The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 148: To Chuncheon (1)

It’s the very Wind Thunder Blade.

Since the past, whenever the opportunity to upgrade a skill arose, this was the skill I prioritized.

The reason is simple: among the skills Kang-hoo possesses, it’s the only one capable of area-wide attacks.

However, it was impossible to predict what the skill would become if upgraded.

Still, it was possible to make an educated guess.

Based on the skill settings laid out in the original story…

If the Wind Thunder Blade were upgraded, the electrical storm would likely become the main concept rather than a secondary one.

Like the “Psionic Storm” skill from a certain game company’s game.

“Indeed, I lack in the area-wide attack department.”

In fact, having such a diverse range of skills as an assassin is already a cheat.

But Kang-hoo’s greed had no end.

To become an all-rounder, he thought it was necessary to have at least one skill that could be confidently used in any field.

Long-range attacks were supplemented by the Lightning Speed Dagger, and close-range burst damage was covered by the Great Slash.

For mental attacks, he could use Illusion and Shallow Chaos, and self-healing was possible through Frenzied Healing.

If needed, he could also use Life Absorption, one of the abilities of the Constellation he had robbed from Jeon Jong-du.

Additionally, maintaining bleeding, as proven in cooperation with the Groo Guild, was unparalleled.

But there were many shortcomings in the area-wide attack skills.

Although he had Wind Thunder Blade, it was closer to being a nuisance to the enemy rather than a killing tool.

In the dungeon, it was only capable of causing minor scratches unless it was against low-level monsters.

“It would be perfect if I could achieve a picture of mass hunting.”

Given the nature of his profession, one-on-many battles were not the preferred type for an assassin.

This is because the mechanics of the skills were focused on one-on-one combat.

However, if Kang-hoo could obtain a useful area-wide skill…

He thought it would be possible to gather monsters in one place and wipe them out with an area-wide skill.

Wasn’t this the exact picture that came out during the dungeon strategy with the Groo Guild?

Kang-hoo and Ma Jinho gathered monsters into a narrow area, and the magicians poured area-wide attacks on them.

“Right. Maximizing the existing skills is also a method. I’m glad I saved the Hematite.”

Having made up his mind, Kang-hoo prepared to upgrade the Wind Thunder Blade.

It was slightly disappointing that it wasn’t a skill enhancement.

Skill enhancement, which could be obtained with a very low probability in dungeons, would immediately turn the skill into an ultimate.

However, upgrading the skill through Hematite also brought changes comparable to that.

And if he wanted to further empower the Wind Thunder Blade, he could use the Constellation of the Merciless Assassin.

Since there were various methods, he decided not to think too complicatedly.

Two Hematites were immediately invested.

Perhaps because two upgrades were done, the second time brought a change in the skill name.

[Thunder Strike]

[Skill Mastery: Lv. Max]

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[A skill that unleashes a powerful electrical storm on all targets within an 8-meter radius, excluding the caster. There is a 33% chance of inducing the ‘Electrocution’ effect, which can act critically depending on the target's anti-magic stats.]

[Consumes 10 mana per second, with a maximum skill duration of 8 seconds. Cooldown time: 10 seconds.]

“Thunder Strike. Nice name.”

If Wind Thunder Blade felt vaguely connected to wind and electricity, Thunder Strike had a clear concept.

In fact, the strike range increased from Wind Thunder Blade’s 5-meter radius to 8 meters. In terms of diameter, it increased by 6 meters.

Moreover, unlike Wind Thunder Blade’s low single-digit chance of electrocution, Thunder Strike had a much higher probability of causing electrocution.

It could inflict additional damage on enemies with low anti-magic stats, making it strategically advantageous.

As long as team members didn’t get caught in the electrical storm, there would be nothing to worry about.

“I need to test it.”

Kang-hoo smiled as he saw a group of monsters lurking ahead.

As always, monsters were excellent sandbags. They didn’t provide false information.

What would be the result if he activated Thunder Strike combined with Blood Flower on them?

That question was soon answered.

The countless blood splatters and flesh of the scattered monsters told the whole story.

Area-wide attack combined with area-wide explosion.

The combination was fantastic.

It was beautiful.

After finishing his personal training, Kang-hoo received a call as if it had been waiting for him.

It was a call from Lee Ye-rin.

He had already stated that he wouldn’t accept requests related to the White War, but seeing that the call came, it seemed like a different kind of request had come in.

“Yes, this is Shin Kang-hoo.”

-Kang-hoo, a request unrelated to killing has come in, so I contacted you.

“Is that really the case?”

-At least if things go as I expect? No one will die.

“I’m concerned about the conditional part.”

-Would you like to hear it first? You can refuse if it’s not acceptable.

“Let’s hear it.”

Lee Ye-rin’s strength was in constantly selling requests.

If the client didn’t want a specific request, she would suggest it in a bypass form.

It was her knack to make the client accept the request somehow.

Of course, she didn’t force or push the acceptance of the request in the process.

-A request has come in to deliver the Red Key to Jeongmun Pharmaceutical’s No. 1 research lab.

“If it’s the Red Key… it’s usually used to activate large-scale barriers.”

-That’s right. Normally, to prevent unauthorized activation, it requires three Key Holders to turn it simultaneously.

“Why is that?”

-Jeongmun Pharmaceutical’s No. 1 research lab in Chuncheon is under heavy attack by multinational mercenaries.

“Why?”

-It seems Jeongmun Pharmaceutical has decided to distribute ‘Jeongmunhwan’ soon. It’s an awakening drug developed over a long period, with almost no side effects.

“They’re trying to steal the technology.”

-Yes. Considering the circumstances, it wouldn’t be strange if the Jeonghwa Guild was involved, but it’s too quiet.

As Lee Ye-rin said.

Anyway, Jeongmun Pharmaceutical is a pharmaceutical company based in South Korea without any foreign capital.

Judging by the past actions of the Jeonghwa Guild, they would intervene in such cases for any reason.

Public opinion itself flows in that direction. There is a sentiment to protect competent domestic pharmaceutical companies.

Whenever such public opinion arises, the Jeonghwa Guild would step in as if they had been waiting for it, playing the role of heroes.

“Obviously. They’re probably backing them.”

-If that’s the case, why would they bother using outside help? They could handle it themselves.

“If there’s a way to reap the benefits without getting their hands dirty, I wouldn’t step in personally either.”

He said calmly.

Unlike Kang-hoo, who saw through the true nature of the Jeonghwa Guild, Lee Ye-rin seemed not to have thought that far yet.

Kang-hoo continued.

“Let’s focus on the details of the request.”

-It seems one of the Key Holders has been kidnapped, making it impossible to activate the barrier.

“If we deliver the Red Key, can the research lab hold out until then?”

-Currently, the multinational mercenaries have halted their attack. They’re probably waiting for payment.

“Capitalism at its finest.”

-The research lab does have defense facilities, so they wouldn’t take risks without compensation.

“If we deliver the Red Key, will the research lab be fine afterward?”

-It seems they’ve designed it to hold out for at least 15 days. They’ve invested a lot of money into the lab.

“Despite spending all that money, they can’t activate it because they’re missing one Key Holder…”

-It’s a typical example of complacency.

“What’s the payment?”

-5 billion upon start, 50 billion upon success. Plus, they promised 10 capsules of Gakshinhwan upon success.

“Gakshinhwan?”

-Yes. You’ve heard the rumors about it, right? They’re pretty accurate.

“Yes, I know.”

Kang-hoo was slightly surprised.

Gakshinhwan.

A pill developed by Jeongmun Pharmaceutical that temporarily maximizes brain utilization.

Due to side effects and backlash, the effective duration is very short, only 10 seconds after ingestion.

Considering the 2-3 seconds it takes to spread inside after swallowing, the actual effective time is about 7 seconds.

It’s not yet commercialized.

It’s a drug handled in very small quantities within Jeongmun Pharmaceutical, with clinical trials completed before commercialization.

The effect is definite.

It allows for the calculation of all enemy attack actions and movements simultaneously.

It can solve difficult mathematical problems and, relatively speaking, makes time feel very slow.

In the original story, Gakshinhwan is commercialized a year from now.

It’s a situation where he can obtain a special drug that hasn’t yet seen the light of day.

What makes Gakshinhwan scary is that it uses all-natural ingredients, so the side effects are minimal.

Unlike narcotic stimulants, it doesn’t cause sensory or cognitive system disturbances or destruction after ingestion.

This seemed like a challenge worth taking on.

Since it was just a matter of delivering the key, it wasn’t a request to kill anyone, as Lee Ye-rin said.

Kang-hoo asked.

“Can we start the briefing immediately?”

-How would you like to proceed? Video call?

“No. I need to check many things, so I’ll go directly. I’ll head to the Cheong-an Building.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Kang-hoo activated his teleportation ability.

The surroundings instantly changed to a landscape centered around the Cheong-an Building.

It was the very spot where he had recently taken down Jin Hyo-young.

Kang-hoo arrived at the Cheong-an Guild a few minutes after the call ended.

Although it wasn’t a situation that needed explaining, Lee Ye-rin was quite surprised.

Unless Kang-hoo had been waiting near the Cheong-an Building when he made the call, his quick visit was made possible by his ability to change locations instantly.

While long-distance travel skills are not unusual, it’s a different story if the person using the skill is an ‘assassin.’

But her thoughts were soon wrapped up in brief surprise.

Kang-hoo’s skill composition was something even the open-minded Lee Ye-rin couldn’t comprehend.

So at some point, she gave up thinking about it altogether.

It’s Kang-hoo. It’s only natural for him to have such skills. It was a form of positive resignation.

Soon, Lee Ye-rin led Kang-hoo to the meeting room for the briefing and continued explaining the request.

After seeing the reward, he thought it wouldn’t be easy, but the briefing confirmed it was beyond imagination.

“Besides the multinational mercenaries guarding the perimeter, the problem of physical distance is significant.”

“How many failed cases were there before?”

“Seven. All were sniped midway and died. The hunters who attempted aerial infiltration… died before touching the ground.”

“Every time I receive a request, it feels like the ones with many prior casualties always come to me?”

“That’s because we believe Kang-hoo can somehow succeed. It’s true.”

“No extra commission?”

“Just a little? I do get a bit more, but that’s all for collecting preliminary information for you, Kang-hoo!”

“Hmm. That makes sense.”

“Hey! It’s not just that it makes sense, it’s true! Anyway, there’s no need to overdo it. I’ve already told the client it would be hard to find someone.”

“So we need to safely pass through this distance to enter the research lab?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s really… long.”

Kang-hoo traced a line on the satellite map displayed on the monitor screen.

The distance he had to move was so long that his finger had to move for a while.

At this point, he would need to take Mad Solarkium and continuously use his skills without rest.

The extreme of extremes.

Since he had to push his body to the limit, he couldn’t be free from the side effects of congenital mana hypersensitivity.

This seemed like it would be the toughest request he had ever undertaken.

There might be no battles involving blood and sweat with others.

But it seemed likely to be a desperate struggle with himself, challenging his limits.