“Lee Gun?”

From the beginning, he had notable features; he was an ugly monster not fit for society. It was almost incomprehensible that the Archer Saint could share a meal with him.

‘It’s almost like the Beauty and the Beast.’

At the start, Jean-Louis hadn’t paid much attention to Lee Gun. Lee Gun was a mutant. He had come into contact with the power emitted by the twelve Zodiacs and had luckily developed his own power. At the time, everyone thought the same.

‘We assumed he got exposed to the power of the Sagittarius.’

The truth came out when his body got ruined as it was unable to handle divine power.

Of course, Hugo had also claimed that Lee Gun hadn’t been influenced by the Sagittarius, but that Lee Gun was powerful enough to recuse him. However, no one believed Hugo until they saw Lee Gun’s power for themselves.

They didn’t show it, but they all acknowledged Lee Gun was outstanding. He had a filthy and foul personality, but he was the strongest. His courage, judgment, tactics, and the ability to create weapons were the best. He was better than the twelve Zodiac Saint in all aspects.

However, Jean-Louis hated Lee Gun for a different reason.

“What? You don’t want me to use human lives as bargaining chips?”

“Yup! Stop all the nonsense.”

“Why? In the end, we can’t save everyone. Since we know that will be the result, wouldn’t it be best to choose an outcome that’ll benefit us the most?”

“Ah! It’s like talking to a wall, you crab bastard.”

“You’re the one who’s being unreasonable. You do what you want without thinking about the image of the other temples. So why are you acting as if you’re kind?”

“Hey.”

“If you’re capable of doing it, you should go save them. I’ll save only those who are wealthy.”

Basically, Jean-Louis had challenged Lee Gun to do it if he was capable. He had mocked Lee Gun. So what happened?

[Lee Gun has freed all the people who were captured as prisoners.]

[Lee Gun’s great rescue mission. “As expected, the duo of the Archer Saint & Lee Gun is amazing.”]

Lee Gun was someone who made the impossible possible. In doing so, he always smoked Jean-Louis in everything. That was why the Crab Saint found Lee Gun repugnant. Lee Gun stood out in whatever he did.

The nail in the coffin was the fact that Lee Gun always sniffed out his plans. Jean-Louis had placed his abilities beforehand for a crime, yet Lee Gun always managed to interfere with him. And the Crab Saint’s plan would fall apart.

At the time, Jean-Louis had been trying to consolidate the underworld one by one, and it was a big black eye for him.

‘He can’t even touch us since we have Zodiacs.’

He wanted to kill Lee Gun, but the Zodiacs had a high opinion of Lee Gun.

Lee Gun killed all the monsters before they, the Zodiac Saints, had to get involved. Therefore, it had been unexpected for Jean-Louis to receive a request from the Libra.

“You plan on killing Lee Gun in the Devil’s Tower, and you want me to do it?”

“Yes. Of course, you’re just a spare key, the key I’m preparing for if I fail.”

Giselle laughed as she handed him a blade. It was a blade with the seal of the monarch engraved on it.

She said it could paralyze Lee Gun’s senses and that it would allow Jean Louis to easily get behind Lee Gun’s back.

“Currently, Lee Gun’s body is in a bad state. The pain he is feeling is comparable to what a terminal cancer patient feels. He’ll probably die before he reaches the top floor of the tower.”

“!”

“There is no way he’ll accomplish it, but I have to prepare for the small chance he does.”

“Basically, you want me to stab him if he kills Red Eye.”

“Yes. Naturally, the risk is high, so you should use your clone. You should change its appearance to the Virgo Saint before stabbing Lee Gun—”

“No. I’ll do it myself.”

“What?”

Jean-Louis laughed. “It’s Lee Gun. There is no way a clone would be able to stab him in the back.”

Those words weren’t wrong, but Jean Louis just wanted to kill Lee Gun with his own hands.

“Also, I have a contact within the tower.”

Giselle knew her goals would be fulfilled if Lee Gun fell to Red Eye, but...

‘I can’t let him die so easily.’

Lee Gun always killed monsters with a confident expression. She wondered if he could make such an expression when he fell into the trap that repeated infinitely.

‘I want you to despair within the endless hell.’

Giselle wanted him to die a lonely death by himself. She wanted him to drown in despair.

And soon, the day of the Devil’s Tower raid arrived.

“What the hell? The loudmouths have yet to arrive? When do you think I called them?”

“Be patient, Gun. There is still an hour left. Why would they come so early?”

“What! The Scorpio Saint is here! Over there! She was the first one here!”

“Yes. I think she doesn’t like you. She’s hiding in the grass.”

“...!!”

“Anyway, you shouldn’t even think about entering the tower, Gun. I’ll kill Red Eye instead of you—”

“Fuck off! You’re becoming too big for your britches! Do you really think you can kill it?”

“Kuh-huhk!”

Lee Gun was angry, but in truth, Jean-Louis, the cloned Kevin, and the Pisces Saint were already there. They had come here five hours ago since they wanted to switch places with Kevin. The course of action needed to be taken wasn’t difficult at all.

In the first place, the Cancer Saint’s “Star of Darkness” had the special attribute of weakening the power of Zodiacs. Then there was the Pisces Saint, who would transform Jean-Louis’s appearance.

“Your transformation ability is on the level of a Zodiac. It can be used for a moment, but your skill will allow me to copy and use Kevin’s abilities. There is no way anyone will notice.” Despite that, the Pisces Saint looked nervous. “Are you sure we should be doing this? If we get found out, it’ll be the end of us.”

Jean-Louis derided the man’s nervousness. “If you’re scared, you can transform yourself again and hide somewhere inside the tower.”

“...!”

Like that, they climbed the tower.

Jean-Louis’s true body had transformed into the Virgo Saint Kevin while his clone pretended to be Jean-Louis. As they climbed the tower, the Crab Saint realized why the Zodiacs wanted Lee Gun dead.

Lee Gun was strong. He was overpowering. Moreover, it wasn’t simply about strength.

“Kee-ehhhhhk!!!”

Lee Gun could instantly recognize the attack pattern of never-before-seen monsters and kill them. He also sensed danger in an instant, so the group knew when to run away.

“Don’t mess with them! The true body is in the rear!”

“Kee-ehhhhhhk!”

If Lee Gun weren’t the leader of the party, the twelve Zodiac Saints would have died within the tower several times over. Moreover, if Lee Gun’s body weren’t damaged, he could truly be a threat to the authority of the Zodiacs. But that didn’t matter.

‘He’ll die here in the end.’

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Jean-Louis carried out the plan within the tower.

[Monster Summon]

The Scorpio Saint was a thorn in his side, and Sophie possessed healing ability. Therefore, he had left the two of them on the bottom floor. As planned, Hugo was sent out around the ninetieth floor.

In trying to kill Lee Gun, several Zodiacs became more aggressive.

[Wound amplified]

[Pain amplified]

[Movement slowed]

[Energy Loss]

[Impotence]

[Hair Loss]

[Stamina Loss]

They had secretly placed several dozen curses on Lee Gun. Therefore, Lee Gun being able to reach the hundredth floor while suffering under these curses was admirable. However, everything would come to an end.

As soon as they reached the hundredth floor, the cowardly Zodiac Saints started to run away.

“Run! There is no way we can kill that thing!”

The Zodiac Saints scattered when Red Eye confronted them. Of course, the Zodiacs were using the “Fear amplification” magic, so the Zodiac Saints were more scared than usual. That was why they had run away.

The person most influenced by the magic was Stevens. He was the first one to run away in fright. The sight was comedy in itself.

At that moment, Jean-Louis had thought Lee Gun would just die and become food for Red Eye.

“Kee-ehhhhhhhhk!!!”

Instead, he decapitated Red Eye. This shocked Giselle and the other Zodiacs.

‘That’s crazy! Despite those curses from the Zodiacs, he decapitated Red Eye!’

Jean-Louis laughed. He would have been disappointed if Lee Gun had gotten eaten by Red Eye. Laughing, the Crab Saint carried out the plan.

As soon as Red Eye lost its head, Lee Gun looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion. Yet, he still wanted to check if the city was damaged or not. Suddenly...

Poo-oohk!

“Kuhk!”

He was stabbed.

And as the Tower’s administrator said, the trap was activated. The floor Lee Gun was standing on disappeared, and he fell into the trap.

Now, Jean-Louis would never have to see Lee Gun again. This was how Lee Gun’s achievements were covered up with lies, and his existence was supposed to be erased.

***

Back to the present!

Kwah-jeek!

“Kuh-huhk!”

Heaven’s Punishment pierced Jean-Louis’s hand. It instantly severed his hand at the wrist. Jean-Louis screamed. “Ahhhk!”

An incredible amount of blood surged into the air. He glared at Lee Gun with bloodshot eyes.

“You shouldn’t lie so much. You are shameless.” As if Lee Gun didn’t want to hear him anymore, his eyes flashed.

On the other hand, Kevin was surprised. What is he talking about?

Jean-Louis pushed down the pain as he cursed. “It seems you want to show off, but you’re barking up the wrong tree. It wasn’t me. The Virgo Saint— Koohk!!”

Kwah-jeek!

Jean-Louis’s other hand was severed. It was like removing the claws of a crab. As if that wasn’t enough, its wrist had been severed too.

Lee Gun laughed in contempt. “You lie until the end. That guy never went into the tower in the first place.”

“...!”

Kevin looked taken aback. The laughter from Jean-Louis’s face disappeared.

Lee Gun ignored them as he furrowed his brows. “Why? Am I wrong? Ah! He can ask the Virgo. She cannot lie to her disciple. Ask her.”

The Virgo became flustered at those words.

[The Zodiac does not have a duty to answer the question. She used her right to refuse.]

Lee Gun contemptuously laughed. “Don’t try to get cute with me.”

His eyes turned red.

[You have activated the authority of the Serpent Bearer.]

[The Virgo temple is an affiliate under the Serpent Bearer. As per the contract, the affiliate temple must follow the order from the head temple.]

“Ask it now.”

Then, Kevin angrily yelled, “Oh goddess! Have I ever entered the tower before?”

[The Virgo tells you to stop. She is in an awkward situation.]

“I’m going to leave the temple if you don’t answer!”

[The Virgo lamented as she states that is true. She testifies you were attacked and fell unconscious outside the tower.]

Veins popped out on his neck. That damned Zodiac!?

“Why did you make me? Even if you had to beat me to death, you should have sent me into the tower!”

[The Virgo couldn’t wake you with her power. Also, she felt something ominous happening inside the tower.]

[She prioritized the safety of her Zodiac Saint.]

Kevin felt a surge of anger. What the hell did she just say? “Why did you never tell me about this?”

[She knows you have a temper. She thought if she told you, your faith would fall.]

“It has already fallen as far as it can, you idiot Zodiac!”

Suddenly, something surprising happened.

[The Serpent Bearer’s faith has risen.]

[The Serpent Bearer’s faith has leapfrogged the Virgo’s faith.]

[The Virgo is appalled. She laments.]

[The Virgo says you can ask her for any favor you want.]

However, Lee Gun didn’t pay attention to that. A Zodiac naturally prioritized one’s Zodiac Saint. It was expected behavior from the Virgo.

The more important part was that Jean-Louis had stabbed him and made him fall into the trap.

‘He one hundred percent has a connection to the unknown civilization.’

Otherwise, how could the administrator have come out as if it had been waiting for him?

“I won’t kill you right away. I will let you taste the same pain as me.”

Heaven’s Punishment sliced below Jean-Louis’s shoulder.

Kwahng!

“Kuh-huhk!”

After Lee Gun had fallen into the trap, this region had been the part of his arm that was sliced off.

Jean-Louis felt his mind going faint. He gritted his teeth. His Zodiac’s blessing didn’t work, and his attempt at cloning didn’t work.

‘Why!’

As if he had read Jean-Louis’s expression, Lee Gun laughed while maintaining his snake eyes. “Are you wondering why you can’t clone right now?”

“...!”

“I swallowed your Zodiac’s core.”

“!”

Jean-Louis looked at Lee Gun in fright. How could he be alive after eating that?

“I was able to acquire a unique poison thanks to it.”

The Serpent Bearer’s exclusive poison, the Personal Poison! Lee Gun hadn’t experimented much with it, but the poison’s primary effect was paralysis. For a certain amount of time, skills and power couldn’t be used; they were paralyzed.

When Lee Gun had cut Jean-Louis’s face, the poison had already entered the Crab Saint’s body.

The poisonous serpent let out a menacing laugh. “You won’t be able to clone yourself thanks to my poison. Anyway, let me test out the secondary effect.”

“...!” Jean-Louis’s face scrunched up.

Because of the poison, he found it painful to breathe, and his magical energy was dissipating. However, the light in Jean-Louis’s eyes refused to die out.

‘Shit! I have to destroy his temple’s power at this point.’

He just had to create an opening, and he would be able to use his trump card.

‘I just need him to look away for a second.’

No, he needed less than a second. He just needed Lee Gun to look away for a moment. So, he said, “You’re truly strong. You’ve become more powerful now that you have awakened as a Zodiac. However, what about the others?”

“What?”

“The disciples are what causes the growth of a Zodiac. At the same time, they are the Zodiac’s weakness. Did you think we’ll leave them alone?”

The Zodiac Saints picked by Lee Gun were mere SS-rank rookies. If they got killed, the temple energy could be pared down.

“My subordinates have gone to kill your Zodiac Saints already.”

At that moment...

“Ahhk!”

“!”

A scream rang out in the far distance. Of course, it was unclear who had screamed.

Jean-Louis gulped. This was his opportunity.

‘Now!’

He just needed Lee Gun to turn his head.

However...

“What? Who went to kill whom?”

Lee Gun didn’t budge an inch.

Instead of moving his gaze, Lee Gun grabbed Jean-Louis by the neck in contempt. “Do not look down on the kids I chose.”

Green and black light surged forth from Lee Gun’s body.