Echoes of the Reverse Planet

Chapter 103: Threat and Persuasion

“……”

Baek Woohyun smiled coldly and glared at the spot where the hunting dogs’ presence was felt.

To be precise, the direction from which most of their presence emanated.

Because they had surrounded and encircled the area, likely in preparation for his escape. Fittingly for the name ‘hunting dogs’.

This was also similar to the behavior of invading entities inside Reverse Worlds. All the more so because there would likely be little difference until the very end.

“My, your senses are even sharper than expected.”

Perhaps realizing they had been detected, the hunting dogs revealed themselves nonchalantly.

The one who spoke in a mocking tone, appearing from the direction Baek Woohyun was looking, was a man with a face somewhat resembling a weasel.

The man, whose appearance clearly revealed a sly nature, was smirking from a position that anyone could see was leading the hunting dogs.

However, even upon seeing the weasel-faced man’s face, Baek Woohyun couldn’t recall who he was. It seems he hadn’t encountered him ‘over there’.

It must have been very fortunate for the weasel-faced man—who might have already been dead ‘over there’, but anyway.

Because hunting dogs who faced him usually met their death at his hands.

‘Three in the back, three in front. Six total.’

“Pleased to meet you. Test Subject No. 48. Or should I call you Mr. Baek Woohyun?”

“……”

“You’re the quiet type. Well, fine. Then I’ll get straight to the point as well.”

“……Go ahead.”

“Please return to the research facility.”

The weasel-faced man wiped the smile from his face in an instant and looked at Baek Woohyun. As if trying to instill a sense of pressure in his own way.

Naturally, it had no effect at all. A threat that didn’t even feel like killing intent couldn’t possibly have a meaningful impact on a ‘Superhuman’.

Baek Woohyun merely faced the weasel-faced man with the same coldly smiling expression.

“I promise that from now on, we will develop your supernatural ability through proper experiments.”

“……”

“Of course, I also promise sufficient compensation. Whether it’s money or anything else.”

‘So it’s not a hunting dog, but a corporate personnel.’

Sensing the nuance subtly conveyed in the persuasion, Baek Woohyun narrowed his eyes.

It was impossible for a mere hunting dog to speak with such confident offers. They were, after all, in a position of receiving a salary from corporations.

Therefore, it was reasonable to assume the weasel-faced man came from a corporation, or perhaps the research facility.

“And if I refuse?”

“Huh.”

The weasel-faced man shrugged his shoulders.

“I believe you already know, even if I don’t say it.”

The hunting dogs standing behind the weasel-faced man drew their weapons and openly revealed their killing intent.

Those surrounding the area did the same.

It was an act suggesting they could pounce at any moment if the conversation broke down.

“If you find the research facility unsettling, there’s also a way to belong directly to the corporation.”

***

-This is the route to the corporation side

-To the corporation that pays a lot of money, let’s goooooo

-Residents of the dog cafe have arrived in large numbers lol

-Ooh! Begone, specters of capitalism!

‘TodaysWorkToo’ donated ‘1000 won’!

Still,amaorcorporationisbetterthanacivilservant

Still,amajorcorporationisbetterthanacivilservant

‘6thGradeCivilServant’ donated ‘1000 won’!

Nope If you get promoted,civil servants are much better than corporations

“Haha. The corporation vs. management bureau debate is heated again today. Ms. Nayeon, if you had to choose, which side would you pick?”

“Hmm- I think I’d probably choose the Management Bureau.”

-Kya, Ms. Jeong knows her stuff

-Jeong Nayeon / Controversy / Corporate disparagement

-I pity you for not knowing the coolness of a company worker

-The corporation doesn’t have Yujin and Hana~*

“Hmm.”

“Have you made your decision?”

“……”

Whoosh!

Baek Woohyun raised the 「Soul Eater」 and took a stance.

It was an answer clearer than a hundred words.

“Haa- If you had just come quietly, you would have received appropriate treatment.”

“……”

“The consequences of your current choice are entirely your responsibility. Test Subject No. 48.”

The weasel-faced man, shaking his head from side to side, spoke, his expression freezing coldly.

“Capture him!”

“ShadowChains ShadowChains!” “VineTrap VineTrap!”

“WindCutter WindCutter!” “FlameSpear FlameSpear!”

Using the weasel-faced man’s shout as a signal, the hunting dogs simultaneously used their supernatural ability techniques.

First, chains meant to bind Baek Woohyun from the shadows shot up, and traps were laid on the ground in preparation for if he evaded them.

Finally, attacking supernatural ability techniques to finish off his life, should his movements be restricted, flew towards him.

It was a supernatural ability combo that thoroughly revealed their proficiency in dealing with people, not invading entities.

Moreover, perhaps because they originally operated as a team, the level of the seamlessly connected coordinated attack itself was very high.

It was a level distinctly different from the clumsy coordinated attacks of the participants seen earlier in ‘Superstar N (meaning Nuclear~)’.

“—!”

Crash!

However, that didn’t mean their attacks worked on Baek Woohyun.

He swiftly swung the 「Soul Eater」 consecutively, tearing apart all the supernatural ability techniques targeting him.

He who hadn’t allowed even dozens of stones thrown by the monkey monsters to pass, cutting every single one—would he miss a few supernatural ability techniques?

That seemingly perfect coordinated attack was helplessly dismantled before the 2-meter-long blade.

“What?!”

“Don’t panic! Keep pressing him!”

“PiercingShadow PiercingShadow!”

“WaveCannon WaveCannon!” “CrownofThorns CrownofThorns!”

While astonished that their attacks were blocked so easily, the hunting dogs didn’t loosen their offensive reins.

Because they knew well that if they gave him even a moment’s respite, the distance between them and Baek Woohyun would close, and then they would die.

Close-combat specialized supernatural ability awakeners were essentially like Etinels in human form, after all.

‘Just ordinary hunting dogs.’

The PVE Baek Woohyun was already quite developed.

Just moments before, his level had increased by successfully performing a Reverse World cleansing mission.

Meaning, the

Perfect Being

PerfectBeing, whose physical abilities and supernatural ability resistance increase with level, had grown even stronger.

To the extent that he could easily overcome six hunting dogs, including the weasel-faced man.

Even if it were a time when he was weaker than now, that probably wouldn’t have changed much.

This was the same guy who, with just one Core Element, could fight somewhat evenly against an advanced combat training bot, a late-version Etinel by PVE standards.

Considering that no matter how many ordinary hunting dogs attacked, they would all be torn apart before a late-version Etinel, there was no way he could lose here.

‘If you wanted to capture me, you should have at least sent a Hellhound.’

Crash!

The 「Soul Eater」 swung at a speed leaving only faint afterimages!

The cutting power of the blade, grown by devouring the souls of invading entities from two Reverse Worlds, mercilessly cleaved through the supernatural ability techniques.

Without distinction—the sharpened shadows, the tightly compressed air, the pointed thorns—all of them.

“—!”

Baek Woohyun, who evaded the WindCutter targeting his head by a paper-thin margin, kicked off the ground.

His first target was one of the hunting dogs at the back.

It was a choice clearly intending to pick them off one by one, targeting the one who had stood at a distance, likely to encircle him as he exited the Reverse World.

“Whirlwind!”

“—!”

Crunch!

‘First one down!’

The targeted hunting dog chose resistance over escape, but the problem was that the distance between them was already too close.

The fact that the wind, which would have shredded an ordinary person, meant nothing to Baek Woohyun was also the hunting dog’s misfortune.

Soon, the 「Soul Eater」 mercilessly split the hunting dog in half along with the swirling wind.

“…My, my.”

As another hunting dog died and Baek Woohyun’s threat drew nearer, the weasel-faced man’s expression hardened stiffly.

Having realized this couldn’t continue, he subtly raised his hand to send a signal. It was to use the emergency measure he had prepared just in case.

…However, his mistake was not knowing that Baek Woohyun had clearly seen that gesture even amidst the intense fight with the hunting dogs.

‘He gave a signal? -To whom?’

Shiver!

In an instant, Baek Woohyun felt a chill run down his spine. His body reacted first, instinctively recognizing his danger.

The resulting tension heightened his concentration beyond its limits, and soon everything he saw began to slow down infinitely.

In this world where it felt like perceiving one second divided into dozens, he clearly sensed something approaching his heart at a tremendous speed.

‘—!’

Even in this world where ordinary people seemed to have stopped, it was still incredibly fast. By the time he realized it, it was almost upon him.

But unless he had been completely unaware, it wasn’t an attack he couldn’t handle now that its presence was recognized within the ‘Slowed World’.

It was all the more so because he was in a situation where he had just lifted the 「Soul Eater」 to swing it.

Gritting his teeth, he quickly pulled the blade of the 「Soul Eater」 in front of his body. Swinging to parry was not an option.

Having experienced this situation several times even ‘over there’, he had realized that with his current abilities, it was impossible.

Especially since there were other enemies, now was the time to focus on defense.

And so, immediately after assuming a defensive posture.

Claaang—!

A heavy metallic sound resonated from the flat surface of the 「Soul Eater」’s blade.

“What?!”

“He blocked… the sniper shot?!”

Not only the weasel-faced man, but even the hunting dogs stopped in their tracks, mouths agape as they stared at Baek Woohyun.

Because they simply couldn’t believe what they had just seen.

Just blocking a bullet would have been surprising enough, but reacting to and blocking a sniper shot from afar?

Was this truly possible?

***

-?

-No

-He blocked a sniper shot???

-Legend lol

-What the hell lol

“Uh, so. Um. Uh- Yes, Hackphysical has blocked the sniper shot? Even as I say it, it’s absurd, but yes. That’s right.”

“That… got blocked?”

-Indeed. That got blocked.

-This clip is export-worthy lol

-He didn’t even block it by accident lol

-For real, look at his posture, he clearly intended to block it ㄷㄷ

-The hunting dogs’ expressions were exactly my expression lol

***

“……”

After glancing briefly at the 「Soul Eater」 that had blocked the bullet, Baek Woohyun let out a stifled laugh.

Because even though he had used it as a shield, no trace was left on the blade.

It must have been the first effect, the ability ‘Cannot be destroyed’.

“A sniper shot.”

‘It might be a bit tricky, but this much is fine.’

With a short murmur, Baek Woohyun’s gaze turned toward the weasel-faced man. A gaze that seemed to say, ‘Was this all you were counting on?’

Since he wasn’t one to miss the mockery contained within it, his face hardened even more stiffly than before.

Perhaps it was because he had belatedly realized that he might die here.

“Uh, what do we do?”

It seemed the other hunting dogs also felt unease towards Baek Woohyun, who was stronger than expected.

They glanced at the weasel-faced man, demanding an answer.

Naturally, they didn’t want to die here either.

Some of those behind Baek Woohyun subtly increased their distance, seemingly planning to just run away if things went wrong.

Noticing this, the weasel-faced man gritted his teeth.

“…Use it.”

“Huh?”

“Use TL-01! I authorize it!”