Walking up the mountain path, Jihyeon fell into thought.

  Using a tool meant having the ability to do things an ordinary human could only dream of.

  One could manipulate fire at will, wield power manifested as electricity, or gain physical strength and recovery far beyond human limits. In a sense, the fastest way to become a so-called superhuman was to get one's hands on a tool.

  However, in general cases, this demanded a heavy price.

  For those who lacked the proper qualification—unlike Jihyeon—the tool would gradually stain their minds with madness. At the same time, it gnawed away at the wielder's life force, leaving nothing but ruin at the end of the road.

  Yet, very few people knew this fact. In most cases, people were so captivated by the overwhelming power that they didn't care at all about the side effects. Naturally, the distributors wouldn't care if the recipients died anyway, and few users lived long enough to experience the full weight of the consequences.

  The men following Jihyeon now were that sort of people. They had likely received tools upon orders from above and come looking for him.

  This is going to be a nuisance, Jihyeon thought. Fortunately, he judged that they weren't the absolute worst-case scenario yet, as they didn't seem proficient with their tools.

  While even Jihyeon’s abilities couldn't fully parse their specific powers, one thing was visible: the fact that they couldn't control their own emotions.

  They were anticipating the coming violence. Whatever form it took, they seemed to have forgotten their original mission in their excitement.

  Had they remembered their task, they would have approached while maintaining a sufficient distance. They would have hidden their presence, observed Jihyeon's actions, and acted accordingly—the basic protocol for anyone tailing a target. Alternatively, since they were wearing suits instead of comfortable athletic gear, they could have approached him directly, stated their business, and requested cooperation.

  But they didn't.

  Instead, they trailed him like children excited by a new, dangerous toy.

  Jihyeon didn't know exactly what tools they held. However, seeing them approach even though they knew he had spotted them, it was clear they were itching to show off their strength.

  "I hope it's something simple," Jihyeon muttered with a bitter smile.

  Based on the information gathered so far, elemental powers—including electricity—belonged to higher-tier tools. Generally, those that merely enhanced physical force were for the rank-and-file. Tools that mimicked telekinesis sat somewhere between physical enhancement and elemental manipulation.

  These men were likely using tools for physical enhancement. If they were capable of controlling themselves, they wouldn't be this agitated.

  Jihyeon felt somewhat relaxed, thinking he just needed to fight accordingly. Although he couldn't see their full stats, he had developed enough of a knack to gauge their general level of strength. He figured he might just need to knock them unconscious and take their tools.

  Of course, Jihyeon knew that in some cases, this could have severe psychological effects on the user. But he figured that was better than having their consciousnesses consumed by the tools. With that, he prepared the tool that granted him telekinetic power.

  The ability, activated within his consciousness, formed a faint barrier around him. A tool can be utilized in various ways depending on how it's handled. Or perhaps it was because of the tool deep within him that could read information; it allowed him to draw out the true potential of the tools that had entered his body.

  He wasn't sure if he was using them perfectly, but the ability to manifest whatever he thought of was a massive help in itself. Thanks to this, though it had taken time, he was now able to use the fire-manipulating tool to some degree. Allowing the "foreign sensation" to stay in his body had been worth the effort, even if he couldn't wield it as perfectly as the cult leader had.

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  Wondering what power to use this time, Jihyeon turned his head once more. In that moment, he couldn't help but be startled.

  One of the two opponents had suddenly vanished. They surely knew Jihyeon was aware of them. Yet, the mountain path he was on wasn't wide enough for someone to hide. Where could he have gone?

  Just as Jihyeon scanned left and right in confusion to find the enemy, the man who had disappeared materialized right in front of him. He was grinning, seemingly enjoying Jihyeon's surprise. Simultaneously, the enemy swung a fist, aiming straight for Jihyeon's head.

  "Kuh!"

  Taking the blow with a barrier made of tool power, Jihyeon stepped back. If he hadn't prepared in advance, it would have been over with that one strike.

  The fist stopped inches from Jihyeon's face. Simultaneously, the unpleasant grin vanished from the opponent's face.

  However, there was no time for a counterattack. The opponent retreated instantly. Sensing that Jihyeon was stronger than expected, a flicker of tension appeared on the man's face.

  In the meantime, Jihyeon regained his stance and evaluated his opponent.

  Fast.

  The opponent's movement had surpassed the realm of ordinary humans. Because of the physical enhancement, his bones and muscles were withstanding his own speed. From the perspective of the one blocking the attack, curses almost flew out of his mouth.

  Still, Jihyeon considered it a stroke of luck. If the opponent's speed had exceeded the limits of human perception, even he wouldn't have been able to cope. It was a step below the "super-acceleration" often seen in hero stories, but it was still more than enough to overwhelm an ordinary person.

  Jihyeon was glad his favorite tool was of the telekinetic type. He couldn't imagine how badly he would have been hurt if he had taken those hits directly with his body.

  The disadvantage, however, remained.

  Only one man was currently using his ability. The other was simply watching the fight between Jihyeon and his comrade.

  That was a bad sign. If Jihyeon gained the upper hand, the second man would surely intervene. Not knowing the other's ability put Jihyeon at a disadvantage.

  However, Jihyeon didn't view it as entirely negative. The fact that he didn't have to take the hits directly was a plus. Moreover, the man currently attacking him was simply fast and durable enough to handle that speed—nothing more.

  Jihyeon took a defensive stance, using the walls created by his tool to soak up the attacks while looking for an opening. Since it took a little time to draw out the electrical power left by the cult leader, he had no other choice.

  It was a painful realization for Jihyeon that he couldn't manifest that power properly in his panicked state. Dealing calmly with a fist flying from an unexpected direction was not easy. Being stuck purely on the defensive was a clear limit of his current skill.

  However, as he gradually grew accustomed to the opponent's speed, Jihyeon prepared to strike back. Once he decided where to hit, the rest wouldn't be difficult.

  Zzzzt.

  Sparks of electricity flickered from his body. Seeing this, the man who had been attacking Jihyeon showed signs of flustered agitation. However, knowing that Jihyeon's attack couldn't immediately track him, he kept moving and looking for an opening.

  "Tch!"

  Clicking his tongue, Jihyeon swung a whip made of electricity as a deterrent. If it hit, the opponent would go down; if not, it would at least keep him at bay.

  As expected, Jihyeon's attack didn't do much more than force the opponent to retreat. However, this briefly flipped the roles of offense and defense.

  Hoping to maintain this momentum, Jihyeon continued his assault. The flashing whip of electricity drove the opponent back.

  But the attack didn't last.

  "Just as I thought."

  Jihyeon saw the fast-moving man hide behind his comrade. He saw the other man grin as he took the attack head-on. He seemed confident in his defense. The way he smiled as if he had taken zero damage grated on Jihyeon's nerves.

  But they didn't know yet.

  They didn't realize Jihyeon had already faced this type of enemy before. Once Jihyeon had faced an opponent, he wouldn't lose to the same type again.

  Though this was a combination of the "fastest spear" and the "unbreakable shield," Jihyeon knew he could overcome it with a little wit.

  Yet, Jihyeon wasn't in a good mood. He knew there were beings even stronger than these two. Just thinking about how intense the coming battles would be made him feel like he had indigestion.

  It was a natural thought. The enemy Jihyeon had faced before wasn't just strong in defense; he had moved fast and pushed Jihyeon with overwhelming force. These two, however, were just using their powers in a straightforward, honest manner. Perhaps it couldn't be helped, given that the grade of the tools provided to them was likely low.

  But the opponent's circumstances didn't matter.

  For Jihyeon, it was a lucky break. If they had used their tools with more versatility and tested his limits, he would have been in trouble. Fortunately, they weren't enemies who showed that kind of depth. The chance of victory was here.

  Still, he couldn't afford to be careless.

  Jihyeon widened the distance and racked his brain for a different way to attack. Soon, an idea struck him, and he used it without hesitation.

  The fast-moving man thought he only needed to dodge Jihyeon's electrical attacks as he continued to look for an opening. Indeed, with Jihyeon's reaction speed, it was impossible to perfectly follow his movements.

  But predicting the path was not difficult. As the other man advanced like a moving wall, the fast man charged in to drive Jihyeon into a corner.

  In response, Jihyeon applied the method he had used before—the exact same method he used when a truck had come hurtling toward him.

  And it worked perfectly. With that, the tide of the battle was completely turned.