Ryu Seo-ha and Choi Kang-hu's current goal was to summon the black hole and transition to a higher dimension. However, the cult's apostles were hiding, leaving no traces, let alone revealing themselves. This was likely because they had realized through several skirmishes that they stood no chance in a direct confrontation with Choi Kang-hu.

To bring these elusive apostles to the surface, Ryu Seo-ha devised two methods.

The first was to disrupt the apostles' plans, forcing them to act more aggressively. The second was to locate their hiding spots and storm them directly.

In the case of the former, the plan was to incapacitate the shaman controlling the undead, which was the medium used by the 1st Apostle, the necromancer. Additionally, they intended to install a barrier imbued with healing skills that could temporarily suppress the symptoms of the puppet virus.

"Piyuu?"

Unexpectedly, a solution far more fundamental than the healing skill appeared. A method had been discovered to easily remove the new organs of the infected, their blood sacs, which previously required precise surgery for removal after a thorough diagnosis. Due to the risk of collapsing the healthcare system, they hadn’t dared apply this method to every suspected infected individual before...

"If we infuse the bird’s abilities into an amplification item instead of a healer and install a barrier covering the entire nation, it should work."

Han Kang-seok delivered this welcome news, gesturing toward Ruby, who was perched on Ryu Seo-ha's shoulder, tilting its head curiously. Ruby’s colorful feathers, fluttering like vibrant flames, tickled the cheeks of his lover, something that Choi Kang-hu stared at intently.

"...Did this bird use its ability on a person?"

Ryu Seo-ha, his face stern, first confirmed this detail. While the new solution was promising, he couldn’t overlook the possibility that Ruby had shown aggression toward a human. If so, it was a serious issue that couldn't be ignored.

"Piyuu─!"

Ruby, as if understanding the accusation, flapped its red-gold wings energetically and let out a long, clear cry, seemingly asserting its innocence. It even made a pecking motion toward Han Kang-seok, who stood at a distance, as if urging him to explain.

"No, it wasn’t on a person. It was on a piece of equipment. The bird was attracted to it, so I tried to shoo it away with the machine."

Han Kang-seok held up a finger wrapped with a single strand of hair, briefly explaining the situation. He had been examining a virtual sample received from a production research employee in a lab equipped with experimental tools when Ruby suddenly barged in. Startled, he had reflexively swung the equipment.

Ruby’s ability, used for self-defense, directly struck the experimental tool that materialized virtual data into physical substances. Han Kang-seok had witnessed the infected's blood sac dissolving down to the cellular level and, captivated by this discovery, had clung to Ruby to verify the results.

"Can this be applied without modifying the components?"

Choi Kang-hu, who had been silently listening, asked in a low voice. Han Kang-seok confirmed that Ruby’s ability could indeed be applied to the amplification item designed for healers.

From that point, everything progressed smoothly. While waiting for the production team of awakened craftsmen to supply the necessary items, Ryu Seo-ha checked the progress of the cooperation requests he had made to government officials.

He had asked for large temporary shelters to be set up on major islands like Jeju or inland areas, for efforts to gather the scattered population from rural and mountainous regions, and for temporary command authority over conscripted hunters.

Under normal circumstances, such requests might have been dismissed as absurd, but due to the current crisis, most were accepted and were already being implemented. Various abilities users were gathered together for the operation.

These conscripted hunters were briefed on the tasks they would soon carry out. As the briefing came to an end, news arrived that the production of the items was complete.

Ruby’s ability to transform the properties of materials had been imbued into each amplification item, made with the rear ends of magnifying fireflies as the main material. These items were designed to target the cell structure of the infected’s blood sacs.

Hunters receiving scroll items moved to their assigned positions, and Ryu Seo-ha, cradled in Choi Kang-hu’s arms, teleported to Haenam-gun, the so-called "edge of the earth," using [Spatial Leap].

"They must be anchored as soon as they’re planted."

Following his command, the spatial hunters, along with the earth elemental hunters, buried the amplification items deep underground and immediately separated them to prevent any external interference.

[Buff ‘Mana Recovery’ has been granted to the designated target (one B-rank awakened).]

With Ryu Seo-ha’s support, another spatial hunter, holding a new amplification item, linked it to the previous one using their ability.

After receiving it, Ryu Seo-ha teleported about 10 km away, handed the item to a waiting elemental hunter, and the process was repeated just like before.

In a relay-like manner, the installation of the barrier proceeded from the southernmost point of the mainland to the western tip, up to the northernmost part of the Korean Peninsula, the eastern tip, and then back to Haenam-gun, where it all began.

<We’re short on people.>

But soon, a problem they had feared arose. A transmission arrived, reporting that they were lacking spatial hunters to stitch together the dotted, fragmented points of the barrier.

This was partly due to the naturally small number of spatial hunters, but the cooldown time on their abilities was the real bottleneck. Since this was a system limitation, simply replenishing their mana wouldn’t solve the issue.

"I’ll take over from here."

Although it was slightly ahead of schedule, the gaps caused by the shortage of manpower could be filled using [Sanctification]. They had only planned to reduce the area to be fixed externally later for future considerations.

<A delegation from Italy has arrived.>

Just as Ryu Seo-ha was about to step in, he halted upon receiving a new transmission from the Blue House. They had promised a personal meeting with Italy's representative if they arrived with an oath letter.

"We will assist."

The Italian delegation, who had already arrived at the next worksite, appeared with an unexpectedly respectful and formal attitude, offering their help. Perhaps it was because they were finally facing a long-prophesied national disaster.

"We have already prepared spatial hunters and support personnel."

Like many other countries, Italy was in a state of chaos several times more severe than Korea, yet they had offered to assist without attaching any conditions, a gesture that was surprising given their desperate situation.

"Isn't Italy also short on hunters?"

"That’s correct."

Despite being in dire straits themselves, the Italians had neither pleaded for help nor made any elaborate explanations. They simply acknowledged the difficulty and didn’t pressure for a response.

"And yet, you’re willing to help us first?"

"Yes, if your country and you, sir, would allow it."

Seeing the delegation seek permission rather than unilaterally deciding, Ryu Seo-ha realized they must have received advice from a seer on how to handle their situation and secure priority support.

Regardless of the reason, it was a welcome offer. After all, their plan was to eventually travel around the world to stop the cult's activities, and obtaining the victory items for Choi Kang-hu would be much easier with this kind of international cooperation.

"Entry procedures will be stricter than usual, can you cooperate with that?"

Ryu Seo-ha wasn’t about to let them participate without thorough checks, considering the possibility of cult interference aiming to sabotage the barrier installation.

"Of course."

"Choi Kang-hu, could you help with this?"

Seeing the Italian hunters readily agree, Ryu Seo-ha turned to his lover, seeking his approval. As always, Choi Kang-hu nodded willingly.

Using his skill [Consistent Actions], Choi Kang-hu easily weeded out any spies, and it was confirmed that there were no cult agents among the Italian hunters.

Thanks to their help, the barrier installation progressed much faster than expected. The fact that it functioned effectively was confirmed by search-type hunters who witnessed the infected’s blood sacs dissolve.

"We have prepared an S-rank oath."

Finally able to catch their breath and sit down at the negotiation table, Ryu Seo-ha heard that the Italian representatives, desperate to prepare their own barrier, had come with a critical request. They needed time, just like Korea, to create a protective barrier.

The issue was the puppet virus. Because of its nature, even seemingly healthy people couldn't be trusted. To earn the minimum trust of their fellow hunters, they wanted Ryu Seo-ha’s help in five ways.

First, they asked him to maintain [Sanctification] across all of Rome for several days, to keep the virus-infected hunters in a dormant phase rather than an active one. This would allow them to focus on crafting the necessary items.

Second, they sought the information that had allowed them to acquire magnifying fireflies in such a short time. Third, they wanted to access Ruby’s power to permanently eradicate the virus.

Fourth, they asked for the booster potions developed in the Fromhell Research Lab using Kwon Se-jung’s serum to be sold to them. Fifth, they requested that Ryu Seo-ha help hunt down the shamans hiding across Italy.

"You do realize these demands are excessive?"

Ryu Seo-ha pointed out how their requests, if made under different circumstances, could easily be interpreted as an attempt to take advantage of them.

"We know we are asking too much."

The Italian hunter bowed his head in acknowledgment, his expression full of guilt. It would have been understandable if he had offered excuses, given how their movement was severely restricted outside of safe zones.

"And you understand that we might ask for something equally excessive in return?"

"Yes. We are prepared to accept any conditions."

With that, the Italian hunter pointed to the blank spaces on the oath, indicating their willingness to sign what was essentially a blank contract.