Heart Blood – Part 2
Before beginning the pursuit, I had one task to take care of.
I assigned Seo Woojin to guard Seong Huiyeong.
“Make sure nothing happens to her. Got it?”
“Leave it to me.”
“Don’t trust anything. If sunlight shines, doubt it. If a single gnat flies in, doubt it. Shape-shifters, druids, nature sorcerers—those bastards will be targeting the chairman.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Would that be enough?
Even Shinwha Group, the top conglomerate and one of the Six Powers, failed to protect their own chairman.
A Level 8 superhuman was taken down without resistance.
Would Geumo Group fare any better, even with Seo Woojin?
Honestly, I had my doubts.
The only way forward was to do what I did best.
It was a time attack and an elite battle.
Would Seong Huiyeong die first?
Or would I find and kill the culprit first?
I patted Seo Woojin’s shoulder once and left.
One of the executive secretaries followed me.
His face was just as grim as Chief Secretary Kim’s.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster, I beg you. If—if the chairman dies, then I…”
This world was ruthless.
In cases like this, it wasn’t uncommon for secretaries and bodyguards to be buried alongside their employer.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
“P-please… I’m counting on you.”
I boarded the Red Cougar and flew toward Seong Huiyeong’s mansion.
The executive secretary, looking horrified, insisted on driving, but I refused.
Every second counted.
Rather than sit back while someone else drove, it was better to push my traits to their limits and arrive even a second faster.
“Welcome, Black Tiger Swordmaster!”
The mansion staff had all gathered outside.
Their faces were ashen.
This was the very place where Seong Huiyeong had been poisoned.
If she didn’t survive, none of them would meet a peaceful end.
“Is everyone here? Please wait for a moment.”
If I could instantly identify the culprit using Bright Eyes, Prophet’s Ring, or Geumo Eye, this would be easy.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.
Dark Jaguar’s divine power—its deception and shapeshifting abilities—couldn’t be seen through, even with high-level traits.
It was the power of a god.
But that didn’t mean I had no way forward.
I lined up the mansion staff and pulled out my smartphone.
[Oh, hey, hyung! What’s up? Thought you were training!]
A familiar voice.
A boy’s voice, just past puberty.
Still youthful, yet more mature after gaining experience.
“Kim Saje. Are you free right now?”
[Free? Yeah, I guess. Why?]
“I’m sending the Red Cougar. Get on and come here. I need a favor.”
[Aw, don’t say ‘favor.’ Just give me an order! Do you even know where I am?]
“The Colosseum, right?”
[Haha! Busted.]
“I’m sending the car now.”
From Jongno District, where Seong Huiyeong’s mansion was, to Bucheon, the Red Cougar could get there in a flash.
I sent it on autopilot, and less than ten minutes later, Kim Saje arrived—with Kim Mabeob in tow.
Kim Saje’s eyes widened at the grand mansion.
Kim Mabeob, the ultimate rich kid, was unimpressed.
“Hyung, what do you need me to do?”
“It’s simple.”
I gestured toward the mansion staff, who stood stiff as corpses.
“Cast Golden Blessing on each of them.”
The power of a god had to be countered with the power of another god.
Golden Blessing didn’t reveal the truth outright.
But an evil god like Dark Jaguar—just touching another god’s power would cause a violent reaction.
The same went for his followers.
If I had a divine power of a similar rank, I wouldn’t have needed Kim Saje at all.
“Okay, I got it.”
The staff braced themselves.
They probably thought this was some kind of interrogation or torture.
The result was far different.
A radiant golden light, like polished metal, enveloped them.
A powerful force surged from within them, making their bodies gleam like gold.
“Huh?”
“Oh… it doesn’t hurt?”
“It feels weird…”
Even though Kim Saje’s god was newly ascended, he was still a god.
This was likely the first time they had ever experienced such intense divine power.
The staff looked bewildered.
I activated Bright Eyes and carefully observed them.
‘Nothing.’
That was possible.
In the game, the culprit was chosen at random.
Most of the time, they disguised themselves as mansion staff, but there were a few other possibilities.
“It’s none of you. At the very least, the culprit isn’t inside the mansion.”
“Phew!”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I’ll guarantee it with my name. Still, I’d advise against going home just yet. It’s better to avoid suspicion.”
“Thank you!”
“We… we’re safe!”
Some sighed in relief. Others collapsed as their legs gave out.
Especially the elderly butler—his emotional turmoil was evident as he turned away to wipe his tears.
“Hyung? What’s going on?”
“Wait… did something happen to Chairman Seong?”
Kim Saje looked clueless.
Kim Mabeob, on the other hand, quickly caught on.
“She was attacked. She’s in the ICU right now.”
“That’s impossible! She’s Level 7!”
“Being high-level doesn’t mean you’re invincible.”
“This is serious…”
“We have to find the culprit fast. If we don’t, I don’t even want to imagine what will happen.”
“My Golden Blessing will reveal them, right?”
“Yeah. If it touches the culprit, we’ll know immediately.”
“So, the culprit must be an evil god’s priest…”
“But if they’re not among the mansion staff, where are they?”
“We’re about to find out.”
If the culprit wasn’t a staff member, only two possibilities remained.
Both could be checked via CCTV.
I led Kim Saje and Kim Mabeob to the security room.
We split the screen into 256 feeds and fast-forwarded through the past week’s footage.
“Ugh…”
“Whoa, this is dizzying…”
“You can actually see all this?”
Even with 256 feeds and running at 16x speed, I didn’t miss a thing.
A normal person would get dizzy just from watching.
Kim Saje, Kim Mabeob, and the executive secretary were all grimacing.
But I was different.
[Bright Eyes] [Sixth Sense] [Keen Vision]
[Insight] [Focus] [Resolve]
With this set of traits—and using Geumo Eye and Prophet’s Ring—I fixated on the massive screen.
My head throbbed.
Not just pain—burning agony.
But I maintained my focus.
I analyzed every living creature, every unnatural light source, every shadow across the 256 screens.
At exactly 2 minutes and 30 seconds, I frowned.
Failure.
Restart.
Failure again.
One more time.
After five attempts, my head felt like it had been dusted with powdered mint candy—cool yet burning.
The dizziness cleared, and my focus sharpened.
Acquired the trait: [Clarity].
In the game, it boosted mana regeneration.
With my mana recovering and my mind crystal clear, I succeeded on my sixth attempt.
I shot up from my seat.
“Found it.”
“Huh? Found what?”
“A black cat entered the mansion three days ago, right?”
“Oh… Ah, yes. I remember.”
“The next day, the chairman found it cute and petted it. It was a very affectionate cat.”
“How do you know that?”
I simply nodded toward the screen.
“I saw it there.”
“Wow…”
“And yesterday. The chairman personally fed it a Churu snack.”
That had been unexpected.
I didn’t know Seong Huiyeong liked animals.
I only thought of her as an ambitious woman.
Someone who purged her own blood relatives without hesitation.
“You’re exactly right.”
“That’s when it made contact. The culprit marked her through that touch, and this morning, they infiltrated the kitchen and slipped a single drop of poison into her meal.”
“Ah!”
The executive secretary gasped.
A classic method.
It didn’t matter if she had a food taster, if her tableware was imbued with purification and detoxification magic.
The Blood Poison of an Evil God ignored all magical defenses and activated only in the designated target.
Bang!
The executive secretary slammed his fist against the wall.
“That bastard! Using the chairman’s kindness against her!”
This savage world didn’t leave room for sentimentality.
Liking animals?
In my old world, that might be considered a virtue.
But here?
It was just a weakness.
If people found out, assassins would exploit it, just like this.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster, you can catch them, right?”
“Of course.”
I was already outside.
More precisely, I stood between the main house and the garden.
Under the long eaves, like a traditional hanok.
The very spot where Seong Huiyeong had fed the poor black cat its treat.
[Bright Eyes] [Sixth Sense] [Tracking]
[Insight] [Keen Vision] [Sharp Nose]
Just like when I tracked the Mountain King across the Cheorwon plains.
I focused my eyes and sniffed the air.
Every trace in the world passed through me.
Pollen drifting in the spring air, the scent of the wind, scattered footprints, the lingering aroma of animals and butterflies.
Then, after a while—one footprint turned red.
A cat’s paw print.
Adorably small, yet carrying sinister malice.
And.
Much deeper than other animal prints.
‘A shapeshifter.’
Better than a druid.
Druids of evil gods could control animals remotely, cursing targets from a safe distance.
I calmly followed the footprints.
“Mabeob, lend Saje a Cloak of Concealment.”
“Huh? I already gave him one.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I have a lot at home.”
“Perfect. Secretary, you have stealth abilities, right?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s all go in cloaked.”
I equipped Stealth, while Kim Mabeob and Kim Saje donned their cloaks.
The executive secretary manipulated his prosthetic limb, and his figure disappeared.
With that, we began tracking the footprints.
The trail wasn’t far.
Inwangsan.
The mountain that wrapped around Seong Huiyeong’s mansion like a natural fortress.
We followed the path almost to the peak.
Then, suddenly, the tracks vanished.
[This is the place?]
The executive secretary’s silent question.
I turned to the others and nodded.
Bright Eyes fed me information.
Amidst the grass, branches, and rocks—there it was.
A hidden burrow, camouflaged with natural debris.
Too small for a person to enter.
Only a rabbit or a cat could fit inside.
I tapped Kim Saje’s shoulder.
Ever since the Colosseum Kim Clan incident, we didn’t need words to communicate.
Kim Saje nodded calmly.
He knelt and began to pray.
Flash!
Light erupted.
From beneath the hidden burrow.
A golden pillar shot up into the sky.
And along with it—a piercing scream.
“Gaaahhh!”
If they hadn’t hollowed out a large interior space, they would have died instantly.
I quietly drew my handgun.
Among my two Dasan pistols, I chose the small-caliber one.
Equipped with the [Restrain] attribute.
I waited.
As expected, the screaming stopped—then, a shadow darted into the air.
Flap!
A raven.
The shapeshifter was a Level 5 superhuman, but he had chosen to flee.
A quick decision, but a bad one.
Because I had predicted it perfectly.
Bang!
A single gunshot.
A dark streak pierced the sky.
The Restrain effect slammed into the raven.
No chance to scream—just a helpless plummet.
Shapeshifting had a major flaw.
They could turn into many animals…
But in exchange, their durability matched the animal they became.
A regular raven was fragile enough that even a small-caliber bullet was lethal.
I walked toward the fallen raven.
One hand resting on my weapon holster.
Predicting the shapeshifter’s next move.
“Son of a bitch!”
Just as expected.
The raven shot up, shifting mid-air.
Its body expanded.
Bulging muscles.
A grotesque, hulking frame.
A monstrous gorilla.
Back when I reached Level 4, this had been one of the recommended materials for a Trait Elixir, alongside the Horned Tiger.
It didn’t matter.
I focused on unloading the gun I had swapped out from my armory.
Tututututung!
A heavy, thunderous gunshot.
A shotgun.
The king of close-quarters combat fired at point-blank range.
With Destruction Attribute, Destruction Trait, and additional effects of Divine Power, Holy Radiance, Lightning, and Black Flame stacked on top—
A complete critical damage package.
The jaguar-faced creature contorted in agony.
Slowly—very slowly—he looked down at his abdomen.
There was a gaping hole.
His heart was barely missed, but his stomach, small intestine, and large intestine were completely obliterated.
Only the fact that he was a divine incarnation beast kept him alive.
If he had been a normal monster, he’d be dead already.
“G-guhh… You… damn…”
He couldn’t even finish his sentence before collapsing.
His flesh wriggled, attempting to regenerate, but the process was too slow.
I pinned the shapeshifter down and bound both of his arms.
[Close-Combat Mastery] and [Restraint] activated.
Now, he couldn’t move at all.
“Saje, heal him.”
“Huh? If I use divine power, he’ll die, though?”
“He won’t die. He’s human.”
“Ah… so he’s a shapeshifter.”
Even an evil god’s priest was still human.
As long as he wasn’t an inherently unholy being, he wouldn’t die from being healed by another god’s priest.
Though he’d wish he had.
“GRAAAAAHHH!”
A bloodcurdling scream burst out.
Kim Saje’s Complete Healing was restoring his body too quickly—causing him immense pain.
But he couldn’t struggle.
Because I had locked him down.
“LET GO! LET ME GO!”
The pain must have been unbearable—his shapeshifting broke.
The jaguar beast vanished, revealing a short, stocky white man.
His stench was unbearable—who knew when he had last bathed?
I tightened my grip around his neck with my forearm and asked,
“Where is the Heart Blood?”
Hearing my words, the man froze.
I didn’t even need to look.
I knew his eyes were darting around, scheming.
I didn’t give him a chance to think.
I squeezed harder.
“Ghhhk! Ghhkk! Ghh—Ghhhk!”
Not just cutting off his breath—his bones were on the verge of snapping.
I pressed down with my full body weight and repeated my question.
“Where is the Heart Blood?”
Normally, this level of pressure would break someone.
Only fanatic priests who had merged their souls with divine shadows could resist.
But shapeshifters and druids?
They could never withstand torture.
Yet this white man—
Rather than breaking, he coughed and laughed mockingly.
“I stuck it up your mom’s ass! Gack—kak!”
A mom joke?
Letting that slide would mean I wasn’t Korean.
I pressed my left hand against his back.
And injected it.
Black Flame.
A fire that burned through the nervous system.
“—AAAAAAAAAAGH!”
The man convulsed violently, as if his body had been struck by lightning.
He couldn’t even scream properly.
The pain was beyond human comprehension—his body had gone into shock.
And yet, he clenched his teeth, enduring it.
“You’re tougher than you look.”
This was a rare case.
Even in the game, this scenario almost never happened.
I had never personally encountered it before.
I had only seen one streamer experience it once.
If I hadn’t watched that stream, I might have missed the real culprit.
I activated Bright Eyes.
Using its X-Ray capabilities, along with Prophet’s Ring’s foresight, I scanned underground.
The spot where the white man had been hiding.
A 3D map unfolded in my vision, marked by crimson lines.
There.
A narrow, elongated tunnel.
I saw where it led—
And launched myself forward.
Swish!
In a single bound, I covered hundreds of meters.
“Huh?!”
“Hyung?!”
“Black Tiger Swordmaster?!”
Voices called out behind me.
I ignored them.
I leaped over rocks and trees, moving like the wind.
Even when I passed through a residential area, I didn’t stop.
Security alarms blared—too late.
By the time they sounded, I was already gone.
“W-what are you trying to—”
The white man, still in my grasp, gasped.
I ignored him completely.
Finally, I arrived at the spot I had marked.
“Meow?”
A small clearing.
A hidden burrow, tucked within the crevices of some rocks.
A black cat peered out.
Our eyes met.
The cat looked at me—then at the restrained white man.
“HSSSS!”
It hissed and lunged.
Trying to save its friend.
But how could that work?
It was just a normal Level 0 cat.
Not a mutant. Not a spirit beast.
It had no chance.
“Luna! NO!”
The white man—a shapeshifter and druid—screamed in panic.
All that effort to rescue his animal friend—wasted.
Too late.
“NYAAAHHHH!”
The cat swiped at me, claws fully extended—
Useless.
The black cat, too, was effortlessly restrained in my grip.
–TL Notes–
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