Chapter 341 – Part 2 – Song Chi-hyeon

Choi Seong-min tailed Song Chi-hyeon.

Actually, it was closer to tracking than tailing.

He was merely following the traces of where he had walked while maintaining a sufficient distance.

‘If I get too close, I might be discovered. Even if the distance widens a bit, tailing like this is safer.’

Of course, since he had placed a mark, there was no chance of losing him.

After tracking for quite a while, Choi Seong-min suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

‘Somehow it seems like he’s going down a familiar path……’

Eventually, Song Chi-hyeon’s trail ended in front of a large commercial building.

He could see a familiar building.

‘Isn’t this where Team Crush’s office is located?’

It seemed Song Chi-hyeon’s destination was Team Crush.

The moment he realized this fact, Choi Seong-min understood.

What purpose Song Chi-hyeon had for visiting Team Crush’s office.

‘He intends to kill them all.’

There was no other reason to come here.

‘Could he have met with Oh Gwang-taek midway and entered together?’

He might have visited to erase memories.

Since they had promised not to kill them for the time being.

‘No. If the situation is urgent, he might just kill them regardless of promises……’

Either way, he’d know if he checked.

He quickly entered the commercial building.

He ignored the elevator since it would be caught on CCTV.

He ran up the stairs.

The moment he arrived at Team Crush’s office as quickly as possible.

‘The smell of blood.’

He felt the fishy scent of blood seeping through the slightly open door crack.

Tssss-

He immediately equipped his gear to prepare for battle.

He put on the Doppelganger’s mask and took out lethal deadly poison to make full preparations.

He carefully opened the office door without making noise.

“S-senior……!”

Do Eun-jeong’s voice could be heard.

‘A quite frightened voice.’

It wasn’t difficult to guess what situation this was.

Swoosh-

He hid his body with stealth.

‘Even so, Song Chi-hyeon with high combat power will probably see me……’

Since attacking after stealth would double the weapon’s attack power, he couldn’t not use it.

‘I need to kill him in one shot if possible. There’s nothing good about dragging it out.’

No matter how much he knew Song Chi-hyeon’s trait and could deal with it, the combat power gap between 250,000 and 600,000 couldn’t be ignored.

‘Still, if I do well, I should be able to kill him in one shot.’

Song Chi-hyeon’s stats were in a state reduced by 10% due to the neurotoxin.

On top of that, assassination mark 2x, First Strike 2x, Hunter Slayer 2x, etc.

He was full of traits perfect for killing in one blow.

If he also sprayed lethal deadly poison to increase the damage Song Chi-hyeon received……

‘The possibility is sufficient.’

He would be able to kill him in one blow as planned.

‘The problem is how to use VIP Assassination……’

There were two ways to use VIP Assassination.

Either use it on Song Chi-hyeon to receive 20% damage amplification.

Or use it on someone else to receive invincibility effect instead of halved damage.

‘Receiving the invincibility effect is the most stable. There’s even a target available.’

He didn’t know about the other team members, but Do Eun-jeong was alive and not dead.

If he used VIP Assassination on her, attacks from Song Chi-hyeon, who was a different target, would be useless.

In other words, he could utilize the 10-minute invincibility effect.

‘However, after 10 minutes, I’ll have no choice but to receive a penalty.’

Since he couldn’t bring himself to kill Do Eun-jeong, VIP Assassination would result in failure, and his stats would drop by 50% for 120 hours.

‘As long as I can definitely assassinate Song Chi-hyeon, it doesn’t matter whether I receive the penalty or not……’

A question kept arising in Choi Seong-min’s mind.

Was there really a need to endure a week-long penalty to receive the invincibility effect?

Couldn’t he beat Song Chi-hyeon even without invincibility?

‘Honestly…… I’m not lacking in confidence.’

Song Chi-hyeon was in a weakened state due to the neurotoxin.

If he also used deadly poison, the probability of winning would increase even more.

Moreover, he could lead the situation favorably by using that guy’s trait.

‘I can win even without invincibility.’

Rather than receiving invincibility and halving his own damage.

‘It’s better to use VIP Assassination on Song Chi-hyeon to increase damage by 20%.’

Having decided, Choi Seong-min used VIP Assassination targeting Song Chi-hyeon.

[Please assassinate the designated target within the time limit.]

[Damage increases by 20% when attacking the designated target.]

[Damage decreases by 50% when attacking other targets, but you become invincible to received attacks.]

[Remaining time: 9 minutes 59 seconds]

He had to assassinate Song Chi-hyeon within 10 minutes.

Otherwise, he’d receive a penalty and face a dangerous situation in reverse.

“Take comfort in the fact that you were alive even for a little while before you go.”

He could see Song Chi-hyeon holding his sword.

It looked like he would cut Do Eun-jeong’s throat at any moment.

Whoosh-

Choi Seong-min, who had carefully approached, sprayed the deadly poison he was holding.

The poison contained in the flask bottle was sprayed onto Song Chi-hyeon’s clothes.

Just getting it on his clothes was sufficient.

[Target has been poisoned with lethal deadly poison.]

[Target’s movement speed decreased by 50%.]

[Damage taken by target increased by 50%.]

[Effect decreases by 5% every 30 seconds.]

[Time remaining until detoxification: 4 minutes 59 seconds]

“What?”

When Song Chi-hyeon spoke irritably upon seeing the poison that had splashed on him.

Choi Seong-min leaped in.

With the momentum to pierce Song Chi-hyeon’s throat in one blow.

Swish-!

As he thrust his dagger, he momentarily made eye contact with Song Chi-hyeon who had turned his head.

His stealth had been discovered, but what did it matter?

As long as he killed that guy, it would be over.

“Kuk!”

However, Song Chi-hyeon, befitting an A-rank hunter, at least avoided losing his life.

He dodged the attack with quick reflexes.

‘Still, I inflicted a wound.’

Since the ambush succeeded, the dagger’s red glow deepened.

Additional attack power of 1,600 was attached for 10 seconds.

‘I need to press the attack while I have the buff.’

Choi Seong-min immediately took a swinging motion to attack, but.

Hop-!

Contrary to his motion, he jumped backward to create distance.

It was actually a fake to deceive Song Chi-hyeon.

Shortly after.

Papapapapapak-!

Countless sword strikes passed through where Choi Seong-min had been.

As expected, Song Chi-hyeon’s main skill, Sword Dancing, cut through empty air.

Song Chi-hyeon was looking with surprised eyes, as if he hadn’t expected the attack to miss.

Then he hardened his expression and spoke.

“Who are you?”

There was no time to answer.

He had to pour out as many attacks as possible before 10 seconds passed.

‘I’ve stolen his skill too, so there’s nothing to worry about.’

Since the deadly poison’s effect would also decrease every 30 seconds, there was no time to spare.

As if saying conversation was useless, he rushed in and unleashed attacks here and there.

Clang-! Clang-!

Song Chi-hyeon blocked with his sword, but not everything was blocked.

Slice-

“Keurk!”

Song Chi-hyeon tensed as the dagger that cut his forearm passed by.

‘This guy isn’t ordinary.’

His movements were clean without any unnecessary motions.

Every attack was a killing blow aimed at his life.

‘Moreover, he’s dodging as if he predicted my attacks.’

No matter how much Song Chi-hyeon swung his sword, he couldn’t even graze the masked opponent’s collar.

‘His reflexes are also at a considerable level. Enough to match mine at 1,800……!’

Song Chi-hyeon didn’t know, but it wasn’t just matching.

Choi Seong-min’s current reflexes, increased by Pack Instinct, approached 2,000.

Moreover, since his stats had dropped by 10%, he was relatively at a disadvantage.

Of course, it wasn’t just reflexes that were being pushed back.

Clang-!

“Kuk!”

Song Chi-hyeon staggered and retreated.

‘I’m being pushed back in strength?’

Song Chi-hyeon boasted 1,800 strength, but unfortunately, Choi Seong-min’s strength exceeded 2,300.

It wasn’t a level that could be handled with force.

‘What kind of assassin has this kind of strength!’

Moreover, what confused Song Chi-hyeon even more was a message that appeared in the corner of his vision.

[You have been poisoned with lethal deadly poison.]

[Movement speed decreased by 50% and damage taken increased by 50%.]

[Effect decreases by 5% every 30 seconds.]

[Time remaining until detoxification: 4 minutes 35 seconds]

‘No wonder my steps felt sluggish……!’

It was dangerous.

At this rate, he would be killed by the assassin before him without knowing why.

Swish- Swish-!

“Keurk!”

As time passed, it became increasingly difficult to keep up with that guy’s offensive.

‘Somehow it feels like his attack speed has gotten faster.’

He tried to use his advantage by reading thoughts, but it was useless.

He couldn’t read any thoughts, as if the opponent was fighting with an empty mind.

‘Damn! Where did such a guy pop out from!’

When only minor wounds were accumulating.

[Sword Dancing’s cooldown has returned.]

A welcome message appeared and Song Chi-hyeon used the skill without hesitation.

‘Sword Dancing!’

This time it was perfect.

The timing, distance, and he was at an inescapable angle and range.

However.

Swoosh-

‘Shadow Step?’

While his sword was decorating the air.

His opponent leisurely rose from behind and aimed for his life.

Stab-

“Keuhaeuak!”

The dagger was embedded deep in his shoulder.

If he hadn’t barely turned his body to avoid giving up his shoulder, his throat would have been pierced on the spot.

Whoosh- Whoosh-

He swung his sword like swatting flies to make his opponent retreat.

But the shoulder that was already hit couldn’t be helped.

Due to the pain, he couldn’t lift one arm.

‘Damn, having to use only one arm……’

The fortunate thing was that the arm holding the sword could still move.

-Tsk, I aimed for the throat but he dodged it.

Perhaps the opponent was also shaken, as thoughts that had been quiet began to be read.

‘I can’t read his expression because of the mask……’

If only thoughts could be read, there was a possibility of reversal.

-I need to finish quickly before the deadly poison effect ends.

Fortunately, the opponent was getting impatient.

‘He’s afraid of dragging out time. He knows he’ll be at a disadvantage when the debuff ends. In that case……!’

Song Chi-hyeon’s head turned.

Do Eun-jeong, who had been blankly watching the battle, flinched in surprise.

‘I have no choice but to take that woman hostage and drag out time!’

Song Chi-hyeon turned his body.

He intended to capture Do Eun-jeong.

But there was a fact he overlooked.

‘Ah.’

The time remaining until the deadly poison was detoxified was 3 minutes 40 seconds.

His movement speed was still slowed by 40%.

‘Shit.’

The price of Song Chi-hyeon turning his back was high.

Stab-

“Ayuk!”

A dagger flew and embedded in his back.

A momentary wrong judgment plunged Song Chi-hyeon into the abyss of defeat.

“Y-you bastard!”

He desperately swung his sword with his remaining arm, but.

Whoosh whoosh- Stab stab-

“Uak! Ak!”

A toothless tiger could no longer be a threat.

Thud-

Song Chi-hyeon fell to his knees.

Both shoulders, back, forearms, sides.

A total of dozens of dagger strikes had pierced holes in his body.

Like a deflated balloon, his body had no strength.

Due to the intense movement, blood flowed continuously from his carotid artery.

A pool of blood formed below his knees.

“Haa, haa.”

Truly a situation where he could only wait for death.

Song Chi-hyeon looked at the man in the black mask.

“Before I die…… let me ask just one thing.”

“……”

“Who the hell are you……? Who ordered you to kill me?”

“……”

“Are you an assassin sent by Kwak Min-cheol?”

Instead of answering, the man in the black mask turned his head.

His body sank downward as he looked at Do Eun-jeong.

In an instant, he positioned himself behind Do Eun-jeong.

Thud- Thump-

He struck her neck to knock her unconscious.

“What?”

He was momentarily puzzled, but only briefly.

Song Chi-hyeon soon understood the situation as he watched the man trying to remove his mask.

“Aha, so you know that woman? I understand why you covered your face……”

However, Song Chi-hyeon couldn’t continue his words upon seeing the man’s face.

He could only stare with wide eyes, looking as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Ch-Choi Seong-min?”