The Man with Hypnotic Powers Doesn't Hold Back the Second Time Around-Chapter 262

A small, frightened yelp escaped her lips.

"...Well, if this isn’t a prank, then…"

"Here. These are photos I took during our battle."

"…No way. This is supposed to be me?"

"Yes. And by the way, on that day, three of my comrades died. Because your zombies used civilians as bait."

"…"

Kkong explained her crimes calmly and methodically. He laid out the atrocities committed by the Grade 0 villain necromancer, who deserved nothing less than immediate execution.

It didn’t take long for tears to form in the necromancer's eyes.

"Aren't villains supposed to be beyond saving…?"

"Not anymore. The only person in the world capable of rehabilitating villains, Seo Yujin, cured you."

"Seo Yujin? A Korean?"

"That’s right. He’s the one who played a significant role in your subjugation. Around here, he’s known as the Savior of Vietnam."

A fleeting glance was cast in Yujin's direction. The young man, deciding this wasn’t his business, busied himself with something else in the distance. His considerate demeanor elicited smiles from those watching.

"——The complete opposite of you."

"Eek!"

However, as soon as their gazes turned back to the necromancer, the warmth vanished. Instead, their eyes burned with hostility, as though they were itching to end her life on the spot. Even Kkong, despite his usual composure, momentarily clenched his jaw in frustration.

The stark contrast was enough to hammer reality into the necromancer.

"W-What I did… I didn’t want to do any of it…"

"I understand you want to make excuses, but save them for yourself. If those whose families died because of you heard that, they’d tear you apart."

"…Ugh…"

Her legs, which had withstood even the harshest torture, began to tremble. Her teeth chattered audibly.

Fully grasping the gravity of her situation, the necromancer quaked in fear.

"Then… why did you cure me? Villains are supposed to be executed on the spot."

"Would that erase your sins? You’re responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands. Do you think dying would be enough to pay for that?"

"That's…"

"You’ll spend the rest of your life atoning for your crimes. As the first and last member of the Penal Corps, under my command as the leader of the Vietnamese Liberation Army."

The verdict was delivered with calm finality. On the surface, it sounded merciful—her life would be spared. But in truth, it was the cruelest punishment imaginable.

"Just so you know, any thoughts of desertion would be unwise. Even if you managed to escape, there’s no one in this country who would welcome you. If you don’t want to be pelted with garbage or attacked by Awakened, you’d better stay by my side."

The outcome was obvious, even without the ability to foresee the future. Unlike Yujin or himself, the necromancer bore the hatred and resentment of an entire nation.

Life would no longer be a blessing for her—it was now a curse she would carry for the rest of her days.

The necromancer instinctively understood this truth. She clenched her eyes shut tightly.

‘Tsk. Is she planning to kill herself? Foolish. In her current state, she wouldn’t even be able to leave a scratch on an Awakened body.’

"Suicide is not permitted. If you defy orders…"

Kkong’s expression grew colder as he contemplated her actions. But to his surprise, this time his assumption was wrong.

"…No. Suicide? I wouldn’t dare."

"Hm?"

"I’ll do as you say. If everything you’ve told me is true… then it’s the right thing to do. It’s what I have to do."

The necromancer had made a decision—a difficult one.

She would take responsibility for crimes she couldn’t even remember. She would endure the pain and suffering for the rest of her life.

It was a decision so surprising that even Kkong couldn’t help but click his tongue in astonishment.

"Hmm."

‘According to Yujin, she should only have memories from her civilian days… And yet, she reached this conclusion immediately?’

While he still harbored some doubts, there was no denying the sincerity of her resolve—at least, the resolve she displayed in that moment.

Just like the comrades who had once stood before him, prepared to give their lives.

‘…Yes. They should see this too.’

"Release all of the necromancer’s restraints, except for the mana seal."

"Captain?"

A flicker of longing crossed Kkong’s face.

"Let’s go. To the graves of our… dear comrades."

***

During the Journey

The woman, once known as the necromancer, became increasingly certain that Kkong's words were entirely truthful.

"That's... H-Heek! A necromancer!!"

"What’s this? A public execution?"

"That damn woman…!!!!"

"Calm down! General Bojji Kkong is with her!!"

"How can I calm down when that monster killed my wife and daughter…?"

Every person who saw her was filled with rage. Without exception. Every passerby, every onlooker—they all glared at her with pure fury.

The reactions were enough to completely shatter even the faintest glimmer of hope.

"H-Heek…"

"..."

‘She’s scared, but she’s not trying to run away. Looks like she’s not deluding herself into thinking this situation is salvageable.’

This was all part of Kkong’s plan.

He had deliberately chosen a route where civilians could see her, exposing her to the raw, unfiltered anger of the people. This was a calculated move to force her to face reality in its most brutal form.

If she had shown any unusual reaction during the process, he was prepared to act immediately.

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—her steps didn’t falter. She continued to mutter “I’m sorry” under her breath, confronting her sins head-on.

"We’ve arrived."

"..."

‘A cemetery right in the middle of Hanoi… I must have killed so many people.’

Her guilt deepened as they reached the cemetery.

The endless rows of gravestones spread out before her. As she looked upon them, she began to wonder how she could possibly atone for such atrocities.

"This place is called the Land of Heroes. It’s where the comrades who fell in the war against you are buried."

"W-What? Wait, all of these…?"

"Yes. Only the Awakened could even be given proper graves."

Reality was harsher than she had imagined.

For such a large cemetery, she had assumed it must be a mass burial site for many victims. But no—every grave here belonged to an Awakened, the rarest 0.1% of humanity.

‘What kind of monster was I?’

Kkong, of course, had no interest in her inner turmoil.

He reached out a small hand to brush away the dust from one of the modest gravestones. His white glove became filthy from the poor upkeep.

"For the record, our comrades weren’t laid to rest intact. We cremated all of them to prevent you from turning them into zombies. Only their ashes lie here."

"I… I see…"

"It’s shameful, really. To bury comrades who gave their lives for us in such a shabby cemetery… It’s a bitter regret."

Nightmares flashed before Kkong’s eyes.

Despite his ability to foresee the future, he hadn’t been able to save his comrades. He remembered the times he had ordered his friends to their deaths.

The determined smiles of those who had gone to fight, only to return as rotting corpses.

He remembered the moment he resolved to cremate them, standing by until the very end. The acrid stench of burning flesh and bone—an odor that would haunt him forever—filled his memory once again.

Yet he spoke calmly, his words measured.

"Still, their sacrifices weren’t in vain. In the end, the necromancer was defeated and cured. And now, you’re here to atone for your sins."

Kkong’s gaze shifted back to the necromancer. The sorrow in his eyes had been replaced with steely determination.

"Necromancer… No, Trần Thị Mai. You must pay the price for their noble sacrifices—for the rest of your life."

"…Yes."

"Do you feel wronged? You were cured and lost your memories. Isn’t it unjust to hold you accountable for sins you can’t even remember?"

The woman’s expression, once dazed and lost, began to change. Slowly, resolve crept into her eyes.

"I don’t know why I committed such atrocities as a villain… But I was once a patriot. I read the biography of the Great Hồ Chí Minh, nurtured my love for this country, and sang the march of the Liberation Army with pride."

"The march, huh."

"Yes. If there’s a responsibility I must bear—if it’s something only I can shoulder—then I will gladly take on the burden of the sins I’ve forgotten."

"..."

‘So that’s why… Her mana pattern matched the march.’

At that moment, Kkong realized the truth.

The way she had commanded her zombies as a villain—it was through a mana pattern mimicking Vietnam’s national anthem, the Liberation Army’s march.

At first, he thought it was mockery. But in reality, it was because she had been a patriot.

Had she not become a villain, she would have been Vietnam’s first S-Class Awakened, standing alongside Kkong as a hero.

In that moment, Kkong truly understood—her villainy was nothing more than a tragedy.

"Very well. From today, Necromancer… Mai, you are a member of the Vietnamese Liberation Army’s Penal Corps. You will atone for your sins for the rest of your life."

"Yes, Captain."

The woman who had once been the necromancer—Trần Thị Mai—bowed her head deeply.

The long battle finally reached its conclusion.

"———But, um… Could you perhaps remove these?"

She raised her hands slightly, the mana-sealing cuffs around her wrists clinking as they moved.

"The restraints? Why?"

"Well, according to my status screen, if my ability works as I think it will, it might actually be helpful."

"What?!"

Her bold request left Kkong momentarily stunned.

Here she was, the necromancer, a manipulator of zombies, asking to use her powers in the middle of a cemetery.

‘Is she out of her mind?’

"This damn woman!"

"Captain, she’s trying to pull something! Let’s just kill her!!"

The Other Awakened Couldn’t Hold Back

The atmosphere quickly grew tense.

To utter such words in front of the graves of fallen comrades—it was no wonder their mana flared with rage, their emotions igniting.

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop!!!"

"…Yujin!?"

The anger didn’t last long.

From afar, Yujin swiftly approached, scattering his calming hypnosis in the air. The volatile emotions settled down in no time.

"Yujin. Why did you suddenly…?"

"I don’t understand Vietnamese, but I can take a guess. She said she wanted to use her ability, right? And that set everyone off?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Let her use it. No, tell her to go ahead and try."

His earnest suggestion left everyone stunned.

Even Kkong’s expression betrayed his disbelief—surely, not even Yujin could agree to such an outrageous request.

"It’s fine. I’ll use hypnosis to stop her if she tries anything stupid. Trust me, just let her try it."

"That’s not—"

"I swear on the name of S-Class Rank 1 Seo Yujin, something good will come of this."

"…"

"There aren’t any corpses nearby. You know how to subdue her if needed. No problem, right? Okay?"

Yujin pushed ahead confidently, as if already envisioning the astonished reactions of his companions.

Reluctantly, Kkong raised his hand.

"…Release her."

"Captain!? Are you insane!?"

"It’s fine. I’ve already confirmed it with my abilities."

"Understood… but still…"

The other Awakened moved reluctantly, their bodies tense as they unlocked the mana-sealing cuffs.

Clink. Clink.

With a metallic clatter, the restraints fell to the ground, and mana surged back into the woman who had once been a necromancer.

"Thank you…"

"Enough. Just show us what your ability can do. Let’s see what kind of ‘help’ it can provide."

"Understood."

She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

It was her first time using her power since her rehabilitation, but for some reason, the mana flowing through her body felt familiar. She began to channel it, ready to use her unique ability.

‘That wretch. If she does anything stupid, I’ll kill her.’

‘No matter what the Captain says, she’s dead if she tries anything.’

‘Even Yujin can’t reform a villain. Trash will always be trash…’

The Awakened around her were ready for battle, preparing to strike at the first sign of trouble.

Then, it happened.

—Ssssshhh.

"…What?"

The scene before them was utterly unexpected.

"The gravestones…?"

"What is this?"

The modest, weathered gravestones began to transform.

Stone rose, forming intricate carvings and ornate decorations. Dust-covered surfaces became smooth and polished.

The graves took on the appearance of a hero’s resting place—just like the cemeteries she had visited as a child, dedicated to national martyrs and past heroes.

Thousands of gravestones changed. Almost all at once.

"What’s happening…? And what’s that?!"

"Golems?! Why are there golems here?!"

From the earth, humanoid figures began to rise—golems made of soil and stone, resembling the rare creatures seen in B-Class dungeons.

Dozens… no, hundreds of them.

"What are those things doing?!"

"Uh, well… there were a lot of weeds, so I told them to pull them out."

"…What?"

The golems moved with precision, their steps synchronized. Their mission was clear: to maintain and care for the cemetery. They set about their work with remarkable efficiency.

The once-dreary cemetery was transformed in an instant into a vibrant and well-kept space. The sight of golems roaming among the graves was nothing short of miraculous.

"My ability allows me to control inanimate objects. I figured it’d be easier to have them pull the weeds."

"Inanimate objects?! Not zombies?"

"No… At least, that’s what it says in my status window. S-Rank: Master of Material Manipulation."

Her revelation sent a wave of murmurs through the Awakened.

They gathered around her, bombarding her with questions about how she’d done it, what her ability entailed.

Her display of power temporarily silenced even their deepest resentment.

Only Kkong and Yujin stood silently, watching.

"I thought it might be impressive, but… this is incredible."

"…Yujin."

"Broad-range control over inanimate materials. No wonder her ability felt like it belonged to a different genre altogether. So it wasn’t even a zombie-controlling power to begin with."

Yujin clicked his tongue in amazement.

When she had covered the entirety of Vietnam with her zombie horde, he had assumed her range was simply an outlier, something on par with a master-level ability.

But now that he understood the truth…

‘So it was originally just a power to control non-living materials. Simple structures are easier to manipulate over large areas, but complex ones—like corpses—must’ve been much harder to control, probably limited to just a few at a time.’

The zombie plague had been nothing more than a corrupted application of her power, twisted by the malicious influence of foreign divine interference.

Yujin and Kkong finally realized the full extent of the tragedy.

"Hey, congrats, Kkong. If you put her to work, rebuilding might actually become easier."

"…You’re right."

Both of them immediately understood.

The power that had once destroyed Vietnam could now become its greatest tool for restoration.

A reward for a difficult decision—a reward that was nothing short of astronomical.

Tears welled up in Kkong’s eyes.

"Nguyen Xuan Thien… Nguyen Quoc Nguyen… Le Thi Ngan…"

A soft, unexpectedly sweet voice recited the names of the fallen.

Because of them, the villain known as the necromancer was gone.

And in her place, Vietnam’s newest S-Class hero had been born.

She stretched out a small hand, hoping that her gratitude might reach them, wherever they were.

"Everyone, thank you."

It was the best possible outcome, born from difficult decisions and forged in the midst of tragedy.

***

"Ugh. I'm glad it worked out, Kkong."

Of course, for Yujin, it was ultimately someone else’s business. He didn’t care much about the outcome other than that Kkong was doing well…

Knock knock.

"Yujin...? Can I come in too?"

"Huh?"

Kkong's asking to take a shower together first?

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There was still a tough decision left for Yujin to make.