The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 188

As they stepped outside Rikou Tower, the chaotic scene around them was evident.

It wasn’t raining yet, but the air was heavy with moisture, as if it could pour down at any moment.

While the height of the tower provided a view of the scene, it became obscured once outside.

Two hunters from Rikou Guild were seen hastily seeking refuge in another building, bleeding profusely from their arms.

They likely sustained injuries from Yuuji.

Battling hunters, especially when injured, is akin to a suicide mission.

They must have left the battlefield immediately. Fortunately, other hunters filled the void to ensure their safe retreat.

“Capture them!”

“Surround them!”

As Rikou Guild’s hunters amassed, gaining a numerical advantage, their voices grew louder.

But by then, Yuuji, with a smirk, shifted the battlefield.

Using Kenji’s ability, they opened a spatial passage to another building.

Yuuji moved through this passage to another building, and soon after, the passage disappeared.

Then, Yuuji ambushed a member of Rikou Guild who was scouting to check his own movements.

Blood splattered twice.

Regrettably, the lifeless bodies of two guild members hung limply from the rooftop railing.

“…….”

Kang-hoo quietly surveyed the situation.

Chasing Yuuji while Kenji was coordinating was a poor strategy.

Despite feeling infuriated as Yuuji continuously drew ‘aggro,’ it was crucial to ignore him calmly.

Chasing him would be futile as Kenji could simply shift locations using his ability.

‘Spatial opening abilities aren’t invincible or omnipotent.’

Jung Yuri had a similar experience.

Although she possessed a useful ability, Kang-hoo had previously identified several flaws in it during an encounter.

A notable flaw was the shape of the opened passage, which could hint at the caster’s location.

Thus, in the current situation, the shape of the passage could suggest where Kenji might be.

Such meticulous observation is beyond the grasp of ordinary hunters.

However, Kang-hoo had keenly observed her abilities when they were at Ground Zero. It was an uncommon ability that warranted closer attention.

Blood sprayed in all directions.

Yuuji, with a maniacal expression, continuously altered the battlefield, relentlessly cutting down Rikou Guild members.

Well-trained hunters managed to escape from the scene with only injuries.

However, lower-level and less trained hunters tragically lost their lives to his hand.

Typically, such murders have plausible reasons or justifications, but Kenji and Yuuji had none.

Just because they were bored.

Though it sounds insane, this was the content of a recent post on Hunter Gram.

-Feeling bored today, thinking of hanging out in Osaka. Go Hunter Public Safety Bureau! Show us your incompetence.

Despite being a top wanted criminal, Yuuji publicly ridiculed the Japanese Hunter Public Safety Bureau.

By specifying Osaka, it was clear that Rikou Guild was the target.

And with the explanation that they were simply bored today, they justified their actions. Truly insane.

‘Focus.’

Kang-hoo continued to track Yuuji’s movements, shifting from one location to another.

Every time a passage connecting spaces opened, Kang-hoo’s eyes darted around.

He was deeply engrossed in identifying patterns of the passages, adhering to Takashi’s ‘Theory of Everything Patterns.’

Screams continued, and casualties mounted, but he didn’t let emotions get the better of him.

The key was Kenji.

Without locating Kenji, chasing Yuuji would be as futile as a dog chasing chickens.

How much time had passed?

Despite Rikou Guild members’ valiant efforts, casualties began to accumulate.

“Found him.”

Kang-hoo pinpointed Kenji’s location based on the patterns and vanished into the darkness.

The silent pursuit began, perfectly concealing his presence using the Shadow Step skill.

---

Meanwhile.

Takashi, having learned of the situation in real-time via Hunter Gram, was busily monitoring numerous displays.

Access to the CCTV database around Rikou Tower allowed for unfiltered real-time observation.

The situation on the ground was dire.

Rikou Guild members seemed unsure how to counter the duo of Kenji and Yuuji.

Perhaps.

They knew, yet couldn’t ignore Yuuji’s threatening movements since he was targeting critical infrastructure around the tower.

This posed a direct threat to the security of the tower and the lives of those inside.

“It’s still right to locate Kenji… This is a pathetic response,” muttered Takashi.

It seemed like the higher-ups were all absent, which would explain the guild’s disorganized response despite its skilled hunters.

“I think I know the location.”

Approaching it the same way as Kang-hoo, Takashi analyzed the subtle distortions and directions of the passages and deduced backwards.

Kenji had habits too, and those habits left small but telling differences, much like fingerprints.

“Found him.”

Takashi pinpointed Kenji’s location and turned on the CCTV pointing in that direction.

Then, it came into clear view.

Kenji, disguised as a guard at a bar with an outdoor terrace.

For safety, bars usually employ several guards to focus on protecting the patrons.

That was the bar where Kenji was, perfectly disguised in a guard’s uniform.

He appeared to be patrolling the area, subtly flicking his fingers.

That gesture was the starting point for using a spatial skill to open a path for Yuuji.

The distance was too great to send a clone to the scene from there.

And while contacting the Rikou Guild was an option, it seemed unnecessary.

Even if they were contacted, a clumsy response might just give Kenji a chance to escape.

As Takashi pondered what to do next,

“What’s this?”

A familiar man appeared on the screen.

He had already pinpointed Kenji’s location and was launching a fierce attack.

In an instant, numerous exchanges of stealth detection, daggers, and magical skills took place.

The sudden outbreak caused the patrons to panic and flee.

Even the guards were flustered, unsure of how to handle the situation.

“Ha! Shin Kang-hoo is showing up here?”

Takashi burst out laughing.

He realized that Kang-hoo was thinking the same as him, dealing with the situation effectively after identifying the core of the combination.

Locating Kenji persistently after deciphering the combination proved effective.

In the footage, Kang-hoo was relentlessly driving Kenji back from the start.

Indeed, it was the best choice.

Only in this way could Kenji be prevented from using space skills considering Yuuji, and Yuuji’s movements could be restrained.

Additionally, the battlefield was limited to the outdoor terrace on the bar’s rooftop.

Therefore, using clone techniques and Shadow Step to disorient Kenji’s vision was also a good move.

Compared to the frustrating response from Rikou Guild members earlier, this felt utterly refreshing.

“You… I acknowledge it, truly.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Takashi applauded.

Yes, every movement and action in the world has a pattern. No one can escape it.

He had always hoped that someone else shared his mindset, and Kang-hoo’s actions were just what he desired.

“Hey, I really wish you’d fight where the cameras can catch you. Phew.”

In Takashi’s hand was suddenly a bottle of water and half a bag of unfinished potato chips.

It was time to watch.

---

“F*ck, what the hell is this guy doing?”

Meanwhile, Kenji was flustered, caught off guard by Kang-hoo’s sudden appearance.

He had perfected his disguise and even added makeup, never suspecting his location would be compromised.

How could Kang-hoo have recognized him when even the working guards couldn’t?

Contrary to Kenji’s assumption that Kang-hoo had recognized his face.

Kang-hoo had been following only Kenji’s location from the start.

It was only during the battle that he recognized his face.

He was certain of Kenji’s location at the bar’s outdoor terrace due to habitual directional cues found in the patterns of spatial passages.

And he found him on-site due to the sensitivity of his congenital mana hypersensitivity, detecting the flow of mana.

It was a terrible picture.

The issue wasn’t whether Kenji could handle Kang-hoo but the constant interruptions.

Having blabbed about ‘playing’ in Osaka, it would be embarrassing to get beaten and sent back.

The annoying mosquito must be swatted away.

When you turn on the light to catch a swift mosquito, it usually flees. First, he needed to create some distance.

As Kang-hoo surged forward after retreating from Kenji’s magical deterrence.

Whoosh!

Kenji skillfully opened a space in front of him, leading to an odd pathway.

The fifth throne benefit of the ‘Dimension Plunderer,’ spatial movement skill suppression, only suppresses blink or teleport-type skills. It doesn’t suppress the creation or distortion of space.

“Damn.”

Without slowing down, Kang-hoo was sucked into the passage and came out on the opposite side of the terrace.

Although the hastily created passage didn’t allow for long-distance travel, it was enough to buy some time.

That wasn’t all.

Before the passage closed, Kenji reached out his hand, making a grasping gesture.

Wham!

Recognizing the skill related to spatial distortion, Kang-hoo leaped out.

Just in time, a twist occurred in the space where Kang-hoo had been standing. It was a distortion.

Had he stayed in place?

His waist and abdomen would have been torn apart by the spatial distortion, possibly sliced horizontally.

As soon as Kenji sent Kang-hoo away, he was already opening a passage to another space, not wanting to fight in a place now disadvantageous to him.

Kenji hurled himself towards the passage. Losing him here would make it difficult to chase him again.

Kang-hoo used his leap and acceleration skills in succession, stubbornly following Kenji.

In the final moments, he exploited the Shadow Step’s instant shadow projection to doggedly pursue him.

“S*it!”

Kenji was flustered as Kang-hoo rapidly closed the distance, ignoring the perspective.

It wasn’t an illusion; it was reality.

Kang-hoo barely made it into Kenji’s spatial passage before it closed.

Chase successful.

As Kang-hoo paused to catch his breath in relief, he saw Kenji’s face mocking him.

And then.

The meaning of that mockery became apparent.

“Hmm.”

Kenji and Kang-hoo were helplessly falling through the air between buildings, with no structure to rely on.

The teleport had been used up earlier in the Fukuoka Liberation Area, leaving no second plan.

‘F*cked.’

That word alone was sufficient to summarize the current predicament.

Definitely f*cked.