Instant Kill, Time-Stop Spellcaster

“Arrest the 1st-floor team leader! He’s a suspected spy!”

“Understood!”

“No, no! It’s not true!”

He denies it strongly, but his face is already pale.

To anyone watching, he looked exactly like a criminal.

‘Did they already know? When did they figure it out?’

The 1st-floor team leader senses something is wrong.

This is definitely…

‘I’m screwed.’

If he’s caught, it’s a special prison.

No way. Dying would be better!

He steels himself.

As Kang Hyun hands the guards the responsibility for the arrest.

“Ah!”

“Hey! He’s running away!”

“I knew it! I knew he would!”

The escape begins.

He kicks open the door and rushes through the lobby.

‘So you knew it!’

You were expecting this!

That damn Choi Young Ho!

What will happen if his crime is confirmed?

It would be a clear ‘murder attempt on an Awakened.’

With this, there’s no going back; he has to live as a traitor.

‘I’ve got to run!’

Even with all the chaos, he’s an agility-focused type.

As a 1st-floor team leader, he knows the ropes.

‘With the headquarters’ usual power, they can’t catch me!’

But then.

Amidst the shouting, naturally.

“Catch that guy fast!”

“Hey! Stop! Stop!”

“【Stop】”

Screech—

The 1st-floor team leader, who was running, suddenly stops.

‘…Huh?’

Before he can think, the guards overwhelm him.

“Got him!”

“Arrest him!”

“Junior! Special handcuffs!”

The situation ends.

The 1st-floor team leader snaps back to reality from his daze.

“Ugh, ughhh! No! It’s not me!”

What just happened?

Why was he caught? Did something just trigger in him?

No, that can’t be!

It didn’t take long for the confusion to fade.

Despair quickly followed.

Section Chief Choi walks toward him, step by step.

“Don’t worry, 1st-floor team leader.”

His face is shadowed, cold.

Behind those eyes, his glasses gleam.

“If you’re innocent, a thorough investigation will prove your innocence.”

If not, he’ll be going to a special prison.

The 1st-floor team leader is all too aware of his own crime.

He shivers, sweating.

“Ch-Choi, Choi-nim! I’m sorry! I was blinded by money! Please, just let me go this one time! I won’t deceive the country again!”

“…Traitorous bastard.”

Section Chief Choi growls.

However, the team leader is confused.

“Huh? Traitor?”

What does that mean?

Why is ‘traitor’ being mentioned?

Is our loan company a foreign entity?

“Wait, wait! There’s a misunderstanding… Agh!”

A guard knocks the team leader out before he can explain further.

There’s no need to hear more.

He’s already practically confessed.

A short while later, a group arrives at the scene.

All are dressed in suits.

“We’re from the National Intelligence Service, Awakened Response Division.”

They were special agents, all Awakened.

Some from the group waved their hands.

“Section Cheif Choi, long time no see!”

“Another big one? Are you still out in the field?”

Section Chief Choi roughly hands over the 1st-floor team leader.

“A traitor who tried to sell out the country! Please conduct a thorough interrogation!”

“Oh, our Section Chief Choi is really mad today.”

Awakened are vital assets for the country.

And here’s someone conspiring with a foreign nation to harm them?

Even a Perfect Clear Awakened!

It’s surely a treasonous offense.

There’s probably a brutal interrogation waiting for him.

Kang Hyun, watching from the back.

Nods.

‘Foreign country? A traitor? Is that what this was?’

I had no idea.

‘Wow, Section Chief Choi is really thorough.’

Meanwhile, Section Chief Choi.

‘Kang Hyun… How did you figure it out?’

Things seemed strange from the beginning.

The 1st-floor team leader was a seasoned veteran at headquarters.

He had been hiding as a spy for so long without anyone noticing.

And yet, Kang Hyun uncovered him immediately.

‘Perfect Clear Awakened really are different!’

To think such talent emerged.

The future of this country is bright!

The situation is looking good.

Since it’s come to this, let’s speed up the process and offer a deal today.

‘Finally! A Perfect Clear Awakened will join Korea’s ranks!’

Section Chief Choi’s patriotic heart races.

He guides Kang Hyun to the meeting room.

###

The air in the Seonghwa Support Team’s room grows tense.

Yoo Chayeong’s gaze sharply questions the team members.

“…What did you say?”

“Section Chief Choi, he rejected the cooperation…”

Yoo Chayeong furrows her brow.

A rejection? Why?

Seonghwa is 3rd ranking Guild.

And this Seonghwa member was willing to fully cooperate.

she said she’d hand over all collected materials.

And yet, he’s telling the country to take the Perfect Clear away?

‘But why reject this?’

Section Chief Choi Young Ho, was he really like this?

I thought his heart was in the right place for the country.

Seems like he was blinded by greed.

‘It’s natural for the government to monitor guilds, but this is too much.’

In an era where the strength of Awakened ones is key.

If a guild overtakes the government in Awakened power?

The balance will be shattered.

The country’s operations will be controlled by the guilds.

To prevent this, the balance between the state and the guild is crucial.

But in times like this?

Balance doesn’t matter.

Shouldn’t we be looking for the Perfect Clear first?

“What’s the public’s response?”

“They’re in an uproar.”

The progress report pops up.

Recently, South Korea’s progress had slowed, but it achieved 100% in the shortest period ever.

All thanks to the Perfect Clear Awakened.

However, the public was even more outraged.

└Really? They’re taking it away? One person alone was carrying 10% of the progress?

└If the Perfect Clear Awakened reaches C-rank, they could probably carry the whole progress.

└No, no. D-rank would be enough. This is just ridiculous.

└Looking at the progress alone, they’re more valuable than an S-rank Awakened. The public has to rise up.

Public opinion is quickly heating up.

└This country’s hopeless, hahaha.

└Escaping from Hell Joseon is a matter of intelligence.

└These indecisive ruling party bastards… Just declare martial law, put out a nationwide manhunt, and block them from leaving the country!!!

└What’s wrong with that old man?

└I support it. Seriously, I think it’s the right move.

Yoo Chae-young feels her stomach churn.

This isn’t the time for a guild-government power struggle.

‘At this point, I’ll have to make sure the Perfect Clear is brought in first.’

Even if Section Chief Choi regrets it later, it will be too late.

###

“This… you still haven’t recovered from your cold? How about some warm cocoa… or tea?”

“Thank you.”

Kang Hyun lowers his mask and sips.

Then, he puts the mask back up.

“We’ll let you know who’s behind the 1st-floor team leader as soon as the interrogation is complete.”

“Oh, are you going to tell me too?”

“Of course. The public’s right to know must be protected!”

Kang Hyun tilts his head.

This person seems a little too passionate.

He lowers his mask again, taking a sip of tea.

“And, since you’re the one who caught the culprit, I think you deserve to know first…”

He pauses, considering.

Should he reveal it?

“You’re this country’s precious Perfect Clear Awakened.”

“Eh?”

Kang Hyun is slightly surprised.

He’s been figured out.

“How did you know?”

He listens to the details.

“Hmm, it’s not easy to hide, is it?”

“That’s right. There’s only so much one can do with individual strength.”

“It would be nice to have a capable assistant.”

“Perhaps, like the country.”

“You’re good with words.”

“Haha! Thank you.”

Kang Hyun smiles, and Team Leader Choi bows politely, smiling warmly.

“Besides You, who else knows?”

“Only me for now.”

Thank goodness.

The reason he’s hidden his identity from the country so far?

He’s been wary of becoming too high-profile.

It’s a shame he got discovered, but at least he made contact with Section Chief Choi before it spread further.

Things have worked out well.

“The dungeon-clear record that identified me…”

“It’s been burned.”

“If something like Perfect Clear causing trouble happens again…”

“We’ll control the media.”

“Worried about paparazzi…”

“We’ll provide 24/7 close protection.”

“That… was a joke.”

“I’m not joking. If needed, just let me know anytime.”

Wow.

‘This is thorough.’

Things are definitely going smoothly.

But the real offer comes now.

“The country will support your smooth development with all the resources and conveniences it can provide.”

“Like what?”

Support.

He never had that in his past life.

Unlike his fellow heroes.

He was an orphan, a street mercenary.

Everything was self-sustained—martial arts, potions, everything.

His comrades always regretted it.

If Kyle, the strongest back then, had received support during his growth?

He would have reached greater heights without suffering from things like vocal cord nodules.

And they said it over and over.

So, Kang Hyun isn’t completely uninterested.

Let’s hear him out.

“We’ll provide you with a platinum card, typically issued to top prospects.”

“A card?”

“You can use it at the state-affiliated Awakened goods store with a 90% discount.”

“90%!?”

That’s practically free!

Is that really okay?

Awakened items are expensive.

Really expensive.

They can range from hundreds of millions to even billions.

Thea’s materials and personnel are always expensive.

What a generous offer!

It’s almost unbelievable.

“Also, we’ll reduce your taxes by 50% up to S-rank.”

Taxes!

That word always tortures people.

He knows the pain of taxes well, having run a school!

Even former heroes shudder at that word.

“We’ll also grant you immunity, so long as it’s not a serious crime. The law will never judge you.”

Kang Hyun thought for a moment.

‘What if he goes into the loan shark headquarters and causes a scene?’

‘That wouldn’t be covered by a simple immunity.’

He’d have to do this secretly.

Anyway.

The benefits were so abundant they were about to burst.

‘I should have come here earlier.’

But whenever there’s something to receive, there’s always something to give in return.

“What do you want from me?”

“First, naturalization is prohibited. Also, in case of a national crisis, you will be conscripted under presidential authority, with restrictions on activities such as social media, and mandatory security personnel when traveling abroad…”

The list of demands goes on for a while.

‘His pronunciation is almost at an announcer’s level.’

But why do those glasses keep shining?

Anyway.

These weren’t the most important clauses.

“These are all minimum requirements for the national interest! I sincerely ask for your cooperation!”

It was clearly more beneficial to accept.

But…

“I see.”

“Hahaha! I’m glad you understand the country’s position! Now, let’s have you sign this contract…”

He briefly lowered his mask.

Sipped his tea.

“I don’t want to.”

“What?”

The answer had already been decided.

He was just listening.

He was curious.

‘Support?’

It sounds nice.

But still, being tied down to something…

“Haha, I didn’t quite catch that, could you repeat—”

“Nope.”

“I, I must have missed some details! Here, let me go over the support items again—”

“Never.”

Kyle.

He was the only hero who wasn’t tied to any country.

And…

‘I haven’t even started taking advantage yet, there’s no way I’m getting tied down now.’

He was someone who was more familiar with exploiting the government than anyone else.