When the man blocked in front of him, Exchange felt he could breathe again. Setsuna's suffocating killing intent was blocked, like hitting an iron wall!
He quickly realized he was facing a true powerhouse. "Two thousand! That's all the reward I'll get from this mission!"
If he completed the world's mission, he'd earn 2,000 End Coins, which he'd use to buy his life.
As long as he survived and returned to the End Space, he could find a way to make up for the loss in the next world.
The Kengan world was too dangerous. If he lived through today and got a return pass, he'd go back immediately.
"Two thousand, huh? That's not much, but it's extra income…"
Gusion turned to Setsuna. "I came here to hunt monsters anyway."
"Boss, be careful! That thing is on him—he's different from before!"
Exchange, using a healing item as he retreated, shouted a warning. Now that Setsuna was focused on them if the boss lost, he'd die anyway.
Gusion grinned, showing sharp white teeth. "All the better, then."
"Is it you?"
Now Setsuna spoke, face twisted. "Did you kill my god!?"
"Not much sanity left, huh. I want to ask you—why are you hunting him?"
Gusion narrowed his eyes. "Who… gave you that intel?"
That was his biggest doubt.
It was understandable for Setsuna to want revenge for Ohma, but how did he find Explorers so accurately?
Setsuna's nightly targets were always Explorers!
That couldn't be a coincidence—someone must have pointed Setsuna at them.
Identifying Explorers wasn't easy for natives; everyone looked like ordinary fighters. Only someone from the End Space could tell who was an Explorer.
Explorers already had their hands full with the Kengan matches, and weren't likely to target other Explorers.
So, the person giving Setsuna intel and directing him to hunt Explorers must be—a Rulebreaker.
That wasn't good news for Gusion. But at least, the Rulebreaker hadn't yet taken the seed from Setsuna.
Maybe he still wanted to use Setsuna a while longer, or maybe he wasn't sure he could kill Setsuna, which led to the current situation.
"It's god! God's guidance!"
Setsuna's expression was manic, hugging himself, his lower body flag raised. "God told me the suspects. I will eliminate them one by one. Then god will return and grant me the most beautiful death."
"Looks like there's no reasoning with you. Guess I'll just kill you then."
Gusion stepped forward, gripping Mazuko, and muttered, "Shatter the chains, Mazoku."
This was no sparring match. Even a lion uses full force against a rabbit. Setsuna wasn't weak; his attributes, boosted by the seed, could rival Gusion's, and his technique was top-notch.
For a spar, he wouldn't use weapons, let alone his Shikai. But now he was here to kill.
Purple-black mist swirled, vine-like chains wrapped around Gusion's right arm, the black blade devouring the moonlight, reflecting only death.
Gusion went all out, his killing intent overwhelming Setsuna's madness. With a flash step, he shot out like a cannonball—a hunting tiger!
Setsuna tried to use Rakshasa Palm with his feet, trying to confuse Gusion with unorthodox movement, but the blade still found him, precisely cutting across his path.
In the next instant, the black blade sliced through the night, taking the Beast's head with it.
Gusion stopped and flicked the blood from his blade in Exchange's shocked gaze. "Pretty tough. He could still use Indestructible at that moment?"
He glanced at Setsuna's corpse and heard a prompt from the End Space.
[Pioneer has killed the Origin Seed holder. Please use the container provided by End Space for storage. Rewards will be distributed upon return.]
Gusion checked his storage space and found a transparent capsule.
He took it out. Its grade was just a string of question marks; no details.
He crouched and tried placing the capsule on Setsuna's corpse. Soon, a green glow emerged, and a seed he couldn't see flew into the capsule.
After storing the Origin Seed, the container turned green, hiding the seed inside.
Gusion was curious. He thought killing Setsuna would automatically transfer the seed to him, but it seemed End Space required a special container, and wouldn't give it to him directly.
He figured End Space probably wouldn't cheat him out of his Pioneer reward, so he put the container away.
"Boss, you—are you really level 7?"
Exchange's amazed voice came from behind. He walked up to Setsuna's corpse, feeling it was all unreal, like a dream.
What had he just seen? The unbeatable monster with the Origin Seed, killed by Boss in one stroke?
"Something like that."
Gusion replied casually, searching Setsuna's body for clues. Unfortunately, he found nothing new—he'd have to ask Erioh and the Chairman for help later.
He looked at Exchange and smiled kindly. "Pay up."
Exchange's expression froze. "B-boss, I don't have the money right now…"
Gusion's smile faded. "Are you mocking me?"
Exchange felt a chill run down his spine. The calm killing intent was even more oppressive than Setsuna's.
He quickly shook his head. "No, no, I wouldn't dare! But who would stockpile so much money before coming here?"
"Is 2,000 a lot?"
Gusion looked confused. He'd only earned 3,500 End Coins in his first mission world, but he hadn't picked the 10,000 reward. He didn't think 2,000 was much.
And this Explorer seemed level 5 or 6, had been through a few worlds, and still couldn't produce 2,000?
Exchange's expression was odd.
"To you, of course not. But I don't have the qualifications to save up before coming here. I can sign a contract to pay you after I return."
"But what if you die? Then I get nothing?"
Gusion felt this deal was a bit of a loss. Turns out, debtors are the masters; to get the 2,000, he'd have to make sure this guy stayed alive.
"Don't worry, boss. I'll be able to return soon, I won't delay. I'm decent at staying alive."
Exchange said, afraid the fierce man before him would kill him if he got annoyed.
He'd been through a few worlds. He knew survivors became increasingly abnormal, and those already abnormal did even better. He'd heard all high-rank Explorers were a little crazy.
Gusion, in his view, was one of those who were abnormal before entering the End Space—he killed without hesitation.
Gusion glanced at the broken shield nearby. "Fine, let's sign the contract. Stay alive."
Soon, under Gusion's supervision, the contract was sealed. He added another clause: Exchange was forbidden to leak the news that he'd gotten the Origin Seed.
Although Gusion figured the Rulebreaker would eventually guess who killed Setsuna, he still wanted to lay low for a while and not spook his prey too early.
After Exchange left, Gusion took out his phone. "Hello, Miss Sayaka? It's me. The hunt here is over. Please help with the cleanup."
With that, he left the alley, heading to Setsuna's place to search for clues.