Chapter 255 – Adam Bishop

“It works on monsters too…?”

Min Do-jun showed a surprised expression at this fact he didn’t know.

Adam seemed quite pleased with that reaction as he grinned broadly.

“Hehe, I guess I didn’t mention it. My ability doesn’t only work on people.”

“……”

“Since it might be hard to believe, let me show you.”

Adam gestured for him to follow and went into the forest.

Not wanting to lose sight of him, Min Do-jun followed and saw Adam facing off against a monster.

Kieeeee!

It was a Spirit Tree, the representative monster of the Forest of Spirits.

Kieeeeek!

“Stop screaming and look into my eyes.”

When Adam made eye contact with the tree spirit, something amazing happened.

The tree spirit, which had been convulsing at the sight of a human, stopped its shrieking and became docile.

“How about that? It’s quiet now, right? Its eyes must have turned purple. That’s proof it’s been dominated.”

Just as Adam said, the monster’s eye color had changed.

“A dominated creature like this will carry out any command I give it.”

Adam gave the tree spirit a demonstration command.

“Stand there like a tree and don’t move a muscle.”

Whether it understood Adam’s words or not, the tree spirit stopped moving like a wooden statue.

“See? It’s easy to dominate monsters like this. I don’t have to worry about things like Karma like I do with humans.”

“You can dominate all monsters?”

“Yes. I can even dominate bosses. Though since they’re monsters, I have to leave dungeons empty-handed when I exit.”

If he could dominate bosses this easily, it was definitely a much more overpowered ability than expected.

It meant he could hunt after mind controlling them without taking any damage.

“It’s quite useful when hunting. I still get experience points even after killing them following mind control. But mind controlling them doesn’t make them recognized as summons. Looking at how I don’t get experience when I order the same monster to kill another, it seems that way.”

Well, if he could take credit for his subordinates’ achievements too, Adam would have become world rank 1 long ago.

“Why are you revealing your ability now?”

At Min Do-jun’s question, Adam scratched his nose.

“You seemed to think you’d won everything. I thought I needed to correct that misconception.”

“What do you mean?”

“As you can see, I can mind control monsters too. You might think I’m powerless now that I’ve lost all my subordinates, but the truth is my subordinates aren’t just humans.”

“Are you saying you have dominated monsters as subordinates outside?”

When Adam nodded, Min Do-jun countered.

“Didn’t you just say with your own mouth? You can’t take monsters outside of dungeons……”

Suddenly, the plaques hanging in the guild master’s office came to mind.

“I see. You didn’t take them out – you secretly hoarded monsters that escaped during dungeon breaks. Then you shamelessly received awards for stopping dungeon breaks.”

“Either way, I stopped them, didn’t I?”

Looking at Adam’s smirking face, Min Do-jun felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

“So what are you trying to say?”

“I’ve sent my collected monsters to advance on Korea.”

“What?”

“They’re probably having a blast destroying and hunting humans right about now. Kukukuk.”

Min Do-jun immediately checked the outside situation through Parasite.

Shin Kyung-min happened to be watching news marked “LIVE.”

CRASH-!

A giant winged monster crashed into a department store, creating a huge hole.

Dozens of monsters riding on the monster’s back entered through the hole.

Some landed on the ground and chased citizens on the streets.

In an instant, the roads were paralyzed and monsters ran amok, tearing cars apart like paper.

Seeing that chaos, Min Do-jun’s face hardened like stone.

“You bastard…… How did you tame a Drake King outside of a dungeon?”

“Huh? How did you know that? Don’t tell me you can see the outside situation?”

“Just answer the question. How is a boss outside when there’s never been an S-rank dungeon break?”

Adam chuckled.

“There’s nothing teleport can’t do.”

“……”

Using teleport to smuggle an S-rank boss out of a dungeon……

There was no madman like this madman.

“Originally I planned to collect more and release the monsters after the coup succeeded, but given the circumstances, I had no choice but to release them now. Still, with one S-rank boss and 120 A-rank monsters, I should be able to annihilate Seoul.”

“You crazy bastard…… Pull the monsters back right now.”

“Hey, I’m in a dungeon as you can see, so how am I supposed to give commands? Remote commands are impossible.”

“If you can’t do it, you’ll have to die here. Who knows? Maybe if I kill you, the mind control will be lifted.”

“Hehe, they’re monsters that have already come outside. Even if the mind control is lifted, they won’t stop hunting humans, will they?”

“……”

“There’s nothing you can do. Nothing except staying here with me for 3 days and watching Korea collapse.”

Korea collapsing?

Suddenly Min Do-jun recalled the situation just before his death.

The loud explosion sounds and the screams of people crying out.

One person came to mind then.

‘Ye-rin……’

Cha Ye-rin was in danger.

“Kukukuk, looking at your expression, you must have someone precious in Korea. Too bad. Having to watch someone precious die in a place like this.”

“You bastard……”

Killing intent flashed in Min Do-jun’s eyes.

At that murderous gaze that looked ready to kill him immediately, Adam was startled.

“Hey, don’t think about killing me. I’m the only one who can stop the monsters.”

“……”

“Now you understand, right? The situation has reversed. If you want to save someone precious, you have to listen to my demands.”

“What’s your demand?”

“Your life.”

“……”

“Come to me and obediently offer your life. Then I’ll immediately return to Korea and stop the monsters’ attack. You can save someone precious with your life. Saving Korea is a bonus.”

“How are you going to get to Korea immediately?”

“I have twin hunters on standby in Korea. If I hold James’s hand here, I can escape directly to Korea.”

When Min Do-jun looked at James, Adam giggled.

“Want me to guess what you’re thinking? You’re thinking you could kill me and threaten James to escape, right?”

“……”

“Too bad, but that’s impossible. I’ve commanded him to never use teleport for anyone but me.”

“……”

“As you might know, my commands are absolute, so torture or threats won’t work. There’s no guarantee that mind control will be lifted even if you kill me. In other words, the only way for you to get out of here is to listen to me. Kukukuk.”

“……”

Adam laughed triumphantly.

“Now, choose. Will you sacrifice your life to protect the precious people in Korea? Or will you stay trapped here for 3 days and watch Korea be destroyed?”

“…… So to immediately go to Korea and stop the monsters, I have to use teleport, but the only person James will obey is you, so listen to you?”

“You understand well. Kukukuk.”

“So that’s why you lured me into the dungeon. To hold my feet and threaten me.”

“That’s right. Without me, you can never get out of here. You have no choice but to watch the precious people in Korea die.”

“Is that really so?”

When Min Do-jun looked at him with hostile eyes, Adam flinched but snorted.

“Wh-what? What’s with that arrogant look? Don’t you want to save Korea?”

“Adam. There’s something you’re overlooking.”

“Something I’m overlooking?”

“I know your trait, but you know nothing about me. Do you know what my trait is?”

Adam reacted irritably as if asking what that had to do with anything.

“How would I know that?”

“Not knowing that is your downfall.”

Min Do-jun muttered to himself.

‘One-Hit Kill. Soul Explosion numbers 1 through 6.’

He didn’t have enough souls, but that alone was sufficient.

To kill Adam.

Zwiiiiiiing-!

The black beam enhanced 10 times pierced through Adam’s abdomen.

“Kuhurk……!”

In that instant, Adam’s skin turned golden and reflected 90% of the damage, but.

Ting-!

With the Second Twin’s Blessing, Min Do-jun couldn’t be harmed.

Adam looked down at his pierced abdomen, then looked at Min Do-jun with incomprehending eyes.

“Why, why……?”

“You thought only you could control James? But that’s not true.”

“……”

“Now I can control him too.”

[You have killed Hunter Adam Bishop.]

[You have stolen the trait ‘Mind Control.’]

[You have stolen 58 pieces of equipment.]

[You have stolen 38 Magic Stones.]

[You have stolen 22 Skill Books.]

[You have stolen 7 Collectibles.]

‘Finally killed him. That son of a bitch.’

Dozens of S-rank items and S-rank Magic Stones entered his inventory.

The same went for the enhanced legendary item set Adam had been wearing.

‘To think he had this many items……’

He probably extorted all the items his S-rank subordinates had obtained.

With the overpowered trait of mind control.

[Trait – Mind Control]

– Grade: EX

– Description: Can place monsters or humans under your control simply by making eye contact at close range.

There is no limit to the number of mind controls, and targets under mind control absolutely obey the caster’s commands.

However, to control humans, the target’s Karma value must be 100 or higher.

Karma is a concept visible only to humans – good deeds lower the value while evil deeds raise it.

Monsters can be mind controlled regardless of type without Karma restrictions.

Min Do-jun couldn’t hide his surprised expression after quickly reading the description.

‘It was an EX-grade trait?’

The Hunter Slayer trait that made him an unstoppable monster was also EX-grade.

‘In the end, I couldn’t find out why he tried to attack Korea.’

Just as Min Do-jun was turning away, thinking Adam’s circumstances were none of his business.

The tree spirit that had been standing motionless like a statue began to move.

The purple light that had been swirling in the monster’s eyes had also disappeared.

‘So mind control is lifted when the caster dies.’

Adam’s command was lifted, but that didn’t mean the threat to Korea had disappeared.

The monsters that primarily fed on humans wouldn’t just stay still.

“Wh-why am I here……”

Min Do-jun looked at the confused James.

[Target’s Karma: 343]

Perhaps because he only did bad things even after mind control, he far exceeded the baseline of 100.

“James.”

Min Do-jun made eye contact with James.

“Obey my commands.”

Min Do-jun’s pupils turned purple.

Then James obediently nodded.

“Understood.”

“Teleport me immediately. We’re going to Korea.”

“I will do as commanded.”

James took Min Do-jun’s hand.

Soon the two disappeared from the dungeon.

Contrary to Adam’s prediction that they’d be trapped for 3 days, they had immediately escaped the dungeon.