In The World-End Everyone Has 1 Skill, But Only He Can COPY And Stack Them ALL! - Manhwa Recap

The story begins with the protagonist saying he has the same dream every night: a terrible dream full of zombies. A dream in which the apocalypse had come to Earth; a nightmare where the world of the living had turned into hell. In the middle of it all, he had one main mission: to eradicate all the zombies from Earth. The reward would be to restore everything to its original state. In that place, he was a hunter with a single objective.

He asks if it's time to begin. He presses a device in his hand, and the entire city starts to explode. The zombie horde goes crazy as the buildings begin to collapse. He throws himself into the street. A boy appears in style, holding a chain. He lands on the ground, kicking the first zombie and slicing two others with the swing of the chain. The others notice his presence and pause for a second before rushing toward him. But with another spin of the chain, he lashes at everyone's legs.

Another zombie tries to attack him from behind but gets a kick to the stomach. That chain is sharper than a katana. Three more zombies come running from behind, and he performs the famous helicopter move. Moments later, blood is dripping; he managed to clear the entire street. However, just as he begins to curse the monsters, the ground starts to tremble. He wonders why an earthquake suddenly started in his nightmare.

That's when the asphalt nearby begins to break apart, and from the ground emerges a massive, fleshy, hairy, toothy worm. What is this? The creature roars at the boy, who looks like he can't believe what he's seeing. In the next moment, it seems like he's been eaten. The mission fails, with him dying once again. Suddenly, he wakes up in bed, saying, "This is way too unfair."

Some time passes, and he tells the woman in front of him that he wrote down everything that happened in the nightmare last night. She says he's already written it down 99 times and feels like just yesterday he came here for the first time, completely drained. This is his psychiatrist, named Cho NE. The protagonist, Jerm, says that two years ago, this nightmare started out of nowhere. Constant deaths of vulnerable people, including himself, kept repeating. Every day, he would wake up in the middle of the night terrified.

Over time, it started to ruin his life. Having this kind of dream every night was killing him psychologically and physically, and that was the reason he started seeing a psychiatrist. Cho asks him to sit down and inquires if he's there because of nightmares. A skeletal-looking young man says yes, and she asks him to explain more about what they're like. He responds that they're about zombies.

That was the day his treatment began: counseling sessions, hypnosis, and even medications. But even so, the nightmares wouldn't stop, and he kept waking up screaming. One day, she asked if the nightmares were always the same. She handed him a notebook and said that if the dreams were always the same, he could try making a different decision. She wanted him to write everything down, and she would think about what he could do.

The protagonist was a bit confused about focusing so much on the nightmares, but she said that this was just the first step, and later they would decide how to handle the rest. She handed him a pen and told him to write everything down from now on.

Once again in the nightmare, he gets eaten alive. He remembers that when he talked about this situation, she asked if there wasn't a warehouse nearby or something like that. He said yes and decided to follow her advice. He runs to a nearby warehouse and starts looking for a weapon. He grabs a crowbar and runs toward a zombie, hitting it on the head, and it goes down. Finally, he had managed to fight back in his own dream, and that's how the nightmares began to change.

Back in the present, Cho says she's at her limit. She asks if he's really going to continue alone in the hundredth dream. He says she knows as well as he does that humans are filthier than zombies. She says she's aware but insists there are good people out there. But he replies that good people no longer want to get involved with anyone. He takes a sip of his coffee and says that even though it's just a dream, he's seen one or two people die trying to help him. It's not like he has the power to protect others, and it only weighs on him.

May realizes that the dreams are so real to him that it feels like he truly lost allies. He then closes the book and says it's time to eat. They're supposed to go grab some soup, and she's paying. She even winks at him, telling him to hurry up.

Later, they go to a convenience store. They're already there, drinking soup, and she's commenting on how delicious it is. Our guy is smiling. Then he hears someone yelling, asking what's going on. He looks to the side and sees a man in a green shirt arguing with the cashier. The man is shouting, asking why the cashier is standing still instead of letting him pay. The guy keeps yelling, demanding the cashier accept the payment, but the protagonist's expression changes, and he seems scared.

He didn't want to believe what he was seeing. When he turns and asks what's wrong, he says it's nothing, but the loudmouth in the green shirt keeps shouting, saying he'll miss the bus at this rate. Then the other person lunges and bites his neck, throwing the man to the ground and starting to devour him. Amid the man's destruction, little by little, we see the protagonist. He knew this was the nightmare that had been tormenting him all along.

Dreams are dreams, and reality is something entirely different. But now, to him, it seemed like the same thing and worse. This wasn't just any dream; it was a terrifying nightmare. As he's panicking about the nightmare, the man is being devoured. The body writhes as he cries for help. The protagonist doesn't react, and the attacker slowly rises from the corpse. It looks at him and jumps. Immediately, he probably thought the attacker was going after him because he was still sitting, unable to react.

Outside, there was a crowd of people begging to be saved as they were eaten alive. Everyone was trying to escape, and the nightmare had begun. He tries to stay calm and not move, but his hand starts clutching his pants, and he doesn't know what to do. Sweating profusely, he was hoping it would somehow pass and be some kind of illusion. But as soon as the cashier finishes eating, the man looks at the boy. Now he knows this isn't just a dream.

The zombie screams and charges at him from behind. With no options or weapons, he grabs a pot from the table and smashes it on the zombie's head. But he knows full well that isn't enough. He runs to the side, looking for another weapon, finds a broom, and breaks the handle. At least now he had a chance. The problem is the zombie had already lunged and was too close for him to use the stick. As it's about to bite him, he manages to duck and dodge the attack. The creature snaps its jaws at empty air.

He grips the weapon, hits a foothold on the ground, and throws himself at the zombie, jamming the stick straight into the monster's neck. With that, he scored his first kill in the real world. The creature fell to the floor. Looking at the monster, he wonders if it's because of the countless nightmares. The moment he accepted this as reality, his mind calmed down.

That's when she calls his name, Jerm, and asks if he really killed someone. But he just sighs and asks if she's not seeing what's happening outside. That horde of creatures was moving corpses, or in other words, they were all zombies. May is unable to believe what she's saying, but he has already accepted the entire reality and states that what he wrote down has become real.

At that moment, an explosion happens. Jerm recalls the timing of the explosion and its connection to his dream. It always happened at the gas station. Nay turns around, and now there's no doubt everything that happened in the dream had become reality, which means this Artisan Village will soon be completely destroyed by nightfall. This place will already be overrun by monsters. The problem is it's not just this village.

In the early dreams, he didn't even make it out of Korea, which was completely destroyed. By the 20th dream, he reached China, which was also destroyed, and the United States and every other city in all 99 nightmares. Humanity was defeated. That's because the zombies grew stronger every day while human civilization, unable to adapt, was slowly wiped out.

Seeing the gas station explode in front of him, he already knows what the future holds. He desperately needs to survive. That's when he hears a sound beside him. Slowly, he turns his head, and what he sees leaves him shocked. The mission system had appeared: kill all the zombies on Earth, and the reward was to restore everything. The same window with the same message, the one that kept repeating in the nightmare.

He tries to pass his hand through it, not quite understanding what it is. It was fine appearing in dreams, but it was strange that this was now happening in reality. Or rather, the mission's content had indeed changed. The mission was now about the Great Guardian. He had to protect Professor Cho at his home. The system was sneaky.

Still startled, the protagonist tries to calm himself for a second. At least he had lived through this 99 times, asking himself why this was happening wouldn't change anything. Then he notices something in the system's window. There was a section about skills. Suddenly, the window updates and asks if he will accept the challenge. At that moment, he knew this was the mission, and he had never succeeded in it. But at the same time, he felt a strange sensation. He sensed that with any choice he had, he had the chance to change this desperate future.

May then asks what's wrong and if he's okay. He says yes and that he just felt a little off. She smiles and says that's a relief. But the protagonist sees her completely transform into a zombie. With that, his smile fades. There was something he had never had the courage to write in his notes. The professor gets bitten and falls to the ground. She then rises and transforms into a zombie, but she didn't need to know that now, and he was determined to change the future.

Until something explodes behind him. When he looks back, there are a dozen zombies approaching. He gets startled, turns to Nay, and tells her to run. With that, the two of them are already outside the convenience store, but the street is full of zombies who notice their presence. They both run through the creatures while she carries the notes. They run to the warehouse from his dream, and he manages to open it. As soon as they entered, he closes the door and bars it with a metal rod. Finally, he calms down for a moment.

He goes toward one of the cabinets while outside the zombies are pounding away. He stops in front of a locker and tries to wonder what Jerm is doing. What he grabs is the legendary chain. He tells her to prepare because he's going to kill everything on the way to his house. Before she can understand what he means, he pulls the latch and opens the door. Just as expected, the outside is filled with zombies. They immediately react to his presence, but Jerm grabs the chain and gets ready.

He had to complete this mission to receive a transmission skill. His expression changes completely. The first zombies rush toward him and begin to surround him. With the chain, the boy is experienced and prepares the helicopter move. The first zombie approaches and takes a blow to the forehead. Nay is inside watching all of this. Meanwhile, Jerm swings the chain back and forth, hitting everyone like Kirpa from Hunter x Hunter. And boy, when it hits, it hurts. Zombies fall to the ground as he advances toward the rest with the chains wrapped around his arms.

Motivated, he lets out a shout. The sensation of being surrounded and spinning the chains felt very familiar to him. Nay, watching from inside, remembers asking him why he chose chains as a weapon. The question left him a little surprised, but now it made sense. Seeing him eliminate several zombies around him, she recalls that at the start of the dreams, he always talked about the chains as a weapon with a flexible attack range and far more durable than any knife. It didn't mean to be sharp, just strong.

Suddenly, one of the zombies approaches from behind. The protagonist turns and manages to make it bite the chains. He immobilizes the creature and tells it to bite harder. Then he yanks the chain to the side, destroying its teeth and hitting it in the face. With the creature still in the air, he strikes again, slashing through its chest. Nay watches from afar as another zombie sneaks up from behind. Jerm switches the chain's direction and uses his foot to kick it forward. She realizes the weapon was extremely versatile in attack direction.

As soon as he was above the zombie, he pulled downward, hitting it square on the head. Another one down, and boy, he doesn't stop, already advancing toward the next group. Chains on his arms, shouting while May watches helplessly. Before long, he's on top of a pile of bodies, but it's not enough, as another horde is coming their way. He looks at Nay and says this is their only chance to run.

With that, both are fleeing through the street. The scene shifts to a forest. In the middle of it, there's a small isolated house. Jerm and Nay had just arrived there. He says it's a good place, deserted with no zombies nearby. As soon as he enters, however, she falls to her knees. He asks what's wrong, and she says she's fine; she just feels very, very relieved. He helps her up and tells her to sit on the couch. She sits, and at that moment, the system window appears. The mission was complete, and he receives the transmission skill.

He's immediately excited to see what it does. The transmission skill allows him to receive a skill from an expert. Now he's completely confused because in reality, the skill doesn't do anything. First, he had to figure out what this expert thing was all about, but it couldn't be that the clues were so vague that he had no idea what to do. The system then explains that if someone views him favorably, he can learn a transmission skill from that person.

Obviously, he has no clue what this means but decides to test it. He activates the transmission on May. Suddenly, a magical circle forms above and below both of them. He looks surprised, but on the other hand, she doesn't seem to be reacting at all. It's clearly indicated that she couldn't see anything. However, the system congratulates him, saying he has acquired a skill. Clearly, it was related to her profession, but for him, it wasn't very useful.

Nay lights a cigarette and calls out to him. She asks if those monsters were the zombies from his dreams. She remembers him writing something very similar in that book. Now she wants to know what's happening or if she's also started having a nightmare. Jerm realizes she's panicking. She's relieved to have survived but is beginning to mentally break down. For him, though, this is all too common since these were scenes he had experienced repeatedly in his dreams.

It was the perfect moment for him to use the skill he just gained. He activates mental care. A magical circle appears beneath both of them, and the system announces that the skill has been successfully used. The person's spirit had been strengthened. Suddenly, Nay, who had her hand on her face, kicks the cigarette and puts it out in the cup. She smiles at Jerm and says that at least they're both alive, so it's not all bad. They need to cheer up because she's sure the world will get better.

Jerm is impressed; the transmission skill really worked. That's when he remembers the artisans and craftsmen from the village where he lived. There were countless professionals there with a lifetime of experience. But if he could bring all of that to himself, the next goal was to learn skills from those people.

The scene shifts to the gas station that had exploded. We see a buff man, now a zombie, a martial arts master known as Park Dalbong. The next chapter begins with him talking about how a few months ago he had 10 nightmares in a row. He was exhausted when someone called out to him. Turning around, he asked what the elders wanted. An old man in a suit named Yungan asks if the nightmares happened again. Judging by his face, Dalbong says it's his fault for not having enough energy.

The elder remarks that the boy is lucky he had some ginseng at home, so he should go eat it. Jerm, tired, says it's okay since ginseng like that is very expensive. But Dalbong insists, saying he should just eat it because health is what matters most. The poor protagonist looks awful when he's skinny.

Back at the house, he's starting up his scooter. He's ready to leave when May opens the door and asks if he's lost his mind. What's he thinking heading into the middle of the city? How does he plan to kill all the zombies? Jerm asks if she didn't see how he handled the creatures. It's just a few zombies who won't be defeated. She puts a hand to her head and says it seems there's no changing his mind.

After some thought, she at least asks him to be careful but warns that if he gets bitten anywhere, she won't open the door for him. He tells her not to worry since he hasn't been bitten since all of this began. She snaps at him to shut up and stop saying those death flag lines. He laughs and starts up the scooter, getting ready. He's sure the two elders must be together as always, and he needs to save them both.

With that, he speeds off, leaving Nay behind. She lights another cigarette and thinks she made the worst decision trying to quit smoking this year. The scene shifts to the city, which is, of course, overrun with zombies. We're inside an office in the village of Janggan. There are zombies everywhere, walking around. Behind the counter, a small bald man is trembling. It's Yungan, who doesn't know what to do.

A zombie wandering nearby spots the trembling man behind the desk. The poor old man freezes, waiting for death to come. Then he hears a noise. Slowly, he opens his eyes to see someone had punched the zombie in the face. It's Park Dalbong, who asks if he's okay. The old man looks a little embarrassed but seems happy to see him. But just then, more zombies appear at the door.

Dalbong faces them and tells the old man to wait a little longer; they'll clean up everything quickly. The zombies rush toward him, but this is a true martial artist. He just takes his stance and delivers a one-punch blow. Meanwhile, Jerm speeds along on his scooter. He knows Dalbong is a martial arts master, so regular zombies are no problem for him.

The issue is that the elders always died in his dreams. He has to reach them because of two critical variables. All he hopes is that he doesn't arrive too late. The zombies keep advancing, and Dalbong is handing out punches to all of them. One punch from the guy sends a zombie flying. He smashes one in the head and another in the face.

Yungan, trembling behind the desk, is impressed. Dalbong jokes that he wishes he could have learned some of the martial arts from the Joan Dynasty, but the musclehead laughs. He says it's a shame, but regular people can't learn the Celestial Demon's art. He crushes the zombie remains and says only the strong like him can master those martial arts.

Youngan responds that he understands but it's a pity since he always wished he'd been born with a strong body. Then they hear a noise nearby: a heavy footstep. A creature that looks like an uglier version of Attack on Titan 2.0 approaches. The problem is the monster's height. Dalbong estimates it to be between 2.5 and 3 meters tall. A zombie walks past the giant, who grabs its head, opening its huge mouth straight out of Attack on Titan. It chomps down.

The elders are baffled. The zombie was eating other zombies. It devours everything and even lets out a burp. But Dalbong looks excited, saying that an interesting target has appeared. He disappears in a blur and goes to punch the giant in the face. With his fist pulled back, he activates the Double Tiger Energy Strike, a barrage of punches known as the Tiger's Dance.

Reigns down on the creature, it keeps shouting and hitting the monster relentlessly, but the creature starts roaring, seemingly unaffected. Dalbong doesn't understand how the monster is retaliating even while taking such a beating. The beast lunges at him, but he manages to hold his hands. The problem is the monster begins applying force, and Dalbong seems unable to overpower it.

He quickly realizes he might not be a match for this thing. With a strained face, some of his vertebrae give way. He falls to the ground, clutching his back as Youngran calls out to him. Poor Dalbong, his herniated disc acted up. The zombie, indifferent, moves in for the kill, but our Kurpa, or rather Jerm, lands a blow with his chain, smacking the zombie's face and leaving it stunned.

Jerm announces he's there to save them. The two elders look at him, wondering what the kid is doing there. Jerm, knowing about Dalbong's herniated disc, suspected he wouldn't win. He tells the elders to escape before it's too late. The second variable was this giant mutant zombie. Yin, terrified, stares at the scene. Suddenly, he runs, picks up Dalbong, and tries to flee with him.

Dalbong apologizes for not being able to do more as they begin to leave, but the giant zombie roars again, startling Jerm. He ducks, dodging the first strike as Dalbong yells at him to run. But Jerm tells them not to worry; after all, the scooter only has two seats, so he couldn't go with them. Meanwhile, zombies begin surrounding the area. The two elders are already on the scooter while Jerm stands face to face with the horde.

Young Shan asks if he really has no other solution while Dalbong apologizes again. Jerm ignores them, spinning his chain. There are far more zombies than he anticipated, and he's unsure if he can win. But then he hears the system sound. He has gained the favor of a master of the specialty, and a skill can now be passed to him. He immediately smiles, knowing what it is.

The giant roars, and the zombies close in on him. Nay shouts Jerm's name as he stands still and simply says to activate the skill. Then he jumps, dodging the attacks. He mutters something about gathering energy from the province of Joan. The buff monster looks confused, not understanding until Jerm lands with both feet on its head, activating the Joan Realm.

The explosion crushes the giant and sends the rest flying. Standing there in style, the elders are stunned. Jerm had learned the Celestial Demon's martial arts. At that moment, he unlocked martial evolution, though still at rank F. The next chapter begins with a tale about the strongest man in history, known as the Celestial Demon. He crossed all of China and returned to his homeland of Joan long after there, drawing energy from the land. He refined his martial arts and finally achieved absolute strength. This was the ability Jerm had just begun to unlock.

The giant had been flattened. Still standing coolly, Jerm had his arms crossed. The elders hadn't even started the scooter and were left gaping. Dalbong had no idea how someone as skinny as Jerm could use such martial arts. Standing on top of the zombie, he received another skill. It was the passive Joan Heart Control, a skill that allowed him to sense mana. Jerm was thoroughly confused by this heart control and mana stuff.

Then his status window appeared: Shin Jerm with three rank F skills. He began to wonder if this wasn't starting to feel like a game. That's when he noticed a strange blue light nearby. Looking down, he saw it emanating from his hand. The power flowing through his body made him feel lighter. Maybe this was what control over the flesh meant in the skill's description. Clearly, risking his life to save Dalbong had been well worth it. This skill was definitely going to help him a lot.

He approaches the elders and says he's finished and they can return together. But then something rises behind him. The monster, which had been flattened, was still alive. Jerm remarks that the creature's strength is just like in the dreams. It was time to try something different. He grabs the chain and asks if they can start a proper fight. The monster, irritated, swings a punch at him. He dodges as the elders shout for him to be careful.

Once again, he tells them to get out of there and that he'll catch up soon. The elders hesitate, but he insists they go help Professor Choy, who's hiding at his house. With no choice, Youngran agrees. He knew they were only holding Jerm back at this point as they speed off. Yurun calls out, saying Jerm has to survive. Jerm keeps spinning the chain while circling the monster. As the creature roars, he strikes again, landing a blow squarely on its head.

The monster stumbles but manages to grab the chain without hesitation. It breaks the chain, leaving Jerm fuming. He follows up with a knee strike straight to the skull. The zombie is hurting but still alive. Jerm picks up the broken chain pieces, seemingly reforging them. He turns to the monster and asks if it knows the punishment for breaking other people's things. It's getting beaten to learn a lesson.

The monster almost looks scared. Night falls, and time passes. Nay is at home smoking as usual. It seems the apocalypse won't kill her, but the cigarettes might. She's worried about Jerm. Then she hears the sound of a motorcycle outside. Thinking it's him, she rushes to the door. But when she opens it, she finds the two elders instead. Confused, she listens as Youngran explains that Jerm told them to come here and meet Professor Choy.

She's relieved they found Jerm, recalling how he said he was going to save them. But she wants to know where that kid is so she can scold him for doing something so reckless. Yung hesitates before speaking, but both elders eventually admit that Jerm stayed behind. Nay doesn't believe it. Young Shan adjusts his glasses and says he doesn't understand why, but the young man sacrificed himself to save two old men. He stayed back, fighting that zombie alone.

Back in the city, the monster is getting its face whipped. Jerm lands another punch, following up with a sequence of strikes to its stomach. He delivers a kick under its chin, sending it crashing to the ground. He calls it nothing but a punching bag, but now that his chain is broken, he'll have to learn how to use this thing called mana. As thanks for forcing him to learn, he'll send the monster to help painlessly.

The creature, despite the beating, charges at him again with jaws wide open. Jerm stands still, channeling mana into his arm. He remembers the instructions: let it gather and release it all in a single blow. His punch creates a crater in the zombie. The impact shakes the ground, and finally, the creature is split in two. Jerm's hand aches from the force. That's when the crystal on the monster's back detaches. Noticing it, he approaches, unsure of what it is.

The system explains that it's a red magic stone, a growth accelerator. Using it would level him up naturally. Jerm is thrilled with the news. The next chapter opens with an official announcement from the Ministry of Defense. The message describes a large-scale incident spreading across the country. They urge people to stay home and safe. It reiterates that this is a declaration of a national disaster.

Meanwhile, Dalbong notices something: Jerm is at the door, knocking and asking to be let in. Everyone smiles upon hearing his voice and opens the door. Jerm grins, relieved that both elders made it back safely. But Nay is furious, calling him an idiot for worrying so much about others. She asks how he's feeling and whether he was bitten. Dalbong looks around nervously while Jerm assures her he didn't get bitten.

Youngim proudly declares that Jerm's efforts to save two old men were remarkable. He commends Jerm for doing such a great job and thanks him. Jerm, a little embarrassed, says it was no big deal. Then the system chimes in, announcing that another expert had shown him favor. He could now learn wooden architecture, rank F, from Yungan. Without hesitation, Jerm activates the transmission. The circle forms, and the skill transfer works perfectly.

With this new skill, Jerm could now use mana to construct wooden structures. Dalbong speaks up, saying he has a question: how did Jerm learn the Celestial Demon's martial arts when he had never taught him? Jerm looks a bit embarrassed, but he's not one for secrets and immediately admits that it's his skill. The elders are stunned into silence while Nay wonders aloud if he's talking about some kind of game skill.

Jerm opens his palm and activates wooden architecture. The elders hear a rumbling from the ground and wonder if it's an earthquake. Suddenly, a log bursts out of the ground, followed by another, forming a pillar. The elders are startled as more wooden beams rise, creating a sequence. Jerm seems to be building a wall from scratch. Though the wall is small, just encircling the house, it's incredibly sturdy.

Everyone stares in awe, trying to comprehend what just happened. Youngran rushes to the wood, touching it. As an arborist, he's perplexed. He's never seen wood like this; it's almost as firm as metal. Jerm asks what they think and explains that it's his skill, wooden architecture, which he learned from Yungan. Yungan is confused, insisting he never taught Jerm anything.

Jerm explains that it's due to the skill transfer system he received. Dalbong starts to piece things together, realizing how Jerm learned the Celestial Demon's martial arts. He falls silent, staring at the boy. Memories of his past surface when he tried to teach the art to many disciples. No one ever progressed beyond the introductory stage. This technique could only be learned by a natural genius.

He recalls the first time he met someone with innate talent: a 5-year-old girl named Park Isio. Eighteen years of training turned her into the next successor, but even she, now fully grown, couldn't display the destructive power Jerm just showed. Dalbong acknowledges that Jerm might truly be a genius. If anyone could save the world, it was him.

At that moment, the system alerts Jerm that he has no mana left due to excessive skill usage. Sweating profusely, he struggles to stay conscious. He stumbles, swaying on his feet. Nay asks if he's okay, but he collapses, face first onto the ground. The elders shout his name and rush to help him. Glancing at his status window, Jerm sees his MP bars empty. The system informs him that he'll enter forced rest to recover mana.

Jerm hadn't expected such a consequence. Sometime later, he opens his eyes and sits up, looking around. He realizes he's in his room. The system announces his mana has been restored, explaining that sleeping recovers even more mana. Jerm reflects that using skills isn't always the best or most convenient option. If he runs out of mana mid-fight, he could pass out and get eaten while unconscious.

Just then, Nay enters the room, smiling when she sees he's awake. She says she was worried about him, and he apologizes for overusing his skills. She chuckles, saying she figured, considering he made a forest sprout out of nowhere. But if he's feeling better, she invites him outside because dinner is ready.

Under the moonlight, they're hosting a barbecue. The elders are happily eating outside. Zombies are banging on the wooden wall, slowly gathering in numbers. Jerm doesn't seem too thrilled. Dalbong, however, is celebrating, saying the star of the show has arrived. Jerm asks what he means. Dalbong explains that he's grilling pork belly for their hero.

But Jerm finds it odd to eat outside with zombies pounding at the walls. Nay reassures him, saying the wood is as hard as steel. These zombies could get all they wanted, and it wouldn't break. Even with a lifetime studying wood, he's never seen a barricade that's perfect. Jerm reluctantly sits down, trusting their words. Nay pops open a beer and says that in an apocalypse, she has to enjoy life more.

They sit, talking and eating. Jerm begins to feel something different. This was nothing like the 99 nightmares he had lived through. In those dreams, life amidst the zombie apocalypse was hell every day. But now, with good food and friends, it felt different. For a moment, the terrifying world seemed like a relaxing place. At least for now.

Because in the next scene, chaos erupts elsewhere. A soldier is shouting for the troops to advance and not stop. Zombies swarm toward them while one of the soldiers radios for backup. The main defensive line is on the verge of collapse. Another massive horde of zombies, numbering over a thousand, is approaching rapidly, and the target of this attack is the Artisan's Village.

The enormous zombie in the distance has a horrifyingly long tongue, but at least there is a massive crystal embedded in its forehead. It looks like it could grant a ton of levels. The next morning at 7:00 a.m., Jerm wakes up. The system rewards him for saving three people on the first night. He receives the rank F analysis skill, allowing him to use mana and view information about a target.

Surprised, he realizes he didn't even know secret missions existed. Then he hears someone counting from one to three nearby. Looking outside, he sees the two elders practicing. A skill is always a good thing, so he decides to test it. Activating analysis, he examines Yungan. The system reveals he's a 78-year-old human with no rank, a skilled carpenter, but some information is hidden.

Dalbong is 73, also a rankless human, but it shows he has mastered the Celestial Demon's martial arts. Troy N is a 34-year-old rankless human and a psychiatrist. Jerm is puzzled by this rankless human designation. To him, skills like wooden architecture and analysis don't seem as exciting as the Celestial Demon's martial arts.

He then glances at the TV and the couch, both labeled as unclassified items. It dawns on him that analysis can be used on anything. He examines the red crystal, wondering if it could unlock more significant things. As he stares at it, Nay approaches and asks if it's some sort of treasure. He explains that he obtained it during his fight in the city and that it's a kind of catalyst.

She, confused, asks what it does. He compares it to an experience potion from a game. She then questions why he's staring at it instead of consuming it. Jerm explains he's trying to figure out the best way to use it for maximum advantage. Deciding on a plan, he tells her he's going out for a bit. Nay immediately objects, reminding him he collapsed not long ago.

But Jerm, helmet on, mounts his motorcycle and says there's something he needs to confirm. With that, he speeds off, leaving her frustrated. Back in the ruined village, zombies react to Jerm's approach. They charge at him, but he's running out of patience. He swings his chain, smacking zombies left and right without even stepping off his bike.

Still, Jerm knows the true crisis of the village hasn't begun yet. He recalls his past life when that giant monster stood atop a pile of corpses, with more grotesque creatures leading the charge. There was utter despair, and he remembers looking down as another nightmare ended in death. But now, taking off his helmet, he declares it's going to be different.

An explosion echoes, and Jerm realizes the monsters have already arrived. Wrapping the chain around his arm, he heads into the forest, knowing it's the first obstacle, but it's not going to be easy. A zombie lunges at him, and Jerm delivers a punch enhanced by the chain. Meanwhile, on the road, soldiers have set up a barricade, waiting for monsters to approach.

One soldier jokes that capturing the black monster alive would get him a promotion. He orders everyone to remember the priority: capture the black monster alive. Suddenly, someone shouts that the zombies are crossing the bridge. The soldier smiles, saying it's time to unleash hell and empty their ammo. Gunfire erupts as zombies rush for the barricade.

The soldier confidently remarks that if the zombies can't handle their bullets, they definitely won't survive the tank's firepower. But then a shadow falls over him. He hadn't noticed something descending from the sky. The massive monster crashes down, crushing the tanks. The beast roars as soldiers fire their machine guns, shouting for it to die, but nothing seems to hurt it.

Someone orders the crew to use the tank's main weapon. The monster keeps advancing, flipping tanks aside like toys. It grabs one with its jaws, biting down before tossing it into the air. The soldiers panic, with their leader yelling for a retreat to the second barricade. But amidst the chaos, a massive horde of grotesque zombies appears, overwhelming them.

One of the soldiers pleads for help, but Jerm, still in the forest, is observing from the bushes. He watches as the second barricade collapses faster than he expected. This wasn't like his dreams; the number of creatures had doubled from five to ten. The most crucial thing, however, was the giant creature with a crystal on its forehead. Jerm activates analysis and examines it. Whatever he sees makes him mutter that he's tired of taking it easy.

The scene shifts to Jerm speeding his motorcycle back toward the town. He estimates there are around 500 creatures in the area. The Celestial Demon's martial arts are powerful but consume a lot of mana. He realizes he has no choice but to use them. Every summer, the Artisan's Village holds a fireworks festival for tourists. This year, the festival was supposed to happen tonight.

Jerm knows there must still be some fireworks left. He heads to a boat, climbs aboard, and starts searching. Eventually, he finds the fireworks he's looking for. He also finds a walkie-talkie, which, with some adjustments, he can use. He just didn't expect to need all of this so soon. Night falls, and the city is crawling with zombies as usual.

Nearby, Jerm sprays himself with a strong scent on his face, his shirt, and anywhere else he can. Satisfied with the smell, he prepares to use the red magic stone. He places the chain on the ground and activates analysis. The system confirms that the chain is unclassified. Knowing that a good weapon is critical for dealing with a horde, he contemplates how to use the stone.

Reading the crystal closer to the chain, he wonders if that's all it takes. The system pops up a window asking if he wants to strengthen the item. He selects yes, and suddenly the chains glow with a red aura. After a brief flash of light, the strengthening is successful. The chains are now intact chains, a rank F item. They can conduct 15% of mana and come with a special skill: separation.

Jerm is impressed by how much the weapon improved just by gaining a rank. When he picks them up, his mana flows through the chains, making them shine. Curious, he activates the separation skill. The chains transform into combat gauntlets. This strengthening stone was even better than he imagined. Suddenly, the ground trembles. What he was waiting for has arrived at the village entrance.

Creatures begin appearing. The long-tongued monster destroys a flag and roars. The zombies start running toward the town. Jerm observes from a rooftop, strategizing his next move. When most of the stronger zombies are in the main street, it's time for the fireworks. He presses a button on the walkie-talkie, activating the fireworks on the boat.

Instead of attacking the zombies directly, he uses the fireworks as a distraction. A red explosion in the sky catches the attention of the big brute, who stands dumbfounded. Jerm sneaks up behind it, wraps the chain around its neck, and pulls hard. The brute struggles, but it's too late. Off with its head! With style, Jerm is framed by decorative explosions in the sky as the body falls.

The long-tongued creatures hear the commotion and attack Jerm. Remaining calm, he activates wooden architecture. A wall rises, fortifying style, blocking their path. The long-tongued zombies are confused, but not for long. Jerm strikes with the chain, smashing their heads. Blood splatters on the asphalt, and three crystals fall. He quickly grabs the crystals and adds them to his weapon.

The chain upgrades again: one level, two levels, three levels. More zombies approach, but Jerm grins and taunts them to come at him, swinging the chain like a helicopter. He mows them down. Meanwhile, the enormous monster watches the fireworks from outside the city. It stumbles around, smashing into a bar like an idiot before freezing in place. Suddenly, the creature sniffs something in the air.

In a single bound, it leaps into the main street. It notices the carnage: zombies lying dead and Jerm at the center, taking them all down. The monster roars, and Jerm, unfazed, remarks that it arrived at the perfect time. He pulls out another crystal and strengthens the chain five more times. The system informs him that he has reached the limit of strengthening and asks if he wants to proceed. Jerm confirms, and the chains evolve into flame chains, a rank D item.

He gains the special skill: firework flame. Jerm, brimming with confidence, punches his fists together, activating the skill. Flames engulf his arms as he declares the festival has just begun. Elsewhere, a man sits in a small house. His name is Sebastian Kim, a 65-year-old professor of ideology specializing in animal and human behavior. Petting a rabbit on his lap, he's interrupted when a crow lands beside him.

Addressing the crow as Mong Mong, he asks what's happened. The crow delivers a letter, which Sebastian praises it for bringing the message. It warns of zombies overwhelming the village and advises him to stay alive. Sebastian seems excited that the sender is still alive and wonders if the conservation team is okay. He hopes they haven't all died. Then he sees the fireworks lighting up the sky.

He wonders if a zombie could have caused this. The rabbit tugs at his leg, pointing toward something. Sebastian scolds it, telling it to stop urging him to go to that hellish place. But as he gazes at the scene, it reminds him of something. He recalls a past incident in the forest when something was watching him from the trees. It was that same strange flying rabbit, or was it a squirrel, that leaped onto his shoulder to warn him of danger.

That's when he started running. On the first day of the incident, Sebastian had seen zombies attacking. If it weren't for his little friend's warning, he would have died. Now that the creature is warning him again not to stay there, then once more, he will trust his instincts. Apparently, he's heading to the city.

Back in the city, Jerm is face to face with the giant monster. The creature glares at him, stretching its long neck in his direction. But Jerm is cold and calculating. He sidesteps and lands a solid punch on its head. The firework flame ability works, and the beast crashes face-first into the ground, catching fire instantly. It retreats for a moment, then turns back to Jerm.

It opens its mouth and begins drawing in the air around it, but Jerm already knows the pattern of the venomous web attack. The monster does exactly as he predicted. He wonders if it's due to the analysis ability. Somehow, he instinctively knows how to counter this. The system alerts him that his mana injection has reached its limit. He activates the firework flame release.

Jerm grins and throws a fiery punch. Fire beats web, and as Jerm says, "That's just how it works," the attack surges forward, engulfing the monster in flames. Jerm smirks, saying that this bastard doesn't know who it messed with. The creature writhes in agony, and its grotesque fused heads make its suffering even more horrifying. Jerm notices it's considering escape.

The monster turns, roaring that it will one day kill him. Suddenly, it pauses and lets out a deepening roar. All the zombies in the city respond immediately. Within seconds, Jerm is surrounded. Still calm, he asks if this is how it wants to fight. He combines the chains and spins them into helicopter mode. Jerm declares, "Let's play this game!" and lashes out, taking down zombies left and right.

If these creatures couldn't handle his weaker chains, they stood no chance against these upgraded ones, which slice through them like lasers. From a distance, the giant monster watches Jerm fight. It takes the opportunity to leap toward him, nearly crushing him. Jerm dodges and manages to throw the chain, wrapping it around both of the creature's legs. He pulls hard, taunting the monster, "Trash like you is nothing to me."

With another tug, the monster loses some of its limbs. The creature writhes in pain, and Jerm hopes this time it finally stays down. The battlefield is littered with dead zombies, and the monster is burning. The scene shifts to Sebastian, who has just arrived in the city and finds the situation strange. Since leaving the village, he hasn't seen a single zombie.

Then an explosion goes off nearby. He realizes something dangerous is happening. Although he doesn't want to go, his little friend insists this is the way. He runs, wondering if it might be the military. But when he arrives, he's stunned. The massive monster lies dead, with Jerm standing atop it.

Sebastian approaches and asks who the soldier is. Jerm turns around and recognizes Professor Sebastian Kim. Sebastian is shocked to see Jerm and asks if he's the one responsible for all this. Embarrassed, Jerm admits that he's been fighting the zombies and asks why Sebastian is here.

Sebastian ignores the question, incredulous that Jerm killed so many zombies, pointing at the giant. He demands to know how Jerm managed it. Suddenly, Sebastian's albino squirrel makes a noise and asks what's wrong. Looking up, both he and Jerm are startled. It looks like a dinosaur-era meteor is hurtling toward the Earth.

Jerm runs to his motorcycle, shouting for Professor Kim to move. Thankfully, the meteor seems to be in slow motion, giving them time to escape. But the meteor appears to be targeting them specifically. As Jerm accelerates, he mutters to himself that nothing like this ever happened in the dreams. The meteor crashes into the city, throwing both of them from the bike.

Jerm lands headfirst but manages to stand, realizing the meteor has brought hordes of zombies. The creatures rise from the black and red substance covering the ground. Standing at the edge of the crater, Jerm sees the creatures climbing out. A swarm rushes at him, and he activates his chains once more. Using analysis, the system reveals that these are corrupted zombies altered by something strange.

The system notes they are far more resilient, something Jerm never encountered in his dreams. He strikes one on the head, but his physical attacks are no longer as effective. To make matters worse, the strange black and red growth begins to spread wherever he strikes. He notices the zombies are resistant to fire. One lunges at him from behind, and he strikes its arm, tearing it off. But moments later, it regenerates.

As he suspected, these purple-tinged zombies regenerate far faster than normal ones. The only good news is that they seem confined to this bizarre moss-like substance. Sebastian rises, trying to make sense of the chaos. Meanwhile, Jerm realizes he's gathered enough information and decides it's time to retreat. He tells Sebastian the situation is critical and suggests they head to his home for now.

Sometime later, they arrive at Jerm's base. The professor is impressed that they've already set up all the barricades. He congratulates them, saying they seem to be handling things quite well. As Jerm approaches the door, he notices the durability of the barricade has dropped from 9 to 10. However, it still seems sturdy as ever.

Someone inside asks who it is, and Jerm replies it's him. Youngan opens the door, relieved that Jerm is safe. Jerm asks if everyone is awake, and they explain they were woken up by the fireworks. Good to know that if Jerm had died, they'd have slept through it all. Amazing. The elders greet each other, and Young Shan is thrilled that Sebastian is alive.

Jerm cuts in, saying they can catch up later. First, he needs to tell them about the strange meteor that fell. The five of them gather in the living room, or rather six, since there's a sneaky little one. Nay remarks that all she understands is that the village has become a horrible place. Youngan expresses concern for the survivors, worrying they might be running out of food.

Sebastian, however, says there's unfortunately no solution for that. He accidentally throws in an English phrase mid-sentence. Dalbong scolds him to speak in Korean. Sebastian then asks if anyone remembers the crows. Dalbong says he does and suggests they could use them to deliver food to people. The crows were intelligent enough that it might work.

However, Sebastian points out the problem: the crows are still at his house, which is likely full of zombies. Jerm knows that having such a resource would drastically reduce the time needed for rescues. Young Shan raises the issue of how they'll even reach the crows since they can't fly. Jerm starts brainstorming solutions. To succeed, he'll need a major upgrade.

He has four magic stones, which he could use to strengthen his weapon. The issue is he doesn't know how many it would take to advance his weapon specialization. Alternatively, he considers another option: using the stones on the four others. Jerm tells the group that he'll need their help outside. Each person holds a stone. Dalbong asks if they also see floating letters. Everyone confirms they're seeing something resembling a game interface.

Sham explains that the stones can awaken special abilities like the ones he has. Sebastian acknowledges the value of the stones and asks if Jerm is sure about sharing them. Jerm confidently replies that it's the best option and urges them to use the stones. The group stares at the stones in their hands as they begin to glow. The stones dissolve, and a red energy surrounds them.

Dalbong receives the innate ability of the Celestial Demon martial arts of Joan. His technique has advanced, and he can now sense mana. He lets out a shout as energy floods his body. The bandages on his body unravel, and he prepares a punch, slamming the ground with a burst of power, striking a double biceps pose. He declares his body is brimming with strength. Then his herniated disc flares up again.

Dalbong whines, and Jerm asks if he's okay. Dalbong admits, unfortunately, the stone can't cure his worst problem. Meanwhile, Yungan is on the ground constructing a Japanese-style house. He has gained the innate ability of wooden architecture. The house disassembles, forming pillars, structures, and even a small city and army. Jerm is thrilled, calling it fun and fascinating.

Jerm is shocked, having no idea his abilities could be used this way. Turning to Nay, he asks about her ability. She sings, embarrassed, and explains that her ability lets her see people's emotions. She knows Dalbong is feeling 0.4 embarrassment and 0.7 sadness. Looking at Jerm, she sees 0.2 happiness and 0.6 embarrassment. She decides to test something and steps closer, activating mental care.

When she touches Jerm, his happiness increases while his sadness decreases. Jerm comments that he feels comfortable. Nay excitedly remarks that these innate abilities are fascinating. Jerm notices no one mentions his or anything similar to his abilities. Perhaps there's something different about what he possesses.

Sebastian suddenly shouts, saying he's found the answer. He points upward, and Jerm looks confused. Sebastian explains that if they can't go by land because of the monsters, they need to go by air. While it makes sense, no one has any idea how to make it happen.

The next day, the house is surrounded by a mass of wall. Yungan has been using his abilities much more efficiently, improving everything. Jerm is surprised to see plants growing on the wall. It turns out Yungan has created a small forest of trees. Relaxing, Yontan announces that the basic construction is finally complete. Suddenly, there's a loud impact.

Jerm is training with Dalbong, and it looks like they're upside down. Indeed, they're fighting while inverted. Having grown accustomed to it, they're sparring this way to practice channeling mana through their feet. Facing Dalbong isn't easy, as the elder is thrilled and declares they're going to play some more.

Dalbong activates the second form of the Celestial Demon martial arts, unleashing the Tiger's Dance again. Dalbong unleashes a barrage of attacks on Jerm, who realizes that at this pace, he'll end up falling off. The elder praises him for holding on well but declares that this next attack will finish him. Jerm notices that Dalbong's strikes are getting faster and faster.

Dalbong announces that he'll now add his heart to the next move. In response, Jerm channels mana through his legs, focusing it in his feet, and leaps toward the elder. He nearly grabs Dalbong by the ear, but the elder sidesteps. Jerm chases him, narrowly landing a kick. Dalbong is impressed by how ingenious this kid is.

However, he grabs Jerm by the foot and exclaims that's how a disciple should be. In the middle of their sparring, someone calls out to Jerm. It's Sebastian, and he's already flying. Seems a bit unfair, doesn't it? Ah, but now the context becomes clear as Jerm mentions how much has changed in just two days.

Hanging on to the wall, Dalbong comments, "Now this is what I call footwork." Jerm has been studying the Celestial Demon arts to the fullest. One notable development is that he maxed out favorability with Sebastian. Using transmission, he gained the rank animal communication ability.

Sebastian's companion hops off his shoulder, and Jerm uses his ability on it. The system announces that Jerm successfully communicated with a creature, and his special skill, Wings Suit, activates. As he bites into a chocolate bar, Jerm tells Sebastian that it's time to go. Meanwhile, the city below is covered entirely in strange moss.

Sebastian says they'll stick to the plan for now. Jerm activates wooden architecture beneath them, creating a pillar that rises skyward. The system informs him that the structure has reached its limit. From afar, the city can be seen, but Sebastian's house is on the other side. They jump off the pillar, activating their wings suit abilities. With arms spread wide, they glide over the city.

Jerm is relieved to see that the strange moss hasn't invaded the houses, but Sebastian points out something strange: the zombies seem to be carrying bodies. Jerm finds this odd, noticing that the creatures are tossing the bodies into a pile. One creature is clearly absorbing the bodies as it finishes consuming them. The purple moss monster begins transferring its energy to another creature.

Jerm watches in disbelief as a headless, armored, bloated monster emerges. He knows that eroded monsters affected by this substance are far tougher to deal with. His biggest fear is that the stalker from earlier may have undergone the same process. For now, they focus on their main objective. They arrive at Sebastian's house, where he celebrates seeing his crows alive.

The crows rush, or rather fly, to him. Suddenly, Sebastian's demeanor changes as massive wings sprout from his back. Jerm is confused but finds it obvious this is Sebastian's new power. The professor, feeling like a cherubic angel, starts flying and tells Jerm to follow him. Jerm complains that it's unfair Sebastian gets to fly alone.

He channels mana through his feet, leaps, and begins gliding on the ground. Zombies look up, tracking their flight. The creatures activate strange mechanisms on their arms, attempting to grab them. The pair dodges, but one of the crows gets caught. At this rate, they're all bound to fall under heavy attack. Jerm tries to retaliate with his chain, but he loses his glide in the process.

He starts running, and Sebastian shouts after him. Jerm reassures Sebastian, saying he'll distract the zombies. The professor protests, but Jerm's determined look says it all. Activating firework flame, he charges into the fray. His fiery chain burns through the zombies as he declares he's ready to have some fun.

Landing with explosive impact, the ground erupts in a fiery burst, sending zombies flying. But then he hears heavy footsteps behind him. The eroded armored monster, armed with a massive hammer, approaches. Jerm barely dodges the first strike, encounters with a direct hit to its head, but nothing happens.

With zombies closing in on all sides, Jerm channels mana into his feet and tries to escape. But the monster combines its arms to form a cannon. It grabs another zombie, loads it into the makeshift weapon, and fires. Jerm, in disbelief, dodges to the side just in time. The zombie projectile hits, causing a massive explosion. The blast attracts even more creatures from the distance.

Desperate, Jerm knows he must escape as quickly as possible. Exhausted and low on mana, he eventually finds a building to hide in. The creatures are still nearby, and he knows he barely made it out alive. From his vantage point in the city, he notices something strange: one house appears to be untouched by the moss. He doesn't know if there's something special about the house, but he's determined to find out.

The next scene shows Jerm standing in front of the gate, listening to a strange buzzing sound. He wonders if this might be the reason the monsters aren't approaching. Suddenly, a man appears on top of the gate, trembling all over. Jerm notices the man is anxious and activates mental care, asking if they can talk for a bit. He offers the man a protein bar, asking if he's hungry.

The man opens the gate, and the next scene has them sitting in his living room. The man introduces himself as Ru Dtaec, a professor of acoustics. Jerm introduces himself in return and asks about the buzzing sound he keeps hearing. Ru explains that it's strange because humans shouldn't be able to hear that frequency. He reveals he created a device that emits a low-frequency sound; that's why his house has remained safe.

He offers to share the sound file with Jerm if he wants it. Jerm is thrilled, knowing this would be incredibly useful. Meanwhile, back at the base, Sebastian lands gracefully. Dalbong congratulates him on his new wings and immediately asks where Jerm is. Sebastian admits that during Jerm's attempt to save him, the boy fell into the village.

Dalbong yells at him, demanding to know what the point of the wings is if he abandoned Jerm. Sebastian tries to explain that the zombies were stretching their limbs skyward. Young Shan appears and asks what's going on. Dalbong angrily tells him that Sebastian left Jerm to die. He's ready to storm off, saying he'll handle it himself.

Young Shan warns him that he's lost his mind and should know that the village is hell. Dalbong, however, is fired up, declaring that he'll smash those bodies with his fists. Nay arrives, calm and composed, and tells Dalbong that while he might win against one or two zombies, what happens if the battle drags on? Young Shan agrees, reminding Dalbong not to forget about his back problems.

Dalbong demands a better suggestion. Young Shan assures him that Jerm won't die so easily, but Dalbong is eager to act. Nay advises everyone to stay calm and think rationally in moments like these. She asks Sebastian if they can now deliver supplies using the crows. Sebastian confirms that the animals aren't attacked by zombies, so it might work.

The group agrees to start by sending supplies and scouting the area. As Dalbong pointed out, they need a strong fighter for the mission. The task of going there must be entrusted to someone reliable. Sebastian insists there's no one suitable around, asking where they'll find such a person. Dalbong then suggests his granddaughter, Park Isio.

At that moment, Isio kicks open the door, exuding a dangerous aura. Dalbong says she'll survive for sure and has likely already awakened her abilities. He guarantees she's reliable and skilled. Nay asks where they can find her. Dalbong replies that she's likely at the martial arts dojo in the city of Ananan.

Sebastian is impressed, asking if that's the same dojo often featured on TV. The scene shifts briefly to the dojo. Several bald men stand in front of a stern-looking woman with crossed arms. Sebastian calls for Mong Mong, instructing the animals to find the girl in the photo. Ah, so what we saw earlier was just the photo. The animals fly off, even carrying some chocolate.

Back at Ru's house, he asks Jerm if he's sure the supplies will arrive. Jerm points out that they're on the way. Moments later, the crows deliver protein bars and maps. Ru is amazed that it actually worked, remarking that Jerm must have good companions. Back at the base, apologizing for being a coward, Ru asks if Jerm will accept him as an ally.

Jerm notoriously hard to convince or not, immediately welcomes him. With that, their favorability increases, and the transmission skill is activated. Jerm uses his ability, and both

They should eat it now. Jerham eagerly grabs his chopsticks, saying it would be a pleasure. As he eats, he gains a 20% bonus to all stats for 3 hours. The food is incredibly potent. Obviously, he eats everything and cleans the plate.

He jokes that when gamer parents have kids, they'll convince them to eat vegetables by saying, "Eat this broccoli and you'll gain 15 agility points." He praises Hammond, saying it's now much easier to escape, but Hammond mentions that the entrance is blocked with wood. Jerham assures him, saying he knows another way out. He raises his chain and slams it into the ground, opening a path to the sewers.

The two descend into the tunnel when suddenly an earthquake shakes the ground above. Hammond has no idea what's happening, but Jerham remains unimpressed. Then, horror reveals itself: a three-headed monstrosity emerges. The heads scream in unison, mocking Jerham for finally being found. Hammond panics as Jerham wonders how they tracked him. The creature is grotesque, with three heads, two arms, and blades extending from its limbs.

Park appears with his signature terrifying grin, calling out to Jerham. He tells Hammond to stay back and activates analysis. The system identifies Park as an infected awaken with triple-headed traits, enhanced sword skills, agility, and more. Park, thrilled, declares he can't wait to kill Jerham, calling the encounter perfect timing. The system warns Jerham that he's been inflicted with fear. Hammond, overwhelmed, panics. Jerham activates mental care, gradually dispelling Hammond's fear.

Park marvels at Jerham's many abilities, asking how it's possible. Jerham dismisses him, telling Hammond to return to the market because things are about to get messy. He activates chain separation and fire dragon. While fully buffed, decked out with agility-enhancing cat feet and other abilities, Jerham exudes confidence.

Park lunges at him, but Jerham uses prediction, dodging the first punch and landing a solid hit on Park's chest. The monster reels back, coughing blood, unable to breathe properly. The imprint of Jerham's fist remains on its torso. The other two heads comment on how ridiculously strong the punch was, questioning how one person could outmatch them all. Park silences them, saying they can't kill Jerham quickly; they need to savor it. He activates his strengthened version of fear.

The system informs Jerham that he's learned 32% of the ability used against him. If he experiences this skill multiple times and reaches 100%, he'll master it. Jerham anticipates attacks from behind. Park charges again, but Jerham predicts it, landing another devastating blow to his chest. The force sends Park flying into the tunnel wall. Park struggles to understand how Jerham reacts so quickly. The two remaining heads plead with Park to retreat, but Park refuses, calling them useless trash.

He prepares his weapons as the heads beg him not to kill them again. Ignoring their pleas, he says goodbye and cuts them off. The severed heads grotesquely mutate into something even worse. After a gruesome transformation, Park emerges with a single massive eye on a new head. He boasts about feeling magnificent now, activating fear again. Jerham's skill learning reaches 83%. Jerham is thrilled, calling Park a gift that keeps on giving.

Once more, Jerham fends off the fear with ease, using his chains to defend. Finally, his fear resistance hits 100%, upgrading to rank E. Now it's Jerham's turn. He activates his own version of fear. Park hesitates, realizing it's the same ability he used, but it's too late. Jerham lands another punch to Park's stomach. This time, Jerham follows up with a relentless combo. The monstrous head bursts, and Park's body is hurled to the far end of the tunnel.

As he struggles to rise, Park finally understands Jerham is on an entirely different level. Jerham cautiously approaches the battered Park, who is half-transformed and struggling to stay upright. Before Park can react, Jerham secures a chain around his arm and tries to pull him back. However, the monster manages to escape by abandoning half of his body. Jerham is amazed to see that even the severed arm alone is worth an orange magic stone.

He quickly calls out for Hammond, asking where he is. Hammond appears, shaken, saying he's been hearing terrifying noises. Jerham explains that he couldn't finish Park off, but at least he made him retreat, and it's unlikely he'll come back. The cook is astonished that Jerham survived a fight against the transformed Park. Jerham suggests they head back.

Later, Jerham tells Hammond to wait below as he climbs out of the sewer. When Hammond emerges, he asks why the monsters couldn't enter the area. To Hammond's surprise, Jerham has led them straight to Dong Tac's house. Jerham calls for the professor, who appears overjoyed to see him. It turns out that Hammond and Dong Tac already know each other. Hammond explains that Jerham saved him. Dong Tac smiles and says Jerham helped him as well, leaving Hammond in shock at how many people Jerham has rescued.

Indeed, Jerham seems to be the most altruistic protagonist, constantly saving someone here and another there. Jerham acknowledges their reunion but suggests they all go inside since he's being pursued. The cheery professor asks why, and Jerham replies that it's because he's been killing too many enemies. Dong Tac praises him, saying if that's the case, he's more than welcome.

Hammond shakes Dong Tac's hand, thanking him for his kindness. He then turns to Jerham, thanking him as well for everything. With this, Jerham's favorability with Hammond reaches the threshold, activating the transmission ability. A glowing Digimon-like circle appears, transferring abilities. Jerham now learns Hammond's cooking skill, finding himself at rank F with 0% progress. He wonders if cocktails also fall under this skill. Turning to Hammond, he asks if he brought any drinks.

Heading to the kitchen, Jerham decides to prepare a cocktail—not an energy drink, but one with vodka and soda. After a quick shake, the cocktail is ready. It grants a 10% stamina boost for 10 minutes. While it's not as impressive as Hammond's creations, Jerham is satisfied knowing they'll still be useful.

Meanwhile, Park is in the city, killing zombies. After each kill, he devours them, and finally, his arm regenerates once more. He vows to kill Shin Jerham. However, he senses something approaching—a powerful energy from afar. A demon-like presence causes him to tremble, overwhelmed by its immense power. He even kneels, realizing he can't resist this being's existence.

From a distance, a figure appears. Park recognizes her as the likely ruler of this area, the leader of the zombies. A plant-like tentacle emerges from her back, burrowing into the ground. It reappears on the other side, forming a giant mouth in front of the zombies. Park, mesmerized, declares that this is the queen to whom he wants to dedicate everything.

The zombies gather, merging into a strange brain-like structure with a large eye on top. This is their majesty, the 24th Master of the Martial Arts Dojo, Park Isio. It's revealed that she's the granddaughter of the legendary Dalbong. As a child, Isio couldn't stand injustice. If a chubby kid stole from her friend, she'd immediately seek revenge. She frequently fought bullies in her neighborhood and began training with her grandfather from a young age.

By the age of six, she had already turned her school into a peaceful place through sheer strength. One day in the mountains, her grandfather asked her what she would do with her power. She replied that she wanted to protect everyone so they could enjoy life. Dalbong bowed to her, and all the disciples of the dojo followed suit, recognizing her as their new master.

At 17, she began spreading her ideals worldwide. Once, she intervened when some men mistreated a boy, kicking them away without hesitation. She brought the boy back to the dojo, introducing him as their newest member. The boy began training, and a year later, he joined her in standing up against injustice. One day, they encountered men harassing a girl. He boldly confronted them, asking if they wanted to die.

The next scene shows both of them lying exhausted on the ground, having fought valiantly. This was the first time Isio saw someone she saved go on to save another. As time passed, more people began to follow her, drawn to her vision of a world where everyone could smile. But now, the world had become a living hell. Still, Isio brought her entire dojo with her, commanding them to use their martial arts to save others.

As they charged forward, she warned that anyone who fled would die by her hands. The battle had begun, and Park Isio refused to give up on her beliefs. But then, a massive figure approached her, ready to strike. At that moment, she was utterly exhausted, with no strength left to fight. Closing her eyes, she accepted that survival was impossible.

However, one of her disciples stepped in front of her, taking the blow directly to his stomach. It was the very boy she had saved in the past. She screamed his name and lost her composure. With a powerful kick, she sent the brute flying and rushed to the disciple, demanding to know why he did it. The young man, bleeding heavily, smiled and said he had learned that martial arts were meant to save others. He was happy he could use what he learned in the right way.

She begged him to stop talking, overwhelmed by the amount of blood he was losing, but he simply thanked her for saving him that day. It was then that Isio realized something profound: her group was dying, protecting one another in the process. Those who had grown and trained with her had saved countless lives, but it was undeniable—every day, more and more of them were disappearing.

Their mission to save others came at the cost of their lives. Holding a flower, she whispered a wish for everyone to find a better place. That night, she resolved to eliminate all those who occupied the village. But just as she prepared, the sky turned green. It was the day the meteor struck. Instead of fleeing, one of her followers ran to her, calling for their master. The meteor hit squarely, engulfing the entire area in smoke.

When Isio regained consciousness, she realized that everyone around her was melting. Her disciples turned to her, saying they felt strange and urging her to flee, but it was too late. Everyone exploded, and the goo splattered onto her. She was absorbed into the animation, falling to her knees as claws sprouted from her back and horns grew on her head. The desire to kill consumed her mind.

When she regained some semblance of awareness, she found herself transformed. From the pile of corpses, she rose to the sky. A massive eye called her "Your Majesty," urging her to consume and perfect herself. She stabbed it with her tail, draining it as the creature pledged its loyalty to the strong.

Back in the city, Jerham noticed something strange: the zombies stopped moving. The system announced that Park Kunon had died. The zombies in front of Jerham disintegrated into sludge. A new mission appeared: prevent the queen's perfect transformation. He had a 5-hour time limit and needed to inflict at least 50% damage on the infected ground.

Sebastian appeared, warning Jerham that Isio had transformed into one of the monsters. Jerham remembered her as Dalbong's granddaughter. "Well, at least we're all dealing with the same problem," Jerham muttered. Sebastian said he had already sent crows to notify Dalbong. Within moments, the old man arrived, demanding to know where Isio was. Sebastian pointed to the purple zone, saying she was at its center.

Without hesitation, Dalbong sprinted toward her. Jerham told Sebastian to warn others to stay back; it was going to get dangerous. He stopped and called out for Isio. Jerham looked up, confused by what he saw at the top of the city: a cocoon floated in the sky, absorbing everything around it. Inside, a faint face could be seen emerging.

Jerham activated analysis: Park Isio, 23 years old, now the seed of the queen. She was receiving energy from multiple tubes, and once fully formed, she would no longer be able to return to her human form. Jerham informed Dalbong that they needed to sever those connections to save her. He linked up with his flaming chains, landing a direct hit on the cocoon. However, it only lost 0.5% durability.

Dalbong, at a loss, began concentrating his mana. He explained to Jerham that he could only use this technique once and urged him to watch carefully. Leaping toward the cocoon, Dalbong declared, "If something is hard on the outside..." Jerham's analysis revealed that Dalbong's trembling fist had an effect similar to acoustic magic. "It's soft on the inside; that's where you strike."

Dalbong finished his punch, landing with a massive shockwave, creating an explosion and causing liquid to ooze out of the cocoon. Despite his age, Dalbong managed to reduce the cocoon's durability to 88.9%. The old man impressed Jerham, who remarked on his incredible strength. Dalbong said he needed time to recover and encouraged Jerham to learn from the technique.

Confidently, Jerham replied that he had already learned enough. He detached his chains and launched himself at the cocoon, activating the acoustic magic in his fist. He landed a solid punch, a tentacle trailed and exploded, disconnecting from the cocoon. Its durability dropped to 74%. Dalbong was amazed that Jerham had mastered the technique after seeing it just once.

Jerham, combining his skills, began systematically destroying tentacle after tentacle. The cocoon's durability continued to drop, eventually reaching 47.5%. With the completion of the emergency quest, Jerham gained the ability to proclaim another area. Suddenly, the cocoon from the ceiling fell to the ground, emerging from it was none other than Queen Isio, now in an unstable transformation state.

A new mission triggered: defeat Queen Isio. As she locked eyes with Jerham, the system issued a dire warning: high-level target was now focused on him. The system advised Jerham to run. Slowly, Isio began regaining fragments of her consciousness. Jerham's prediction ability revealed she would attack from all directions. He grabbed Dalbong's arm, insisting they needed to flee.

Dalbong, still calling for his granddaughter, seemed confused and reluctant to leave. Noticing Dalbong's condition, Jerham realized the old man would die if he stayed. With a burst of strength, Jerham threw Dalbong a safe distance away, activating agile movement and telling him to run ahead. Behind him, Isio emerged, flying at high speed toward Jerham.

Once again, he activated prediction, identifying the paths of her attacks. He countered with his chain, defending himself, but another strike came from behind. Already prepared, Jerham blocked again, activating fear in an attempt to stall her. However, her high rank nullified the effect. Switching strategies, he activated acoustics and blue fire dragon, preparing a strike.

Despite the powerful combination, his attack had no effect on her abdomen. It became clear she was so strong that she didn't even bother to block. Then, she landed a devastating kick on Jerham, sending him flying. He ricocheted through the forest, crashing into a wall. Isio approached him, step by menacing step. Desperate, Jerham activated wooden construction, encasing her in a barrier.

He quickly got up and started running. Within seconds, Isio shattered the barrier effortlessly, resuming her pursuit. Jerham ran toward the base, hearing Dalbong and N calling out for him. As one of her attacks neared his back, he activated his area proclamation ability. A barrier formed around the house, protecting everyone inside. Jerham barely managed to dive through as the barrier deflected her attacks.

Now within the safe zone, he was prompted to choose combatants. The fewer selected, the stronger the buffs they'd receive. Knowing Dalbong couldn't fight his own granddaughter, Jerham chose himself as the sole combatant. Immediately, the buff took effect. Energy from everyone within the area flowed into him, dramatically increasing his mana and strength.

Dalbong marveled at the transformation as Jerham instructed everyone to retreat indoors. He declared that he alone would face Isio. The group obeyed, retreating to safety. Meanwhile, Isio's tentacles began piercing through the barrier, tearing it apart. The globe of energy shattered, and the two faced off. Stretching out his hand, Jerham vowed this time would be different.

Combining dilution technique with wooden construction, he created a massive wooden foot to crush her. By the time Isio noticed the attack, it was too late. The foot descended, seemingly crushing her until their tentacles intercepted, tickling the surface. Frustrated, Jerham pressed harder, but she broke through again. Undeterred, he leaped for a follow-up, enhancing his attack with crushing palm.

From afar, Dalbong couldn't believe what he was witnessing as Jerham's palm struck. Energy surged, forcing Isio into the ground even as she tried to retaliate. Jerham focused energy into his fists, activating the Marshall Demon's second form. The dance of fists branches wrapped around her tentacles, holding her down as Jerham landed a crushing blow from behind. This time, she was sent flying across the battlefield, crashing into the distance.

Jerham, breathing heavily, wondered if he had finally overpowered her. But from the shadows, she emerged again, exuding a menacing purple aura. He noticed her chest's core was beginning to crack. Using analysis, the system revealed that this core was her weakness. Destroying it would end the fight. At that moment, prediction warned him of an incoming attack to his head. He narrowly dodged, realizing the next set of attacks would overwhelm him if he didn't retreat.

Observing her movements, he questioned whether she was now using martial arts. But before he could react further, she lashed out with a tentacle, landing a strike that splashed into a red puddle. Despite her relentless assault, Jerham managed to grab her leg, swinging her like a sack of garbage and slamming her into the ground. The cocoon's durability dropped to 77%.

Seizing the opportunity, Jerham prepared another strike, landing a direct hit. However, Jerham began to notice a pattern: even when his hits seemed to land, Isio managed to evade at the last moment. As another attack approached, he barely dodged, feeling a sharp pain in his chest from the near miss. She continued her relentless assault, moving faster with each strike.

Jerham couldn't help but wonder why her speed seemed to be increasing. She came at him with an attack aimed at his face, and he countered with a punch. Both of them landed their strikes, sending each other sliding backward. Outside the barrier, the others could only hear the sounds of their fierce battle. N asked Dalbong if he was sure Jerham would be okay, but Dalbong's expression was grim. He knew things were heading toward disaster.

At this moment, we delve into Dalbong's past. A martial prodigy blessed by the gods, he quickly rose to become a champion. But his arrogance and selfishness overshadowed his skill. He berated his own son, calling him weak and a disgrace to their family. The boy left behind a note, apologizing for not being someone his father could rely on. At the age of 20, his son left home. Dalbong dismissed him as a loser and moved on, forgetting the boy entirely.

Years later, government officials came to Dalbong's dojo, asking if he was the father of Park Seonran. Dalbong immediately sensed something was wrong. The scene shifted to his son's funeral. A little girl sat on the floor, crying, while others murmured about how tragic the car accident was. Dalbong stood frozen, unsure of what to do. The girl looked up at him and recognized his face from a photo, running to him in tears and asking if he was her grandfather. Until that moment, Dalbong hadn't known he had a granddaughter.

With no other family, he was left to raise her. Despite being too old to care for a child, Dalbong did his best. One day, he asked her what she wanted to do with the power she gained from martial arts. She replied that she wanted to protect everyone so they could enjoy their lives. Dalbong smiled gently, patting her head, telling her she was far better than he ever was.

It was then he realized he had something far more precious than martial arts. Though he hadn't known how to raise her properly, she grew into an adult with a heart purer than anyone else's. She soon became the most valuable treasure in his life. Youngan, standing beside him, asked why he was just standing there. Dalbong was contemplating the Marshall Demon's final form technique, which exchanged one's life force for a celestial body.

He told Youngan to take care of things. If Isio returned, then whisper that he loved his granddaughter deeply. As a blue aura enveloped him, Youngan shouted, asking what Dalbong was doing. But Dalbong continued to gather energy, declaring he'd give everything for Isio. As his power surged into the heavens, he acknowledged the price: even if it meant sacrificing himself, he was willing to save Isio.

Meanwhile, Jerham was being beaten down. Isio's speed had reached a point where even his predictions couldn't keep up. She launched another punch straight at his face, but suddenly, Dalbong arrived with a flying kick. Isio noticed too late and took a heavy blow to her arm, sending her flying. Dalbong stepped in front of Jerham, telling him to watch and learn.

"This is the true power of the celestial demon's martial arts." A pack of spectral tigers emerged from Dalbong, charging toward Isio. The system informed Jerham that he was witnessing a perfect demonstration of an expert's skill. His learning meter shot to 100%, unlocking the second gate of Dooi. Dalbong assured Jerham he could hammer the chaos, giving him permission to rest.

Isio, meanwhile, gathered the energy from Dalbong's previous attacks, neutralizing them and activating her own aura. She prepared for a counterattack. Dalbong praised her, saying it was the least he expected from his granddaughter, but he warned her to stay alert. He was ready for the final fight of his life.

Dalbong advanced again, narrowly dodging her attacks and landing a powerful punch to her abdomen, sending her flying. Still midair, she activated power in her hands, forming spikes that pierced his back. Dalbong shrugged off the attack, criticizing her weak resolve. Charging forward, he called her slow and unmotivated. She turned to defend, creating a glowing energy sphere.

Even so, Dalbong's strike broke through, slamming her into the ground and cracking her defense. He landed on her shield, calling her name and asking if she had truly forgotten everything when she became a monster. The barrier shattered as she retaliated with another attack. Dalbong ignored it, grabbing her arm and declaring it impossible for her to win. Someone who had lost the true path could never defeat him.

With that, he delivered a headbutt directly into her core. The explosion tore through the forest, leaving destruction in its wake. Some time later, Dalbong stood, transformed, in front of him. Isio remained standing. He couldn't believe she was still alive after everything. She stretched her arm, forming another attack—the same move that had killed Park earlier.

Dalbong advanced undeterred, declaring he would destroy everything if that's what it took. He landed a punch squarely in her face, sending her flying. But Isio appeared above him, ready to deliver a kick. This time, Dalbong was too slow and was struck, slamming into the ground. As Dalbong collapsed, weak, Queen Isio wasted no time and approached him with a flurry of strikes.

Jerham, seeing the danger, called out to the old man and rushed to attack her from behind. Once again, she dodged his attack effortlessly, but Dalbong followed up with a heavy kick. Together, they seemed to be gaining ground against her. However, she retaliated, landing a brutal hit on Dalbong's jaw and a powerful kick to Jerham's ribs.

The battle had dragged on, and Isio only seemed to grow faster and stronger. Jerham was slammed into a wall again, leaving the people at the base in disbelief. Even the two strongest fighters together couldn't bring her down. As Isio advanced toward Dalbong, he tried to land another punch, but she blocked it and lifted him by the neck. She prepared a claw hand to finish him, but Dalbong called her name and touched her face.

For a moment, she froze. Memories of their time in the mountains together, smiling and happy, flashed through her mind. She let out a scream, dropping Dalbong and realizing this was his final chance. Dalbong gathered all his remaining mana and activated the eight gates technique one last time. Isio retaliated, firing a web-like attack at him, but Dalbong pressed forward, striking her crystal directly with his celestial palm.

His mana flowed through her body, causing the crystal to crack. With his strength spent, Dalbong turned to Jerham and told him to finish it. Jerham leaped into action, activating the second form of the Marshall Demon. With a flurry of tiger dance strikes, he finally sent her flying. Her body crashed to the ground as the system announced that her core had been completely destroyed.

The emergency mission was over, and the queen had been defeated. Exhausted, Jerham collapsed to the ground as the area proclamation deactivated. His vision blurred as he saw people rushing to Dalbong's side. The system informed him that he was about to receive an incredible achievement for completing an impossible mission.

Sometime later, Jerham woke up in a bed, groggy and confused. For defeating the queen, he had earned a new ability: the power to combine two skills into a temporary new one. As he pondered this skill synthesis concept, someone called his name. It was N. She asked if he was feeling better, but he was still disoriented, unsure where he was.

N explained that he was in a new building constructed in sector 2. Confused by the mention of sector 2, Jerham got up to look outside. To his shock, he saw a thriving city that had been built while he was unconscious. N informed him that he had been asleep for over a month. She jokingly mentioned that it was thanks to a catheter system draining his body.

Jerham, both surprised and mildly embarrassed, was about to ask when the doctor arrived, greeting him as the leader. Jerham was taken aback by the title. The doctor explained that according to N, Jerham was the one who had built the foundation for this place and had nearly died protecting the village. Though embarrassed, Jerham admitted the doctor wasn't entirely wrong.

The doctor extended his hand, channeling mana, and Jerham asked if he had awakened. The doctor confirmed that he had, thanks to a magic stone given to him by N. He assured Jerham that with another week of care, he'd be back to normal. Jerham, however, felt much better already. As the doctor left, Jerham activated transmission, forming the glowing circle around them.

He gained the rank F medicine skill, allowing him to heal targets using mana. The system immediately combined it with his acoustics ability to create a healing sound. Activating it, Jerham felt a refreshing sensation as his body rapidly healed. Ignoring the doctor's warnings, he got out of bed, declaring himself 100% recovered. Both N and the doctor were shocked by his quick recovery after such a long rest.

The doctor commended him, calling him an extraordinary awakened individual. After everything was settled, the doctor left, and N asked what ability Jerham had used. He brushed it off as something new but was more curious about how everything had changed. N offered to guide him around the city, explaining the developments.

The townspeople, excited to see him awake, greeted him as their savior and leader. Jerham felt awkward and overwhelmed by the attention, unsure who all these people were. He turned to N, asking what she had been telling everyone. She confidently replied that she'd simply told the truth: that he was the leader who had saved them all.

Blushing, Jerham asked if these people were the survivors from the city. N confirmed that since Jerham defeated the queen, the purple ground had disappeared. This allowed them to rescue many people and use crystals to awaken others. Jerham asked if it was difficult to collect so many stones. She explained that Professor Sebastian discovered a cache while exploring several tanks surrounded by dead zombies with crystals nearby.

Jerham then asked about Dalbong and Isio. N said they were in sector 1 and suggested he go see for himself. When they arrived, Jerham was astonished by the size of the facility. It looked like a modern hospital, complete with electricity. N explained they salvaged generators from the city and were rebuilding everything.

As they entered, Jerham saw the doctor standing next to two bodies. He immediately asked about Dalbong's condition. The doctor explained that Dalbong's spine was severely damaged. Even if he survived this crisis, it was unlikely he'd ever walk again. Jerham noticed Dalbong's white mustache and wondered if it had always been that color or if he was just noticing it now.

He then asked about Isio. The doctor said her vital signs were stable, but her mind showed no signs of regaining consciousness. N pulled Jerham aside, holding his hand and placing it on Isio's head. Suddenly, they found themselves in front of a black sphere. Jerham was disoriented, unsure of where they were. Thankfully, the system explained that they were inside Park Isio's mind.

Because Jerham had witnessed the perfect demonstration of an expert, his mental care ability had advanced to rank E. N explained that Isio's mind was corrupted. Using analysis, Jerham saw that her mind was surrounded by a barrier of despair. N admitted she had tried to enter countless times but found it too difficult to break through.

Jerham suggested breaking the barrier, but N warned that doing so would cause Isio's mind to shatter. They would need to rescue her before that happened. Jerham confidently said he had an idea worth trying. He combined mental care with fear, creating a new ability: mental pressure. Activating it, he felt an overwhelming power in his hand. He touched the barrier, and energy began spreading across it.

The entire sphere fragmented, leaving N amazed. She asked how he managed to do it on his first try. Jerham simply replied, "I'll be back soon," and dove in. Inside Isio's mind, he saw a corrupted zombie accusing her of causing its death. Isio punched the zombie, killing it, but more kept coming. The apparitions berated her, calling her a cowardly disgrace and questioning if this is what they deserved for following her.

Despite their words, Isio didn't hesitate. She kept fighting, finishing them off one by one. Even as they cried out in pain, she pushed forward. Then, a shadow resembling Dalbong formed, asking if she intended to kill her grandfather a second time. Isio didn't flinch and delivered a flying kick to its face.

Even the boy she had saved appeared, asking how long the great master would continue like this. She punched him too, unwavering. This endless cycle continued as the apparitions mocked her, claiming she would tire eventually. They declared they had all eternity and she would break down sooner or later. Bit by bit, she began to lose her mind.

Dalbong's shadow gained color and urged her to rest, claiming it was the only way out since she'd never escape this place. At that moment, an energy burst exploded on the ground, catching Isio off guard. Jerham appeared, surprising her. Recognizing him, she asked what he was doing there.

Jerham noted how mentally exhausted she looked. After all, she'd been fighting these apparitions non-stop for over a month. He told her he was there to help her escape. The apparitions taunted her, questioning if she planned to abandon them and run away. Jerham used analysis, revealing that these apparitions were manifestations of Isio's trauma. If she didn't overcome them, they would endlessly reappear.

Seeing how unwell she was, Jerham told her that none of this was her fault. He reminded her that believing these accusations would insult the sacrifices of everyone who fought alongside her. She admitted she knew that, but it was hard to accept. Jerham pointed to the apparitions, asking if they really looked like the comrades she remembered.

Isio began recalling those she fought alongside—the boy who sacrificed himself to shield her, the people who stood in front of her as the meteor fell to protect her. She remembered that until the end, they were pure martial artists. It was her own fear of being insufficient that had transformed her comrades into monsters.

To lend a hand, Jerham activated his mental power. He walked toward the creatures and stopped in front of them. He bowed and apologized for insulting their legacy like this. The ghosts seemed confused, but not for long, as Isio once again started destroying them. With that, the mental barriers seemed to dissolve as well.

The creatures transformed back into her comrades. They told her that now she was truly the master they had known. They approached her and told her not to resent them like this. They had cherished their time by her side. They would always remain in her memories, but now it was time for her to follow her own path.

Isio called out to them as they disappeared into the air. With this, she managed to overcome her trauma. She turned to Jerham and thanked him for his help, but he responded that she had saved herself, not him. Now it was time for both of them to return to the real world.

After crossing the void, she woke up in the hospital. Immediately, she sat up and called for her grandfather. She completely ignored Jerham and ran to Dalbong, saying he was in that state because of her. She fixated on his white mustache, but at that moment, Dalbong opened his eyes. He woke up, telling her it wasn't her fault. If he hadn't saved her, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life.

She told him it was okay and that he didn't need to feel regret about anything anymore. With that, he hugged his granddaughter tightly. A while later, as Isio was leaving the room, N asked to talk to her for a moment. There was something she wanted to say about Jerham and asked her to take a look.

Jerham was sitting on a bench in his city. The boy had suddenly become president. N approached him and asked why he was sitting there alone. He replied that he was just... but noticed that the people seemed quite happy. She explained that everyone was feeling this way because they had just escaped that hell.

He then asked about the problems they had faced that month. She said that thanks to the elders in the city, everything had gone well. Jerham was relieved; the abilities he helped awaken had truly made a difference. But he wanted to know if they were missing anything. She said that magical stones were the biggest shortage. Those were the only way to strengthen objects and people.

Jerham was surprised that she knew about object strengthening. She explained that she understood it when he mentioned that crystals work as experience. He remembered saying that. She added that she had placed several stones in a generator, greatly increasing its efficiency. That explained why sector 1 had so much power.

He then said it was the perfect time for him to explore the region and collect as much as possible. But she protested, saying he had just woken up and should rest. Yet he countered that this was the perfect reason to start moving his body again. But someone else interjected, saying that if he was going, they would have to accompany him.

There was a confident fighter who claimed to be a zombie-crushing professional. Jerham simply agreed, saying, "Let's go." The only thing they needed was a motorcycle. She hopped onto the back of the bike, and Jerham sped through the city. They encountered zombies ahead and stopped the bike. The chances of finding survivors were obviously very slim.

The bridge ahead was packed with zombies. The horde came rushing toward them, but the confident companion declared she could handle it. She ran toward the creatures and delivered a powerful kick straight to the head of one of the monsters, sending it to the ground. A tongue lashed out from behind her, but she dodged and countered with another punch and a kick, unleashing energy that scattered the zombies.

Jerham was impressed by her strength. Finally, the crystals they had been searching for dropped. She handed them to him, and he opened his inventory. She was curious about what that was, and he explained it was just one of his abilities. She asked if they were going to the city, and he said, "Of course."

Once on the street, Jerham looked up and saw something surprising: a message indicated that to the south, there was an area using a protective shield. Jerham wondered how people had advanced so much. It seemed to be an organization also known as Shield, founded with a motto of justice by a national actor named Lee Sanel.

The old man stood before the crowd, shouting that Shield would protect everyone. The crowd erupted in cheers. Meanwhile, soldiers were shown shooting zombies, fulfilling Sanel's promise. But that was only the beginning. Soon, they began expanding. Sanel raised the hand of a soldier, declaring them the heroes who protected everyone. He encouraged people to appreciate these brave individuals risking their lives.

As a result, rewards for fighters increased, creating growing inequalities. A social pyramid formed while the soldiers pretended to do most of the work. Ordinary people were left carrying the burden and doing manual labor. The poor were soon living in tents while the military and Sanel indulged in luxury. Then the experiments began.

A scientist drew blood from a zombie while three people were tied to a wall. He approached them, and you can imagine what happened next. A quick injection, and one of them began to transform. This was the true face of Sanel's army: crazy experiments and pure injustice. Shield was essentially a trap you couldn't escape once inside.

Seeing the message, Jerham realized they were starting to make their move. Apparently, N had told Isio that Jerham knew about the future. Isio asked if these people were going to cause problems. He replied that they probably would, so they needed to investigate. But first, Jerham slammed his fist into the ground. The zombies across the city heard the sound. He grabbed his chain, declaring that it was time to herd the sheep.

The zombies swarmed toward them, but the pair easily eliminated them. Not long after, they returned their motorcycle. That's when Jerham had the idea to upgrade it. The system informed him that he could enhance both the body and the engine. This meant the bike might gain two different abilities. He modified the engine, drastically reducing its sound.

Isio immediately noticed and asked why it had gone so quiet. He explained that he had strengthened it the same way he had upgraded his weapon. Impressed, she admitted she didn't know the stones could be used in so many ways. He eyed another stone and said he would show her again. He strengthened the engine further, upgrading it to the next rank and unlocking the stealth ability.

On the road, he activated stealth mode, and the two blended into the shadows, as if in black and white. They passed by Shield soldiers stationed at a bridge. Jerham thought it was the perfect chance to test the stealth. They moved close to the soldiers, who seemed to sense something. For a moment, one asked if something was wrong, while the other said he felt something strange. But they had no idea Jerham and Isio were already far ahead.

Near the base, it was the same place Jerham had seen in the past. Their stealth worked so well that they found themselves in the middle of the enemy's base. At that moment, an announcement played, declaring that they had finished restoring the village. The voice was one Jerham knew all too well: Kim Hung Shuk, Shield's propaganda director.

Hung Shuk spoke about how, thanks to the awakened ones who had dedicated their lives, they had finally achieved this success. Pointing to the soldiers, he proclaimed that they deserved long lives. For him, the government and military were useless; only Shield could win this war. The crowd cheered Shield's name in celebration.

Hung Shuk continued, saying they must first appreciate the heroism of these individuals. That was why those who fought on the front lines would become first-class citizens. Jerham activated analysis, discovering that Kim Hung Shuk was a human magic stone eater with the title of hybrid creature.

Hung Shuk showed a map, urging everyone to continue earning their qualifications. That way, they could access the true Shield villages or even the central base known as Paradise. Isio remarked that the group seemed massive and highly influential. "How do they have so much strength in military resources?" she asked. Jerham had no idea but agreed it wasn't surprising that Hung Shuk dismissed the official military as incompetent.

He was more curious about the hybrid creature title and why Shield was so focused on expansion. Clearly, there was more to this than he knew. Isio asked what he planned to do. He replied that for now, they would do nothing since there were many civilians present. Plus, he had no idea how powerful the awakened ones in Shield were. At the moment, they were at a numerical disadvantage.

He explained that as far as he knew, Shield conducted experiments with zombie blood. Isio asked if they were insane and what they planned to do in Paradise. Jerham said they would focus on gathering information for now. The scene shifted to the forest, where crows flew overhead. Shield's army was advancing, carrying injured men on structures.

One soldier muttered that the operation had fallen into a trap and was now a complete failure. Zombies began approaching as the soldiers prepared for battle. They started shooting, using shields to hold back the horde. Some zombies fell, and the soldiers grew optimistic, thinking they might hold out. Then the large zombies appeared.

One soldier shouted for them to block the attack. Three soldiers tried to brace themselves, but they were crushed. Others opened fire, but despite hitting their marks, it was too late. A group of long-tongued zombies attacked from behind. Realizing his mistake, one soldier knew this was the end. But suddenly, a long-tongued zombie was struck in the head, two falling instantly.

Confused, the soldier looked around, unsure of what had happened. There was Jerham and Isio, arriving in style. In mere seconds, they cleared the entire horde of zombies. Jerham asked if the soldiers were okay, but the soldiers, overwhelmed by the pair's strength, were more afraid than reassured, demanding to know who they were.

Jerham explained that they had come after seeing the message in the city. He then asked if they were part of the organization called Shield. The scene then transitions to Kung Shak's office, where he tells someone to come in. A chubby man enters the room and says he's there to deliver information about the reconnaissance operation.

Kung Shak says he wants to know the reason for these mishaps and that he's not helping them get stronger just for them to be this incompetent. The man trembles, apologizes, and tries to explain that they encountered several mutant zombies. However, Hung Shak has already decided he needs to be careful with so many incompetent people around him.

The man then says that at least it wasn't all bad because they managed to find two amazing individuals who want to join Shield. Hung Shak orders him to explain, and he says they're people who easily killed mutated zombies. Kung Shak is impressed since those mutations were extremely difficult to defeat. However, he finds it suspicious that someone so powerful would want to join Shield. Maybe they were planning something.

He then says he wants to meet these people and asks where they are. The scene shifts to the group sitting on a couch. Hung Shak and his vacuum-packed friends introduce themselves, saying they are the owners and protectors of the place. At that moment, Jerham activates his analysis and sees that all three of them were eaters of human magical stones.

The two then introduce themselves. Isio says she thinks she's seen her before and asks if she was part of the martial arts dojo. She says yes and that before everything started, she was a master. He says it's great news to know that someone as amazing as her came to visit. However, he wants to know why she no longer calls herself a master.

Isio explains that she no longer has any comrades, so she's a master to no one—all because of the zombies. The man says he understands and now wants to know why the two are there. Jerham says it's because they don't want to lose anyone else around them. He's been observing the actions Shield has taken to protect people and believes it's a good place to be.

"Wow, the protagonist lies without hesitation, doesn't he?" The guy doesn't even blush. Kung Shak says that's right; here, they prioritize actions over words. Jerham then says that's why they came. They also want to help save more people and prevent chaos from taking over. Kung Shak is thoughtful. He initially thought these two were there for power. If what they're saying is true, maybe it could be useful.

He didn't ask why the two of them joined the vigilance squad. If they managed to gather enough achievements, they could enter Paradise. Jerham interrupts and says that's not what they want. All they want is to help protect people. Hung Shak says that's fine; then they'll stay in the vigilant squad and don't need to worry about this so-called Paradise.

Jerham then comments that based on what he saw from the previous team, they'll meet people who won't just get in the way. Vacuum Pack No One says the kid is pretty arrogant and asks if he's underestimating Shield's power. But then Hung Shak interrupts and says the two of them in the same squad are already more than enough in terms of power.

The two get visibly angry, veins popping on their faces, and ask if she's looking for a fight. Until Hyo gives them a glare, and they quiet down. Man, they train their chest and arms but skip leg day—the classic Dorito shape. Hung Shak then agrees and says they'll prepare a special squad just for the two of them.

Both of them stand up and thank Kung Shak for understanding their situation. As soon as they leave, the others comment that they seem skilled but are way too full of themselves. Kung Shak tells them to calm down, saying that taming a wild beast is much more appealing. First, they needed to ensure that these kids were truly as skilled as they seemed.

Outside, Isio asks why Jerham didn't want to join the so-called Paradise and refuse the offer. Jerham explains that pretending to be a hero who wants to help people is the fastest way to gain that guy's trust. He then starts stretching and says it's time to prepare. What he had expected was just arriving: a bunch of guys heading his way, practically punching bags.

A tight-shirted guy tells Jerham that if he wants to prove the two of them are enough for the squad, they'll have to fight. Isio tries to excuse herself, saying that her earlier statement was just a joke. However, the guy questions whether she's going back on her word. Someone so inconsistent didn't deserve the title of master.

That's where she clarifies that when she said two were needed, she was joking. In reality, just one was enough. Wow, she really caught him off guard there. The men start rushing at her, calling her a bastard, but she's confident and just gives them a little hand signal. Still, you have to hand it to these guys.

Jerham even has a man of fist. Too bad he gets kicked square in the face. One punch to another's face and a hit to the chest of the last one. The poor guy's stomach twists, and they're all sent flying. The onlookers comment that she's tearing them apart. But even with all of them attacking simultaneously, they didn't stand a chance.

Another beautiful kick executed by Isio. The tight-tread guys are terrified of the strength of Jian martial arts. Another punch sends one flying far away. Not even 10 seconds had passed, and they were all moaning in pain. She then says they're a bunch of weaklings and asks how long she'll have to deal with people like them.

She looks at Jerham and warns them that he's much stronger than she is. The men start trembling. If they didn't stand a chance against her, imagine against him. One of them, lying on the ground, just stares at Isio. Years back, she then turns to the two Doritos and asks if the cowards won't fight her.

One of them says it seems he'll have to handle this personally. He starts activating his mana and tells her things are about to get serious. Isio gets excited, realizing the guy is better than she expected. She gets into her stance and signals him to come. He attacks, but suddenly someone yells at them to stop.

It's Hung Shuk, who jumps down from above and runs toward the bald guys. He slaps them across the face. Immediately, he yells at them, saying what they're doing is completely wrong. Regardless of how strong they were, they had already promised to fight for the people. The two fools apologize, admitting their mistake.

Hung Shuk orders them to pick up the fallen guys and get out of there. They leave quickly. Hung Shuk turns to the two and apologizes for his men acting that way. Jerham says it's fine since in the end, the ones who got beaten were his men. He jokes that he should be the one apologizing for what happened.

But Hung Shuk insists that it was their fault, so he apologizes again before leaving. Jerham is impressed by how well that guy fakes being genuinely sorry. Back in his office, Hung Shuk is amazed at the strength of a martial arts dojo master. Not to mention that the girl said the other guy was even stronger than her. He smiles, already planning to take full advantage of the two.

In the next scene, we see Isio practicing. A bunch of elders is following her, and it's been a week since they joined Shield. She tells everyone how time flies and announces that the morning training session is over. The group seems exhausted but happy.

A scene shifts to the cafeteria, where Jerham is cooking. The guy is still making that hearty food for everyone. What a genuinely nice guy. The group studies their band-aids while he serves the food. During this time, he and Isio have fully integrated with the people. One of the women says she feels bad for not being able to help, but she's grateful for the food.

Jerham tells her not to worry; he does it because he enjoys it, so she should just eat. The woman then looks at her daughter beside her and tells her to thank the captain. Jerham activates his analysis. The girl's name is Su Jerham, a 10-year-old with the skill of dreaming girl. Naturally, he's curious about this ability.

The girl bows and thanks Master Jerham. At this point, her favorability is maxed out, and he can now steal her skill. It seems he'd spent the week being kind to her just to make this happen. He activates the transmission. A circle appears, and he obtains the F rank magical girl skill. With it, he can turn dreams into reality using mana.

That day, he tested the skill, finding it both terrifying and incredibly useful. The scene shifts back to Kung Shak and his comrades. He asks if it's true that the two gained the people's trust in just one week. Someone confirms, adding that Jerham seems to be spending more food than usual to keep everyone well-fed.

The leader wants to know if he's done anything beyond that. The guys say they've only been teaching martial arts and distributing food. Hung Shak asks if they think there's some kind of angels performing miracles in this place. The man with thick eyebrows insists that he's sure they're planning something.

The leader then asks if the power plant is still inaccessible. The guy says yes; it's too dangerous, but they've been keeping an eye on it. Kung Shak says this is the perfect time to check it out to see if those two are truly heroes of justice or just bluffing.

Sometime later, he tells the two that he's heard about all the good they've been doing for the survivors. On behalf of the entire squad, he wants to thank them both. Jerham says there's no need; he's just doing what he believes is right. Hung Shak replies that he feels a great sense of honesty from them and asks if he could request a favor.

The two grow apprehensive as he lays a map on the table. He explains that at the power plant marked on the map, there are terrifying monsters. The two look intrigued. A man in the back adds that they had sent an analysis team, but they lost contact with them. Jerham asks for more information.

Kung Shak shows him the communication log. The recordings reveal that the zombies there aren't ordinary and are far too strong. There are screams, and then the communication cuts off. Jerham realizes everyone sent to analyze the location is dead. Hung Shak explains that to save more people, they need more energy.

Isio immediately understands that this beast of a task is being assigned to the two of them. Kung Shak confirms, saying that with their abilities, it wouldn't meet the same fate as the vigilant teams. Jerham smiles and says that if it's to save more people, he's definitely willing to do it.

Hung Shak stands, thanking them for their dedication. But as he starts to mention a reward, Jerham interrupts, saying it's unnecessary since he's doing it to help the survivors. Hung Shak remarks that Jerham seems firm in his convictions. Later, the muscular guys question if the two will really be able to pull it off.

Hung Shak dismisses their doubts, saying it doesn't matter if they die; it's not their problem. While they're attacking the power plant, the squad will target a hospital they've been planning to raid for a long time. Outside, Jerham and Isio talk. Isio expresses her doubts, noting that many people have died in that place.

Jerham agrees about the danger, sure that there's a creature of much higher level there. But Isio says that makes it even more exciting and tells him they should get going. On the road, they're back on their bikes, heading toward the plant when they see the sign for the plant. Jerham jokes it feels like PUBG as they cautiously approach.

Jerham suddenly tells Isio to wait. Something is leaping toward them—it's an albino ghoul, its jaws wide, ready to devour them. Jerham quickly realizes these are evolved ghouls. He launches an attack with his chain, but the creatures are covered in energy. He hadn't expected these creatures to have mastered electricity.

They unleash a triple attack, sending electricity through Jerham's chain and shocking his arm. Stunned, he freezes, similar to Park, as the monsters rush at him again. Isio calls out and moves to help. The creatures launch another attack, but she manages to raise a barrier. She tries to hold them off, but the monsters overwhelm her and she takes a hit.

It doesn't last long before they're back, aiming to bite Jerham. He lowers his head to shield himself but takes a blow to the chest. The monsters aren't just electrically charged; they're intelligent. Jerham realizes there's only one way out of this. He hesitates to use a particular ability but decides there's no other choice.

Vowing to kill the creatures, he performs a dance-like move, activating his transformation. It's the power of the magical girl skill, which momentarily confuses enemies during transformation. Jerham's weapon begins to manifest, but it's not what anyone expected. It's a bow adorned with ribbons. Embarrassed, he promises to make those monsters pay.

Luckily, the magical outfit is invisible, sparing him further humiliation. He raises his wand and mutters, "Abracadabra, help me with electricity." The wand grants him an electricity resistance buff. Though still looking ridiculous, he lands a strike on one of the monster's heads. Isio, watching from the ground, is baffled.

The first monster is sent flying, and the second charges at Jerham. He ducks and strikes it in the ribs, cutting it in half. The last creature leaps to conjure an electric attack, but Jerham advances unharmed thanks to his resistance. Confused, the monster takes another blow to the head and falls, with all three creatures down.

Isio approaches and asks what just happened. Jerham, with a serious face, says it was a transformation. Still puzzled, Isio asks if all awakened ones have the ability to transform. Jerham explains that some do, and that's how he obtained the wand. Curious, she asks if it's possible for her to gain such an ability as well.

Jerham says she just needs to imitate what he did. Isio asks if that means copying the dance moves. He confirms, telling her to do exactly what he did. Isio, taking it seriously, raises her arms and calls for the transformation. However, after a while, she realizes nothing is happening.

Jerham bursts out laughing in her face while she, blushing furiously, demands to know why it's not working for her. Our hero explains that the transformation only worked because of a specific skill he possesses. Now enraged, Isio declares she's going to end him. But before she can act, he raises his wand and grants her an electric resistance buff.

With a bump forming on his head from her retaliation, she orders him to forget everything he just saw. Jerham promises he already has, reassuring her not to worry. He then activates healing magic for both of them, curing their injuries. He pulls a couple of drinks from his inventory and hands one to her, explaining that it will help.

It's a nutritional tonic that increases stamina by 10%. She comments that it looks normal but tastes surprisingly good. Jerham explains he mixed energy drinks with vitamins and medicines for the concoction. Now that they're recovered, he says it's time to move forward.

They continue through the power plant and quickly encounter more albino ghouls. The creatures, like Park, leap at them, but now with the resistance buff, the fight is manageable. Isio punches one in the face while another attacks from the side. She dodges, kicks it, and lands another hit. She notes how not long ago she would have had no chance in such a fight, but thanks to Jerham's abilities, everything has changed.

Curious, she asks if he can use any other types of magic with the wand. He replies that he checked, but it seems the wand only allows one magic per transformation. What they don't notice is that they're being observed from above. Jerham suddenly senses the presence of something—it's another albino ghoul, which appears to retreat.

Isio wonders aloud if the reconnaissance team was attacked by these creatures. They're strong, but it's strange that no one survived. Jerham suggests that an important structure like this must house something even stronger. She points upward and asks, "Like that, for example?" True enough, there's a massive albino creature with a golden crystal embedded in its head, resembling something out of Attack on Titan.

Jerham agrees, noting it doesn't look easy to handle. The monster opens its mouth and begins to draw air. To their shock, it unleashes an energy beam like a Kamehameha. Jerham quickly activates a wooden structure, creating a totem for defense, but it's completely obliterated, leaving him injured. Isio smirks, reminding him not to laugh at her when he's in the same state.

She glares at the monster, declaring she'll get revenge. The scene shifts to the monster charging at them. It claps its hands together, releasing another electric attack, but the two manage to jump away in time. Jerham activates his blue dragon chain, wrapping it around the monster's neck. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Isio strikes its mouth as Jerham tightens the chain.

He kicks the creature's foot, causing wooden spikes to emerge, sending it into a frenzy. The beast roars, summoning more creatures to the area. Isio says she'll handle them, but Jerham assures her his weapon is perfect for causing a massacre. He spins the chain wildly, taking out zombies left and right.

Isio watches, feeling useless as the larger creature writhes under the onslaught. Seeing it immobilized, she seizes the chance, leaping to deliver a final blow—a powerful kick to its chest. The scene shifts to the mountains, where a man observes everything from a distance. Impressed, he reports back to the base, confirming that the two were successful.

At the base, the news spreads quickly. Youngan can't believe not only that they succeeded but that they did so incredibly fast. He starts imagining how having these two on his team could make him second in command in no time. As he revels in this thought, someone appears behind the informant and asks if he's done sending the message.

The man jumps in surprise and turns to see Jerham and Isio. The poor guy hadn't expected to be caught so easily. Jerham tells him not to be too surprised. He suspected they weren't the only ones there. He acknowledges that it's natural for people to send observers to track their results.

The informant nervously agrees, admitting that's exactly why he was there. However, Jerham notes how strange it is that he sent his report in secret. He pressures the man, who begins to feel intimidated. The man insists that they trust Squad 3 completely. He claims he stayed quiet to avoid interfering with their hunt.

Jerham asks if he's certain about that. The man reassures him, saying all he wanted was to keep the two free to act. Jerham smirks, admitting he hadn't thought of it that way. He appreciates having people so concerned for him. He then asks if the man has eaten, to which the informant says no.

Jerham invites him to share a meal, pointing out it's dangerous to be out here alone. They light a fire, warm some food, and Jerham serves a feast. The man thanks him and begins eating, praising Jerham for behaving exactly as he did in the village. He comments on how incredible their battles always are and asks Jerham to explain more about them.

The man says he can't really explain well because Jerham is just too fast. At least the guy didn't seem to have much idea about his powers. The clueless man gives a thumbs up, saying he's sure the two of them are incredible, and so the three eat under the moonlight.

Meanwhile, Hung Shuk wonders if what they showed at the power plant was their full strength. If they were even stronger, they would need to keep hiding from Omega. This pair might really be his ticket to the top. Now that the power plague mission was a success, there was only one thing left. He asked for an update on the hospital attack.

His men informed him that two squads had already entered, but communication was cut off due to unstable internet in the area. However, based on the last reports, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Kung Shak felt excited. Two successful attacks on the same day would be perfect for his plans. He ordered his team to pass along instructions for them to proceed slowly since time was on their side.

The scene shifts to the hospital. Someone grabs a huge zombie by the mouth—it's the tight-shirted squad. The creature falls to the ground, and one of them stomps on its head. As they move with the team, one of them asks about communication with Squad 2. His total, the last message was received 30 minutes ago when they reached the 11th floor.

The man glances upward, remarking that his friend is too impatient. They should take this step by step. Another reassures him, saying the leader is very skilled, so there's no need to worry. But that's when the ground begins to shake. A voice comes over the radio, urgently requesting reinforcements for the 13th floor.

The man immediately tells the team they need to move quickly. They start climbing the stairs, encountering another large zombie on the way. A punch to the face takes it down. As they approach the door to the 13th floor, he tells everyone to prepare since they don't know what's behind it. The team looks tense, and naturally, the Shield bearers take the lead.

As they enter, they comment that nothing is in sight. Someone whispers that whatever is there must be hiding among them. Suddenly, they hear a cry for help. One of the men recognizes it as the leader's voice and rushes toward the sound. By the door, a figure begs for assistance in the middle of what looks like a stage. The person is kneeling, pleading for help.

As the group approaches, one of the helmeted men tells the leader to stay calm. But when the flashlight illuminates the figure, they see something controlling its head. The creature speaks: "Stang has finally found the rest of them." They realize too late that it's a trap. The doors slam shut, and more of their former comrades appear.

The ceiling is entirely consumed by what looks like flesh. The leader shouts for everyone to start shooting. They fire on their former allies while the leader yells that they need to get out of there. Suddenly, someone attacks from behind. The leader turns, cursing, and transforms into a wolf. He slashes at the attacker's face, sending him flying, but the man evades and laughs.

Tentacles begin descending from the ceiling, wrapping around everyone's necks. The leader turns to see several heading his way. With so many of his men dying around him, he realizes he made a grave mistake entering the 13th floor. The attacker doesn't let him escape easily, leaping toward him.

Back at the base, Young Shuk grows impatient. He asks if there's any new information, but his men say there's still no contact since the squads ascended a few more floors. Communication has been lost entirely. Just then, they received a report from the leader of Squad 1 requesting a response.

Kung Shak grabs the microphone, asking for an update on the attack. The leader reports that they've reached the top floor but are facing a small issue. They'll need many more awakened fighters. Young Shuk feels uneasy since if even that guy can't handle it, it must be serious. He tells the leader to hold out as long as possible while he arranges reinforcements.

Unbeknownst to him, the leader's mind is already under control, and he thanks Hung Shuk for the reinforcements. Back with Jerham's group, they've just finished their meal. The informant thanks them for the food and says he's heading off. But then he receives a message over the radio saying there's trouble at the hospital.

He's told to request assistance from the third squad, as this order comes directly from the chief. The man acknowledges and heads over to Jerham, asking if he can help. Jerham agrees and asks for the hospital's location. The next scene shows them speeding on a motorcycle, arriving at the site of the massacre.

Jerham asks if it was the leader of Squad 1 who called for reinforcements. The man confirms it was him, using the walkie-talkie to request more awakened fighters. Jerham finds it odd and asks to speak with the chief. Kung Shak picks up the microphone, asking what the problem is.

Jerham asks if, aside from himself and Isio, the remaining squad members together equal at least 10% of the group's total strength. Though confused by the question, Young Shuk answers no, as the two leaders are also quite strong. Jerham then wants to know why the leader made such a request. If weaker awakened fighters were enough, there'd be no reason to call for everyone.

Hung Shuk replies that in an emergency, even a cat can sometimes be useful. Our boy, however, says that if he were in the leader's position, he would have requested the support of Squad 3, not everyone. The man asks what he's trying to say. Jerham replies that the request seems too vague and illogical for someone genuinely in trouble.

This whole thing about sending as many awakened fighters as possible doesn't add up. Kung Shak grows thoughtful. It really is odd that the leader of Squad 1 asked for multiple awakened fighters but didn't specifically request Jerham, the strongest. Jerham says he already knows the worst-case scenario. He explains that for a hunter, there's nothing better than weak prey.

Hung pauses, understanding what he means. He asks if Jerham is suggesting that the squad leader was already defeated and that this is just a trap to lure more people in. Jerham says it's just a possibility, but one that can't be ignored. A man seems confused, wondering how a monster could imitate a human. Jerham responds that in an apocalyptic world full of zombies, nothing is unexpected.

He then asks if they had been speaking directly with the leader of Squad 1. The others confirm they haven't. Jerham nods and says they'll head up now, but they should be prepared in case his suspicions are correct. The man agrees. Jerham calls over another man and asks if he wants to join them. Naturally, the man isn't foolish and says it doesn't seem like the right place for him to be.

Jerham replies that he'll keep the walkie-talkie since he'll need to stay in contact with the chief. The man teaches him the frequency and wishes him luck. With that, the pair enters the hospital. Once inside, Isio asks if this is really a good idea. If their suspicions are correct, the place has been overrun by monsters.

She's convinced that the leader of Squad 1 isn't the only one who was defeated here. Jerham knows that for him, this place is safe, but that's not the case for Isio. To ensure her safety, he decides she needs an upgrade. He remembers the stone he took from Park's creature earlier. Opening his inventory, he retrieves the gem and hands it to her.

She looks shocked, asking if it's even more precious than the red one. He explains that she already defeated a giant ghoul and that he feels much more at ease with an even stronger comrade. Hesitantly, she takes it, agreeing to use it. The gem surrounds her in a golden light, and she feels her body filling with strength. She thanks Jerham, and he says it's just a reward for all the hard work she's done.

They continue their path and come across someone with half their head eaten, completely brainless. As they climb the same stairs as before, they hear some noises. Three zombies are coming their way. Isio tells Jerham not to worry, saying she'll handle it. She delivers a marvelous kick, and even though there are more than three, they all fall.

The creatures are split in half, and Isio confidently looks back at Jerham. At the door to the 13th floor, they recognize it as the source of the distress call. Jerham asks if Isio is ready, and she confidently says yes. The door slowly opens, and they cautiously step inside. From within, they hear a cry for help.

Isio says it's the voice of the squad one leader, but Jerham immediately realizes it's a trap. She asks how he's so sure, and he explains that unless someone is suicidal, they wouldn't scream for help in the middle of a hallway. She acknowledges that it makes sense and asks what they'll do.

Jerham tells her to stay close as they move forward. He pulls out his chain from the inventory and advances through the hallway. Isio suggests collapsing the entire structure instead of walking into a clear trap. Jerham considers it but says he has a better idea.

They enter the room where the cries are coming from. At the far end, a figure is calling for help from a distance. Jerham asks if it's the leader of Squad 1. The leader responds, claiming his leg is injured and he needs help to move. Jerham simply raises his arm and activates the chain's transformation.

The leader looks confused, blinded by a purple light. Jerham had activated the F-rank magic wand, putting the figure in a state of confusion. He then conjures a spell for a flammable oil attack and launches it at the leader. Before the figure can react, Jerham ignites the oil with a fire chain. Immediately, everything in the room starts melting.

A strange wolf-like creature attempts to approach Jerham, but he quickly activates a wooden barrier, trapping everyone inside. Jerham declares that they can all now experience the cauldron inside. Flames spread rapidly, even reaching the ceiling. The creatures claw at the walls in desperation, but the wood is too sturdy.

As the fire consumes them, their bodies blister, and they begin to wail. With little oxygen left, they can barely move, suffocating as flames engulf them. Their agonized howls echo as they are reduced to ash. Outside, Jerham and Isio wait. He asks if she's ready, and she confidently says yes.

Once again, Jerham uses a combination of mental control and fear, activating mental pressure. At that moment, the wooden wall is destroyed, and the two guys emerge. As soon as they see Jerham, they leap toward him. However, he throws a flashbang, activating mental pressure. Isio advances and lands a punch squarely on the first one's face.

Jerham detaches his chains and smashes the second one's head with a hammer-like strike. The creatures barely leave the room before collapsing to the ground. However, their bodies start being pulled by the entity attached to their heads. Isio says, "Not today," and slices through both of them. The two former leaders revert back to their original forms.

She's impressed, noting that the situation could have been extremely dangerous, but thanks to Jerham's strategy, it was surprisingly smooth. She comments on how Jerham seems to have several unique abilities. He explains that it all comes from a single skill. She then asks how they're going to put out all the fire to enter the room.

Jerham explains that in a concrete building like this, the fire will eventually burn itself out. Time passes, and the room is filled with smoke. Jerham is certain that no one could have survived. Something on the ground catches their attention: a golden stone. Isio wonders if it came from the main body. Jerham picks it up, confirming her suspicion.

However, she comments that it seems less powerful than the stone he gave her earlier. Jerham responds that it appears the main body wasn't as dangerous as they initially thought. Isio asks if more creatures as dangerous as this one will start appearing frequently. He says yes, which is why they'll need to be increasingly cautious. But for now, it's time to head back.

In a display of humility, Jerham even retrieves the bodies of the two fallen men. Later, Hung Shuk approaches the pair. He admits he had no idea there were monsters capable of controlling people. He tells the duo that if it weren't for their kindness, the entire squad would have been wiped out. He promises never to forget the kindness they've shown.

But before anything else, he needs to report this to the higher-ups. He asks them to wait for a moment, and Jerham agrees. As Hung walks away, Isio comments that his attitude seems to be changing. Jerham explains that it's obvious Hung Shuk lost everyone who was extremely useful to him. Now backed into a corner, he's in a desperate situation.

Jerham sees this as a perfect opportunity. They'll replace the fallen team members, yet get closer to the higher-ups and infiltrate Shield even further. At this rate, they'll enter the so-called Paradise in no time. The door opens, and Hung Shuk asks if they can talk for a moment. Jerham agrees, and the scene shifts to the reception area.

Kung Shak explains that he spoke with the higher-ups and mentioned the duo's performance. Jerham seems intrigued. Kung says he understands they don't want public recognition, but he couldn't provide false information to the team. As a result, the commander wants to meet them.

Jerham hesitates, asking if they really need to meet in person. Hung Shak confirms, explaining that the commander is extremely busy, so they'll need to deliver the information themselves. Jerham agrees, asking when they'll go. Hung Shak assures him it will be in 2 or 3 days, and transportation will be provided.

Isio then asks what life

The ground calling upon nature for help, the Earth begins to corrode, and suddenly a stone gem rises. This magical girl is ridiculously strong. The zombie seems confused as the Golem pounds its chest. However, as the zombie charges forward, it takes a hit to the mouth. The zombie swings back with a hammer-like blow, but the Golem defends with ease and lands another strike to the face.

The fight gets intense as the zombie retaliates. Aram asks if the Golem is her magic. She responds that it's actually just a friend. Cheram uses his analysis skill and sees that it's indeed the first day of the Golem's creation, marked as an F-rank magical companion. Aram urges her friend to keep fighting, encouraging it to win. The Golem receives a stone skin buff. Jam thinks it's one of the few times a buff like this actually makes perfect sense. Jam adds a strength buff and an agility buff, and the Golem leaps at the zombie with a single blow to the zombie's stomach, slamming the creature into a wall.

Jerm's understanding of magical girls reaches 100%, and his power advances to rank E. He thinks to himself that all of this has been more than worth it. Iram thanks the Golem for its help, and the Golem happily dissolves back into the ground. Yam reveals that she obtained a stone during the battle. Jam congratulates her, suggesting she use it since she earned it with her own power. It's a good way to grow stronger. Yum bows and thanks him.

Jeram reflects that with this much strength, Jam won't have trouble protecting herself. At least now he can leave the base for a few hours without worrying so much. The scene shifts to Kanguk, who announces that the car is ready for the two of them. A man opens the door, inviting them inside. Once everyone is settled, he announces they're heading to Paradise.

Sometime later, they arrive in another city. Strangely, it looks like an ordinary city, bustling with people and everything functioning normally. As they step out of the car, the driver informs them that the commander is waiting for them inside. At the door, someone informs the commander that the two awakened individuals he discussed have arrived. In the back of the room, it's clear who it is. Lee Sano welcomes Kanguk. The subordinate bows and asks how the commander is doing, congratulating him and mentioning how hard he's been working.

Meanwhile, Jerham activates his ranky analysis skill. Lee Sanel, 44 years old, is a Drank human. Unsurprisingly, he's a consumer of human magical stones and possesses a unique ability called the Dominator. The fact that Sanel has a skill makes things more complicated; however, his behavior aligns with Jerm's observations. Sanel is far better at defense than offense. Jeram wonders how this man managed to expand his territory so much. If Sanel had a combat-enhancing ability, he wouldn't act this defensively. This implies he either gains power by controlling others or through territorial expansion. To Jeram, either option works in his favor.

Hung introduces Jeram and Isio, explaining they are the individuals he mentioned. Sanel steps forward, saying he's heard they did excellent work. Jerm humbly responds that they only did what was necessary. Sanel praises his humility and invites them to follow him. The pair, however, remain cautious.

Outside the building, people are loading boxes into a truck. Suddenly, their expressions change. A snake-like creature and a zombie are creeping up behind them. Before one of the men can react, he's crushed against the truck, killed in an instant. Another man tries to shout a warning but is silenced when the snake's tongue pierces his mouth. Jeram notes that the snake appears to absorb the man's brain, gaining his knowledge. The snake slams the corpse against a wall and lets out a roar, sending shockwaves upward. This attracts all the other snakes and zombies nearby.

The scene shifts back to Sanel, who says he had an enjoyable conversation with Jerham. Jerham agrees, stating he felt the same. Sanel shakes their hands, expressing his hope at the visit again. Kar, however, isn't pleased with how close Jerham has become to the commander. He's shocked that Jerham gained so much trust in such a short time. That was also the first time Hanguk saw the commander laugh so much in one meeting. Clearly, Sanel wants to grow even closer to them.

Sanel tells Hak that now that he's been promoted, if anything happens to Jeram or Isio, he should inform him immediately. K shows bows, promising to do his best to support the two. As they head back to the car, Jeram congratulates Huk, jokingly asking if he should start calling him General now. Huk responds that there's no need to be so formal and Jeram can just call him Hung Shuk.

A man brings over a box, and Huk explains that it's a reward from the commander. Inside, it's packed with zombie stones that Jeram knows will be useful for his village. Jeram thanks him, and Hung Shuk says he hopes they can work even closer together now. With this trust secured, Jam has completed the first stage of his plan. Little by little, he will gain more skills and continue advancing.

But then a man comes running, announcing an emergency. Kuk asks what happened, and the man reports that a wave of zombies is approaching the satellite village. Both Jeram and Hung are confused, as no one had any prior warning. The man explains that it appeared out of nowhere, and worse, there are creatures they've never seen before. Jeram knows this satellite village is nearby and realizes Yam is in danger. He originally asks Hanguk for the fastest bike available. Hanguk agrees and tells him to follow the front of the bin.

A group of armed people with shields is ready to defend. One of them, the survivor from earlier, seems to have become a hero. Another man informs them that the creatures have already entered another village. It's the worst-case scenario, as Squad 3 isn't present, and they likely can't withstand an attack from monsters they've never seen before. Jam stands nearby, watching everything unfold, determined. She knows that if Jerham were there, he would help everyone.

She approaches the troops and calls out to the leader, asking if she can help. The leader shouts at his men, reminding them that their job is to evacuate the civilians, not let children fight. But Jam insists that she's awakened and has abilities. The leader is taken aback, as no one knew this about her. She confirms her abilities and begs him to let her assist. Curious, the leader asks what kind of power she has. Aram explains that she can use Transformation Magic. Understandably, he's skeptical.

Just then, the warning comes that the zombies are approaching. Massive snakes lead the charge, followed by hordes of zombies. The creatures are larger than buildings, and the troops immediately realize they stand no chance. At least five giant snakes are advancing. Raising his club, the leader orders his men to fight until reinforcements from Paradise arrive. He tells them to open fire and give it everything they've got as if it's their last day on Earth.

The snakes move first, but suddenly a purple energy appears in the courtyard. Aram ascends into the sky, surrounded by an explosion of mana, shulo even stronger than Jerham himself. The squad leader shouts at his men to focus and keep firing despite the distraction. Gunfire erupts, but the bullets barely harm the snakes, which continue their advance. The troops shout that it's useless if their weapons can't penetrate.

With a single attack, the snakes break through the gate and begin entering the village. But that purple K erupts, electrocuting the snakes. The general encourages his men, reminding them they have an awakened fighter on their side and not to lose hope. An incredible battalion of men is carried by a little girl. The snakes keep advancing, and panic spreads as the soldiers cry out that they're all going to die. The general silences them, demanding they focus all their energy on defending the village. They had no choice; if they failed, everyone would die.

Aram summons her Golem behind the troops, urging them not to give up, saying that together they can win. She starts casting strength and speed buffs on the soldiers. The captain feels a surge of power, confident they can hold out longer. When the snakes slam into their shields, the troops manage to hold the line. The captain seizes the moment, landing a powerful strike on one snake's head. The Golem takes on another, slamming it into the ground.

But more zombies and snakes continue to flood in. The troops struggle to maintain their defenses, managing to take down a few with their bullets. The snakes attack relentlessly, and despite feeling they might win at this rate, the general notices something troubling: the snakes are growing stronger. One charges toward Yam, who has run out of mana. As it lunges to bite her, Jam closes her eyes. When she opens them, she sees two figures standing in front of her. Jeram and Isio had arrived.

Jeram tells her to rest, noticing how exhausted she looks. He praises her efforts and asks if she's hurt. Aon runs to him, admitting she was terrified. Jeram reassures her, saying it's thanks to her that lives were saved. Facing the snakes, Jeram declares it's their turn now. He observes the snakes and remarks that they resemble the creatures they fought at the hospital. Perhaps they come seeking revenge for their fallen comrades.

Suddenly, the five snakes merge into one colossal entity, now with a massive glowing crystal on its forehead. Isio smirks, saying this fight is finally worth it. Jeram agrees but suggests they first test its strength. The pair charge forward. From a distance, the squad leader warns them to be careful. Jeram, with his blue fire dragon, engages the snake. It's as if the quality of the battle has skyrocketed; the visuals feel sharper and more detailed.

The fiery dragon coils around the massive snake as Isio descends from above, preparing a double spinning kick. She announces that she'll strike with the full weight of her core. As the dragon immobilizes the snake, Isio lands her attack squarely on its head. The snake crashes to the ground, causing an explosion in the middle of the park. From afar, the onlookers are stunned, while Jeram and Isio remain calm.

However, the snake quickly rises again, letting out another furious roar. Isio remarks that it seems pretty angry now. Once more, the duo charges forward, their attacks triggering more explosions. Yam watches from the side, utterly amazed. They dodge an attack, and Isio lands a kick to the snake's side while Jeram whips his chain around its neck. The snake falls to the ground again, and Yam thinks to herself how cool the two of them look together.

But the snake rises yet again, stubborn to the end. This time, it closes its mouth, preparing something new. Jeram, analyzing its pattern, realizes a different attack is coming. Instead of striking, the snake spews a torrent of blood into the air. The blood rains down, landing on nearby zombies and causing them to transform. The newly enhanced zombies begin charging toward the pair.

The squad leader orders his men to assist Team Three, but their bullets are useless against the reinforced zombies. One soldier observes that their skin is as tough as the snakes, but Isio simply stretches her leg and delivers a crescent kick. The zombies are effortlessly sliced in half by the chain, leaving the pavement littered with bodies. The squad leader is in disbelief at how strong the duo is, but the snake's remains start moving independently, reassembling into its original form. Though battered, it looks intact.

Suddenly, it changes direction, attempting to flee. Jeram declares that if it's trying to escape, it's time to end this. He and Isio give chase. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Kungo rides in a truck with reinforcements, not expecting to encounter a creature with the core so soon. All he wants is for Team Three to hold out long enough. He urges his men to prepare for the battlefield and not disappoint him. The troops shout their understanding as the convoy pushes forward.

When they finally arrive at the base, the soldiers note that it already seems secure. The other commander approaches Huk, who asks where the monster is. The commander explains that it escaped and Team Three is in pursuit. It shouldn't take long. Just then, an explosion occurs behind the building. Huk orders reinforcements to assist Team Three while they secure the base. However, as the men agree, two figures appear from behind—it's Jeram and Isio.

The commander asks if the creature got away, and Hung, shocked, also wants to know what happened. Jeram calmly replies that it's been dealt with. The commander can't believe it and asks if he means the monster with the yellow core in its head. Jeram reveals the yellow core as proof. Kang Shak finds himself in a dilemma; everyone had heard rumors about Jeram being a true monster in disguise.

Jeram casually suggests that their arrival is perfect for helping with reconstruction efforts. The scene shifts to Paradise's base, where guards stand barred at the gates. Suddenly, one of them spots the Hammer Gang approaching, Mad Max style. One guard grabs his walkie-talkie, urgently calling for reinforcements. At the front of the convoy, the bald leader, Quack Dupel, stands atop a truck resembling Optimus Prime. He mocks the guards, asking if they really think this setup can stop them.

Quack Dupel, leader of the Hammer Gang, laughs and declares that Sanu is finished. He orders his men to accelerate; it's time to avenge their fallen comrades. The convoy speeds toward the gates as the guards desperately begin firing, but Quack activates his unique ability, Vehicle Modification. Suddenly, his truck transforms, sprouting two massive arms that slam into the gate. The Hammer Gang cheers, telling their boss not to steal all the glory as their own vehicles begin transforming.

Meanwhile, back at the satellite village, Yam is using her magic to assist with repairs. Those who were exhausted suddenly feel revitalized and much stronger. Even Hung Shuk is impressed by the little girl's contributions. Productivity has increased tenfold thanks to her presence. He thanks Yam, saying she's helping to ease the village's burdens. Yam modestly replies that she's only helping because Jeram asked her to and she likes helping others.

Curious, Kung Shak asks if she was originally awakened. Aram reveals that she wasn't; her awakening happened thanks to Jeram. Young grows suspicious. Why is Jeram the only child in the camp to have awakened? It's almost as if Jeram somehow knew she could awaken. When he pats her head, Jeram pulls away, saying only Jeram is allowed to do that. K apologizes, joking that he's jealous of Jeram. Inwardly, he's unsettled. Jeram has immense strength, popularity, and charisma. Could it be that he also has an ability to recognize potential awakenings in others? If so, it's a secret Jeram would have to take to the grave.

At that moment, a man arrives, reporting an attack by the Hammer Gang on Paradise. Kung Shak looks visibly shaken, and Jeram overhears the conversation. Kung Shak asks who this Hammer Gang is, and the man explains that it's a notorious group he knows from his nightmares. Jeram steps closer, asking if they're as bad as Shield. The man responds that they're far worse, infamous for their madness and extreme brutality.

The scene flashes back to a nightmare Jeram once lived—a group of people running from zombies. In the 40-second nightmare, a chain slices through one zombie as Jeram shouts for everyone to flee. In those days, he tried to save as many people as possible, which kept him constantly busy. But then someone behind him pointed at something and asked, "What's that?" Across the street stood the infamous Hammer Gang in their Optimus Prime trucks. Survivors raised their hands, pleading for help, but the trucks only sped up, barreling toward everyone.

The survivors quickly realized the gang wasn't slowing down. At the Hound, Quack Dupel showed no intention of stopping. The trucks collided with zombies and survivors alike, the ground littered with bodies. Dupel approached Jeram, remarking that the boy was lucky to survive. Jeram turned to him, asking how he could call himself human after doing this to survivors. Dupel feigned innocence, claiming he thought they were all zombies. He justified his actions by saying he was certain they had been bitten and killed them to prevent risk.

Jeram yelled that it made no sense to assume that without checking first. Dupel retorted, asking if Jeram was willing to take responsibility for the risk his men would face. If not, he should shut up. That was Jeram's first encounter with Dupel.

Back in the present, Isio expresses her disbelief that someone would run over survivors. Jeram assures her he knows how terrible these people are. At that moment, Hak receives an urgent report about a terrorist attack and requests immediate assistance. Jeram tells Isio they'll head out on the bike, calling her to join him. They speed down the road. Along the way, Jeram asks if she heard the details. He activates his invisibility skill, surprising Isio.

Upon arriving at the scene, they see Optimus Prime-like trucks tearing apart the base. A direct battle between Dupel and Sanel is underway—a clash of titans in their later years. Despite his age, Sanel leaps into action, activating his Reign skill, which allows him to draw strength from his subordinates. He strikes Dupel with a powerful blow to the knee, channeling power through his staff. Electricity crackles, forcing Dupel to step back. Sanel regrets not dealing with these people sooner.

Jeram activates his analysis ability. Dupel's vehicle is revealed to be an E-rank item enhanced with skills and magical stones. Dupel himself is an E-rank mana user specializing in mechanics. Dupel taunts Sanel, asking how long he'll keep running like a rat. Sanel counters, reminding him who ran away last time. Enraged, Dupel vows to kill Sanel today for what he did to his brother. His right arm morphs into a flamethrower, unleashing an attack.

Sanel spins his staff, borrowing more power from his men. The flames dissipate as Sanel holds his ground, but Dupel presses on. Just as things heat up, a blue chain slices through Dupel's mechanical contraption, tearing it apart. Dupel is stunned, unable to comprehend who could be stronger than Sanel. Jeram and Isio step forward, asking if the commander is all right. Sanel praises Jeram's timing, instructing him to end the terrorist threat.

Dupel, realizing the tables have turned, grows visibly anxious. In the next scene, Dupel is captured, bound at Sanel's mercy. Sanel thanks Jeram and Isio, crediting them for minimizing casualties. For Jeram, this is perfect; the commander's favorability has exceeded the limit, allowing him to steal Sanel's skill. Jeram silently activates his transmission ability. The usual glowing circle appears, and the skill transfer is successful. He obtains the F-rank Rign skill, which allows him to grow stronger by drawing strength from others.

Confused but intrigued, Jeram recognizes this is a new way to enhance himself. Sanel notices Jeram's enthusiasm, finding it strange. Jeram brushes it off as nothing, turning to the captured gang members. Sanel asks if they still refuse to join Shield. Dupel defiantly tells him to stop talking and just kill him already. Sanel declares that he won't just execute the prisoners; he'll wipe out every member of the Hammer Gang.

The gang members hesitate, sensing their fate. Jeram rejects this, asking about the history between the two groups. Sanel explains that they invaded Hammer Gang territory, leading to a battle with casualties on both sides. He asserts that Dupel sought death by provoking them. Jeram, understanding Dupel's reckless personality, finds it unsurprising. He inquires about the prisoners, and Sanel insists they can't let it go unpunished. He plans to proceed with their execution.

However, Jeram argues that some of them might have valuable skills, and it would be a waste to kill them outright. Sanel acknowledges Jeram's proposal but expresses doubt, saying they've run out of ways to persuade the Hammer Gang. Even threatening their families hadn't worked. Jeram confidently suggests giving him three days to try again.

Sanel hesitates, questioning if such a short time would be enough. Jeram assures him that if he fails, they can proceed with the execution as planned. There's no harm in the delay. Sanel agrees, appreciating Jeram's enthusiasm. He orders the soldiers to transport the prisoners to the detention camp, and the battlefield is cleared.

Isio asks Jeram what they're doing next. Jeram explains that it's time to test a new ability. Curious, Isio presses for details, but Jeram simply states that actions speak louder than words. He activates Rign, setting its power to maximum level 10. Immediately, he feels an intense drain on his mana but also an overwhelming surge of strength. Energy courses through his body, leaving Isio astonished at his transformation.

Jeram slams his fist into the ground, creating a shockwave far more powerful than he anticipated. Isio rushes over, jokingly asking if he's on steroids. Jeram explains that the skill consumes a massive amount of mana, wondering aloud how Sanel manages to use it so effectively. When Isio inquires further, Jeram awkwardly deflects, his mind racing with thoughts of how dangerous Sanel truly is.

Isio then asks if he really plans to persuade the Hammer Gang, even how stubborn they seem. Jeram replies that there are countless methods to achieve his goal. He adds that their next step is to visit the gang's base. Confused, Isio asks what difference that will make. Jeram explains that the gang's base holds something critical: Dupel's granddaughter, who has the ability to awaken others.

This revelation leaves Isio perplexed. Jeram recalls his first encounter with Dupel and how shocked he was by what he learned in his 43rd nightmare. He decided to investigate the Hammer Gang to understand their inner workings. One night, a drunk Sanel told Jeram why the gang was called the Hammer Gang. Jeram, uninterested, tried to brush it off, but Sanel insisted on telling the story anyway.

He showed Jeram an old photo of a young girl in a workshop named The Hammer, proudly explaining that it was where he used to work before everything fell apart. Jeram asked if the girl in the photo was Suron. Sanel confirmed, bragging about her brilliance. She was a prodigy who excelled in school, managing contracts and processes before even graduating. If the world hadn't fallen into chaos, she would have been famous.

At that moment, Surang entered the room, scolding her grandfather for drinking too much. She glanced at Jeram, visibly flustered. Returning to the present, Jeram notes how much has changed. A short time later, they arrive at the Hammer Gang's base. Activating his stealth ability, Jeram sneaks into the area where Surong resides. He finds her immediately and uses his analysis skill.

Quack Surang, 18 years old, is a human with no class rank listed as a mediator. As Jeram suspected, she has potential that hasn't awakened. He deduces that Dupel will awaken his men first to keep her safe. Jeram approaches carefully. Startled, Suron drops her bucket and demands to know who he is. Jeram asks if she's Dupel's granddaughter, explaining that he has something important to discuss with her.

Later, Suron confirms the prisoner's capture, including her grandfather, and asks what they want from her. Jeram explains that to prevent their execution, they need her help. Suron accuses them of planning to use her as a hostage, insisting that not even her grandfather would yield to such tactics. Jeram clarifies that this isn't their intention. He places a human stone on the table and tells her they need the ability she's destined to awaken.

Confused, Surang doubts her ability to do anything useful, questioning how it could prevent the execution. Jeram assures her that he has a strong feeling she'll awaken something invaluable. Reluctantly, Surang takes the stone and agrees to try. The item is consumed, and a glowing system window appears. She gains the unique ability to give a like.

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