 Restructuring Efficiency (Draft)』.」

I already know it exists.

So, what I’m saying is...

"Bring me the proposal."

[!!]

[!!]

If I could know what missions are waiting and prepare for them...

[No!]

[That’s cheating!]

Cheating or not, I need to do it.

If it means surviving—not just me, but others too.

"Why? You don’t want to?"

[We’ll get caught!]

[Our heads will roll!]

"You guys are just temps. Even if you get caught, your heads won’t roll."

And I already confirmed that they’re just as much disposable "tools" of the company as I am.

「To reduce personnel costs, mobile 'Setani' are dispatched for preliminary investigations, with official investigators sent only for exceptional cases.」

...Basically, not much different from my own position.

[If we get caught.]

[We’ll die...]

That’s why I’ll persuade them.

"I’ll say I snuck in and stole it."

[But...]

[...Still...]

Even with an escape route prepared, they’re reluctant.

As expected, these guys aren’t the carrot type.

In that case...

"Or should I report you? Say you took a bribe from me to show me the report?"

The stick it is.

[Wh-what?!]

[That’s a lie!]

[No way!]

[You stole it!]

The twins shouted, clearly agitated, faces flushed red to the point of contrasting with their stark white bowl cuts.

"Why, you don’t like that?"

[Of course not!]

[No way!]

[Absolutely not!]

"Then bring me the proposal."

[Ugh...]

[Urgh...]

At a loss for words, they just rolled their eyes nervously.

Hmm—looks like they’re almost convinced.

So, for the final push...

"One mistake or two, the punishment is the same, right?"

So.

"Are you going to shut me up, or not?"

Finishing with a stick disguised as a carrot.

When I asked with a sly grin, their faces twisted, their eyes squeezing shut before finally opening again.

[Ah, fine!]

[I'll get it!]

Reluctantly, they nodded.

Well then...

"Go fetch the proposal."

Run along, you naive little kids.

* * *

"Hyu-...!"

Freeze!

Jaehyuk, who had been running, stopped in his tracks, words caught in his throat.

‘I must be seeing things, right?’

Yeah, that's gotta be it.

No way Eunho would suddenly jump off the top of Namsan Tower out of the blue.

"Eeek! That’s dangerous... Wait, what?!"

And there’s no way he’d disappear into thin air while I was rubbing my eyes.

And moments later, there’s no way he’d reappear wrapped in some weird green vines.

And most of all—

—Thud!

There’s no way he’d be muttering to himself in an empty clearing.

"Is this it? The proposal?"

Eunho asked, speaking to the empty air.

"Such good little kids."

Then, he nodded to himself, smiling in satisfaction.

Swoosh, swoosh.

Jaehyuk rubbed his eyes again, but no matter how many times he did, only Eunho stood there.

What in the world is going on?

And looking closer...

"Yikes!"

The green vines wrapping around Eunho’s body were floating midair.

As if they were binding something invisible.

Was there something that only Eunho could see, but not Jaehyuk?

And as Eunho released the green vines, he casually muttered:

"So, when did you all die?"

'D-die?!'

What kind of conversation is this...?

"Eh, if you don’t want to talk about it, fine."

Jaehyuk felt like screaming.

'This... this has to be... ghosts!'

Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine.

At that moment, Eunho noticed Jaehyuk and started walking toward him with determined strides.

"Jaehyuk!"

"Eeeeek! Hy-hyung...!"

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Then he opened them again.

Closing them was scarier.

"Why are you trembling? And what’s with the sweat?"

"Th-that’s..."

Gulp.

Swallowing dryly, he shouted:

"I didn’t see anything! Nothing at all! I just got here! Just now!"

"Huh?"

Eunho tilted his head, puzzled at Jaehyuk’s frantic outburst.

But soon enough, as if deciding it wasn’t worth dwelling on, he continued speaking.

"Come with me somewhere."

"Huh? W-where to?"

It sounded like a casual suggestion for a stroll.

But Jaehyuk’s heart was anything but calm.

After all, just a few steps away lay the pitch-dark forest with not a single light in sight.

"The mission’s done for today, and the sun’s already set..."

The forest grew pitch-black the moment the sun dipped below the horizon.

Just thinking about walking through that darkness made his heart sink and sweat drip endlessly down his back.

Especially after seeing... that just now!

Drip, drip, drip!

But whether Eunho knew how he felt or not, he simply grinned and said:

"We’re going to use a cheat code."

"Huh?"

A cheat code, out of nowhere?

What’s he even talking about?

"Can’t we go when the sun’s up? It seems dangerous at night, and, you know, I’ll be tired tomorrow if I don’t get proper sleep..."

"You’ve got Super Regeneration, don’t you? You’ll recover in no time."

"Hyung-niiiim..."

That’s not the issue here.

'It’s scary... because of the ghosts...'

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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