Chapter 67
"Person123! It's you, right? Isn't it?!"
At Wang Kai's words, the Climbers of the Security Force and the Black Star Society stirred in commotion.
Person123? That man?
An unidentified figure who was strong enough to block Wang Kai's attack, yet belonged to neither the Security Force nor the Black Star Society.
...Come to think of it, there was no one else it could be but Person123.
Looking at Hyun's back as he stood blocking Wang Kai, Alex was also truly astonished.
It was something he couldn't have even imagined. To think that this young man he had met in passing at the restaurant was Person123.
The Savior of Humanity, the secretive figure who had been tightly veiled in mystery until now, had publicly revealed himself.
Just then, Wang Kai suddenly began to attack Person123.
"...!"
Person123 dodged and blocked Wang Kai's attacks, getting pushed back.
A brief exchange of blows went back and forth, and the two stopped again to engage in a war of words.
One thing was certain: Person123 had stepped up to protect the Security Force. He repeatedly advised Wang Kai to stop.
The security officers, including Alex, watched the scene with bated breath.
"You want me to stop? Then get on your knees and bow your head. Then I'll stop."
However, Wang Kai began spouting crazy nonsense at Person123.
"Hm? If the Savior of Humanity bows his head to me, of course I should stop. Isn't that right?!"
Wang Kai and the Climbers of the Black Star Society burst into laughter.
Alex couldn't understand what those lunatics were doing.
It was Person123, the Savior of Humanity who had saved the world multiple times.
Setting everything else aside... did it make any sense to threaten and mock him like this right now?
Person123 let out a sigh and spoke.
"I'll say this one last time, Wang Kai. Stop here. This is my final warning."
"A warning? Oh, I'm so scared. What happens if I ignore it?"
"You'll die."
"..."
"I don't have the confidence to just moderately subdue you or anything like that. Let's end this here so no one has to die. It's not a difficult thing to do."
At Person123's words, Wang Kai's expression hardened viciously.
Alex's heart grew urgent.
He was grateful that Person123 was blocking Wang Kai to save the Security Force, but the opponent was a madman. That kind of provocation...
Looking at the close combat just now, Wang Kai still had the advantage in level. If they fought for real, Person123 would be in danger.
"...I've listened quietly, and your bullshit never ends. Fine, don't kneel. I'll personally shatter both your legs and make you kneel."
Murderous intent erupted from Wang Kai.
...This is dangerous!
Was that crazy bastard really going to try and kill the Savior of Humanity?
As Alex spat out the blood pooled in his throat, he tried to shout with difficulty.
"No...!"
Darkness covered Wang Kai.
Without any warning, without any noise.
Wang Kai simply vanished.
"..."
Huh?
Alex couldn't understand what had just happened. The watching Security Force and Black Star Society were equally bewildered.
Person123 was merely frowning and letting out a sigh.
\[...A Skill?\]
It didn't look like he had used an item either.
Then it was a Skill? What just happened?
It was definitely not a physical type. It was a Magic-type Skill.
But Person123 hadn't used Mental Concentration just now...?
No, more than that, how could such an absurd Skill even exist...
He couldn't tell what was what.
The only reality that had just unfolded before his eyes was that Wang Kai had simply been obliterated without leaving a single speck of dust behind.
"Is there anyone else who wants to fight?"
Person123 opened his mouth.
He looked back and forth between the Security Force and the Black Star Society.
Among the security officers who couldn't close their mouths in shock, one officer stepped forward and answered.
"Uh, no."
The Black Star Society side was even more stunned than the Security Force.
That was because their Captain, Wang Kai, had vanished without a trace.
If even a corpse had been left behind, they might have been able to accept the fact that he was dead, but he had simply been obliterated in the blink of an eye.
"Wha... What did you do to Lord Wang Kai..."
Person123 informed them, driving the point home.
"He's dead."
"..."
"It couldn't be helped. I told him to stop and warned him multiple times."
The Climbers of the Black Star Society wanted to deny reality.
Wang Kai, the world's highest level Climber and the pride of the Continent, who had easily beaten down even America's Alex, who was considered a worthy rival...
He just died like this?
Person123 hadn't even lifted a finger. He had simply erased Wang Kai like squashing a bug.
That nonsensical gap in power was an unfathomable shock to them.
"Everyone, go back now."
With those words, Person123 disappeared.
He vanished as suddenly as he had appeared just a moment ago.
"..."
The situation ended just like that.
It seemed Person123 had simply left.
The Climbers of the Security Force were the first to come to their senses and began to move, gathering themselves.
They recovered the bodies of their dead members and prepared to return to Zone 0.
"Let's go, Captain."
An officer stepped forward and supported the heavily injured Alex.
Alex stared blankly at the spot where Person123 had disappeared, then staggered as he was supported.
"Is Jay... Cough! Is he okay?"
"He's fine. He's in better shape than you, Captain."
The officer who had been sent flying after blocking Wang Kai's attack earlier, fortunately, wasn't in danger.
The security officers were all just in a daze.
Person123 had appeared. Wang Kai was dead.
Such shocking events had occurred and ended without giving them a moment to process.
"...What's going to happen now?"
The officer muttered. There was no way Alex would know either.
Since Wang Kai had died at the hands of Person123... what would happen going forward?
It was an unprecedented situation. The world would be in a massive uproar.
"Person... Keugh, cough!"
"D-Don't speak. Are you okay?"
Alex nodded with difficulty.
Whatever the case, Alex was truly grateful to Person123.
It was no different from him saving the lives of the entire Security Force present here.
*Meanwhile, the Climbers of the Black Star Society remained frozen as they watched the Security Force leave.*
"...We're going back."
An officer of the Black Star Society barely managed to give the order.
In a gloomy atmosphere, the Climbers of the Black Star Society also moved like defeated soldiers who had lost their general.
---
While in Stealth, I watched the Climbers split up and leave.
\[Haa...\]
I really did it.
Is this my first time killing a person in reality? Come to think of it, it was.
I didn't particularly regret my actions.
An opponent whose Physical Abilities were stronger than mine and whom I didn't know what other Skills they possessed about.
There was no reason for me to risk danger by fighting moderately with the intention of not killing him. He was also an opponent who didn't make me feel the need to show such consideration.
More than that, I had finally revealed myself in front of people.
If I hadn't stepped in, Wang Kai really might have killed the entire Security Force, so it couldn't be helped, but...
If I had known something like this would happen, I should have carried a mask around with me.
\[...It'll be fine, probably.\]
Even so, only a few dozen people had seen me.
It was ridiculous to think they could pinpoint my identity and figure out who I was or where I was from just by seeing my face for a moment. It wasn't like they had taken photos or videos.
At most, it would just be known that I was East Asian, a Korean.
That much was bearable. I shook off my worries.
However, I didn't know what kind of aftermath would occur from killing Wang Kai.
\[Will China curse me out?\]
Let them.
I don't think I went overboard.
It ended with no one else dying, only Wang Kai dying, so I resolved it pretty well in my own way.
I can just ignore whatever China says, so that's the end of that worry too.
Still, I felt a slight sense of guilt.
Not because I committed murder, but...
Anyway, wasn't Wang Kai also someone who was climbing the tower on the Front Line and extending the time limit like me?
And I had killed him. Viewed as a whole, it was a loss for Humanity.
...Should I post a short statement in the communication window, since it is something I caused?
I'll have to see how things play out first.
I didn't feel like hunting anymore today, so I decided to head back as well.
The news is going to be all about me again for a while.
---
Some time passed after Wang Kai's death in Zone 3.
Strange stories began to circulate little by little in the communication window.
\[Shrew: Wang Kai was killed by Person123? What are you talking about?\]
\[Dieter: I don't know. Where did this story even come from?\]
\[Starfish: What kind of nonsense are you spouting again?\]
The rumor was that Wang Kai, the Hard Difficulty Record Holder and the world's highest level Climber, had been killed by Person123 on the 5th Floor.
At first, people considered it a rumor.
Since Climbers worldwide were gathered there, the communication window was a place where all sorts of nonsense, rumors, and trolling floated around countless times a day. \\