“It’s called Chiral.”


  Speaking confidently, Wilford pointed to the table in front of Kang Shin-hyuk. Two small fragments were placed atop it, both very sharp, harboring the luster of glass and as smooth as a mirror. They clearly reflected Kang Shin-hyuk’s eyes as he looked down at it, those golden reptilian pupils.

  “Chiral. I don’t know exactly what it is, but it feels great.”


  Kang Shin-hyuk looked down at the fragments of the black mirror and said that. Wilford looked satisfied at his attitude.

  “That’s right. After all, those ranked first in the superhuman ranking seem to have an eye for things. I haven’t explained it all yet, but when I see you look so interested……”


  Was this man really this stupid? Kang Shin-hyuk looked blankly at him.

  “I am also an artisan.”


  “Ah, ah, right.”


  In the first place, he had come here for the World Prize. Had he forgotten? Or maybe Wilford was a simple soldier who only did what he was told. Either way, it was stupid, but the object before him wasn’t that funny. Chiral…… It refers to the relationship in a mirror image that face-to-face like left and right hands, but they never completely overlap. The word tickled at his mind, bringing memories of Tsukuyo’s mention of the mirror to humanity, Jormungand.

  “So……I want to hear an accurate explanation.”


  He had decided to crawl into the royal palace to find out about Jormungand, but he didn’t think it would be so easy. Or perhaps it was all Jormungand’s intention, this one, and Janus…… Kang Shin-hyuk forced himself to stop thinking of Janus, who didn’t show any hostility towards him in that fight and took Shin Eunah away.

  “I’ve tried to do it on my own, but I need the help of someone strong like the Death Puppeteer to produce Chiral continuously.”


  “Who even calls me that?”


  “Me.”


  He decided to erase all traces of that name from this Earth, but that wasn’t a concern for now. This chiral crystal contained a high level of energy that his spiritual power couldn’t grasp all at once.

  “It had the ability to enhance the potential of existence greatly. It’s a piece that even increases the extent of its own reinforcement.”


  Wilford explained the chiral more enthusiastically, whether or not he knew what Kang Shin-hyuk was thinking.

  “So is it like a potion?”


  “No. Would you like to see?”


  Wilford smiled brightly as he picked up the chiral and stabbed it into his own forearm. Kang Shin-hyuk remained quiet as the chiral crackled and slowly melted, absorbed into his body. It reacted with the energy Wilford originally had, transformed it…… Eventually, it was completely absorbed into his body. Kang Shin-hyuk couldn’t take his eyes off it.

  “You’ve noticed…… The fact I just strengthen my abilities.”


  “Exactly…… I see.”


  Previously, he had heard from Eleanor that Wilford was, at best, similar to Olivia, or even weaker. But when they met at dinner, he thought it was odd as he seemed so much stronger than Oliva. Such a secret was hidden behind that.

  “How is it possible? It’s a smooth acceptance of energy crystals that have properties different from our own.”


  “Haha, of course, it wasn’t easy. But with endless effort and experimentation, we finally figured out how to fully absorb this chiral into our bodies.”


  “To develop your abilities.”


  “To evolve our traits.”


  With a voice that was honey-sweet, Wilford responded. Kang Shin-hyuk felt the deadly blade lurking in it.

  “Chiral makes it possible.”


  Let’s make an assumption. If Kang Shin-hyuk were suspicious and wary from the moment he first met Wilford, then he already would’ve known he had no intention of meeting him separately after dinner or giving in. Nevertheless, Wilford had been convinced he could pull Kang Shin-hyuk to him by showing off the power of this material known as chiral.

  ‘That magi he had seems to be linked to this chiral. Using the chiral to convince me, or powering himself up to brainwash me…… Or both?’


  Kang Shin-hyuk smiled only on the outside. Since the start of the superhuman era, countless studies had been conducted on traits, which were the biggest factor that separated superhumans. Not only the potential of each trait but how they grew and evolved, many people had wasted sleep at night thinking about it. However, no one had made significant discoveries about the evolution of traits yet. If there was an entity that could artificially cause traits to evolve, it was none other than Kang Shin-hyuk.

  Until now.

  ‘Is this my fault? Because my abilities can evolve traits, did this come out? No, this is more fundamental…… Fundamental?’


  Kang Shin-hyuk, still thinking, turned to Wilford as he picked up the other piece of chiral.

  “Is there anything else?”


  “Yes?”


  Wilford tilted his head with a slight tremble.

  “Chiral’s ability, there seems to be something else.”


  “Aah, that’s what you meant. It didn’t mean much to us, so I didn’t tell you.”


  Wilford laughed deeply. Perhaps this was the main point. Wilford drew close and whispered it in his ear, though no one else was around.

  “It makes it possible to copy traits.”


  “Hoh.”


  “It can awaken those who don’t even have traits. That’s right.”


  Wilford spoke confidently as he saw Kang Shin-hyuk’s face.

  “Chiral is the product of miracles that can create superhumans.”


  “I’m interested.”


  Kang Shin-hyuk faced him head-on.

  “I don’t think you’ve told me about this for nothing. Let’s hear what you want.”


  “I told you I needed your help, right?”


  As Kang Shin-hyuk showed a positive attitude, Wilford’s momentum increased. At first, he didn’t expect much from the British royalty, but then this had appeared.

  “I need a lot of monster mana stones. If possible, the magical stones of intelligent monsters.”


  “There are many intelligent monsters among those with magic.”


  “That’s it!’


  Wilford didn’t seem to be acting.

  “There’s a gate I’ve secretly secured. You need to go inside and secure a mana stone. How about it?”


  “In secret? I don’t know when the gate will run out. You have to keep it controlled……”


  “I can affirm that there is no worry about it going berserk. I want to talk about how to make and use Chiral…… Do you plan to work with me?”


  Wilford spoke meaningfully as he handed the Chiral to Kang Shin-hyuk as if to say this was a down payment. However, Kang Shin-hyuk, having grasped its structure, knew it wasn’t a down payment but a shackle to trap and bind him. He accepted it, knowing that. At the same time, he was convinced.

  ‘I guess Janus isn’t involved in this.’


  She knew that Royal Dragon couldn’t be influenced by such small fragments.

  ***

  Chiral was an intriguing thing. As soon as he received it, he tried to put it in his forearm as Wilford did, but he told him about the correct usage, saying that there could be side effects if not done correctly. For Kang Shin-hyuk, it was basic work, like properly taking drugs. But when he finally gently absorbed the Chiral, Wilford began to treat him very comfortably as he did the other royalty. Kang Shin-hyuk gently adjusted to his rhythm and talked a bit more before heading off.

  “Ah, junior is here!”


  As soon as Kang Shin-hyuk entered the room, Lee Na-hee attacked him. He didn’t think she would do anything unusual, so when he accepted it, Lee Na-hee groped his body with a slightly teary face.

  “Hey! I was really worried!”


  “Thanks, but I’m first in the rankings.”


  “Aren’t you too cocky?! What if you get stabbed?”


  He wanted to answer that stabbing him wouldn’t do anything, but he just smiled instead. Then Lee Na-hee, who was groping his body, stepped back.

  “Weird, it doesn’t look like anything is wrong……”


  “How was it?”


  Meanwhile, Eleanor, who was still sitting down in a chair, looked at him with those peculiar purple eyes as Lee Na-hee released him. Kang Shin-hyuk spoke up softly out of concern for her.

  “I caught the tail, roughly.”


  “What is it?!”


  Lee Na-hee jumped up, but Eleanor quietly reached out and grabbed her.

  “I wish you could tell me…… What happened to the royal family?”


  “They were seized by Jormungand.”


  “.……”


  “I was expecting it.”


  “I didn’t know they would be so helpless.”


  “With an enemy inside, anyone will easily collapse.”


  Kang Shin-hyuk replied with a bitter smile as he sat down on the bed. Hell, who was sleeping On his bed, opened her eyes and climbed on his shoulder. He let out a sigh as he tickled the wyvern’s chin. He had a rough understanding of Chiral. At the same time, unintentionally, he found little hints about Jormungand’s origin.

  “Hey……”


  “Don’t worry; I’ll figure it out somehow. It’ll take a little time…… Maybe I can save Olivia.”


  “We’ll get it done before he even starts.”


  But before that, the World Prize would arrive. Grabbing the snake’s tail would be the next thing they had to do.