Reable’s bloody gaze pierced Ji-Cheok’s soul. He tried to talk but couldn’t, as if he were under a spell that sewed his mouth shut.

“...?!”

“As per our contract, you can only speak of your true desires. So what you were about to say right now was a blatant lie. Now tell me, what do you want? Money? Honor? Freedom? Authority? Or is it love?”

When Reable said that, Ji-Han’s expression showed that he had missed something important.

“Damn it! Did you intend to do that from the start? Let him make a wish that you can grant?” Ji-Han said to Reable.

“Well, most people wish for things like one hundred billion won in their bank account. If I grant that wish, I can move around more freely…”

At that moment, Ji-Cheok felt his throat getting loose and his genuine desire came out.

“I want to protect the…”

“What?” Reable said.

‘This is funny for me too. I can’t believe this insignificant thing is my true desire. Have I become accustomed to planning funerals for others while working as a Hunter Assistant?’

“I want people to survive and not die even after the Tutorial ends,” Ji-Cheok said.

‘...Because I don’t want to see ‘that’ ever again.’

That despair had left a mark.

When Ji-Cheok closed his eyes, he could see that mark inside of him. He could hear it whisper to him that...