The hunters of the two factions, the Holy Knights and the Gravekeepers, surged onto the battlefield. For now, both sides seemed focused on Armin Walter, but as I watched, the situation took a strange turn. Walter was slippery, but the real problem was the hostility between the two groups. They pretended to target Walter while actually striking at the opposing faction, or openly sabotaging their rivals. The chase soon became secondary to their feud.

Eventually, a few who couldn't contain their rage charged into the enemy formation, dragging their comrades into a full-blown brawl. Half were still chasing Walter, but the other half were locked in combat with each other.

Wow, what a mess.

It was chaotic, but also an opportunity.

'Ea, can you track Yoonjeong's location?'

-My apologies. She is already outside the detection range.

She's fast.

She had already left the area. I let out a small sigh.

'But you did get a lock on her mana signature in her demonkin state, right?'

-Affirmative. The data has been registered.

'CRASH!'

A piece of debris flew past my head as the fighting escalated. I backed away, watching resentment that had simmered for years finally explode. The two factions weren't just clashing—they were tearing each other apart. And amidst the chaos, Armin Walter was slipping away.

"Wait!" Marcello, realizing this, shouted urgently. "What is this disgraceful display? If we lose our target because we're fighting amongst ourselves—!"

At that moment, Menes shot toward him with the roar of a jet engine. Marcello clasped his hands, summoning a mana forcefield just as Menes swung her golden staff with all her might.

'CLAAAAAANG!'

A shockwave burst from the impact, blasting nearby fighters off their feet.

"I've been wanting to rip that chirping mouth of yours open," Menes growled.

"This is not the time for this!" Brilliant white mana flared from Marcello's body, forcing Menes back.

"Do not order me around, bug."

"Get a grip! Do you think you can kill me here and now? If not, you'll answer for letting Walter escape over a pointless squabble!"

At the word responsibility, Menes's expression hardened. She was hot-headed, but she was still a leader. The mission came first.

"The remaining Gravekeepers, with me."

Finally, Menes rallied her forces and returned to the hunt. Marcello wiped sweat from his brow and sighed in relief.

This is no time to be a spectator.

Getting involved would only lead to trouble, so I began slipping away.

'Fwoosh!'

A pure white cross appeared in front of me.

"Where are you going in such a hurry, spectator?"

Marcello was staring right at me. I forced myself to stay calm and met his gaze.

'Whoosh!'

With a single step, Marcello soared through the air and landed before me. This was the Archbishop of the Vatican. His smile was gentle, almost good-natured, but men like him were always the most dangerous.

"Shouldn't you be chasing him?"

"I must trust my knights. It's too late to join them now, so I will do what I must. My apologies, but would you please identify yourself?"

What a joke. Demanding identification in someone else's country. Still, avoiding unnecessary trouble was better.

"Official rank-4 hunter Kim Yusin." I showed him the certificate from my wallet.

"May I ask what your relationship with Armin Walter is?"

"We have no relationship. I was just unlucky enough to get caught up in this."

"When I first saw you, you were being held by the neck by Walter, your soul being absorbed. Is that correct?"

"So?"

"Walter's Unique Ability is Spirit Change. He can swap bodies with anyone he touches. In other words," Marcello's smile widened. "I suspect that you might now be Armin Walter."

So it's come to this again. I sighed. "It's a misunderstanding."

"Everyone says that. My apologies, but would you please accompany our Holy Knights? We need to conduct a few verification procedures."

"Hey." My patience was thinning. "Cut the crap. What authority do you have to investigate a hunter of this country?"

"I do have the authority." Marcello produced a small notebook from his robes. "The Holy Knights are a World Guild, affiliated with the Global Hunter Alliance and UN Peacekeeping Forces, tasked with investigating global Disasters. As such, we possess independent investigative authority. The same goes for that foolish Pharaoh and her Gravekeepers. If you are truly an official hunter, you are obligated to cooperate."

I grinned. "And if I refuse?"

"Ah, of course, I had no intention of dragging you away by citing my authority from the start."

Though there was no wind, Marcello's white robes began to flutter as pure white mana enveloped him.

"I will simply take you by force."

"I like the sound of that. Give it a try." I drew up my own mana to meet his challenge.

-Tower Master! You mustn't! You have to retreat!

…I knew. I was acting tough, but I was completely drained. I had fought a demonkin, then Armin Walter, and now I was facing the leader of the Holy Knights. My mana was gone, and my mind was at its limit. Marcello, on the other hand, was at least a rank 2. I had barely managed to beat Oh Bonggyu, a rank-3 healer, at my peak. Could I really win this?

I have to buy time.

I glanced over my shoulder.

They should be here by now…

'Wee-woo! Wee-woo!'

Bingo. Sirens wailed as a line of police cars arrived. Soldiers and Association hunters poured out with them.

"Hmm. It seems that no matter the country, law enforcement is always a step behind." Marcello's mana receded, and his robes settled. "There's no need to escalate this. I will withdraw for now, but we will meet again soon."

With those words, Marcello rejoined the Holy Knights and departed.

'Haaah.'

The strength drained from my legs. Fighting the urge to collapse, I glanced at the approaching officers.

"Getting involved with them will be a nightmare. Let's get out of here, Ea."

-Affirmative, Tower Master. Calculating the shortest route.

* * *

"A horrific murder has occurred inside Korea Hunter Academy! The perpetrator, third-year student Han Yoonjeong, has been confirmed to be undergoing a demonkin transformation. Authorities are investigating a possible link between Han and the recent serial murders."

"…sources confirm a direct confrontation between the Holy Knights and the Gravekeepers, who were both in the country investigating the murders…"

"I agree with Reporter Jeong. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated. A serial killer, and now a demonkin. Even with the police, the Enforcement Bureau and two World Guilds involved, the killer remains at large and the body count continues to rise. This represents an unacceptable failure on every level. How will the international community view our nation's hunters now?"

Every news channel was abuzz with the Armin Walter and Han Yoonjeong situation. After a shower, I stood in the Magic Tower and chugged a bottle of water, my mood dark.

"I can't believe it. Yoonjeong… a demonkin…" Even Bora, after hearing my story, was in a state of shock. "But was it really her? You were just talking with her yesterday!"

"I was. She seemed fine then."

No. On second thought, she hadn't seemed fine at all. She must have been desperately suppressing it, trying her hardest not to show me that side of herself.

"Then, allow me to summarize," Seojin said, pushing up his glasses. "Tower Master, you visited the Academy, where you happened to witness the incident and pursued Yoonjeong after her transformation. In the process, you managed to persuade her to briefly return to her human form. At that time, she revealed that neither becoming a demonkin nor murdering people was of her own free will. Then, Armin Walter suddenly appeared and attacked her, causing her to revert to a demonkin and flee. The World Guilds that were pursuing Walter then arrived, escalating the situation, and now Archbishop Marcello of the Holy Knights suspects that you might be Armin Walter. Is that correct?"

He'd rattled it all off in a single breath. I nodded.

"Precisely."

"In that case, let's address the ambiguities," Seojin continued, opening his notebook. "The recent murders attributed to Armin Walter were actually committed by Han Yoonjeong after she became a demonkin. Is it safe to assume that?"

"Yoonjeong was involved, that's true. But it's not yet clear if she committed all of them, or if Walter was responsible for some."

"I see." Seojin quickly jotted it down. "Then why did he attack her?"

I thought for a moment before answering. "It seems he's looking for a new body."

Walter's Unique Ability was Spirit Change, a power that let him swap bodies with another person. He'd used phrases like 'the optimal body' and 'vessel' when he saw Yoonjeong, his greed palpable as he declared he couldn't let her get away. However, both Yoonjeong and I had resisted his ability without much difficulty. The success rate probably increases if the target is unconscious or defenseless.

"Oh, Yusin! I know about that! I saw a special report on Armin Walter!" Bora's hand shot up. "They said he's on his twentieth body! And apparently, when he changes bodies, he can use the target's Unique Ability. The Holy Knights are after him because he killed one of their comrades and used that body to go on a killing spree."

"His twentieth body, huh…"

The pieces were starting to fit.

"Walter is after Yoonjeong's body this time. He'll definitely show up again." I still couldn't forget the look on his face when he saw her.

"In that case, please provide your instructions, Tower Master."

"Hm?"

"How the Magic Tower proceeds in this matter depends entirely on your decision."

I fell silent.

Han Yoonjeong had become a demonkin. She had killed innocent people, even if it wasn't of her own will. But still…

Her voice echoed vividly in my mind.

'I don't know… why I'm like this. I lose control in a flash, and when I come to, people are dead. And the memory of killing them is so clear…'

'Yusin. Why me?'

That expression, that voice—I remembered them with painful clarity. Han Yoonjeong was in hell, suffering endlessly from the fact that she had killed. I was the only one who had seen that other side of her. She was, without a doubt, a victim of this disaster. I refused to turn my back on her, spouting pathetic excuses about the law or society. I didn't want to live like that.

"Our top priority is to stop Han Yoonjeong. We have to consider the worst-case scenario, but I'm going to do everything I can."

Seojin and Bora nodded.

"Tower Master."

Just then, a cluster of light burst in the air as Ea appeared.

"Ea! Did you find anything?"

"Negative," she said, shaking her head with a grim expression. "I could not find a method to revert a human who has become a demonkin."

I was at a loss for words.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but not an unexpected one.

"B-but even if there's nothing now, a cure could be discovered later!" Bora chimed in. "Modern bio-engineering is advancing at a dazzling pace because of all the monster incidents! A method that wasn't found in Erendel might be developed here! And we still haven't unsealed all the archives in the Great Library on the second floor. The answer could be in there…"

Capture Yoonjeong and seal her away until a cure is developed. It was optimistic, but it was a path.

"Whatever happens, we have to find Yoonjeong before the police or Armin Walter do."

My mind was made up. I looked at everyone and said, "For now, let's do what we can."

They all nodded, their faces set with determination. From this moment on, it was a race against time.

* * *

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