“Release Death Instinct.”

The voice felt very familiar. His eyes flashed like those of a tiger, and his voice almost sounded like a growl.

As soon as Steven Marker registered the voice, a familiar image flashed through his mind. It was the image of a masked man.

Whether he was facing suffocating heat or a deadly poison, it didn’t matter to that man. When monsters rushed him, he didn’t even think about running away. In fact, the man would laugh as if he were having fun.

‘Lee Gun.’

When everyone ran away in fright, he had been like the wind as he cut down the monsters.

No matter how many monsters attacked him, he never flustered. He would use the monsters as stairs to fly into the air. He would use the sky as his battlefield.

The Leo Saint’s pupils shook. ‘Why am I thinking about him right now?’

He soon found himself in further turmoil. The young man who had been on his shoulders had disappeared. The Leo Saint became surprised when he located Lee Gun again.

Boom!

The young man was emitting a mysterious light.

[Death Instinct is ready to be released.]

A strange symbol appeared on Lee Gun’s arms. It was the pattern that signified the Serpent Bearer. The tattoo started from the back of his hands and crawled past the wrists. The sight was awe-inspiring. It made the Leo Saint want to go to his knees.

[Death Instinct(F)]

[All magical energy will be used to release the aura of a god for 3 seconds.]

[As a bonus for opening the skill, you will be able to maintain the skill for 10 seconds.]

Boom!

People felt as if some power was pressing down on everything, and the ground shook.

Lee Gun hadn’t used any further skills. It was the pressure generated by the skill that he had just released.

The group of armor suits continued to converge on Lee Gun. They looked like ants swarming toward him.

Koo-goo-goohng!

The next second, however, all the armor suits surrounding Lee Gun were destroyed. They had dared to approach the Serpent Bearer. It all took one second. However, that wasn’t the scariest part.

“I hope you’re ready to get beaten.” Lee Gun disappeared in a flash. He reappeared in front of the Leo Saint.

“!!”

Lee Gun was so fast that human eyes couldn’t keep up with him.

Bbah-gahk!

Lee Gun’s fist met the Leo Saint’s stomach. The protections around the Saint were instantly destroyed.

“Kuh-huhk!” Steven Marker’s vision started to dim. The pain almost made him lose his mind. But that wasn’t the end of it.

Bbah-gahk! Bbah-gahk!

His bones were like steel, yet they had been crushed. He spewed out blood as all breath left him. It was the five-second mark.

The bloodied Leo Sant felt that he was losing consciousness.

Lee Gun grinned. His laugh was an evil one. There was no way he would let the Leo Saint lose consciousness. He grabbed the Leo Saint’s head and slammed it against the wall.

Boom!

The Leo Saint was flustered. He had never experienced this ability before, but this grip felt familiar. ‘This power!’

“You...!”

“Ah! I almost forgot to tell you this. The weapon you bought for one billion dollars...”

“...!”

“It’s just a dog bone, idiot.”

“?!”

“Thank you for purchasing it.” Lee Gun let out an evil laugh as he slammed the Leo Saint’s head through the wall again.

The wall fell on top of the Leo Saint’s back.

Boom!

As the wall fell, the Leo Saint was pushed off the platform. The platform was 16,000 feet above the ground!

“Shit...” The Leo Saint instantly fell through the clouds.

“Ahhhhk!”

“Saint-nim!”

The Leo Saint yelled like Tarzan as he disappeared below the clouds, “Leeeeeeee Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!”

Moreover, the hundred or so monsters chased the Leo Saint off the platform.

Lee Gun had used a badge containing a rental skill. The aggro skill was still active, and he had pinned the badge to the Leo Saint. The Calamities, which had invaded the auction house, and the Leo Saint had been cleared all at once.

[Death Instinct will be lifted.]

[The Saint of the Great Lion suffered massive damage.]

[You have acquired Saint EXP.]

[You have acquired special data(Saint rank)]

[You have reached 100k Saint EXP.]

[You have leveled up. (Lv. 5)]

[The EXP will be automatically converted into points.]

As soon as the Leo Saint fell, confusion erupted amongst his disciples. Even a Saint couldn’t survive a fall from this height.

“He didn’t bring any rental skills!”

“He hasn’t borrowed any skills in recent days!”

Even as they talked, they couldn’t tear their gazes away from Lee Gun. It was to be expected.

“The Saint said he’s Lee Gun...”

They were in confusion about what had happened between the Leo Saint and the man who stood in front of them. If he really was Lee Gun...

“This is bad! Of all the places, the Saint-nim fell toward the Red zone!”

“What?”

They realized this was not the time for inaction. They started to move.

In the end, all the disciples vacated the spot.

Lee Gun was satisfied. “They are good kids. I thought I would have to beat them up.”

It happened at that moment.

“They aren’t nice! Their brains are probably fried from this unprecedented situation!”

“!”

A familiar voice rang out in the empty hall.

When Lee Gun turned around, he saw Chun Sungjae, who was frozen in place. “You are still here? I thought you escaped using the teleport zone.”

Chun Sungjae’s face crumpled.

Hadn’t he told them that it was useless to go to the teleport zone?

General Choi, who had stuck around, had an odd expression on his face. ‘When did this kid say he started his career?’

Calamities appeared in places where humans feared the most. That was how the unknown civilization operated. One had to be around Saint rank to sense their activities. This was why he had noticed something was off.

The general was very flustered, but none of that mattered now.

“The Leo Saint’s disciples will come for you!”

Unless there were special mitigating circumstances, the Leo Saint’s disciples would not take this lying down. Only one person present here could hold up against such a mob.

‘However, that person is...’

Chun Sungjae had wondered if this man was really Lee Gun. The thought had occurred to him multiple times. However, he had dismissed it because his father had threatened to disown him for having such suspicions.

This young man had felt sorry for his father, who couldn’t forget his dead friend. Thus, as a dutiful son, he had decided to trust his father.

Chun Sungjae said, “Anyway, we have to get out of here before the Leo Saint’s disciples come back.”

“No way! I have to acquire my ingredients.” However, Lee Gun had other plans.

“Ingredients?”

“Ah! Before I do that...” Lee Gun summoned Piggy Bank, the Pixiu.

“!”

“Eat all the auction items on the floor.”

The elated Pixiu ran around the Drachma.

[Piggy Bank is really happy.]

[Its level has increased.]

In reality, Lee Gun didn’t care about the ownerless auction items. He was more interested in the location where the lightning bolt had descended.

“That’s....” Chun Sungjae wondered what it was.

“My friend is trapped there,” Lee Gun answered.

Chun Sungjae was surprised. It was to be expected. “That’s the Leo Saint’s slaughter prison! Let’s quickly gather some people to rescue him. If not, your friend will die...”

“Ah! It’s fine! Just bring a teleporter.”

“?” Chun Sungjae was puzzled by the request, but he agreed to do it. He quickly went away.

Unlike what he had said, Lee Gun was worried. Of course, he wasn’t worried about his friend. “That idiot better not kill my precious monster.”

Suddenly...

Kwahng!

The barrier shattered as a fierce light arrow broke through it.

Tahng-tahng-tahng!

More arrows appeared and flew past Lee Gun’s head.

Then, an angry voice rang within the barrier. “Hey! You value the monster more than your friend?”

Lee Gun cackled when he saw Hugo exit the broken barrier. “What? You’re still alive? I was thinking about taking the deed to your building.”

Hugo wanted to slap Lee Gun! However, he decided to gloss over it. “What about the Leo Saint!”

“Ah! He was annoying me, so I threw him over.”

“That’s good— What? You threw him? From this height?”

“What? I shouldn’t have done it?”

“......#*$&!” Hugo grabbed the back of his neck. ‘I feel bad for the disciples that’ll have to look for him!’

The unknown civilization’s territory in Asia was vast. ‘If he fell into the black zone instead of the red zone...’

This was the reason Hugo considered his friend vicious. The Leo Saint was the strongest land fighter. There was no way Lee Gun was unaware that aerial battles were the Leo Saint’s weakness. This was a mess.

Lee Gun headed toward the barrier, from which Hugo had escaped.

The beast, which Hugo had pinned against the wall with his arrow, let out a roar. The Archer Saint’s arrows had pierced through its vital points, yet the beast was fine. This was a curious sight.

Lee Gun laughed as he measured the beast with his sword. He seemed interested in the beast. “He’s sturdy and thick. He’ll make a good weapon.”

“!” Hugo was surprised. He never expected those words out of Lee Gun’s mouth. ‘He normally disparages high-ranking holy items as trash.’

Lee Gun was being sincere. He could break the bone and avoid receiving any damage from the Leo Saint’s attack all thanks to his skill. However, when he had dismissed the Death Instinct skill, he had felt significant muscular pain. It seemed he would need a sturdy weapon for normal use.

Hugo looked on with a worried expression. “I don’t mind you using this beast as an ingredient, but I have no idea what it is. I couldn’t kill it no matter what method I used. Keeping it in the barrier might be best...”

Lee Gun laughed as he walked forward. He injected his magical energy into the blade.

[Special attributes of the Serpent Bearer will be granted.]

[Sharpness, Fatal Blow]

Lee Gun’s snake eyes saw the blank vessels. Then, he vertically swung his blade.

Poo-shoohk!

“Koo-roo-roohk!” The beast roared as it finally fell, and the ground shook.

Boom!

“Look! I solved it. Do you have any other problems?” Lee Gun laughed as he shook the blood off his blade.

Hugo smirked without realizing it. “Asshole.”

It was a compliment containing his respect.

* * *

Lee Gun’s dissection of a monster was always clean.

Hugo asked when he saw Lee Gun heft a large bone. “Are you planning on carrying that to the teleport zone?”

“Why?”

“You’ll have to pay a hefty fee to teleport an item of that size. That’s why we should use a rental skill even if it’s inconvenient...”

In truth, the disciples of the Leo Saint would probably try to kill Lee Gun if the two of them headed toward the teleport zone. Hugo purposefully didn’t volunteer this information. ‘He likes fighting. He’ll probably instigate a fight.’

Lee Gun shrugged as he took out his hone. “You don’t have to worry about that. Someone I know is bringing a private teleporter.”

“Ah! You did say you were going to meet up with a general from the Gemini temple...”

Despite these words, Hugo’s face froze after a while. It was all because of the person Lee Gun called; he wasn’t the general of the Gemini temple.

“Ah! Sungjae?”

For a moment, Hugo thought he had heard wrong. ‘What did he just say? Sungjae?’

It was unknown as to whether Lee Gun was aware of the expression on his friend’s face or not, but he continued to speak into the phone. “I’m taking one more person with me. I also have a large item. Yes! There will be three of us in total. Hurry up and come here!”

As soon as Lee Gun ended the call and brought the phone down, Hugo grabbed him, “Wait a moment! Did you just say Sungjae...”

“Oh? You know him? I guess he really must be famous if you know him.”

“Ah! Do you know his last name?”

“I think it was Chun? He’s still in school, but in terms of magical energy, he seems to be similar to the general rank Users. I thought he would be useful.”

Hugo felt his blood pressure rise. He almost collapsed. It looked like Lee Gun had really met his son!

In a desperate voice, the Archer Saint yelled at his friend, “Not the Gemini temple! Tell them not to come here!”

“What? Why not?”

“Yes! You can’t do it! You give power to the Gemini when you use the personal teleporter!” Hugo said in a hurried tone.

“Uh... Really?”

“All the items carried during teleportation will be reported to the Gemini Saint! They can rob your items with magic!”

“Uh. Are you sure?” Lee Gun asked.

Of course, it was a bald-faced lie.

Nevertheless, Hugo replied, “If you understand now, we should head toward the official teleportation zone. So many people use it that the officials don’t check anything. Let’s hurry up and go before my son comes!”

Lee Gun suddenly came to a stop. “Son? Your son is here?”

‘Oh no!’ Hugo became flustered as sweat ran down his face. “I just received a text. He happened to be visiting the Drachma. I think he’s nearby. That’s why we should head out first!”

Lee Gun tilted his head in confusion at Hugo’s nonsensical words. “We can wait and go together, right? I’ll just tell Sungjae that one more person will be coming with us.”

‘Damn it!’ “Let’s just go! Please!”

“Why? I want to see your kid! You refused to show me a single picture of him! Is he ugly? Is he deformed?”

Faced with Lee Gun’s outcry, Hugo was troubled.

Should he let Lee Gun introduce his son or not? Which would cause the least amount of trouble? Which would cause fewer social problems?

In the end, Hugo made up his mind. He yelled, “I didn’t want to say this, but my son hates you!”

Lee Gun froze at those words. He had never expected such an answer. “Really? He hates me? Your kid hates me?”

“Yes! He really hates you! You’ll probably reveal your real identity to my kid! You’ll boast that you’re a hero!”

A part of Lee Gun knew that he indeed would have done that. A sour expression appeared on Lee Gun’s face. “I won’t reveal myself to him. I’ll pretend to be someone else.”

“No! He really hates you, Gun! That is why I never spoke about you to him!”

Lee Gun pouted as he became sullen. “I did my best. I don’t think I did anything that would buy hatred... Wait! No, I did.”

Hugo slapped the back of Lee Gun when the latter started to brood. “I’m glad that you can self-reflect! Anyway, let’s head out! Give up on meeting him”

Shattering his plan, however...

“Dad.”

“...!” Hugo froze when he heard the voice. He turned around. “How long were you standing there?”

Sure enough, standing there was Chun Sungjae. Moreover, it looked like he was about to explode.

He asked, “What did you just say right now? Gun?”

Hugo’s face turned pale when he saw the phone near his son’s ear. ‘Damn it.’

It seemed the call hadn’t ended.