“What? You came here because you had nowhere else to go?”

The dumbfounded Stevens looked at Hugo.

They were in England, at Stevens’s barracks. This barrack was full of beast Constructs under the Leo temple. Though it might look like a barrack, it also resembled a zoo.

Hugo had come here for a simple reason.

“You had a fight with Lee Gun?”

“It wasn’t a fight. I cut off my relationship with him.”

“Ah-ha! You came here because you were chased out by Lee Gun??”

“That’s... Yes. You were the closest one to me, Mr. Stevens.”

Flabbergasted, Stevens kicked his desk. “Hey. Why the hell are you acting as if it’s a domestic dispute? Why the hell would you pack up your stuff and come running here??”

Hugo grumbled. In truth, he didn’t want to come here, but he had no choice.

‘I don’t have any money.’

His wealth had disappeared when his family had collapsed. And although, after becoming an awakened being, he had received commission fees for raids he was hired to conduct, he had used all the money to pay for Lee Gun’s food, medical fee, and living expenses. He had also donated the money too.

Hugo could work as a mercenary to pay for his livelihood, but he had left behind his weapon, equipment, and items. He could return to Lee Gun, but he didn’t want to do that.

‘Moreover, there is no way he would’ve kept my stuff.’

This was why he had come to Stevens, who was closest to him. He wanted to borrow equipment from Stevens.

While all the other temples had weapons, the Leo temple was the one that used the most variety of weapons; it was a fighting-type temple after all.

Moreover, they received the most commission for raids, so they were incredibly rich.

Like Lee Gun, Stevens was the ideal target to mooch off from.

Stevens was dumbfounded when he heard Hugo's words. “You really are a pushover. You donated your money and supported Lee Gun? That’s the reason you’re broke? You do realize the others are rich now, right?.”

“That is...!”

“Well, it’s understandable since you served someone like him as your teacher Stevens looked at Hugo as if something was off. “You were serving him without any problem, so why did you suddenly get expelled?”

Hugo felt aggrieved. He started pounding his chest. “Mr. Stevens. Can you comprehend the actions of Teach...Mr. Lee Gun?”

“Comprehend?”

“I’m asking if you can comprehend the reason behind his actions?”

“How could I? Of course, they make no sense.” Stevens replied.

“Right?! I can’t comprehend his personality, and this is more true about his actions

“He’s an unparalleled genius who we cannot comprehend.”

“W-what?”

“Lee Gun is a genius. You can tell by watching him kill monsters.”

“He’s a genius at killing monsters. However, he doesn’t pay attention to people at all.”

Stevens tilted his head in puzzlement when he saw Hugo’s expression. “Did something happen to you guys?”

Instead of answering, Hugo furrowed his brows. In truth, Lee Gun’s recent actions were very off. Lee Gun had always been eccentric, but recently, he seemed obsessed with killing monsters.

Hugo had tried his best to comprehend Lee Gun’s actions.

- It’s more important to kill the monsters than to rescue the people.

- What? Do you really mean that?

- Yes. I’m the only one who can kill the monsters.

- ...!

- Killing monsters is like a drug for me. If I stop, my body becomes restless. I can’t help myself.

It was unclear as to how Stevens perceived Hugo’s silence. He merely snorted. “I don’t know what happened, but one thing is for sure. Lee Gun is the one person who can’t disappear.”

!”

“Do you understand me? I don’t know what makes him tick, but he’s an incredible genius who we can’t comprehend. He’s someone who humanity needs.”

Each Zodiac Saint felt a different emotion when it came to Lee Gun.

Stevens possessed a feeling of awe toward Lee Gun. In front of Lee Gun’s goosebump-inducing talent, he felt fear. At the same time, his heart felt deep acceptance and awe for Lee Gun.

“Do you know when hope disappears?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s when the being that deserves our faith disappears. If humanity wants to win, Lee Gun must be the symbol of victory. He’ll make us believe that humanity will win in the end.”

It didn't matter which monster Lee Gun faced. He would never lose. He would come back alive no matter what situation he found himself in.

In other words, Lee Gun was a spiritual leader who made sure humanity wouldn’t lose hope.

Stevens continued, “Also

“Also?”

“Lee Gun can’t disappear until he makes me a weapon.”

Hugo shook his head from side to side as if he found Stevens’s feelings understandable. He respected Stevens, so when Stevens acknowledged Lee Gun, he felt proud of Lee Gun inside. It also filled Hugo’s heart with complicated emotions.

But recently, Lee Gun had changed too much.

On the other hand, Stevens looked at Hugo with an odd expression.

* * *

“Hmmph. I wonder why he has been so quiet recently?” Lee Gun looked at his phone, feeling odd.

He was reviewing the record of Kevin’s attempts to contact him. “Damn it! I’m getting close to getting sick of eating ramen ten times a day.”

After Hugo had left, Lee Gun had gone back to eating only ramen, and he felt like dying. While it was annoying to have Kevin glom on to him, Kevin did send him coupons. It had been a great help in living comfortably.

“However, he suddenly stopped contacting me. It does hurt.”

Lee Jaewon seemed surprised. “H...Hurt? You feel hurt, Lee Gun-nim?”

“Of course. He’s my financial supporter.”

“Ah!”

“Also, you don’t have to keep coming here like this.”

“!”

Lee Gun looked toward a tree a hundred meters away from him.

Hailey was there, with a bag full of daily supplies. It seemed the situation had surprised her.

“D-Did you really expel Hugo?” she asked.

“Yes. That’s why you have no reason for coming here now.”

“!”

Lee Gun still thought Hailey was chasing around Hugo.

Unlike a flustered Hailey, Giselle (Negligence) was laughing inside. She had come here searching for Lee Gun earlier.

‘Did Pisces make its move? Did it get rid of Hugo?’

The situation had been extremely troublesome because Jean-Louise’s skill had failed on Hugo. So they had to ask someone else for help.

Negligence kept her true thoughts off her face. She put on a worried expression. “My god! I was wondering why I didn't see Mr. Hugo. My heart hurts from finding out that your relationship with him has worsened.”

At this point, Negligence had yet to reveal her true self. She acted as if she were a warm-hearted person. She acted as a supporter (Alchemist) who helped her comrades in silence.

Using the Equivalent Exchange of the Libra temple, she could acquire new abilities, materials, and ingredients. So she took on the role of a creator as she supplied the other Zodiac Saints.

“Please do not worry. We’ll help you more now that Mr. Hugo isn’t here.”

Negligence let out a benevolent smile as she grabbed Lee Gun’s hand.

However, Lee Gun broke free from her grip with an odd expression.

‘!’

This surprised Negligence a bit. Lee Gun and Giselle (Negligence) didn’t have a bad relationship.

Giselle came from a family of politicians, and she was the daughter of a president who was elected not too long ago. She had a much better personality and temperament than Sophie. She was an alchemist that worked for her comrades.

However, Lee Gun always felt oddly repulsed by Giselle. This was true when he was first invited to her mansion. So he kept his distance from her despite not having a bad relationship with her.

Well, it didn’t matter in the end.

Hailey looked at Lee Gun with worry. “Are you sure it’s ok to expel him like this?”

Lee Gun possessed a personality that could make others his enemies. This was why he didn’t have any allies or friends. Moreover...

‘It feels as if Lee Gun’s movements have started to slow down recently

She was asking if he didn’t need long-range support. However, Lee Gun got up as if it wasn’t nothing. “It doesn’t matter. I taught the good-for-nothing everything I have to offer. It’s better for him to become independent even more now.”

“Even more now?” Hailey’s fine forehead became furrowed for some reason. Quick on the uptake, she seriously looked at Lee Gun. “Can it be? You....”

Lee Gun read the look in her eyes, so he quickly tried to change the subject. “If you don’t have any urgent matters with me, you can go back

At that moment.

koohk!”

Lee Gun scrunched up his face when his heart started to hurt. He did his best to not show any outward signs as he approached the bag containing his medicine.

Looking a bit labored, he waved his hand. “The raid... If you’re here for the commission, I know about it now! You can go back. I’ll contact you later— Kuhk!”

“Lee Gun!!”

“Mr. Lee Gun!”

Lee Gun finally had a seizure. He clutched his chest as he fell over. He was in excruciating pain, as if his entire body were being ripped apart. He was barely able to take out his drug bottle.

This surprised both Hailey and Negligence.

‘I heard he’s been buying a lot of medicine from the Aquarius temple recently...!’

It seemed his body was in a much worse state than everyone had expected.

Lee Gun ground his teeth as he swallowed the drug for his seizure. The intervals in which the pain came toward him had reduced. And he remembered Sophie’s warning.

- You should decrease the frequency with which you kill monsters. Your body has worsened... Your lifespan has decreased further from last time.

- How long do I have? The last time, you said I had ten years.

- Half...

- Five years?

- Y-Yes....

- Damn it! That messes with my plan. I planned on killing all the monsters in five years and spending the remaining five in retirement. I planned on living an easy life. At this rate, I’ll die before I have any fun.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

- It isn’t something you should minimize!

- There is nothing I can do about it. It’s fine if I can last five years. I’ll be able to kill all the monsters.

At that moment, Lee Gun gritted his teeth as he fought through the pain.

‘No... There is a chance that I might not last even five years.’

He had to kill all the monsters before that time.

Unlike Hailey, Negligence was enjoying seeing Lee Gun in pain.

‘What the hell? At this rate, he’ll cross the river of Styx on his own’

The monarchs had planned for Confusion to bring Red Eye to the earth soon in the future, and Lee Gun was a troublesome rival capable of getting rid of their army. But given how he looked right now...

‘Things might go easier than we thought.’

At that moment, two people were in deep thought as they looked at Lee Gun, who was in pain.

‘I’ll have to prepare it faster.’

Hailey was planning on preparing restorative herb medicine for Lee Gun. Then there was Kevin, who was standing outside the door. He had come looking for Lee Gun and had seen this.

Due to Jean-Louis’s actions, Kevin’s admiration for Lee Gun was gone, but thanks to the actions of the real Giselle, the disdain skill hadn’t taken hold. It was why Kevin had come to meet Lee Gun.

[It seems Lee Gun isn’t looking too great.]

[In the first place, he had used his abilities without a Zodiac. The fact that he lasted this long is admirable.]

Kevin furrowed his brows when he heard the conversation between the Virgo Constructs. This was how everyone except Hugo picked up on the fact that Lee Gun was dying through sickness.

* * *

“What? I said what to that maggot?” Lee Gun furrowed his brows after taking a call from Stevens.

After leaving home, Hugo had headed toward the Leo Saint of all people. That was baffling in itself, yet what was this nonsense?

“Let me get this straight. He said I thought killing monsters was more important than saving humans? Is this what that bastard said?”

- Yes. You said your body becomes restless if you don’t kill monsters. It drives you nuts. Did you really say that to Hugo?

Lee Gun grabbed the back of his neck. “That idiot. I was wondering why he kept arguing with me recently. It was for that reason?!”

- What the hell? Did you really say that to him?

“Are you kidding me? Where the hell did he hear such garbage?”

- Hmmph. I knew it. Don’t worry about it. Maybe that idiot dreamed up the conversation. Or maybe he took your words the wrong way and misinterpreted them.

Lee Gun furrowed his brows in disgust. “No. I have a suspicion that someone is behind this.”

- What? Really?

Only one person could have done this. It was Jean-Louis.

It seemed Jean-Louis had a grudge against him for messing up his plans. He had continued to work to separate Hugo and Lee Gun.

“It’s obvious. He probably copied my voice. The Cancer Saint has such a skill. It’s called voice proliferation or something like that.”

- What? Really?

That Crab bastard was dead the next time he saw him. Lee Gun’s eyes flashed.

- That means the misunderstanding is no more. Hurry up and come get your student.

“What? Why?”

- Why else! My Zodiac and Constructs ate the snacks that he prepared, and they don’t want to eat feed anymore!!! They are so fat that they are unable to hunt! He’s committing an act of terror on my temple! Come here right now and take him!

“It doesn’t matter what you say. It doesn’t change the fact that he’s excommunicated. I have no plans to bring him in as a party member.”

Stevens seemed to have heard something in his voice. He became sober as he asked,

- Are you perhaps sick?

“!”

- You are in such a hurry to kill the monsters, and you chased away your student. You look like someone trying to settle your affairs. You are acting like someone who doesn’t have long to live.

Lee Gun was silent, then snorted. “Are you playing with me? You guys are so slow that I moved quickly. Don’t put me in an early grave.”

- I’m glad if that’s not the case. Yes. You have to live a long time. You have to make me a weapon.

Lee Gun became angry when he heard the arrogant voice. This was why he didn’t like Stevens. Stevens spoke as if it was a given that Lee Gun would make him a weapon.

- Anyway, I understand. We should—

Suddenly...

- Kee-ehhhhhhk!!!

“!!”

The sound of a monster came from the other side of the phone.

- Ah! Hey! What the hell is he doing? Hey! It’s dangerous! Come back! Hey! You can’t use that bowl!

“!”

The call ended.

At that moment, the Archer Saint’s energy weakened. It was one of the twelve energies that Lee Gun could always sense.

This made him grind his teeth. “That idiot

Lee Gun quickly made himself scarce, and the floor was wet with dark blood. It was the blood of a dying man.