The abandoned factory district was perfect for an ambush. Rusted metal, broken windows, collapsed walls. Plenty of places to hide and attack from.Baekho positioned himself behind an old shipping container. Choi Iseul took the high ground on a catwalk. Shin Sola hid inside a warehouse with sight lines on the main entrance. Hong Wonho and Kang Dami spread out to cover the flanks.The bounty hunters advanced cautiously. They knew this was a trap. But ten billion won made people brave.The leader of the Iron Fang Guild was a massive man named Gwon Ryu. He had a reputation for never failing a contract. Over fifty successful captures. Zero failures."Kim Baekho!" Gwon Ryu's voice boomed through the factory district. "I know you are here! Come out and this can be peaceful! We just want the bounty! We do not care about your politics!"Baekho did not respond. Let them come to him.Gwon Ryu sent five hunters to search the area. They moved in a formation, covering each other, professional.Shin

The darkness lasted thirty seconds. Emergency generators kicked in, bathing the base in red emergency lighting.But thirty seconds was enough. Baekho and his team reached the base fence. Hong Wonho ripped through the chain link like paper. People poured through the gap.Government soldiers tried to stop them, but they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. A thousand civilians, most unarmed, simply walked past them through nonviolent resistance.The soldiers could not shoot. Not with cameras everywhere. Not with the whole world watching.Baekho ran toward the main building. That was where the device had to be. According to Dr. Heo's information, the transformation device needed to be at the highest point for maximum range.The base's command tower was seven stories tall. Perfect.Shin Sola and a team of Shadow Division operatives cleared the path. They moved like water, flowing around obstacles, disabling guards without killing.They reached the tower entrance. Locked. Electronic keypad.

The Shadow Division briefing room was crowded. Baekho sat between Choi Iseul and Shin Sola, watching as Choi Minho displayed photos on the large screen."This is the situation in Busan," the old man said. "Three descendants have gone missing in the past two weeks. All of them were registered with the government's new protection program. All disappeared without a trace.""Kidnapping?" Hong Wonho asked."Most likely. We found traces of a sedative at the last victim's apartment. Professional work. Not random criminals."Baekho studied the photos. The missing descendants were young. A girl named Ko Gaeun, age sixteen. A boy named Jeon Haneul, age eighteen. And a woman named Ha Chaewon.Wait.Baekho's blood ran cold. "That is my sister's name."Choi Minho looked grave. "I know. That is why I wanted you here. This Ha Chaewon is not your sister. Different person. Same name. But the coincidence is disturbing.""You think someone is sending a message.""Possibly. Or it could be random. We do n

Baekho fought desperately against the guards holding him. But the dampening devices made his power weak. He was barely stronger than a normal person."Get off him!" Choi Iseul fired a weak flame spell. The dampeners affected her magic too.Kang Dami tried to use her death sense, but the technology blocked it. "I cannot access my power!"More guards arrived. They grabbed Choi Iseul and Kang Dami, restraining them.Dr. Tak Chansol approached Baekho with the syringe. "This will not hurt. Much. It is a new serum designed to extract death energy from Shinigami descendants without killing them. We can harvest your power repeatedly. Very efficient.""You are insane," Baekho spat."I am practical. The Veil Directorate made mistakes. They wanted to eliminate descendants. But I see potential. Your powers, if properly harvested, could create a new generation of enhanced humans. No more randomness. No more uncontrollable monsters. Just pure, directed power."The syringe moved closer to Baekho's a

Dark energy poured from Pyo Rowoon like a flood. The grass around her withered and died. The stone steps cracked. People in the crowd screamed and tried to run."Stay back!" police officers shouted, forming barriers to keep the crowd safe.Baekho stepped forward. He activated his own power. Red light surrounded him, a counterpoint to Pyo Rowoon's black energy."See?" Pyo Rowoon called out to the cameras. "He cannot help himself. The power demands to be used. Demands to kill.""I am not using my power to kill," Baekho said loudly, making sure his voice carried. "I am using it to protect. To balance. There is a difference."He demonstrated the technique from the Shinigami texts. Taking in energy and immediately releasing it. Creating a flow instead of an absorption.Plants that Pyo Rowoon killed began to regrow. The cracks in the stone healed. Life energy flowed from Baekho, countering the death energy.The crowd stopped running. They watched, mesmerized.Pyo Rowoon's expression darkene