Assassin

This mansion boasted more than fifty rooms, including underground rooms and a medical facility, as well as a large space suitable for practicing skills.

Upon arriving in this world, Ethan couldn't help but be impressed by the body's grandfather. He never thought that one day he would live in a palace-like place like this.

Ethan knew that this place was designed for Essentia users, and its walls were reinforced with a stone that could only be seen inside the dungeons. This stone was called Umarak—discovered by an Essentia user with the same name.

As they walked toward the elevator, Ethan stared at the beautifully designed walls made of pure Umarak, making them one of the most expensive walls in the world. This luxury wasn't achieved by the Kai Family in a year or two; the mansion took five years to complete.

"The walls are both bulletproof and fireproof, aren't they?" he asked the man walking next to him as they stood in front of a large painting.

In the hallway, there were many paintings that depicted the struggle of Yeonsin and the World when the dungeons started appearing over fifty years ago, forcing humanity to adapt and grow at a very rapid pace.

"Yes, young master. This is made of Umarak. It can also withstand a missile from the old Era and even an attack from someone with C Class level Essentia User."

"Impressive, isn't it?" Ethan asked. If he was right, one of the Kai Family's businesses involved mining Umarak in the dungeons located in Hanmiryeong. This was a very lucrative business and had become one of the reasons why the Kai Family prospered over the years.

"It is indeed very beautiful," Jihoon answered.

"You mentioned that Master Wu needed something. Shall we go ahead and meet him?" Ethan looked at Jihoon with a smile, placing both of his hands behind him as he followed Jihoon into the elevator. This time, he stopped glancing at the paintings in the hall.

After the elevator door closed, Ethan let out a sigh. "So…." Ethan looked at the man from the reflection on the elevator doors. "How much was it?" he asked.

"Pardon?" Jihoon met his gaze.

"My worth. How much did they pay you to eliminate me?" Ethan asked. He would feel a little sad if his worth would be too low.

A suffocating silence followed his question.

It was as if time had slowed down as the man stared at him dead in the eyes. Despite Ethan's revelation, the man remained unfazed, his expression frozen.

When the man did not answer, Ethan pressed his back against the elevator walls as he faced the man. Then he smiled. "What are you waiting for?" he taunted.

If Ethan was right, this should be someone who could imitate someone's face.

Seeing him like this, the man wearing Jihoon's face gave a sinister smile. "How did you know?" he asked.

The answer to that question was pretty simple.

Someone who had killed a lot in the past would immediately recognize his kind. Jihoon might be strong, but his aura was different from someone who was a cold-blooded killer. However, Ethan was not planning to answer that question.

Right now, he was thinking about a few things that could probably save him. The fact that humans with two or more Essentias did not exist gave him a bit of hope that this was a fight he could win.

A loud bang interrupted his stupor. Then the elevator stopped.

Did someone just hack into the system?

However, it seemed that the assassin was waiting for this.

"Alright, how about I double their payment?" Ethan suddenly spoke. "If you don't eliminate me, I will pay you twice the money that they give you."

This damn mission.

That mission stated that he must avoid violence at all costs! What was he supposed to do? Talk his way out of this? He immediately recalled an Anime from his past life. There should be a term about using words to get out of situations, right?

Ethan took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. He knew that violence was not an option here, not just because of the mission but also because it would likely end in more harm than good. He had to find a way to negotiate and possibly outsmart the assassin.

Obviously, the only reason why Ethan dared to do this is that he did not sense any killing intent from this assassin. To an Assassin, bloodlust is something that they would carry until the day they die. However, many of them would only have the killing intent if they really wanted to kill someone.

Seeing that this 'Jihoon' did not seem to have any killing intent, he immediately concluded that this man might be here to take him away, perhaps kidnap him to force him to sign the transfer of shares, among other things.

Earlier, Ethan pretended to look at the painting while observing the man. Just like all assassins, he seemed meticulous and was able to copy everything about Jihoon. However, if he was here to eliminate Ethan, then he would have done it the moment the elevator door closed. After all, this elevator had access to some of the best exit spots in the mansion, like the vents and the rooftop.

"Look," Ethan began calmly, "You're obviously a professional, and I can respect that. But there has to be a reason behind this hit. Is it just about money, or is there more to it?"

The assassin hesitated for a moment, clearly contemplating Ethan's words. "It's business," he finally said, though his tone revealed a hint of uncertainty.

"Business, I understand. But let's think this through. Eliminating me might get you a payday, but it'll also bring a lot of unwanted attention. Attention from people you don't want to mess with," Ethan continued, choosing his words carefully.

"However, since you have yet to make your move, I am going to assume that you are not here to eliminate me but… take me away. So, let me tell you this. Since you came here, you cannot think about leaving. Once this place goes into full lockdown, no one is allowed to leave. Now, you might not know this, but I have a chip in my body that could trigger the lockdown if I lose consciousness or worse, die." Ethan lied without batting an eyelid.

"You think I'm a fool, right?" the man asked.

"You can, of course, risk it." Ethan smiled. "I can see the hesitation in your eyes, so… I would like to make you an offer."

"An offer?"

"Work with me instead. I am going to save you from whatever it was that they are using against you," Ethan said.