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***After staring at the dwarf’s hand for a brief moment, Yeomyeong replied curtly.“...I refuse.”Perhaps not expecting the blunt refusal, the dwarf’s face cycled through various emotions with his hand still outstretched.Anger, bewilderment, indignation, suspicion, and then finally, realization.In order to avoid feeling embarrassed, the dwarf clenched his fist embarrassed and tapped his forehead.“Oh my, oh my. I got so worked up that I forgot to give you the most important details. I should have informed you of the reward before proposing the deal.”He continued with a smiling face.“If you succeed, I can give you anything you desire. Money, stocks, elixirs, magic items, and if you wish… even those kinds of things.”What did he mean by ‘those kinds of things’? Yeomyeong took a step back while looking at the dwarf’s suggestive smile.“Whatever you can think of, I promise I can offer even more. After all, aren’t you someone with such great generosity that you were even willing to part with a dragon\'s rib bones? I\'m not planning on paying you some paltry reward.”“…”“So, how about it? Are you starting to consider accepting my offer?”The dwarf smiled with a confident expression that seemed to say, ‘Who would refuse such an offer?’However, immediately after hearing Yeomyeong’s response, his expression contorted miserably.“I still refuse.”“If you’re trying to drive up your value by rejecting it… I would advise you against it. We dwarves don’t like to haggle.”“I’m sorry, but I genuinely refuse your offer.”As Yeomyeong turned around, the dwarf spoke with urgency.“Ah, is it because of the rib bones? There’s no need to be upset about that. Captain Kwon just claimed a share to test you. The rib bones are all yours.”Thinking that wasn’t enough, he added in a nervous voice.“And if you wish for it, our company’s craftsmen can make weaponry from those rib bones for you. Free of charge!”Yeomyeong paused for a moment, pretending to think as he tapped his lips.Was he tempted by the dwarf’s offer? No, that wasn’t it. It was just an act to buy some time to think.Why was this dwarf clinging to him so persistently?According to the dwarf, it was because he was someone who was able to cut the dragon’s rib bones—That was no way it could be like that.While it might have been hard to find someone at that level at the Manchurian base, the world was vast.And if a chaebol decided to spend money, they could easily find a Superhuman capable of killing a dragon.In that case, there must be some hidden agenda behind this offer……Do I have anything that the dwarf chaebol would covet?Talent? Unless the mercenary group had been looking into him for a long time, that didn’t make any sense. After all, didn’t Kim Mansoo and the mercenary group only learn about him being a Superhuman just yesterday?If that was the case, then something he showed during the battle with the Dragon last night must have been the dwarf’s real objective.The first thing that came to mind was the Arcane Relic. The Comet Sword and the Dagger imbued with the Will of the Stars were treasures whose true worth couldn’t be measured with money alone.However, if he was after the dagger, there was no need for such convoluted approaches. It would have been better to seize it by force or offer money directly.Therefore, only one possibility remained.…The Saintess.Of course, there wasn’t any significant connection between Yeomyeong and the Saintess.However, anyone who didn’t know better could have mistakenly believed that the Saintess and Yeomyeong had a close relationship.They fought the Dragon and even gave an interview together. Moreover, didn’t the Saintess herself step up and protect his right to the dragon’s rib bones?It was a plausible hypothesis. If the dwarf’s real goal was indeed the Saintess…Having organized his thoughts, Yeomyeong removed his hand from his lips and gave the dwarf a slight nod.“…It’s a very generous offer, but still, I cannot accept it.”“So, you refuse? Is that what you mean?”“Yes.”“…Why? If you were displeased with the test, I would apologize again.”“No need to apologize. It’s just that I don’t want to fight a dragon again.”“Ha, are you scared?”“Yes, having fought a dragon once, I can’t bring myself to fight another.”Yeomyeong was putting on a pretense. He then slightly shifted his eyes to observe the dwarf’s face.If his conjecture was wrong, the dwarf would give up here…“If that is the case, you don’t have to worry about that! Monsters like Kahal Magdu are rare. According to our investigation, the treasure is guarded by a young dragon.”However, he didn’t give up. Instead, he became even more enthusiastic while attempting to persuade Yeomyeong.So, indeed, there is a hidden motive.Yeomyeong sighed inwardly. Unaware of the younger guy\'s internal thoughts, the dwarf kept speaking.“Moreover, we won’t be sending you alone. Captain Kwon here and the mercenaries from the Sonjuk Mercenary Group will also…”“…Darulma, that’s enough.”It was Captain Kwon Mongjoo who cut off the dwarf’s rambling. His cold gaze swept over Yeomyeong as he took a step back.“Didn’t I say it was a petty test? And on top of it, the new recruit is a Superhuman. You should have figured it out by now.”Captain Kwon made an eye gesture to confirm that what he said was correct. Yeomyeong simply shrugged his shoulders instead of replying.The dwarf clicked his tongue after glancing at Captain Kwon and Yeomyeong.“Then the options are… violence or sincerity. This is really an uncharacteristic situation for dwarves.”As the dwarf clenched his hand, which was full of rings, into a fist, Yeomyeong placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.“I would recommend sincerity over violence.”Though Yeomyeong had yet to gauge Captain Kwon’s skill, he didn’t think it would be difficult for him to escape safely.As the tension between the two Superhumans continued to build up, the dwarf sighed and nodded.“Hufft, sincerity… Alright, Cheon Yeomyeong, let me speak honestly.”“…”“Could you help establish a bridge between the Saintess and our mercenary group?”So their target was indeed the Saintess. Unfortunately, the dwarf’s assumption itself was incorrect.“…I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you t have, but I have no connection with the Saintess.”“Come on, when someone has already shown you sincerity, you should also respond with sincerity. Are you honestly telling me to believe that the Saintess pressured the military to restore the rights of someone she has no connection with?““How can I understand the Saintess’s intentions? Perhaps she simply felt a sense of camaraderie after we fought the Dragon alongside each other. That might be the reason she granted me some consideration.”“Then what about the Saintess traveling from the Manchurian base just to find you? What do you have to say about that?”What was he talking about? Yeomyeong’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. However, he responded honestly.“…That’s news to me.”“All the soldiers and mercenaries at the Manchurian base already know about it. The GPS on the stolen motorcycle led directly to you. And yet, what did you say? You\'re not close to her?”Ha, the dwarf laughed in disbelief, but Yeomyeong felt wronged because he truly knew nothing about it.Having seemingly misunderstood Yeomyeong’s stern expression; the dwarf, looking anxious, kept talking while tapping the table.“To avoid any further misunderstanding, let me add that I have no ill intentions. The offers I made earlier are all genuine. Also,  the part about finding the treasure, which is guarded by a dragon…”Before the dwarf could speak any further, the Captain’s phone rang. The dwarf who was interrupted cast a quick glance at the Captain before continuing to speak.“…Furthermore, all the rewards I promised are also genuine. If there was any falsehood, it would be my attempt to use you to make contact with the Saintess. As you know, the Saintess….”At that moment, the Captain, looking somewhat flustered, interrupted the dwarf again.“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but you should really take this call.”“Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something important?”“This call is more important. The CEO of Blue Rat herself…”The Captain handed the phone, still connected to the call, to the dwarf and whispered something.“How dare that cursed ghost of KGB¹….”After confirming the caller’s number, the dwarf muttered something unintelligible before answering the call.Was the call that displeasing? Because the dwarf scowled and simply listened to the other party.At some point, the dwarf’s expression suddenly changed. He looked at Yeomyeong with a look of shock and fear.…What’s going on?What was the speaker saying to provoke such a reaction? While Yeomyeong tilted his head in confusion, the call came to an end.Click.Immediately after, an uncomfortable silence filled the base camp.The dwarf tried to open his mouth to say something but couldn\'t bring himself to speak, merely making a silent, hesitant gesture.Finally, it was Yeomyeong who broke the silence.“…Why are you looking at me like that?”Instead of giving him an answer, the dwarf turned the question around.“Do you… really have no connection with the Saintess?”“Haven’t I already told you several times? I have no connection with her.”“…I heard that the Saintess spent last night in the recovery room with you. Is that also a lie?”“…What are you talking about?”What kind of bizarre nonsense was this? Yeomyeong furrowed his brow unconsciously.Though the first person he saw upon waking in the recovery room was the Saintess, that didn’t mean they spent the entire night in the same room.…Right?While Yeomyeong was pondering over this, the dwarf asked him another question in a desperate voice.“Please be honest with me. You didn’t… do something inappropriate to the Saintess, right?”“…”Yeomyeong was stunned by the unexpected question. He felt dizzy, as if he was just hit on the back of the head with a hammer.“Sigh, I suppose that isn’t the case. There\'s no way someone would do something that foolish when there\'s an obvious threat of being killed by any of the millions of believers.”Not just anyone, but me and the Saintess? After regaining his composure, Yeomyeong felt not just astonishment but also anger.Not even two days had gone by since he met the Saintess and he hardly had the opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with her, let alone foster affection. It was not like he was a street hooker back in Incheon.At this point, Yeomyeong couldn’t help but ask.“…Who did you just speak to for such a question to come up?”“That is….”The answer to his question came not from the dwarf but from someone behind him.Creak.The closed base camp door opened, and an unexpected figure stepped in.Kahal Magdu—A calamity born from the reckless desires of Earthians.He flew through the Siberian sky for quite some time before arriving at a city once called Verkhoyansk.Once inhabited by thousands of people, only frozen buildings, cars, and a dreary silence remained in the once lively city.After briefly surveying the city, the Dragon folded its wings and began its descent.Boom!As the massive body passed through the blizzard, icicles fell, and the snow scattered.Amidst the biting cold, the Dragon gathered up its mana in search of its target. It wasn’t long before he managed to locate the familiar mana at a frozen school.“You’re late, Kahal.”Some figures had already gathered on the school’s rooftop. Four humans, each wearing a thick winter coat.“How come the winged bastard was the last?”Except for one, all of them were emitting a twisted mana. The Dragon lowered its head to match their eye level.- Are you proud of being the fastest to flee, Ekatherina²?At the Dragon’s jibe, the woman in the white winter coat fumed, picked up the large spear beside her and growled.“Shut up! If you guys weren’t such idiots, there wouldn’t have even been a need to flee!”- Hmph, your attempt to make excuses is laughable. Given the speed at which you arrived here, weren’t you the first to be breached?Regardless of what she said, the Dragon snorted. There were no ifs in history; the fact remained that they had failed to complete the mission.Wasn’t that also the very reason they were gathered here while looking so pathetic?“Stop… Both of you…”Amidst the tense atmosphere, a man in a red winter coat intervened in the fight between the Dragon and the woman. He spoke in a low, corpse-like voice.“There’s no need… for us to fight… among ourselves. None of us… were breached….”“Bullshit, then how did reinforcements arrive? Did the Korean government stab us in the back?”“No… It is… just that… this time, even the Korean government… didn’t anticipate this… The Saintess… The Saintess intervened….”“The Saintess? Why is that bitch in Manchuria? Isn’t she supposed to be at the Academy?”“I don’t know… the reason… But it’s certain that the Saintess is here. Isn’t that… right, Kahal?”When the man in the red winter coat looked at the Dragon, the Dragon exhaled a steam of breath in agreement.- Yes, the Saintess is here. Unlike previous Saintesses, she seems to have a few loose screws … Anyway, what does the Saintess have to do with the failure of the plan?“Foresight… The real Saintess has the ability to use Foresight… She must have mobilized the military before we could even intervene… That would explain everything….”As soon as the man finished speaking, a heavy silence settled over the rooftop. It was because everyone had the same thought.- Foresight… it seems like her ability will continue to harass us in the future.“Should we kill her? It’s not like she’s in the Holy Nation or in Australia; as long as she’s in North Manchuria, it should be easy to take her out.”Ekatherina bared her teeth as she said this. The man in the red winter coat shook his head.“If the Saintess dies… there will be a war. It’s not … the right time… yet….”- So you’re suggesting that we just back off and do nothing?“No… Our goal remains… the same… only the plan… has changed…”The man in the red winter coat turned to look at the Dragon and the others. Everyone was looking at him, waiting for his next words.“For the… Khingan Range³ in Manchuria… one person is… enough to find the treasure… The rest will… head to… the conflict area…”“Then, me! Me! I’ll stay!”“Ekatherina… you… can’t… you’re too… aggressive….”With her proposal rejected immediately, Ekatherina slammed the spear she was holding onto the rooftop. Boom! The frozen concrete cracked, raising a cloud of snow and dust.Hmph, she crossed her arms and turned her back, but that was it. There was no further resistance.Only then did the man in the red winter coat glance at the remaining members. Upon meeting his gaze, the Dragon pulled back its head slightly and said.- I’ll sit this one out. Having met a good connection, I plan to wait for him to mature a bit.“If Kahal… won’t be participating… who among the remaining two… will go…?”Among the last two, one was wearing a yellow winter coat and the other a black winter coat; it was the one in the black coat who raised their⁴ hand.“I’ll go.”It was a pure voice like that of a boy who has yet to go through puberty. The man in the red winter coat tilted his head.“Mara⁵… will you be alright…? Stealing treasure doesn’t… seem to suit your… nature….”“Well, that’s not all I plan to do. There are other things I need to check as well.”“Check…?”“When we set North Manchuria ablaze, I felt a gaze from beyond the stars.”“Beyond the stars…? I didn’t… feel anything….”“It might just be my unfounded worry, or perhaps your eyes are finally failing you.”The one in the black winter coat grinned slightly and looked up. Beyond the blizzard, the darkness with twinkling stars faced them.“Sigh… then… go ahead… I’ll leave the treasure… to you….”

1. The KGB was the foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union. It was responsible for foreign intelligence, domestic counterintelligence, technical intelligence, protection of the political leadership, and the security of the Soviet Union\'s frontiers.2. She shares the same name as the Russian Empress Екатерина, whose western counterpart is Catherine(Katherine).3. Khingan is the Mongolian name for the mountains divided into the:

Lesser Khingan, mountain range in the northeastern section of Heilongjiang, China.

Outer Khingan, also known as the Stanovoy Range; mountain range located in southeastern parts of the Russian Far East4. Mara will be considered to be gender neutral until it is specifically mentioned otherwise.5. The Korean raws use the word Pasun, but we chose to go with the more well-known version. Pasun is one of the names for a demon from the Buddhist scriptures who tried to stop Prince Siddhartha from achieving Enlightenment by trying to seduce him with his celestial Army and the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be his daughters.

In Korean, he is known by several different names: Māra-pāpīyas, Mara, Heavenly Demon, Demon King, Pasun, the Sixth Heaven Demon King, the King of the Tushita Heaven, and so on. Japan called him Hajun.

In Buddhist cosmology, Mara is associated with death, rebirth, and desire. Nyanaponika Thera has described Mara as "the personification of the forces antagonistic to enlightenment."