Machine God with EX-rank talent (Deus ex machina)

Hyun Suho's stats were heavily concentrated in mental strength.

So, it might have been inevitable that he awakened psychic powers.

The issue was that his psychic ability was the highest-ranking one among all skills and powers: future sight.

Thanks to it, he was able to kill the villain Gula of the Aphos and Reus Knight Orders, and prevent Phoenix from falling into darkness as Dark Phoenix.

Several months had passed since then, but he still couldn't understand why he had gained future sight.

Nor did he know how to use it.

No matter how hard he tried, future sight wouldn't activate.

Just as he was about to give up, thinking it might be a one-time ability, it suddenly activated again.

‘And it’s about today’s banquet.’

Jin Seo-yeon thought that she had caused this situation by provoking Jin Sa-geol, but she was wrong.

Jin Sa-geol had been waiting for this day from the start.

Even if Hyun Suho had been polite to Jin Sa-geol, this event would have happened regardless.

The target was the fireballer Hong Chang-shik, who guarded Jin Seo-yeon like a protector.

Jin Sa-geol’s plan was to slowly dismantle Jin Seo-yeon by severing her limbs first.

And the plan was successful.

In the ensuing fight, Hong Chang-shik fell into a trap and met a tragic end.

The whole situation was meticulously crafted with this outcome in mind.

Hong Chang-shik knew it was a trap but had no choice but to walk into it.

This was the future Hyun Suho had seen.

But because of Hyun Suho's presence, everything changed.

Hong Chang-shik didn’t even attend the banquet, and instead, Hyun Suho took his place beside Jin Seo-yeon.

With Jin Seo-yeon’s conflicted gaze behind him, Hyun Suho stepped forward. As he did, the crowd naturally parted, creating a wide space.

Moments later, a sharp-looking man from Jin Sa-geol’s side stepped forward.

Step, step.

He was a large white man who appeared to be in his forties.

His blonde hair was disheveled, and his beard looked like it hadn’t been groomed in weeks.

Despite being at a banquet, he wore faded shorts and a red shirt.

Ignoring the stares around him, he began scratching his belly.

Scratch, scratch!

So dirty was he that flakes of dead skin fell off with each scratch.

He even burped loudly.

“Urp!”

He looked so shabby that one might believe a homeless person had sneaked in.

Two short, thick hand axes dangled from his waist.

A weapon seemingly unsuitable for fighting fierce monsters.

However, there were those who knew the significance of that weapon.

“What the hell! That’s Butcher! How is the Butcher here?!”

“Butcher, the Ranker Killer?!”

His true identity was none other than a Hunter ranked 370th in the world.

Uniquely, he had two nicknames.

One was Butcher, for his method of mincing opponents with his two hand axes.

The other was Ranker Killer, for his notorious reputation of wandering the world and killing Rankers.

Upon hearing his nickname, Jin Seo-yeon’s face turned pale.

“But... Butcher is banned from entering the country! How is he here?!”

Butcher had traveled the world, killing over ten Rankers.

Powerful Hunters were like valuable assets to their countries.

Losing such precious Rankers overnight was nothing short of a catastrophe for those nations.

Most countries banned him from entry, and South Korea was one of them.

Jin Seo-yeon pointed this out.

“He shouldn’t be here. The government won’t stand for this!”

Everyone nodded at her words, but Jin Sa-geol merely shrugged his shoulders and said:

“It’s cruel to ban an innocent person from entering. It’s against democracy. Fortunately, the ban was lifted recently, which aligned with my thoughts.”

Jin Sa-geol spoke nonchalantly.

The Butcher’s entry ban had conveniently been lifted just in time for this banquet.

No one believed Jin Sa-geol’s words.

It was obvious he had pulled strings behind the scenes.

Regardless of the reactions around him, Jin Sa-geol continued speaking.

“If you don’t believe me, feel free to check.”

“Grr!”

Jin Seo-yeon wasn’t foolish enough to verify such a thing.

If Jin Sa-geol had orchestrated this, he would have handled it flawlessly, leaving no room for error.

Jin Seon-gil, who had been watching, merely displayed an intrigued expression without intervening.

Once it became clear that the opponent was Butcher, everyone looked at Hyun Suho with pity.

Against the Butcher, who could kill Rankers, dealing with someone like Hyun Suho would be as easy as twisting a child’s wrist.

But Hyun Suho stepped forward, undeterred by such stares.

At that moment, Jin Seo-yeon tried to stop him again.

“Suho, you can’t!”

She couldn’t let this fight proceed.

There would be penalties for forfeiting, but it didn’t matter.

Otherwise, she would have to watch Hyun Suho get mercilessly slaughtered by the Butcher’s axe.

But Hyun Suho reassured her once more.

“Don’t worry. Just trust me.”

His expression and demeanor were utterly confident.

Of course, many men had put on airs to win Jin Seo-yeon’s favor before.

Some Hunters had even died posing bravely in front of powerful monsters.

So she knew well enough.

This time, Hyun Suho wasn’t bluffing; he truly wasn’t afraid.

At that moment, Jin Seo-yeon remembered Hyun Suho's rank.

He was one of the few in the world to possess an EX rank.

Only a very small number of people knew this fact.

But could that alone be enough to defeat the Butcher?

The opponent was the Butcher, who had already killed several Rankers.

As Jin Seo-yeon wrestled with this confusion, Hyun Suho stepped forward.

Finally, the two of them stood face to face.

Then, the Butcher, as if displeased, spoke to Jin Sa-geol.

"This isn't what we agreed on. Didn't you say my opponent would be the fireballer?"

For some reason, the Butcher was obsessed with fighting Rankers.

He had accepted Jin Sa-geol's request because he was promised a fight with the fireballer.

Jin Sa-geol replied as if he was in a difficult position.

"There was an unexpected development. But I'll pay you double the agreed amount."

"Five times."

"…Fine."

Whatever the promised amount was, it must have required an astronomical sum to employ a powerhouse like the Butcher.

But Jin Sa-geol couldn't afford to back down now, so he accepted the Butcher's terms.

Then he looked at Hyun Suho with a troubled expression.

'Damn! He keeps getting in the way.'

This was an unexpected variable in a meticulously crafted plan.

In truth, if the fireballer wasn't going to be killed, there was no need to go through with this costly and risky fight.

But he accepted the challenge because the opponent was Hyun Suho.

'There's something ominous about this guy.'

It wasn't just because Hyun Suho resisted his control skill.

Nor was it because Hyun Suho seemed close to Jin Seo-yeon.

It was a more fundamental aversion.

It felt like encountering a lifelong nemesis.

In truth, Jin Sa-geol wasn't the type to rely on intuition when making decisions.

He usually planned meticulously, excluding personal feelings and acting with cold rationality.

But this time, he couldn't ignore his gut feeling.

The emotions Hyun Suho evoked in him were that intense.

The Butcher, who had been displeased with the change of opponent, unfolded his arms.

Even if he couldn't kill a Ranker, the money he was promised would be enough to ensure he'd never have to worry about finances again.

"Just consider yourself unlucky."

A contract is a contract, so he had no intention of sparing his opponent.

He believed that swiftly decapitating his opponent without pain was the greatest mercy he could offer.

However, there was no fear on Hyun Suho's face.

Anyone would be nervous facing the Butcher, yet Hyun Suho stood expressionless as if he had lost all fear.

The Butcher didn't bother to get angry.

The fight would end quickly anyway.

Instead, he hoped his opponent wouldn’t die too easily.

‘I'll soon see if it’s just bravado.’

Hyun Suho remained calm.

He was certain the Butcher was an 8th-level fighter.

Given that he had hunted 8th-level Rankers, one might suspect he was 9th-level, but that wasn't the case.

Perhaps he was trying to break through the barrier to 9th level through intense battles with Rankers.

Hyun Suho had previously fought the 8th-level Rankers Bone Dragon and Gula, and he won both times.

However, Bone Dragon was defeated with the help of a Demoness, and Gula, for an 8th level, was severely lacking.

But the Butcher was different from them.

He was a true Ranker with ample ability and experience.

Among Rankers, he was in the upper echelon, ranked 370th.

It was no surprise that the fireballer was defeated.

'But I have no choice but to fight.'

If he hadn’t stopped Gula, Dark Phoenix would have turned Seoul into a wasteland.

Given that his foresight had been triggered, failing this mission could result in a similar catastrophe.

Even if it wasn’t for such a grand purpose, he couldn't just stand by and watch a scoundrel like Jin Sa-geol harm Jin Seo-yeon.

Since learning that Death Star would come in 10 years, Hyun Suho had never once played it safe.

No risk, no reward.

If he ran away every time things got dangerous, he would eventually face an inevitable disaster.

Hyun Suho drew his chain sword.

Swish!

A cavalry sword equipped with a rotating saw.

The Butcher frowned at the sight of it.

"Are you planning to fight me with that bizarre weapon?"

The chain sword, with its rotating blade, dealt continuous damage—an unusual weapon.

It was suited for fighting extraterrestrial monsters with hard shells rather than humans.

It was overkill in every way for fighting another person.

Then Hyun Suho snorted and said,

"For someone your size, you sure have a lot to say about using such a tiny hand axe."

"Khehehe! You're not wrong."

Once the two were ready, all that remained was Chairman Jin Seon-gil's permission.

"It seems everything is settled."

As Chairman Jin Seon-gil spoke, powerful individuals who had been waiting somewhere appeared in droves.

These were Chairman Jin Seon-gil's personal guards.

Rumor had it that there were three powerful Level 8 hunters among them.

They were said not to even be included in the rankings because they only waited by Chairman Jin Seon-gil's side.

To confirm the truth of this, one of the guards lightly extended his hand, and a magical barrier formed around Hyun Suho and the Butcher.

Boom!

The barrier was to prevent their battle from causing damage to the outside.

Even so, as if not completely reassured, the guards stood closely by Chairman Jin Seon-gil's side.

Surrounded by such powerful forces, Jin Seon-gil looked like an emperor.

"Begin."

As soon as Chairman Jin Seon-gil leisurely gave the word, the two moved simultaneously.

Whoosh!

They moved swiftly and clashed exactly in the center of the prepared stage.

Bang!!!

When their weapons collided, a loud noise echoed through the banquet hall.

If it weren’t for the mana barrier, the shockwave alone would have been enough to wreck the hall.

After their powerful clash, both took a step back at the same time. Surprisingly, the first exchange ended in a draw.

The Butcher, looking irritated, glanced at his hand axe before moving forward to attack again.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!

In an instant, they exchanged dozens of blows.

Each strike was so deadly that even a glancing blow could be fatal.

Every time the hand axe and sword clashed, sparks flew into the air like a fountain.

With their feet firmly planted on the ground, the two continued their fierce, storm-like battle.

Those watching were left speechless by the intense duel.

"Oh! Incredible!"

"To be fighting the Butcher on equal footing, who on earth is that man?"

Everyone had expected the Butcher to easily win, so they were surprised to see Hyun Suho holding his own.

The Butcher himself was just as astonished.

"…Why aren't you using any skills?"

A hunter's most powerful weapon is their skills.

How one uses skills in any situation is the most important factor in a battle.

The Butcher was a terrifying figure who had gained notoriety by killing numerous Rankers.

Those who knew of the Butcher's fearsome reputation never hesitated to use their skills from the start when fighting him.

But Hyun Suho was fighting the Butcher using only brute strength.

In response to the Butcher's question, Hyun Suho smirked and said,

"Why should I give you the satisfaction?"

Hyun Suho had watched the fight between the Butcher and the Fireballer on video.

The Fireballer was a powerful fire-element mage.

Naturally, as soon as the fight began, the Fireballer tried to overpower the Butcher with magic.

But despite reaching out and using his skills, no magic was cast.

The Butcher quickly closed the distance to the confused Fireballer, first cutting off his arm and then beheading him.

The Fireballer lost his life in a completely futile manner.

The fact that his skill didn't activate wasn’t the Fireballer's mistake.

It was because of the Butcher's skill.

Mana Freeze.

A skill that deploys an area where all mana flow stops around the Butcher.

Given that it blocked a hunter's primary weapon—skills—it seemed like an overwhelmingly powerful skill, but it had a fatal drawback: the Butcher couldn't use mana either.

That's why the Butcher slaughtered his opponents using pure physical strength.

His combat style earned him the nickname "Butcher."

The power of the Mana Freeze skill was formidable.

Even some of the world's top 1,000 hunters lost their lives in a panic.

It was especially deadly against mages who were heavily reliant on skills.

The Fireballer died so pitifully because of it.

But Hyun Suho was different from the Butcher's previous opponents.

"Let's have some real fun."

As Hyun Suho swung his sword, the Butcher gritted his teeth.

Boom!!