There are times when a person must create work for themselves, even if they do not wish to. This was especially true in the current situation, where the number of individuals causing trouble without being consumed by the power of their Tools was on the rise.

  They were cunning. They acted with a perfect understanding of the power they possessed. Such people were several times more dangerous than those who simply went berserk under the influence of the power. To face them, Jihyeon also needed to refine his own abilities.

  Moreover, the story of the reporter whose head was blown off by an attack from an unknown origin weighed heavily on Jihyeon's mind. It wasn't a primary function of a Tool. Having handled Tools for a long time, Jihyeon felt he was finally reaching a slight understanding of their true essence.

  The materialization of imagination.

  That was the true power of the Tools. Low-grade Tools not only lacked the ability to materialize imagination but were also difficult to control, making it nearly impossible to utilize one's willpower.

  However, the recent murder of the reporter was an example showing that this wasn't always the case. Remembering the enemy who had interfered when he tried to subdue Ha-eun—Ha-hyeon’s brother—Jihyeon realized he needed to increase his power further. This could potentially be achieved by acquiring a wider variety of Tools.

  Yet, Jihyeon knew well that simply increasing the number of Tools wasn't the ultimate solution. Relying solely on quantity was never a good idea. Drawing out the maximum potential of the Tools he already possessed would be a crucial factor in the battles to come. Jihyeon knew better than anyone that masterfully wielding the power of a Tool and transcending conventional common sense would be the key to victory in the many conflicts ahead.

  And so, Jihyeon came to the mountains again today. Fortunately, there was no one around him. He could test his abilities one by one without hesitation. Among them were tests related to sniping.

  In the previous engagement, Jihyeon had pushed that power to its limit. Thanks to that, he had unleashed a counter-sniping barrage against his interferer, almost like an aerial bombardment. Although he hadn't managed to take them down, he discovered new possibilities for the power he held.

  But would that be enough?

  Certainly not. In the case of the sniper Tool Jihyeon possessed, although its grade wasn't particularly high, its potential was virtually limitless if he borrowed the power of his other Tools. Specifically, the power of sniping would be even more effective in close-quarters combat. He could significantly enhance the warhead's power to make it explosive or even perform ultra-short-range sniping in melee situations.

  Jihyeon's training continued for a while. He pursued his research relentlessly until he achieved satisfactory results. He did not stop until the sun went down. To save even one more person, he would never stop pushing himself. It was something he naturally had to do to lessen the regret and sorrow he felt every time.

  Jihyeon continued his research until he was exhausted. What finally stopped him was a single phone call.

  Another job today.

  With that thought, Jihyeon immediately headed to the scene.

  The Saleswoman worked diligently. All the profits went toward fattening the wallet of the Loan Shark.

  However, in a backwater place like this, one couldn't spend money no matter how much they had. That fact irritated the Loan Shark. What he wanted was to live extravagantly with the money he earned, not just watch numbers go up. Of course, he had done his best until he established his position, but now that he was settled, it was only natural to want to spend that money.

  "Phew..."

  The Loan Shark couldn't help but feel restless. His body, having gone for another walk today, was much healthier than before, but that only made him feel more depressed.

  "I think I can start moving to another place soon... There's nothing interesting happening here," the Loan Shark muttered as he continued walking. The village path he always walked looked exactly the same as any other day.

  "So, does that mean you're ready to start moving soon?"

  Sae-hee spoke to the Loan Shark, appearing by his side as if she had been there all along. The Loan Shark looked startled by her appearance.

  "It would be nice if you'd tell me when you're coming," the Loan Shark complained. But beneath his expression, excitement was hidden. The look in his eyes, full of expectation that this uninvited guest would provide him with some entertainment, shone more intensely than anything else.

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  "Well, a new gift was prepared, so I came right away," Sae-hee said as she handed him a shopping bag. Taking it, the Loan Shark smiled as he looked at the contents. It was an item he had never seen before. It was bound to be an interesting toy.

  "What is it this time?" the Loan Shark asked, examining the contents from various angles.

  "You need to open a new place of business in the city. You aren't going to stay here forever, are you? So, this time, it's a Tool that can be used on inanimate objects. An item that can create a fortress," Sae-hee explained with a smile.

  The Loan Shark looked delighted at her words. "Interesting. You're saying I can create a fortress anytime, anywhere using this? I can even use it to buy time and escape."

  Sae-hee nodded at the Loan Shark's interpretation. "Yes, exactly. Didn't you come all the way here for the sake of your safety, Boss? Conversely, if you can secure your safety, you can stay in the city whenever you want. Also, if you use this well, you can wipe out the opposing forces within the city."

  The Loan Shark laughed again at her words. If things went as Sae-hee described, he would be able to enjoy a thrilling rush within the city.

  "That's all well and good, but why are you trying to shake up society by giving out things like this? You could just sell them like drugs and make a decent amount of money. Things like this will eventually cause the city to collapse," the Loan Shark asked.

  To this, Sae-hee replied, "For our business, a city or two is a small price to pay."

  An ordinary person wouldn't know how to respond to Sae-hee's words, but the Loan Shark was different. "Hilarious. I don't know how crazy one has to be to make that possible, but count me in."

  The Loan Shark thought as he spoke. If he played around with this, public authority would surely crumble. Expanding his influence in that gap to build his own kingdom sounded incredibly enjoyable. If things didn't work out, he could just run away. His life had always been that way.

  Earning money was good and being safe was good, but he couldn't take it anymore. The Loan Shark wanted to taste his own brand of pleasure once again.

  "Then the talk is over. Make sure the support is good."

  He would have to prepare quickly to use this. With that thought, the Loan Shark cut his walk short.

  "Yes, of course," Sae-hee promised further support. Looking at the Loan Shark, who was excited with the expectation of a new task beginning, Sae-hee imagined the numerous disasters that would follow.

  It would surely be a trial of a different caliber than before. Anticipating just how far the people of this world would go, Sae-hee smiled in silence.

  So-young watched all the results quietly. She felt a sense of satisfaction in the fact that her hard work had been well worth it.

  Of course, this wasn't enough. The Tools being sold well and people using them frequently was merely a means to an end. The most important thing was the goal she was trying to achieve, not making a profit. To be precise, it was what her superiors wanted, and what they themselves wanted.

  The preservation of their world.

  So-young desired the preservation of their world more than anyone else. However, the end of their civilization was already set.

  The Apocalypse.

  The commonly spoken of annihilation of the world. It was something no one could stop. All the energy of the world would be released, one universe would be destroyed, and a new world would be born. It was perhaps no different from the changing of the four seasons. The problem wasn't the environment, but those living in it.

  No one wants to die. No one wants to be annihilated.

  So, a way had to be found. Perhaps the only way was to send the overflowing energy destined for destruction elsewhere. The problem was that there was no way to send that energy—until they sent the Tools to this place.

  There were various circumstances, but the Tools sent here transferred the overflowing energy from the other side to this world. Thanks to that, So-young's world moved a little further away from destruction. Instead, this world moved one step closer to its end, but she didn't care. Now that they had found the method, they just had to do the same to other worlds.

  So-young, who had come for that purpose, had been working through many hardships. As a woman, the culture here was far too hostile to accomplish anything. However, once she established her position, everything began to run smoothly. Even the interferers were proving to be a great help to their plans, so perhaps she should consider herself very lucky.

  However, the current pace was slow. To delay the annihilation on the other side, the consumption of energy had to be accelerated further. They needed to spread chaos everywhere and make people desperate enough to possess Tools to survive. So-young wouldn't care about the many things that would happen in that chaos. The people here weren't the people of So-young's world. She didn't consider them fellow humans just because they lived here.

  So, it was time to begin.

  The more Tools were used in more places, the safer So-young's world would become. There was no need to worry about the ruin of this world. If they were to learn the truth, some would try to get rid of the Tools, as it was clear that ruin would arrive within a few years. Human desire occasionally caused things to transcend common sense.

  The only way to escape was to give up the Tools and use every possible means to sever the connection with the other side. That would surely buy them a few more years.

  But the humans here had already tasted the power of the Tools. Could such people truly give them up? So-young smiled. It was always the case—it was impossible to give up a power once one had started using it. Even Jihyeon, who had interfered with them so much, would be no different.

  Ever since the Tools first arrived here, everything had already begun, so ruin was a scheduled event. Even if someone showed the superhuman strength to give them up, nothing would change.

  All that remained was to enjoy watching it all unfold. Getting to this point was the hard part; from here on, there would be nothing difficult. But she should have a little fun on this side too.

  The stabilization of So-young's world meant she had to think about how to make a living when she returned. Those who opposed this plan might not know, but she intended to make money through other means here as well. That would surely be an interesting task. Thinking of a new pleasure, So-young closed the report.

  So-young looked forward to the future. The Loan Shark would surely entertain them—in many ways. Recalling the thrill of that moment, So-young simply gave a cruel smile.