Chapter 197

An ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Hwigom shouted without even looking back at Baek Dojun's group.

“Move ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍quickly! If more enemies arrive, I will not be able to protect you any longer!”

How ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did An Hwigom know about their plan?

There ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was nothing strange about it since he was a member of Manyeong, who knew every secret of Seoul, but he seemed to have waited for Seo Junhyeop to be separated alone.

Baek ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Dojun's group ran toward the Han River without even having the luxury to express their gratitude.

There, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Maxi was already waiting, having frozen the surface of the river.

“This way!”

The plan to infiltrate without leaving as much of a trace as possible had already gone down the drain.

Still, it was a miracle that they managed to escape alive after encountering Seo Junhyeop.

“Where do you think you are going……!”

Seo Junhyeop fired a spear strike toward the ice laid out on the Han River.

But once again, a sword strike diverted the direction of the spear strike.

“Your opponent is me.”

An Hwigom faced Seo Junhyeop directly with his back toward the escaping Baek Dojun's group.

It was a showdown between an old disciple and his master.

An Hwigom, the hero overshadowed by geniuses like the Sword Saint and the Sword Emperor, versus Seo Junhyeop, the peak whom no one in this era could match.

Even in terms of perception, the outcome of their battle was as clear as day.

It might have been different ten years ago, but it was natural for most to predict Seo Junhyeop's overwhelming advantage.

In other words, An Hwigom had sought out the place of his death on his own.

“I did not expect to meet you in this manner.”

“Did you think I would set out tea and engage in small talk?”

“Hmm? Do you perhaps think you can win?”

An Hwigom lightly shook his head.

“I am not trying to win. ……I am trying to kill you.”

“……Arrogant.”

In an instant, Seo Junhyeop vanished.

It was a leap at a speed that could not be followed by an ordinary person's eyes.

Soon, his spear aimed straight for An Hwigom.

It was confidence that he did not even need to ambush him.

An Hwigom also held his sword against the tip of the spear.

CLANG!

With a sharp sound of friction, the mana of the two collided with tremendous force.

It was the mana erosion that An Hwigom had taught Ji Seokhyeon.

Soon, the two types of mana with different properties created a fierce storm, and Maxi's ice field nearby was shattered into pieces and sank.

A balance of power in which no one dared to stand nearby.

The silent roar of those standing at the peak.

Eventually, spear strikes and sword strikes flew wildly over the Han River.

A roar reminiscent of a war split the sky, and all the facilities along the riverbank were either sliced or exploded.

As the battle that could not be followed with the naked eye continued, the blade of An Hwigom's sword, made of Goldinium, broke.

It was an expected outcome, as he was dueling against a spear made of Platium, which was impossible to destroy physically.

Furthermore, An Hwigom began to heave his shoulders, breathing roughly.

Compared to Seo Junhyeop, who remained motionless, he was at a complete disadvantage.

“You cannot kill me. In the end, you will only face despair.”

“……Yes, even at this moment, I feel regret. What would it have been like if I were a little younger. If only I had a little more talent…….”

“Humans call that regret. Still, it was a good training session after a long time. There have been no awakened beings who could block my spear strikes several times.”

An Hwigom looked at his broken sword.

Even if he could not stab, it was still possible to cut something.

He gripped his sword once more.

“I am sorry, but even this sword is enough to deal with your spear.”

“Hmm? Have you gone senile now?”

“Hmph, it seems you have already forgotten your master's advice. I surely told you, didn't I? That your spear is arrogant.”

“……?”

“In this world, no one has faced that arrogant spear as much as I have. When I was teaching you, I was certain you would surpass the Sword Saint. Indeed, you have come to stand alone at a peak no one can approach. Perhaps you have already surpassed Kim Yuseong. He did not live that long, after all.”

“What are you trying to say?”

An Hwigom showed a sneer.

He was not mocking Seo Junhyeop.

He was mocking his own past.

The foolish, lazy, and pathetic An Hwigom who had been trapped in a well.

“I am saying that everything was my misjudgment. Until last spring and summer, I placed the Sword Saint as the yardstick for everything and thought of him as the limit of humanity. But that was a very foolish thought.”

“Foolish……?”

“Yes, I faced another limit that surpassed him. A wall that can never be crossed. I met a fellow with talent that can never be reached.”

The person he was referring to was Ji Seokhyeon.

An Hwigom felt his limits every time he taught him.

With growth and understanding like a monster.

Ji Seokhyeon, who possessed an inexhaustible source of power, was a talent beyond standards who had descended into the era of awakened beings.

Even An Hwigom, who had defined the limits of talent by comparing himself to the Sword Saint, had reached a new limit just by meeting Ji Seokhyeon.

“Your arrogance is gnawing away at your potential. That is your only weakness.”

“You talk quite a lot for someone with one foot in the grave!”

Seo Junhyeop surged forward.

It was a rapid movement, as if a bullet had been fired.

But at that moment.

“……?”

The Goldinium blade An Hwigom was holding crumbled like sand.

Following that, the flow of mana moved unusually.

An Hwigom suddenly took the lead in the mana of the two that had been sharply opposed.

“W-what are you doing!”

Seo Junhyeop widened the distance while being wary of his opponent.

For him, who used a spear, it was a distance from which he could lunge at any moment, but he instinctively felt that it would be dangerous to get any closer than this.

WHOOSH!

SHING!

An unusual strong wind blew.

All the environmental mana nearby gathered into the hilt of An Hwigom's sword.

“Damn it!”

Seo Junhyeop realized that he could not turn back and moved again.

He did not know what An Hwigom was trying to do, but if he did not stop him now, he would never be able to.

Sure enough, a magnificent light erupted from An Hwigom's hilt, and a sword blade of an unbearable size was generated.

“That is……!”

He had heard of it once.

The massive sword strike that the Sword Saint Kim Yuseong used when dealing with the Ancient Golem…….

“The crumbling of the sword blade was ultimately for this…….”

It was to create a powerful sword strike by consuming the lifespan of the Goldinium at once.

In this case, there was a high probability that it was at the cost of the user's life.

It was an inevitable result, as he had not only depleted his mana but also drawn in the environmental mana.

Seo Junhyeop could not stop.

He also released all the mana he could into the tip of his spear and soon faced the sword strike before his eyes.

“This is insane!”

However, what had arrived before him was another limit that would make him, who had always taken pride in being the strongest, look pathetic.

Could he block this sword strike?

No, could he even survive?

In the first place, was it even a realm that could be reached?

If he could somehow divert the trajectory with the unbreakable Platium spear.......

In an instant, his distress evaporated uselessly.

Only An Hwigom's bright eyes glared at him fiercely.

“Though it may break, it shall never rust.”

***

Do Minyeong, who safely reached District 8, looked back at the bridge.

“He will be okay, right?”

Facing Seo Junhyeop, who was called the peak of the awakened world, alone.

Even she, who was merely an academy student, knew well what that meant.

Forget winning; it would be difficult for him even to survive.

“The sacrifice is foreseen. What we must do is not forget his noble spirit.”

“…….”

Baek Dojun urged the group on.

The fact that Seo Junhyeop was waiting for them meant that the enemies were also keeping the possibility in mind.

If they delayed any longer, they would have no way to enter District 2.

Setting everything else aside, it was obvious that Seo Junhyeop would soon follow them.

No matter how many Special Affairs Division investigators were there, it was impossible to face someone who stood alone at the peak.

Since the group shared the same thought, they hurriedly increased their pace.

“It should be around here.”

Having reached an area adjacent to District 2, they looked around for someone at a pre-arranged location.

Soon, the person who met them in the middle of enemy territory was none other than Cha Yeri.

She was currently the leader of Hyeonseong and was leading the supporters of the rebels.

“You have worked hard. From now on, I will guide you.”

From the beginning, they had decided to receive help from Hyeonseong to enter District 2.

Now that martial law had been declared, the only ones who could escape the eyes of the Bureau were the people of the Hyeonseong family.

Cha Yeri guided them to a building and soon found the basement stairs of the building and went down.

A pitch-black underground facility with not even a single light.

This place, which led quite deep, was an auxiliary facility connected to the 1st Underground District where the Labyrinth was located.

It was a passage that could be known because Hyeonseong Construction participated in the design of the 1st Underground District.

Although the official passage was in District 2, it was a place where monsters could invade at any time, so several passages had to be provided.

Of course, this path was a secret passage known only to Hyeonseong, who held the blueprints.

“I have already connected the passages with buildings in District 2. Everyone is waiting for orders around there.”

“It must not have been an easy decision, but thank you once again.”

“It is nothing. Hyeonseong has always shared its fate with Seoul. And…….”

Cha Yeri looked back at Do Minyeong.

No words followed, but it was not difficult to guess the meaning.

Ji Seokhyeon's name was practically written in her eyes.

“…….”

In her gaze was a hope that Do Minyeong might have news of Ji Seokhyeon.

Since he had stayed closer to Do Minyeong than to herself, she had a hope that she did not want to admit.

However, Do Minyeong answered her question by shaking her head.

“……And it would have been the same even if my parents or the Chairman were in Seoul.”

“I suppose so. By the way, was there any more news about the execution ceremony?”

“Not yet. However…… this is news that came in just a moment ago, but there are rumors that the Principal escaped from prison.”

Do Minyeong cut in at those words.

“He escaped from prison?”

“It is not certain. We have no choice but to wait until the execution ceremony to see if the rumors are true.”

“What on earth is he thinking……”

Baek Dojun said.

“No matter what he is thinking, he will do what he believes is right. It was the same during the Great Rift, and it is the same now. So do not worry. Is he not a stronger person than anyone we know, after all?”

They soon stepped onto the stairs heading above ground.

Upon reaching the first floor, a familiar background caught their eyes.

“Cadet Cha Yeri, is this by any chance……”

“Yes, that is right.”

It was the boutique of the production guild Giant Needle.

In other words, the place in charge of the Hero Prep uniforms.

“You are finally here.”

When they arrived, Dispel's 3rd Branch Chief Gwon Seongjun sighed with a bored face.

“I thought you had gone to the afterlife on your way here.”

Baek Dojun said in a welcoming tone.

“What would you have done if we had?”

“I would have fulfilled the mission given to me as a member of Dispel.”

“That is quite a pleasant thing to hear.”

It was not just Gwon Seongjun who was waiting for them.

Several instructors, including Hero Prep investigation instructor Yun Jeongseop.

Gong Seungryong and members of the Gong Clan who had joined from Seoul's District 10 in person.

And even various awakened beings who had ties with Hyeonseong directly or indirectly.

Of course, only their representatives were gathered in the boutique, but the rebel forces stationed in District 2 had formed an organization large enough to expect hope.

All of this was possible because there was a focal point called Hyeonseong.

Baek Dojun approached the window and opened the latch slightly.

The view of the Clock Tower Plaza was clearly revealed.

It was the place where Kim Shinwoo's execution ceremony would be held in a few hours and the final battlefield that could be their end.

He closed the latch only after watching the outside of the window for a long time.

“Then, let us begin. The final struggle that could be the end of the era of awakened beings.”

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