[This series is very well received in Korea. We assigned it to a full team of Korean natives! The upload rate will be determined in the coming week, however, the premium chapters released will be a minimum of 12 per week. Were aiming for 15-20 chapters a week in the coming weeks.]

Psychopath (3)

Pffffthahaha!

Secretary Kim grinned and gave me a double thumbs-up.

Stop laughing.

I was currently changing my clothes because a bit of the vomit had caught on me as well.

Pfffthahaha! Oh, I cant help it. Park Chang-hee, that mans appearance was truly a sight to behold!

Since he was paying attention to the Mana release, the extremely trained reflexes that came up when Seo Jin-wook tried to give him a flying kick didnt reveal themselves, and as a result, it was truly an unfortunate event for Park Chang-Hee. I ended up ruining my clothes a little, but Park Chang-hee, who was showered with my vomit, could no longer maintain his skill.

While he was very distressed because of the gastric juice splattered on his eyes, I gently apologized for the aftereffect of the concussion, and he struggled to leave with his blood-boiling.

The foul stench isnt going anywhere.

I thought about what I had just heard and what Park Chang-hee tried to do. Things were way too fishy. Not about my vomit, but about this guild.

Did I have a bad relationship with Team Leader Park Chang-Hee?

Secretary Kim spoke, barely reining in his laughter.

Most of the people in the guild didnt make it obvious that they hate you, but Park Chang-Hee was a little different.

How?

Because he hated you boldly. He often expressed his disgust for you, Team Leader. Without minding others.

What kind of stupid things did Seo Jin-wook do so far to make things this bad?

Did that person learn Auxiliary Skills as well?

Secretary Kim shook his head in reply.

No. He is the head of the Exploration Team. He doesnt even have enough slots to fill in the Offensive Skills. How can he afford to add an Auxiliary Skill?

It meant that at least the guild members under Secretary Kims class werent aware that he had a Penetration Skill. The Celestial Dragon Guilds inner situation, which wasnt recorded in history, seemed more complicated and dirtier than I had initially thought.

Theres a team leader who secretly sees through the guild leaders son.

While walking, lost in thought, I arrived in front of the office, and Secretary Kim wouldnt accompany me from here on. He looked at me and offered a reminder.

Please dont get emotional inside.

There was a slight worry that I had never seen before.

I have told you earlier, right? You, Team Leader, have a specific pointso to say, in a specific situation, you lose yourself and go bat shi-your words and actions get rough.

Still, his words were rough.

So, it grew on me to predict that point. In this situation, if the Team Leader and the Guild Leader were left alone, its highly likely that will happen.

If it grew on you, you must know me that much.

Secretary Kim clicked his tongue at my words.

A private secretary was assigned to you ever since as you needed a babysitter, butthis position is only called a secretary in the title, as the work is practically that of a servant. Anyway, among the servants, nobody lasted a month. Somehow, I am the one capable of holding this position for three years now. Its a record.

They all gave up, but it meant that Secretary Kim had been by my side for three years.

What is the secret of your long-term service?

He answered brilliantly.

I do not know. Lifes wisdom?

I guessed it from his self-talk before, but his livelihood must not have been easy, and his mouth was keeping him alive. I then replied with a snicker.

Ill be right back.

As I turned toward the office door, Secretary Kim spoke from behind as if he were mumbling.

AndI told you. There are times that it returns. Your sanity, I mean.

*

The interior of the office was a bit dark as a thick blackout curtain covered the window. A large man was sitting at a mahogany desk in the center of the room, lit by a faint light. This was the Master of Celestial Guild, Seo Gyu-cheol. Seo Jin-wooks mother died when he was a newborn child, and Seo Gyu-cheol raised Seo Jin-wook alone without remarrying. Although to be precise, most of the process was left to the nannies he hired.

He was looking seriously at the holographic documents before him. I could see the words of Shi-heung 8 Dungeon. I began to contrast that with the memories of the time in my head. Certainly, this was the time to be busy with that.

Youre here.

Finally, he took his gaze away from the papers and turned it towards me. Cold eyes scanned me and passed. After such a brief silence, he dove to his point without even asking how I was.

A loss of memory, they say?

It isnt confirmed yet.

You cant remember anything?

Now, I can faintly

Once you start recovering, your memories will come back soon.

Seo Gyu-cheol, who diagnosed my condition instead of the doctor, was silent for a while. His calm but sharp eyes looked at me. The air flowed heavily between us, and I observed his Mana Core as I waited for his next words.

Oh, of course!

I sighed inwardly. He was the first Korean hunter to achieve the S-rank and the head of the strongest guild in Korea. Even if I were to look at the individuals strength, he would certainly be one of the best in Korea as of this time. However, compared to having achieved such things so young, his vessels size and the potential mana werent overwhelming. After Seo Jin-wooks death, I was looking at one of the reasons why the Celestial Dragon Guild had weakened rapidly.

Theres only a week left.

It was clear as to what he was talking about.

For the time being, be cautious about your actions so that you can safely perform the awakening ritual. Just be careful for a week. In the meantime, do not let the long-term preparation for you in the Celestial Dragon Guild and dedicated efforts go to vain.

To translate: Be careful and stay away from trouble so that the Hunter Management Department doesnt hear about some strange rumors.

Most of the guild members, including me, have great expectations. You may have huge potential mana unprecedented in the history of the guildno, maybe in Korean history. It is not an irrational delusion. The events you have caused imply so.

He must be referring to the case in which Seo Jin-wook lost his temper in anger, causing a telekinetic storm.

You said you had a dispute with Park Chang-Hee?

I didnt remember it, but I didnt even have to explain.

Yes.

Should I ask why?

No.

Okay. Again, there must be no reason; the reason must be beyond logic, or you dont know why as well.

Emotion leaked into Seo Gyu-cheols eyes. They were filled with tiredness, irritation, and annoyance.

The reason why your mind is sick is that your will isnt strong.

His blade-sharp voice pierced through my ears.

Vwoom!

Huh?

Somehow, the moment I heard Seo Gyu-cheols words, a change began to occur with Seo Jin-Wooks memory fragments, which were being moderately pieced together by [The Successors Eyes]. The sequence of scenes that gathered slowly one by one at random gradually became tangled. And suddenly, certain memories flowed into my mind. Most of them were memories of Seo Jin-wook with his father.

In all of those scenes, Seo Gyu-cheol was condemning Seo Jin-wook. The fathers cold gaze fell toward his son. They were words and an attitude toward the tool named successor rather than any emotional inclusion. Scenes began pouring out. After having a seizure beyond his control, Seo Jin-Wook always fought with his father. His fathers stern reprimand would follow. He would then try to plead, but what would return would be disregard and ignorance.

Anger reigned in Seo Jin-wooks head. While concentrating on such past scenes, Seo Gyu-cheol began to speak.

Whether its a sudden rush of anger, emptiness, or a vain voice that doesnt exist its just an excuse that youre influenced by it and not able to control your actions. Being overwhelmed by such negative thoughts proves that your will is weak.

With anger in his memory, Seo Gyu-cheols face in his mind overlapped with Seo Gyu-cheols frowning eyes beyond the desk in reality.

You always say that its hard. That you cant control it.

He frowned as if he saw some damned thing.

If its hard, try harder.

In Seo Jin-wooks memory, the voice of his father that he had heard so far overlapped with reality.

Try, dont say its hard, take control, you get sick because youre weak, its your fault that youre weak, strengthen your mental power.

They were very confusing fragments.

Dont justify your weakness. Dont try to be forgiven for all your actions on the excuse of being weak. You have to get through it. Only then can you inherit the Celestial Dragon Guild.

I was in a strange mood. Seo Gyu-cheol saying that a lack of strength caused mental illness, so I needed to fight it off by putting effort into it, was just the mumbling of an older man who wasnt worth listening to. To think, in 2038, there were still people speaking that way.

That was my reaction as Choi Seung-hyun, who returned from the future. However, suddenly, from deep in my chest, in that huge sea of potential mana, foreign energy began to rise and rise.

Ugh!

I realized it immediately. This was a trace of the involvement from a third persons mana, not Seo Jin-wook. The energy that bloomed near my heart gradually took on a clear shape, like a tangled artery. Then, a system message came up.

-Unknown casters Skill [Seed of Mercardius (Rank: SSS, Semi-Active)] is activated!

My face gradually turned blue. This was a skill that someone else had long since implanted in this body. Why hadnt I noticed until now? Not even with [The Successors Eyes]? I realized it soon enough.

There was too much potential mana stored in the core that I couldnt see the hidden power in it!

The energy, like red veins, expanded within my chest in an instant. Up and up, it stretched out, swallowing up more space. The thing that made its presence known quickly attacked my neck. And like a snake aiming for food, it tried to approach this brain.

At that moment!

-Skill [Seed of Mercardius] attempts to interfere with the users mind!

As soon as I heard the system messages, a different kind of whisper began to permeate my mind.

Im sick of it. Is it all my fault in the end? The sickness is because I am weak?

His subordinates beat his son, but hes saying that?

Yes, Im just a tool anyway. You mean its okay because I didnt break down even further?

Always the same story. If its hard, try harder? Its wrong to be sick and have a hard time?

Im angry! I cant stand it!

Blow it all away. Turn things over!

Damn, shut him up! Tear off that mouth!

What kind of dad tells you to overcome the disease with your will! Is that what hes going to do when I was about to die by his subordinates hand? Tell him not to shit around and die!

Red energy approached just below my ear as the whispering grew louder. As if to be possessed by that voice, my emotions boiled up unnaturally within me. I felt anger, even more, blind anger that seemed to make me lose myself. However, at that moment, another message resonated.

-Skills [The Successors Eyes (Rank: EX)] resists the skill [Seed of Mercardius (Rank: SSS)].

Then, the whispering voice, as if it were to induce my anger, suddenly turned into a strange sound.

Screeeeeeek!