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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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The serial killer targeting Returnees, tentatively called the Vigilante.
The ability he possessed was, in fact, an Avatar ability.
“An Avatar ability…?”
At Kwon Tae-ho’s words, the Chief Superintendent tilted his head. Lee Ha-yeon, who was listening nearby, did the same.
An ability even the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Chief Superintendent didn’t know about… just what kind of ability could it be?
“It’s natural that you wouldn’t know. There are so few who possess it. Probably fewer than ten in the entire country, all told.”
“Is this Avatar ability…similar to a remote clone…?”
“Roughly speaking, yes.”
The Avatar ability was so rare, and even among its possessors, the specifics varied. However, the commonality that allowed them to be broadly categorized was as follows:
The ability to create an avatar that projected one’s own appearance and to control it remotely, separate from the main body.
“If that’s the case, isn’t it just the same as creating a clone with magic? Why even mention such a rare superpower?”
“It’s similar, but definitely a different ability. Well, alright. Let’s assume, as the Chief Superintendent suggests, that the culprit committed these crimes using remote clone magic.”
Kwon Tae-ho raised his right hand and extended one finger.
“First, clone magic. It’s a relatively common magic. However, that’s only as far as intangible illusion magic is concerned. You’re aware that creating a physically interactive clone is a much higher-level magic.”
“That’s true…”
“Furthermore, creating a clone and controlling it are different matters. Simple actions can be automated, but when it comes to combat, separate control magic is necessary.”
Kwon Tae-ho extended a second finger and continued.
“Additionally, the perpetrator used a weapon with soul-killing abilities to circumvent necromancy… but if it’s a clone, the story changes. A weapon created with clone magic isn’t likely to have enchantments or anything like that. Naturally, they would have to use separate soul-killing magic.”
That made three. However, this was only the basic preparation. There were still many more spells to list.
“How many spells do you think would be necessary for that clone to engage in combat with an A-rank ability user? First, enhance the clone’s overall physical abilities and durability. In A-rank and above combat, attacks and defenses are exchanged within 0.1 seconds, so a separate corrective spell would be needed to eliminate the control delay. Furthermore, if it’s a magically created clone, it should be traceable with tracking magic, shouldn’t it? The fact that it couldn’t be tracked means that it was layered with multiple spells that disrupt tracking magic. Moreover, even if the sudden disappearance could be explained by dismissing the clone, how do you explain that even the journey to the crime scene wasn’t captured on CCTV? The clone was created remotely at the crime scene. Or the clone was given invisibility and moved. Either way, additional magic would be required.”
Watching Kwon Tae-ho calmly explain, Lee Ha-yeon was dumbfounded.
Until now, the Kwon Tae-ho she had seen was one of two versions: his usual scruffy and unreliable self, or his powerful combat form.
Therefore, this intellectual, deductive side of Kwon Tae-ho was unfamiliar to her.
However, that was just Ha-yeon’s misunderstanding, stemming from her unfamiliarity with the Enforcer profession.
An Enforcer was, so to speak, a one-man army.
From investigating cases and profiling criminals to subduing and arresting them using force. Versatility was not an option but a necessity for an Enforcer, who had to handle every step of the process alone.
“Now, do you see?”
Both of his hands were already fully extended, with no fingers left to raise. Kwon Tae-ho showed his outstretched hands to the Chief Superintendent and added,
“Even the Minister of Magic would struggle to handle this many spells simultaneously. Time-stopping would be more plausible.”
“I understand what you’re saying. Then, if the culprit is an Avatar ability user, are you saying these problems are all resolved?”
“They are. Fundamentally, superpowers lack versatility but are highly efficient. Using a car as an analogy, compared to magic, which has to recreate every single part of a car’s structure with magic power, a superpower is like a ready-made car that only needs fuel. The downside is that the car can’t transform into a ship or a plane.”
Even for an Avatar ability user, creating an avatar remotely and attempting to control it at a level capable of high-speed combat wouldn’t be easy.
“At least it would be much simpler than magic. Moreover, if the perpetrator’s ability is a superpower that doesn’t use magic power at all, it explains why there are no traces of magic-based tracking spells.”
“Indeed, I see.”
“Furthermore, the decisive factor was this video. It immediately clicked for me.”
Kwon Tae-ho showed the CCTV footage he had been focusing on earlier.
The video of the perpetrator exhibiting strange behavior as they left the crime scene.
“A skilled Avatar ability user can control both their main body and avatar simultaneously. However, sometimes, when they are unskilled or their concentration lapses, the main body’s movements can be directly fed back to the avatar. Like this.”
At those words, everyone in the conference room focused on the perpetrator in the video.
The perpetrator walking normally, then suddenly stopping. Turning their head 90 degrees to the right, reaching out and touching the empty air behind them, briefly bowing their waist, then taking a few steps and freezing for about 10 seconds.
“Now, if you rotate this 90 degrees like this…”
Kwon Tae-ho rotated the tablet and replayed the video as he spoke.
“Doesn’t it look like someone lying in bed, propping themselves up, and slowly walking towards the door?”
“Ah!”
Lee Ha-yeon was the first to react. She spoke to Kwon Tae-ho excitedly, like a student who had figured out the answer to a teacher’s question.
“The doorbell! They heard the doorbell! They were lying in bed, controlling the avatar, and went to the door when they heard the doorbell!”
“That’s possible. Or maybe the washing machine they had set earlier finished its cycle. The reason doesn’t matter. The point is, this strange behavior is likely the result of the avatar mimicking the actions of the perpetrator’s main body.”
She caught on quickly. Good instincts.
At Kwon Tae-ho’s praise, Ha-yeon giggled shyly.
“Certainly, hearing this explanation makes that strange behavior understandable. The culprit is highly likely to be an Avatar ability user. In that case…”
A glint appeared in the Chief Superintendent’s eyes. Now that they had a conclusion, it was time to act.
“Send a cooperation request to the Returnee Management Bureau. Have them pull up a list of Avatar ability users from their database and check their alibis for the times of the incidents. Since it’s such a rare ability, we should have a clear picture soon. Go now.”
Two of the Chief Superintendent’s subordinates nodded and left the room at his command. Watching them, Kwon Tae-ho grinned and said,
“That’s worth fifty million won, right?”
“…Haha.”
It was certainly helpful, but the Chief Superintendent couldn’t simply agree, letting out a wry chuckle.
“Then we’ll be heading back. Please contact our office when you have the results.”
“Alright. You can take the materials with you. Just be careful not to leak them.”
“Understood.”
Kwon Tae-ho and his team left the conference room. As they rounded the corner of the hallway, Ha-yeon clenched her fists and said to Kwon Tae-ho,
“Enforcer Kwon…! You were so cool back there! You’re always cool in combat, but this time it was more… professional? Intellectual? It made my heart race the whole time! I’m so impressed!”
“Heh, this is nothing. So, rookie, feeling pretty good about choosing our office for your training?”
Kwon Tae-ho’s shoulders lifted slightly at Ha-yeon’s effusive praise. Yoo Seol, who always accompanied him, was stingy with compliments, so being lauded by a subordinate like this was a novel experience for him.
“Yes! I think I made the right choice! I’m going to learn a lot during my training period!”
“Good, keep up the good work!”
Their laughter echoed down the hallway. Watching them, Yoo Seol wore a dubious smile.
“……What if it turns out you were completely wrong after all this boasting?”
“That won’t happen! And even if it does, I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry.”
“As expected of Enforcer Kwon!”
“…….”
Yoo Seol frowned at Kwon Tae-ho’s confident demeanor.
As an assistant director working for the sake of social order, she shouldn’t have such thoughts, but…
‘…He’s kind of annoying. I hope he’s wrong.’
Yoo Seol secretly wished, unbeknownst to the other two.
And that wish came true two days later.
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“What? You’re saying there are no suspects without alibis?”
Yoo Seol asked incredulously over the phone.
She had jokingly wished for Kwon Tae-ho to be wrong out of annoyance at his smugness, but she had believed his deduction was almost certainly correct.
Could he really be completely wrong?
“I see. Yes. Understood. Thank you. We’ll discuss it and reschedule another visit. Yes, anytime if you need anything. Then-”
–Click.
Yoo Seol hung up the phone, sighed deeply, and looked up. In her line of sight were Kwon Tae-ho and Lee Ha-yeon, leisurely enjoying their afternoon coffee.
“You heard all that, right?”
“I, I heard it, but…did I hear correctly…?”
“If you heard that all the Avatar ability users registered in the database had solid alibis for the times of the incidents, then yes, you heard correctly.”
Clang!
Ha-yeon’s heart dropped. She turned her head stiffly and asked Kwon Tae-ho anxiously,
“W-what happens now…?”
What about the case? And what about my bonus?
Yes, there was no point hiding it. Kwon Tae-ho, puffed up by Ha-yeon’s flattery, had excitedly promised her a small bonus if the case was successfully resolved.
But now, news had arrived that his deduction was completely off the mark. It was a bolt from the blue.
“…….”
However, Kwon Tae-ho himself, the one whose deduction was wrong, remained calm. Sitting on the sofa, chin resting on his hand, lost in thought, he finally opened his mouth quietly.
“……The hypothesis probably wasn’t wrong. The perpetrator’s actions can’t be explained without the Avatar ability. I’m almost certain of it.”
“Almost certain or not, the database says all the registered superpower users have confirmed alibis!”
“If we’re limiting it to superpower users registered in the database, then that’s true.”
“Yes…?”
Yoo Seol tilted her head, asking what he meant.
“There could be Avatar ability users who aren’t registered in the database.”
“Maybe in some underdeveloped country, but not in Korea. Enforcer Kwon, you know how strict this country is about Returnees, right?”
As she said, Korea’s Returnee management system was incredibly tight, almost reminiscent of a dictatorship.
A nationwide monitoring system detected dimensional rifts, the precursor to a Returnee’s arrival, in advance.
Management officials were dispatched to the predicted location to immediately make contact with and care for the Returnee upon arrival, registering them in the database.
Thanks to this systematic approach, unregistered Returnees were practically nonexistent in Korea. Even Returnees who returned before the system was established were identified through annual nationwide ability possession surveys.
“They’re strict about registering Returnees, yes. However, there are cases where Returnees acquire additional abilities after their return that aren’t updated in the database.”
“That only applies to things like martial arts that can be learned anywhere. Superpowers are strictly managed by the government due to their nature. All superpower training institutions are required to connect to the Management Bureau’s database and update it in real time.”
“Only officially authorized training institutions, that is.”
“Enforcer Kwon, are you suggesting…?”
It seemed Yoo Seol finally understood what Kwon Tae-ho was getting at. Only Ha-yeon, caught in the middle, was still lost, tilting her head back and forth in confusion.
“As you said, this country strictly regulates superpowers, especially among abilities. They’re the most unpredictable.”
However, there was one place in Korea where such regulations didn’t reach.
An extraterritorial area where even law enforcement couldn’t easily intervene.
A place where, due to the security vacuum created immediately after the Great Transfer and its proximity to the port, all sorts of criminals flocked, resulting in a hotbed of unimaginable crime and corruption.
“Let’s take a little business trip.”
That place was Incheon, Chinatown.
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Meanwhile, at that time.
In a high-class bar located in the entertainment district on the outskirts of Chinatown.
In a small, private room separate from the main hall, reserved only for special guests, two people sat facing each other with some snacks and strong liquor between them.
One was a middle-aged man with streaks of gray in his hair.
His face, etched with deep wrinkles that seemed to compress the passage of time, exuded a chilling murderous aura. The scar across his right eye and the two swords strapped to his back made him look undeniably dangerous.
The person sitting across from him was equally intimidating. Robes concealed their entire body, and a black mask hid their face. They hardly looked like someone there for a meal.
“How are your abilities? Any discomfort using them? Have you experienced any side effects?”
The masked figure asked, and the middle-aged man gulped down his drink and spoke irritably.
“Nothing like that. It’s been a month, and I’m fine. So there’s no need for these pointless weekend meetings.”
“Hey, aftercare is important. Besides, this case is also a kind of experimental verification for us. We need to monitor the progress and record it. We practically gave you the ability transplant for free, so please cooperate.”
“I’m grateful for that. So, how long do I have to keep being dragged around by you?”
“Ideally, I’d like to meet regularly for a year or two, but considering what you’re doing, that’s probably difficult, right?”
At the masked figure’s question, the man chuckled.
“Do you think I’ll get caught by the police?”
“You killed nine people in a month. You’re rampaging a bit too much. Besides, someone troublesome has caught wind of it.”
“Who?”
“Are you familiar with Enforcer Kwon Tae-ho?”
“Hmm…”
The man’s response was affirmative. If you asked anyone in the country to name a famous Enforcer, Kwon Tae-ho would be among the top five. Of course, most of his fame was notoriety.
“I’ve heard the name. The lunatic Enforcer who’s always in the news for excessive force and personality issues.”
“But his skills are undeniable. Just a few days ago, he subdued and apprehended a Returnee who was a Heavenly Demon in their world.”
“Heavenly Demon is a relative term.”
-Clink!
The man slammed his glass down roughly and glared at the masked figure. A sharp, murderous intent flickered in his deeply shadowed eyes.
“Police, Enforcers, Heavenly Demons… I’ll cut down anyone who gets in my way.”
“My, how frightening. I certainly hope you manage to stay free for a long time.”
Well then, I should be going.
The masked figure stood up, placing their palm against their fist.
A playful martial arts-style farewell. The man frowned and waved his hand dismissively.
“Get out.”
“Until next time.”
After the masked figure left the room, the man continued emptying his glass without touching the snacks.
“Tsk.”
He finally finished the entire bottle by himself. Fifteen years ago, this amount would have made him drunk.
However, this body, which had gone to another world and returned, didn’t get drunk easily anymore. Even after a whole bottle of strong liquor, he only felt slightly warm.
A healthy body was good, but sometimes he longed to be drunk enough to forget everything. The man left the room, leaving the empty bottle behind.
-Crash!!
Immediately after, the sharp sound of breaking glass echoed. For a moment, he thought he had misplaced the bottle, but it wasn’t that.
The sound came from another room across the hall.
“Eek! W-what are you doing?!”
“Do I look like I’m joking?! Do you know who’s backing this place?! Don’t make me lose my temper!”
“Agh! I’m sorry…! Please don’t hit me…! Sob…”
The man could guess what was happening just from the sounds.
It was likely a member of the gang backing the bar using his power to harass a waitress.
This was Chinatown, an extraterritorial zone where the law didn’t apply. Such incidents were commonplace.
So, he wouldn’t interfere.
His past self would have meddled. He would have invoked notions of righteousness, justice, morality, and ethics.
But the man had changed. He had no room for, nor any emotional capacity to care about, the affairs of others. Like the empty bottle he had just finished, his heart was empty and hollow.
The man quietly left the hallway.
The door to the room across the hall was slightly ajar. His gaze drifted towards it involuntarily. He caught a glimpse of what was happening inside.
Just as he expected. A hulking, pig-like man was harassing a slender woman. The woman had beautiful long black hair and skin as white as jade. A single tear rolled down her fair cheek.
It had nothing to do with him.
However.
Seeing that scene, the man unconsciously projected the image of someone else onto the waitress.
“…….”
The man hesitated. But not for long. Thinking about it, it wasn’t a problem worth agonizing over.
The problem before him was simply this:
-…………Shing.
There was just one more piece of trash to be removed from this world.
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