Sl

Then he chuckled, "Pfft.. that's a nice offer"

He showed him a devious grin.

Mr. Song and Lee Joohee's face turned pale.

'I..I see... anyone would choose a B-rank assassin as his loyal dog over a crippled C-ranker like me.. '

Mr. Song looked at Joohee, 'But what about Miss Joohee..? Maybe because he has sensed her fearful nature as a liability, and since she will become a witness.... No, if that's the case, and if things turn out for the worst.. I will try to buy some time for her..'

Mr. Song's expression hardened with resolve, his eyes narrowing looking at Azaroth's back. Lee Joohee shivered, her anxiety deepening.

Azaroth's eyes, though stern, held a certain curiosity.

The assassin, sensing a glimmer of hope, pleaded, "I can be of use to you. Spare me, and I'll help you with whatever you want."

This time, they were hoping and praying for this new S-ranker to be a good person.

Soon, Azaroth spoke, "Despicable," he remarked, "How could you plan such things? Does a person's life have no significance in your eyes"

(A/N: All hail the righteous young master! LOL)

The assassin's crazed eyes dropped, what the hell was this person in front of him saying now?

As for why Azaroth was doing all this instead of just killing him?

Because he had appeared at a bad time.

The ideal situation should have been the one where the assassin would try to kill and fight them and then at the neck of time, Azaroth would have come and saved them.

But if he were to wait, Lee Joohee would have died from the first attack, so he had to intervene.

Mr. Song and Lee Joohee haven't even seen the bodies of their comrades.

And like in every story involving 'good characters,' if Azaroth just kills this assassin, there is a chance for his image to turn for the worst.

Azaroth's gaze remained unyielding. "I have never taken a life unnecessarily," he said, "So, I'll give you a chance."

The assassin's face slightly lit up.

Maybe this Azaroth was a gullible kid..?

But Azaroth's next words were—

"Let's see what you've done with the other hunters. If they are unharmed, I will hand you over to the Association, and you might live to see another day. But if you've harmed them...."

Azaroth didn't finish his sentence.

Hearing Azaroth's sentence, Mr. Song and Lee Joohee were reminded about Mr. Kim and Mr. Seok's previous screams.

The assassin, nodding at the chance to escape punishment, was already scheming ways to avoid the consequences of his actions.

Azaroth, maintaining his stern demeanor, led the way through the narrow gap in the tunnel towards the third tunnel.

Mr. Song and Lee Joohee followed, their apprehension growing with each step.

The lifeless bodies of the three prisoners lay sprawled on the ground, their faces frozen in eternal agony. Mr. Hok, one of their companions, was also among the fallen, his body lying motionless. The sight sent a shiver down their spines.

Their attention turned to Mr. Kim, who clung to life but was clearly in critical condition.

"M-Mr. Kim! Let me help," Joohee exclaimed as she quickly knelt down to heal him. He was the only survivor among them, so she had to do everything in her power to save him. His body bore numerous wounds, and his labored breaths showed just how much he was struggling to stay alive. Horror filled Joohee's widened eyes while anger and sorrow clouded Mr. Song's face.

Now seeing everyone focused on Mr. Kim

In an instant, the assassin activated his camouflage skill, blending seamlessly into the shadows and becoming virtually invisible.

Swiftly, the assassin reappeared, yanking Lee Joohee to the side, his dagger pressed threateningly against her neck.

A gasp escaped Joohee as she felt the cold metal against her skin, her eyes wide with fear. Mr. Song's fists clenched in frustration, his expression a mix of anger and concern.

'Keke, now the situation is somewhat ideal for me to work with' Azaroth thought and there was a slight smile on his face which no one noticed.

The assassin, now using Joohee as a shield, sneered, "Back off and let me go or she dies right here, right now. This is your last chance, S-rank."

"P…Please.. L..Let me heal Mr. Kim.. h.. he will die.."

Lee Joohee pleaded.

"Shut the fuck up bitch!" The assassin shouted.

"Well, well, well. First killing all these people..." Azaroth spoke slowly," Then threatening the lady," Azaroth took a step toward him.

"Hey! Are you a fucking psycho..? I said let me go or she dies!" The assassin took two steps back dragging Joohee from her back.

"M..Mr. Azaroth, what should we do.." Asked Mr. Song in a low, regretful voice.

"*Scoff* You.. you are more stupider than you look" Azaroth didn't answer Mr. Song and said to Kang (assassin).

"Let's say that you killed her, what happens after that?" Azaroth asked with a curious tone, Azaroth tilted his head, "What happens is that I will give you pain, a lot of it, till you beg me for the mercy of death. But rest assured, I don't show mercy to the ones who cross me"

As soon as he said that, the temperature of the tunnel rose and an oppressing aura started to suffocate everyone present.

Startled, the assassin tightened his grip on Joohee, only to find the invisible barrier preventing any further movement.

Azaroth had already hidden some nanobots on her body when he had first saved her.

He just now gave a mental command and now the assassin was unable to touch Joohee.

"Wa.. what kind of magic is this?"

Kang Taimin was bamboozled.

Azaroth just grinned and then lifted a finger,

"Cursed technique: Reversal Red~"

*Shoot**boom*

♣♣♣

[1 hour before, in front of the Daesung Tower]

Sung Jin Woo emerged from the portal into the daylight, satisfied with his victory over Cerberus. Though his body showed no signs of injury or fatigue, mentally he was drained.

The three-headed hound had proven a formidable foe, pushing Jin Woo's abilities to their limit in the drawn-out battle.

"Huh? I think I need a shower..."

Glancing at the sun high in the sky, Jin Woo was surprised to see it was now noon - he had spent the entire night in the instance dungeon.

While his stats and skills had leveled up significantly, mental rest was clearly needed.

As Jin Woo made his way to the metro station, he finally checked his phone. His eyes widened seeing a notification from over 24 hours ago.

The message read: "2nd Squad is launching an A-rank dungeon raid tomorrow at noon, S-rank hunter Azaroth will lead."

"Mr. Azaroth is leading..." He said in a low tone, remembering the past memories.

After reading the message, Jin Woo logged onto the Hunter's Guild app.

In the 2nd squad poter section, he was surprised to see an open spot still available for the A-rank raid.

While a low-ranked poter wasn't mandatory, the opportunity to run an A-rank under Azaroth was too good to pass up. Even in his exhausted state, Jin Woo knew resting could wait.

He didn't know that the spot was empty because of Azaroth's request.

Jin Woo confirmed his attendance, then checked the timer - two hours remained until portal departure.

"I might be able to see him in action again!"

Jinwoo said like a fan boy.