The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All Chapter 1

Episode 1 Escape (1)

“Kang-hu, are you okay?”

At the sound of his colleague’s voice, Kang-hoo looked into the rusty mirror that was the only way he could examine himself in the camp.

Along the edges, there is a lot of rust, and there are traces of blood that cannot be identified.

“Hmm······. Looks like working during the week was a bit too much.”

It would be surprising to see his face turn pale, but Kang-hoo just brushed his face away expressionlessly.

It’s due to congenital hypersensitivity to mana.

It happened so often that I didn’t think much of it and didn’t feel anything special about it.

A disease that has its pros and cons.

However, he has an overwhelming advantage over others in the ability to sense, sympathize with, and attract mana.

If you use more mana than your body can handle, you will become exhausted and collapse.

In other words, it consumes a lot of physical strength.

Therefore, ironically, recovering stamina was more important in order to actively use mana.

However, in a concentration camp where the prisoners were only seen as slaves who mined magic stones, recovering physical strength was a distant dream.

“Can you hold out?”

“Nothing will change even if you worry about it.”

“If it’s hard, at least say it’s hard.”

“······.”

The colleague, who knew what Kang-hoo’s silence meant, quickly returned to his iron bed.

Of the 61 workers in Unit 18 of the camp, all except Kang-hu are fast asleep.

3 a.m.

It’s the perfect halfway point between midnight, my bedtime, and 6 a.m., my wake-up time, so I just can’t wake up.

But Kang-hoo’s mind was clearer than ever, as he had no intention of sleeping on the old bed any longer.

‘Life is so true.’

Kang-hoo smiled bitterly.

The reason I don’t feel awkward about this whole situation is because I’m possessed by the novel I wrote.

The life of a villain who became a savior.

Although it was popular, it was criticized a lot because of the bad ending that was given at the end, saying it would add variables.

The worst ending, where the main character in the novel was actually the Demon King’s collaborator, and the world ended up falling into the Demon King’s hands.

‘It was worth getting cursed at. I tried too hard to differentiate myself.’

No matter how many times I think about it.

It was such a miserable ending that it made you wonder what kind of stubbornness had driven them to such a conclusion.

If you were possessed by Jang Si-hwan, the main character of the story – who becomes the villain in the ending.

Five years later in the ending, he would be revered as a hero of the world.

Unfortunately, he ended up possessing the body of the unfortunate villain, Shin Kang-hoo, who was created as Jang Si-hwan’s rival.

They designed him to be a cynical character and destroyed any positive elements, starting with his innate mana hypersensitivity······.

It wasn’t difficult to get stuck in a state of mental exhaustion.

Moreover, within a few days, mental synchronization was completely completed.

Because of this, I can’t even remember who I was before I became possessed.

Of course, the memories of the original are vivid.

‘The later we escape, the more we miss the golden time to save the world. There is no time to waste.’

In the story, Shin Kang-hoo starts out as a villain, but if you look at the ending, his true nature is that of a savior.

The real villain is the one who helps the Demon King to descend and hand this world over to the Demon King.

The thirteen hunters, including the main character Jang Si-hwan, are revered as heroes; they are called the ‘Thirteen Stars’.

‘It won’t be easy to find a loophole in this world that’s been tailored to their tastes.’

Although the peculiar cynicism that has set in for Shin Kang-hoo consumes his emotions, he sees a more distant future.

At the end of the story, where the Demon King will end anyway, the only people who can save their lives are the collaborators.

If you can’t change the future, you’ll die one way or another.

If you don’t really have any desire to live.

In fact, you don’t have to worry too much about it. Just cut your throat and die now.

But that can’t be the case because even in the midst of extreme pessimism, there is a glimmer of hope.

That is the only light that stirred in his heart and made Shin Kang-hoo go out into the world in the original work.

Kang-hoo wanted to bring that date forward. To today.

The reason was clear.

This is the most exhausting day for the guards, who have to work very hard all day to accommodate new inmates.

【Shinganghu should have decided to escape the Qingming camp that day. His hesitation that day was what gave him three years of hell.】

Memories of the original work that linger like a fantasy.

Kang-hoo shook his head and shook away the memory.

And then, biting her lips, she stood up from where she had been looking in the mirror.

‘I have to go out today.’

Set short term goals.

A massive human exploitation site managed by the criminal organization Eclipse.

Escape from the Qingming concentration camp.

Just because we are outside the concentration camp, it is unlikely that the reality of the end-of-century South Korea will feel like heaven.

At least you can enjoy freedom of your body.

That was more than enough for now.

* * *

After a while.

“One minute. Any longer than that and your shit won’t stop, but your life will.”

“yes.”

Kang-hoo entered a makeshift toilet right next to the camp under the guard’s watch.

As soon as I entered, the stench of a rotting corpse was felt along with the foul smell typical of a bathroom.

Originally, there were toilets inside the camp.

However, as the number of inmates committing suicide by hanging themselves in the bathroom increased, a last resort measure was taken.

This camp, located in a blind spot of human rights, was virtually a living hell.

This bathroom was also one of the anecdotes that showed that cross-section.

Kang-hoo entered the bathroom and looked around.

As I recall, the exterior was dented and there were sharp edges on the inside, as if someone had kicked it from outside.

It is the perfect sharpness and length to cut into flesh and cause wounds.

Swish!

Kang-hoo cut his palm without hesitation. Then, blood poured out and soaked the floor.

50 seconds left.

Kang-hoo drew a pentagram on the narrow bathroom floor, using his blood as ink and his other finger as a brush.

It is a summoning ritual.

A ritual to summon the constellation ‘Dimension Robber’.

The reason why Kang-hoo needed this constellation now was simple.

This is because all of the constellation traits that the Dimensional Robber can grant are ones that explode with potential.

There are many obstacles to escaping the camp with only the body of a level 10 hunter.

Even the guard waiting outside the door with a longsword is level 45.

This means that at least one year has passed since I started gaining experience as a hunter.

In other words, a head-on confrontation is difficult, and securing the power to turn the situation around in an instant is more important than anything else.

“Aren’t you going to fight, kid?”

The voice of the guard who was sharp was clearly heard. The sound of metal scraping the floor was also heard.

40 seconds.

The pentagram sparkled and a unique crimson vitality bloomed.

Of course, this is just the beginning.

Kang-hoo raised his palm as if he was about to touch the five stars, and spoke the words that had been floating around in his head.

‘I know you are observing my fate. And I know you are fascinated by the tragedies, trials, and sorrows of the Contractor.’

······.

The answer is not heard.

A contract with a constellation is never a one-way street. It requires a back-and-forth exchange of words and rituals.

Dimensional Robbers are not petty beings who would be offended by the informal speech of ‘insignificant’ humans.

Rather, I feel interested.

‘I am the one who can best utilize your abilities.’

Still no response.

In the original, Kang-hoo returned the words that the Dimension Robber had said to Shin Kang-hoo, who was pessimistic and in denial about the future.

‘The longer you hesitate for a day, the further away the hope that will come to this world will become.’

Life ahead will never be smooth sailing.

Because I was possessed by a villain that the world would point its finger at and call the devil.

We must also confront head-on the propaganda framework that the Demon King’s collaborators have skillfully created.

It’ll be hard, though.

However, I did not want to die like a meaningless consumable in a world that had now become vividly real.

Right then.

【You impudent bastard. I will give you a very short time to experience the power of the noble constellation. Prove it.】

‘it’s okay.’

Kang-hoo laughed.

When he designates a contractor as a constellation, he grants them three characteristics.

First, keep your proficiency in all skills you have learned or will learn at maximum level.

Second, you gain the ability to steal boss skills for your own.

Third, if you kill another hunter, you can steal his contract with the constellation he served.

It is a characteristic that makes the contractor inevitably stronger.

And the first thing that Kang-hoo can have fun with now is his skill proficiency.

【Shin Gang-hoo Lv. 10】

【Class: Assassin】

【Class Skills: Short Jump (Acquired at Level 1) / Lateral Movement (Acquired at Level 10)】

【Other Skills: None】

【Unique talent: Fairly good stamina / Very good body vision】

Although he only had two skills, he seemed to have no problem proving what was required.

Because the proof he’s talking about is to show that you’re not afraid of getting blood on your hands.

In other words, it means to cut off the breath of the guard outside the door.

20 seconds.

“······.”

Kang-hoo held his breath.

Meanwhile, the two skills that Kang-hoo had been temporarily granted had completely different forms.

Skill proficiency starts at level 1 and reaches its maximum level at level 20.

Skill work requires a long period of consistency, and even if you rush it, the minimum is five years.

Of course, it makes sense to hit the maximum. It had to happen.

This is because all coefficients, including the skill’s duration, distance, and destructive power, increase rapidly.

It has changed like that even now.

The short-distance jump skill, which would be fortunate if it could jump 1m, has become a de facto teleportation skill that can close a distance of 12m in one breath.

The horizontal movement skill, which is a level of evasion that slightly moves to the side, has been changed to move behind the target’s back while in stealth mode.

Who would think that the former and the latter are the same skill?

This is the synergy of the character Shin Kang-hoo and the constellation Dimension Robber. It’s so good that the word “fraud” just comes out naturally.

5 seconds.

“This kid······!”

Squeak!

The guard opened the door, feeling annoyed at Kang-hoo for not even saying sorry, even though he showed no sign of coming out.

Anyway, it won’t be a problem even if one recipient dies.

After all, the only place where the so-called ‘law’ can function is Seoul.

Otherwise, it’s a world ruled by warlords, criminal organizations, and mercenaries.

Might is law.

In the face of great power, even murder is not a crime.

Just then, the guard clearly saw Kang-hoo, even if only for a very brief moment.

Because our eyes met exactly.

But in an instant, as if the person had become transparent, he disappeared from my sight.

That doesn’t make sense.

I’m only level 10!

There is no way he would miss out on a recipient whose skills were 35 levels lower than his own.

however.

Phew!

“Ugh!”

Something cold and metallic entered through the carotid artery and pierced the center of my neck.

It was a perfect fatal wound that left no room for further screams.

What Kang-hoo stuck next to the guard’s neck was a pair of chopsticks.

A weapon that he had decided to use to cleanly end his own life when he no longer had any regrets about living.

But the will to live changed the direction of the chopsticks from oneself to the enemy.

and.

【The contract has been established.】

The noble constellation answered the call of a shabby, unsightly, and poorly level 10 hunter.

Considering the majority of Hunters who can’t even dream of signing a contract with a high-level constellation like Dimensional Robber even after reaching level 100.

It was truly a catastrophe.