Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Second Upgrade (1)
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Twenty days had passed since Sword Saint Jin Wei visited the Hero Guild.
Hero Guild headquarters, director's office.
The director set down the file after reviewing the report and looked at the man standing before him, Choi Jinseung.
His hair had recently been dyed, hiding the grays, but it was noticeably thinning.
The director grinned at Choi Jinseung and spoke in a joking tone.
"I hear you've been working hard lately?"
"I believe there's no job without its hardships."
Choi Jinseung replied in a businesslike manner, devoid of emotion.
As if it was just part of the job he was prepared to endure.
"You're such a bore. Anyway, you've been tailing the guy for a while now. What's your take?"
He was asking for an overall assessment of Kim Gunja.
The director had been receiving steady reports on Kim Gunja's personal affairs through Choi Jinseung while continually delaying his evaluation.
'Humans are animals capable of acting.'
No matter how promising Kim Gunja seemed, he had started with resentment toward the Hero Guild because of Kang Inhyeok.
So, he needed to gauge him.
To check for any pointless ulterior motives he might harbor.
And conveniently, Kim Gunja had demanded Choi Jinseung be assigned to him.
It wasn't a bad condition for the director.
There was no one more suitable than Choi Jinseung for surveilling him under a pretext and uncovering his true intentions.
'When your enemy is nearby, emotions override reason.'
As the Art of War said about startling the snake in the grass, provoking someone reveals their true nature more easily than expected.
When the director asked for the results, Choi Jinseung gathered his thoughts and spoke.
"He's a two-faced man."
"Two-faced, huh..."
The director couldn't help but chuckle, already grasping the implication.
Choi Jinseung continued.
"When he's out in public, he's got the face of a truly gentle man. You won't find many as mild-mannered as him. He knows exactly how to win people's favor, and it's become second nature. He's got impressive patience too. But..."
His stiff tone gradually infused with emotion as he went on.
So subtly he didn't even notice.
It was because the humiliations he'd endured were just that childish.
"Internally, he's petty to the point of being downright vindictive. You could tell from the reports I've submitted. Normal people don't keep someone like that around for revenge."
They'd just break a limb or two and be done with it.
Choi Jinseung held back from saying the last part.
He realized emotion was creeping into his words, which wasn't like him.
The director laughed in response.
"Exactly. And this time, he went even further, demanding data on the other victims you'd wronged?"
"...Yes. When I failed to properly apologize to my friends despite his advice, he called it a lack of experience and issued those orders. The reason is probably..."
Just thinking about it irritated him; Choi Jinseung's lips trembled slightly.
Amused by the sight, the director finished for him with a chuckle.
It was obvious.
"He plans to make it a traveling apology show. Gain experience by groveling to everyone else too, right?"
"...That seems likely."
Really.
He was witnessing firsthand how petty a person driven by revenge could get.
The director had been skeptical when he first heard Kim Gunja's condition.
—Is he really just keeping Choi Jinseung around to torment him?
He couldn't shake the thought that there might be more to it.
But after months of observation, it was clear.
Surprisingly, Kim Gunja was a man with a very narrow mind.
Looking at Choi Jinseung, who appeared a decade older, the director spoke.
"Alright. It must be tough, but keep at it. Oh, and I'll make sure your bonus this month is generous. You deserve proper compensation for the hardship."
"Thank you, sir. Then..."
As Choi Jinseung left, a smile crept across the director's face as he gazed at Kim Gunja's file.
"Yeah. Too perfect, and it's no fun. Now he's finally showing some human flaws."
Lately, the director had been keeping tabs on Kim Gunja, subtly or not.
His growth rate was frightening, but seeing everything mesh around him like gears in a clockwork machine was chilling.
What chilled him even more was...
Despite his rising fame outside and reputation within the Hero Guild, Kim Gunja showed no arrogance whatsoever.
That made the director even more suspicious.
'People naturally get arrogant and haughty when fame and followers come knocking.'
Even after acquiring a legendary artifact from the Sword Saint, he remained the same.
It was a restraint too profound to call mere humility.
Thus, the director couldn't shake the growing unease.
No one, especially not a twenty-something, could be that composed.
It felt like splitting him open would reveal dozens of scheming foxes coiled inside.
But now, he was convinced of the reason.
Kim Gunja was enduring public scrutiny for his image, venting the built-up stress by tormenting his enemy, Choi Jinseung.
'It was needless worry.'
The director concluded that Kim Gunja was narrow-minded—no, more accurately, highly pragmatic.
The reason for his actions.
He acknowledged it himself.
That there was no chance of winning against the Hero Guild with Baek Jincheon in it.
So instead of the whole guild, he was latching onto the somewhat feasible targets: Kang Inhyeok and Choi Jinseung.
"Pragmatic people are the easiest to handle."
With one worry resolved, the director smiled contentedly.
Unaware that Kim Gunja had orchestrated this very perception as part of his plan.
That his true goal wasn't tormenting Choi Jinseung, but securing the list of victims.
Feigning folly to reassure the enemy, then turning their spy against them—jia bu dian, fan jian ji.
That's why Kim Gunja kept Choi Jinseung close without proper days off, nitpicked him, and made him apologize to prepped friends—acts that made him seem petty.
Provoking Choi Jinseung clouded his judgment, blinding the director too.
To completely conceal his real intentions.
—Uproot them entirely.
Kim Gunja was steadily preparing to fulfill his grandfather's words.
To rip out the Hero Guild's roots entirely, poisonous mushroom Kang Inhyeok and all.
Near Mount Chiak.
A-Rank mountain gate.
Kaboom! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The boss, Batinium Golem, rampaged in a berserk state, shaking the entire mountain.
Left alone, it would trigger a landslide, sweeping everyone away.
Team 6 leader Kim Jiyong and Team 8 leader Gil Jiho exchanged glances.
"Now!"
"Hold it!"
At the leaders' shouts, defenders stepped forward, slowing the Batinium Golem.
Kwaaaaang—!
Massive mana-infused shields crumpled under the onslaught, defenders sliding back in a line.
"Ngh!"
"Hold steady!"
As defenders held, strikers dashed in, targeting the golem's legs.
Crack—clang—!
Even full-force strikes from A-Rank and B-Rank Hunters left only scratches on its toughness.
They didn't stop.
That wasn't the real aim.
As the Batinium Golem's gaze shifted to the clinging strikers, its movements slowed.
"Now! Kim Gunja!"
At Gil Jiho's call, Kim Gunja, waiting on the side, hurled a dagger.
Then drew Crimson Moon.
Crimson aura from Heaven-Shattering Divine Art enveloped the blade.
Vmmm—vrrrrm—
Crimson Moon hummed in delight.
As if wishing this moment eternal.
Then, Kim Gunja vanished.
Using Shadow Walker, he reappeared atop the distracted Batinium Golem's head.
Crimson Moon, raised sky-high, descended with bisecting momentum.
Heaven-Shattering Sword, Form 4: Heaven Collapse
A crimson flash bearing Mount Tai's weight cleaved the boss's crown.
Slash—
An impossibly sharp sound for sword on metal.
Between the cleanly severed head, its bisected core was revealed.
Team 6 and 8 Hunters erupted in awe.
"Whoa...!"
"That tough bastard cleaved in one strike... Legendary artifacts really are something else."
"Isn't it his swordsmanship? Look, he split the core of something that fast perfectly in two."
The Batinium Golem boss demanded prolonged fights with its power, durability, and un-golem-like agility.
Taking it down so easily, admiration was inevitable.
"Haha! Hunting with Kim Gunja really is a breeze!"
"Definitely. Crimson Moon, was it? Kim Gunja with that sword has top-tier A-Rank attack power."
The leaders praised him effusively, tongues clicking in amazement.
Kim Gunja, receiving the praise, sheathed Crimson Moon with an awkward smile.
Vmm—
It fussed a bit, reluctant to go back in.
'It's amazing every time I use it...'
Artifacts with usage restrictions were common, and Crimson Moon was one.
The description merely said "cutting power greatly increases," seeming unremarkable, but in practice, it was far beyond that.
'Is there anything Crimson Moon infused with Heaven-Shattering Divine Art can't cut?'
Its excellence warranted the legendary rank.
Because of this, Kim Gunja refrained from using Crimson Moon unless absolutely necessary, sticking to his usual sword.
Fearing over-reliance on its power.
Its sheer strength ironically made him use it less.
—Take good care of Crimson Moon. If you ever want to share swords, come find me anytime. I'd welcome Crimson Moon's true master.
Sword Saint Jin Wei was a true warrior who loved swords.
Handing over a legendary artifact without demands proved it.
He was elated that it had finally found its rightful owner.
'His swordsmanship was incredible too.'
Before leaving, Jin Wei requested a spar as a memento, which Kim Gunja gladly accepted.
The result? Utter defeat.
Kim Gunja's domain never once breached Jin Wei's.
He was just batted around unilaterally.
Single Number.
A wall he couldn't yet surmount.
Yet Jin Wei was surprised.
By Kim Gunja's accumulated "experience."
—You're remarkably accustomed to sparring strong foes. And you have an eerie lack of fear toward swords. What kind of training have you done? Care to share?
With no clear explanation, Kim Gunja mentioned daily image training, prompting Jin Wei to murmur, "Heaven-sent talent..."
He shared a few tales of Crimson Moon and departed.
Though brief, the spar taught Kim Gunja one thing.
How much Ma Ilcheon had gone easy on him during the hell-difficulty exam.
—A few investors criticize the One-Armed Swordsman for leniency in the exam!
The investors weren't baseless.
If Ma Ilcheon had been ruthless, Kim Gunja wouldn't have passed.
"......"
As he stroked Crimson Moon, assuaging the resurfaced memory's regret.
The A-Rank gate clear alarm rang.
To others, it signaled the hunt's end.
To Kim Gunja, it held another meaning.
All points for Customizing Room upgrade were now collected.
Park Chunduk Academy men's restroom.
Kim Gunja's most comfortable space.
—You know? The stuff you're doing feels just like a cartoon hero.
Yeji's words made him chuckle.
Truthfully, location didn't matter.
As long as no prying eyes.
But preferring a relaxing spot for the upgrade, he came to Park Chunduk Academy.
Bzzzzt—
Just before activating his trait, a message from Mongjiro arrived.
—Mr. Kim Gunja. There are a few places in Korea I'd like you to investigate. Have you heard of the rituals Slayers perform periodically?
Kim Gunja assumed it referred to the Slayers' altar.
He exchanged brief thoughts on the mission with Mongjiro, then composed himself.
And activated his unique trait: Customizing Room.
Fwaaah!
"Welcome, Master."
Tuxedo and red shirt, unchanged.
Austin's elegant greeting brought a smile to Kim Gunja's lips.
Recalling her words.
—Whatever you imagine, it will surpass that.
It'd be a lie to say he wasn't excited about this upgrade's growth.
"Upgrade the Customizing Room."
"Right away."
Austin snapped her fingers.
Krummmble—
The room shook.
"Yes."
With his answer, the qualification review for Master Kim Gunja proceeded as usual.
Three windows appeared.
'Easy' was gone, but Kim Gunja didn't mind.
His choice was set.
A faint smile on his lips, he reached out without hesitation.
One step further.
Forward.