Chapter 26: Regression of the Transcendent Psychokinesis User

Chapter 26: Min Hae-joon (2)

Jin-young was seeing Min Hae-joon this close for the first time.

It was strangely refreshing to witness in person the fake smiles and the act of being a good person that he always put on in the media.

He had wondered how the man could pull off such instant fake expressions.

‘Is he even human?’

Jin-young felt an inexplicable unease about Min Hae-joon as a person.

Others probably wouldn’t notice at all, but Jin-young—who had trained his psionic energy to its absolute limits—could sense it.

“The fact that you’re questioning whether I’m real or not… I’m curious what you mean by that.”

Min Hae-joon’s smile had faded slightly, but he still spoke with a grinning expression.

“Ah, it’s just fascinating. Even though I’m part of the Intelligence Department, this is my first time seeing a 2nd-grade Hunter who’s called a superhuman up close. You’re humanity’s hope, aren’t you? Hope.”

“Ah, haha. I’m still not used to that kind of title. But thank you for saying so.”

Jin-young carefully observed the unnatural changes in Min Hae-joon’s facial expressions.

The alien movements of his facial muscles created a subtle sense of discomfort.

『Only black mana can be felt from him. Just like a Creeper.』

The tentacles bluntly explained the unease Jin-young was feeling.

‘So it’s like he’s in a constant state of having taken Black Rose.’

『Black Rose is merely humans imitating Creepers a little. This one is far closer to a Creeper than to a human.』

‘Closer to a Creeper, huh. Does that mean he’ll get even stronger in the contaminated zone?’

『Immunity to erosion. Mana amplification. Ability enhancement. Various effects are presumed.』

‘Then absorbing him in the contaminated zone means I could extract even more from him.’

『That is correct.』

Without realizing it, Jin-young let a smile creep onto his face.

If what the tentacles said was true, the day he would meet Min Hae-joon in the contaminated zone couldn’t come soon enough.

Seeing Jin-young suddenly smile, Min Hae-joon asked,

“Must be something good on your mind?”

“Good? Yeah, there is. What could be better than running into Hunter Min Hae-joon right here?”

The slightly exaggerated reaction made Min Hae-joon try to gauge Jin-young’s intentions.

He was skilled at piercing through people’s psyches without even using skills.

But no matter how deeply he stared into Jin-young’s eyes, nothing stood out.

“You’re interesting. If we meet again next time, I’d like to see the face behind that mask.”

Right before stepping out of the elevator, Min Hae-joon casually tossed out words that would be rude to any secret agent.

Jin-young, unfazed, replied just as casually.

“That day might come sooner than you think. When it does, I’ll greet you with a genuine smile.”

***

“Director Jeong. Our SP Guild has always strived to maintain a harmonious relationship with the government. But if the Intelligence Department keeps acting like this, it puts us in a difficult position.”

Min Hae-joon said with a smile.

Sitting across from him on the sofa, Jeong Bo-hoon met his gaze and fell into thought.

Just how much does he know?

Having glimpsed Min Hae-joon’s hidden side in the past, Jeong Bo-hoon couldn’t help but be cautious.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding. We have no intention of clashing with SP Guild either. Getting tangled up with politicians is a real headache.”

Of course, SP Guild and Shin Young Group had deep ties to the political world as well.

“How could I not understand the circumstances? That’s why I came here, isn’t it? It seems like you’ve lost your touch.”

“……”

Jeong Bo-hoon’s expression hardened as he looked at the overly relaxed Min Hae-joon.

‘Did he awaken some new ability or something?’

No matter how superior he was in terms of power, openly antagonizing the Intelligence Department should still be a burden for him.

Yet Min Hae-joon was revealing his emotions without any filter, hiding nothing.

As if there was no longer any reason to hide.

Min Hae-joon, who had been staring intently at Jeong Bo-hoon, suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! Director, why are you so tense? We haven’t even started yet. You know we’re heading into the Hongcheon Contaminated Zone soon, right?”

“…It’s something the entire nation knows.”

Jeong Bo-hoon replied without showing any emotion.

“I’m sure you’re digging deep to figure out what I’ll do in there…”

Min Hae-joon wiped away the smile he had maintained all along and spoke with a blank expression.

“You’d better know your place. Even if you find out, there’s nothing you can do about it.”

The moment Min Hae-joon lightly moved his hand—

Crack—

The table between them shattered into thousands of pieces.

His unique ability: Pulverize.

Amplified by Mana Control to boost the ability’s output.

Ssssssh…

The pulverized table scattered into dust in midair.

Through the drifting powder, Min Hae-joon locked eyes with Jeong Bo-hoon.

As if nothing had happened, he put on his smile again and continued speaking.

“So please continue to maintain the status quo as you are now. That would truly be for the good of the country and its people, wouldn’t it?”

Min Hae-joon hadn’t come expecting Jeong Bo-hoon to confess anything.

His purpose was to apply pressure simply by showing up in person at the Intelligence Department.

He had done something similar in the past to intimidate them.

But the Jeong Bo-hoon of back then and the one now seemed subtly different in attitude.

He felt… more relaxed than before.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Just know that we’re always doing our absolute best.”

Jeong Bo-hoon leaned back into the sofa as he spoke, despite the blatant threat.

He looked calm on the surface, but he couldn’t completely hide the anxiety seeping through.

Min Hae-joon caught the faint tremble in Jeong Bo-hoon’s fingertips and swallowed a sneer.

‘All that bravado…’

The Intelligence Department had always been like a tiger without teeth.

They earned less than the major guilds, yet in a way, they handled far more dangerous work.

In a world where Hunters’ practical benefits were directly tied to their own growth, high-grade Hunters had no reason to join.

That was why the Intelligence Department constantly suffered from chronic manpower shortages.

‘Just a little more push and I could read his inner thoughts.’

When Jeong Bo-hoon’s reaction remained lukewarm, Min Hae-joon stood up with a bright smile.

“Very well. Ah, one last piece of advice before I go.”

No matter how hard the Intelligence Department tried, they were still within the palm of his hand.

“If you interfere with this Hongcheon Contaminated Zone operation, any agents that appear there will be ‘processed as missing.’ I suggest you behave accordingly.”

At those words, Jeong Bo-hoon’s expression froze for a split second.

Min Hae-joon perfectly caught that fleeting change.

Since gaining complete mastery over black mana, he had become capable of reading certain negative emotions from humans.

Dread, anxiety, worry—various dark feelings hidden deep within.

‘All that pretense of composure… but in the end, the Intelligence Department is still the Intelligence Department.’

Min Hae-joon twisted the corner of his mouth as he left the room.

Secretary Shin Hye-yeon, who had been standing behind him like a shadow, followed quietly.

Once everyone was gone and he was left alone, Jeong Bo-hoon felt chills run down his spine.

‘If that psycho Chae Jin-young clashes with Min Hae-joon…’

The aftermath of such a collision made his future feel distant and uncertain.

Because it would fall on him to fill the void left by one of Korea’s three major guilds—SP Guild.

***

Back at SP Guild headquarters, Min Hae-joon returned to the Guild Master’s office.

Last night, right after returning to the country, he had visited the club where Oh Jong-yeon went missing.

This morning he had gone straight to the Intelligence Department, but there was still more to handle.

Sitting at his desk, he started a call on his computer.

He began speaking in English, and the other party responded in kind.

“This is Min Hae-joon. I returned last night, but urgent matters delayed my report.”

—The situation in Korea seems quite chaotic.

“There’s no need to worry. It was nothing more than a minor hiccup. The plan will proceed without major disruption.”

Min Hae-joon poured whiskey into the glass on his desk as he spoke.

—A 3rd-grade Hunter going missing is a minor matter?

“He was just a simple attacker. There are plenty of replacements.”

—Is there no issue with the sacrifice?

“Yes. She is completely loyal and trusting. Oh Jong-yeon played his role of shaking her up perfectly, and ironically, his disappearance at this timing worked out favorably.”

He swirled the whiskey glass in his hand, savoring the aroma.

—The possibility that Oh Jong-yeon leaks the secret?

“What Oh Jong-yeon knew was only a fragment of the plan. Even if he knew that much, he couldn’t stop our grand design.”

The whiskey rolled once around his mouth, slid slowly down his throat along his tongue.

A faint dark chocolate scent lingered briefly before vanishing, leaving a sharp tingle in his esophagus.

—Overconfidence will become poison. Your role is crucial in dominating Korea, so handle things carefully.

“Is there any doubt? I could never become a hindrance to those who will become gods of the new world.”

—Succeed in this and future plans, and Korea will be yours.

Min Hae-joon twisted his lips into a smirk as he replied.

“Just leave it to me.”

This was only the beginning.

He had no intention of being satisfied with just Korea.

***

“W-What is this…?”

Chae So-young stared wide-eyed at the two enormous stones.

Anyone could tell at a glance—they were mana crystals, one glowing red and the other blue.

However, their size was abnormally large, so any ordinary Hunter would have been shocked.

“2nd-grade mana crystals.”

At Jin-young’s calm reply, Chae So-young made a huge fuss.

“I know they’re mana crystals, but who crafted these? The craftsmanship seems even better than SP Guild’s artisans.”

“There’s someone like that. Anyway, absorb them.”

“Are you sure it’s okay to give them to me? I know you’re strong, Oppa, but you’re still 9th grade.”

Jin-young let out a small laugh at Chae So-young’s words.

“Hunter grades don’t really mean anything to me. You’re the one who has to enter the contaminated zone in just two weeks. To make you even a little safer, you should use them.”

In any case, the 1st-grade mana crystal would be completed soon anyway.

Compared to the feast that would unfold in the contaminated zone, these were barely even snacks.

“……”

Chae So-young hesitated for a moment, but at Jin-young’s urging, she finally picked them up.

She first pressed the red mana crystal to her chest.

Shwaaaaak—

A red aura exploded from the mana crystal like a storm.

Truly the overwhelming power befitting a 2nd-grade mana crystal.

Chae So-young almost staggered from the force for a moment, but she quickly steadied herself and absorbed every bit of it.

Her body felt much lighter than before, and her overall physical abilities—strength, endurance, and more—had risen dramatically.

When a Hunter’s physical abilities or mana surpass a certain limit, they feel something intense.

That is what humans call a rise in Hunter grade.

“Oppa, I think my physical grade just broke through 4th grade!”

“Absorb the remaining one first before you get too excited.”

When Jin-young pointed at the blue mana crystal, Chae So-young nodded, unable to hide her excitement.

She immediately began absorbing the blue mana crystal as well.

Shuuu—

A blue aura seeped into her mind.

She had acquired a skill.

Jin-young couldn’t even sense what kind of skill it was.

Normally, one would learn the skill of the monster that provided the mana crystal’s materials.

Like how he had acquired Sandstorm from the Sand Wraith’s mana crystal.

But what Chae So-young had absorbed was a mana crystal compressed from the hearts of twelve different monsters that lived in the contaminated zone.

Would she receive the skill of one of the twelve monsters?

Or would it be a fused skill?

Curious himself, Jin-young asked the moment the absorption ritual ended.

“What skill did you get?”

“Creep Control… It says I can control beings that inhabit Creeps?”

“Control, huh…”

If it was control rather than taming, that meant she could only handle them temporarily.

It wouldn’t be very useful under normal circumstances, but in the contaminated zone, it would be quite a handy skill.

Of course, with her current low skill proficiency, it might be difficult to use effectively right away.

Proficiency could be raised quickly through real combat, though.

“Sister.”

At Jin-young’s call, Chae So-young flinched.

His tone was different from usual, so she instinctively felt uneasy.

“Y-Yeah? Ah, thank you so much for giving me two mana crystals, Oppa! Once this is over, I’ll work hard, earn money, and pay you back—”

“Enough of that. Come with me to the contaminated zone.”

Chae So-young’s pupils trembled.

“The contaminated zone? We’re going in two weeks, aren’t we…?”

“Not that one. A place with reasonably high-level monsters and Creepers—perfect for training.”

Chae So-young almost lost her mind for a second at the word “Creepers,” but she focused on the last part.

“T-Training, right?”

“Of course. Real-combat-like training.”

It was the perfect place to thoroughly break and rebuild her rotten mindset.

***

At a dock in Incheon Port where several ships were moored.

In front of an empty warehouse, a large black magic circle appeared on the ground.

Soon after, a portal formed within the circle.

Shwaaak—

A pair of white man and woman emerged.

“So this is ‘Min’s’ country…”

“I heard the contaminated zone was quite large, but this place looks way too clean.”

“That’s the eastern part—Hongcheon. This is the western part—Incheon.”

“Oh? For such a tiny country, they still make such distinctions?”

The two spoke in English as they strolled through Incheon Port.

Jacob, a 1st-grade Hunter from the United Kingdom, and Layla, a 1st-grade Hunter from Germany.

They were now wanted villains with red-grade bounties from the International Awakener Federation.

“I’m tired of your stupid remarks, Layla. Let’s just go meet Min already.”

“There’s still time before the plan starts, isn’t there? How about we have a little fun around here first?”

“Ha… What are you planning to do now?”

Jacob pressed his forehead and let out a sigh.

Layla responded with a sly, wicked smile.

“What do you mean ‘do’? I’m just looking to have some fun.”

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