Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: A Future Warning
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"Watch your mouth. You might regret what you said today for the rest of your life."
It was a warning thrown out with the future in mind.
Who knew what might happen if he ever awakened?
'Right now, it'd be a one-sided beatdown, though.'
Even in Europe, the fiercest battlefield, Necromancers were among the deadliest.
They were a one-man army. Word was that the head of House Baos soloed S-Rank Gates and took on multiple players of equal rank.
With Loren having mastered a bloodline skill, the gap in power was obvious. Jae-hyeok, who hadn't even awakened, couldn't even step into the ring with him.
Yet Jae-hyeok wasn't tense. Instead, he was thrilled, his blood boiling with excitement.
'This is my chance to gauge my stats properly.'
Exactly.
Jae-hyeok was dying to know his own stats.
Non-awakened players had their status windows locked, so the only way to check was through trial and error with his body.
But house intruders or average students weren't suitable for testing his limits.
Loren, on the other hand, was more than enough.
Swish.
Jae-hyeok slipped a hand inside his coat, a smile creeping onto his face unbidden.
Click, click, click...
He loosened the straps on the lead weights wrapped around his body, ready for them to fall away the moment he moved.
Loren, oblivious to the situation, furrowed his brow.
'What the hell is he doing...? What's that noise?'
Just moments ago.
The Quick Draw he'd blocked with his bone shield hadn't packed much punch.
In Loren's expert eyes, Jae-hyeok was no standout. He seemed newly awakened, with low levels.
Above all, he hadn't even unlocked a bloodline skill.
Even if House Kang had fallen from grace, it was still a prestigious house among houses. Jae-hyeok simply lacked the chops to revive it.
Yet here he was, issuing wild threats about regret and pulling some shady stunt. It put Loren on edge.
'Not just empty bluster, then.'
He couldn't underestimate a prestigious house's potential.
As a scion of one himself, Loren actually rated Jae-hyeok highly.
'Of course. He's Yaksha's son. He's got some hidden trump card.'
Loren pondered, recalling Yaksha's exploits that had spread even to Europe.
'Should I pull out [Observer]?'
No... This wasn't life or death.
'Got caught up in the excitement in this peaceful country. Start with probing.'
It was the moment when Jae-hyeok, oddly exhilarated for the situation, and the tense Loren raised their swords at each other.
"Why are you butting into someone else's business? What right do you have to interfere with Lord Loren making friends?"
Dozens of students moved to Loren's side, flanking him protectively.
The reason top talents from across the nation enrolled at Lion's Castle.
Sure, they wanted a high-level, safe education. But more than that, it was for connections.
Networks that would prove invaluable later in life.
With House Baos being one of Europe's premier families, tons of students were eager for a shot at currying favor with the young master.
"You're not thinking of helping a distinguished guest who's come all the way from afar to learn, but sabotaging him? Who do you think you are, Kang Jae-hyeok?"
"Talk about a clown. He actually thinks he can stand up to House Baos?"
"Jealousy from a fallen noble. Pathetic."
Nearly half the students in the training ground sided with Loren.
Loren, used to this, lifted his chin arrogantly, as if to say.
A signal for Jae-hyeok to drop the pointless pride and back off.
But Jae-hyeok stayed calm.
He was used to situations like this too.
Getting condemned by crowds for no good reason? He dealt with it daily. It didn't faze him.
'...Still calm enough to think he has a shot?'
Loren's misunderstanding deepened as Jae-hyeok showed no agitation despite being surrounded by dozens.
That's when.
"Wait, hold on!"
A student stepped up beside Jae-hyeok.
Unlike Loren's dozens of backers, it was just one girl.
Chae Da-hee, the first-year vice-top student who'd been huddled in the corner watching.
"Stop! Enough already! What if this blows up because you're ganging up?!"
"This guy's refusing to hand over Baek Do-jin."
"I don't need your permission to take Do-jin with me."
"See? The guy's unreasonable."
Da-hee shot Jae-hyeok a look that said she got it, so please stay quiet, then turned to Loren.
"Um, Loren...? Circumstances being what they are, we can't hand Senior Do-jin over to you. I saw him hating your guts, and you even beat him senseless. What makes you think we'd trust you with him?"
"...I didn't attack Do-jin."
"Huh?"
Come to think of it, that's right?
Da-hee clamped her mouth shut in confusion, and Loren's supporters jumped in gleefully.
"Yeah, exactly! The kid went berserk on his own and got hurt! Lord Loren's the victim here! Who are you to yap at him, Chae Da-hee?!"
"Do-jin and I are friends as close as brothers. Right now, there's a misunderstanding making him push me away, but misunderstandings clear up eventually."
His native tongue not being Korean made conveying nuance tricky.
Loren carefully enunciated each word, then fell silent.
Students were rapidly lining up beside Jae-hyeok and Da-hee.
The second-years who'd first stepped in to stop Do-jin.
Since Loren's supporters were all first-years, the mood flipped.
"Loren, given Do-jin's reaction, it's hard to take your word at face value. Call it quits for today. If this escalates and draws teachers, it'll make it even harder for you to meet him."
"..."
Loren's golden eyes grew icier. The students shivered without knowing why, but Jae-hyeok was shocked.
He'd precisely caught the fleeting killing intent.
The aura of a boy his age who'd killed multiple people. A big impact.
Maybe it was because Europe was a patchwork of cutthroat nations.
The young master of Austria's top house seemed battle-hardened.
'...Looks like he's cooled off a bit. Time to wrap this up.'
Jae-hyeok quietly retightened his lead weights and helped Do-jin up.
"If you've got any sense, give up and leave."
"The son of Duke Kang Dae-guk... Remember, you've made it hard to earn my goodwill."
"Yeah, bye."
Shoo, shoo.
Jae-hyeok waved him off dismissively, hoisted Do-jin on his back, and left the training ground.
Loren's fans hurled threats and complaints, but he just flicked his ear like it was a dog's bark.
Chae Da-hee followed.
"He looks like he needs treatment, right?"
"Yeah. Gotta hit the infirmary. Fractures everywhere."
"No way. What if word gets to the teachers?"
Da-hee recoiled and pulled a small potion vial from her pocket.
It was clearly a potion, though low-grade.
"Whoa, you carry potions around? Rich kid?"
"A-Class curriculum starts monster hunts next week. It's advance supply issue."
"So what're you using?"
"Monsters we'll hunt for a bit are low-level, so I'm good. Pay me back when B-Class gets potions."
"Put it on Baek Do-jin's tab."
Splash, splash.
Jae-hyeok poured potion over Do-jin's injuries.
His hands were wrecked from the shield, sure, but rolling around solo and cracking ribs, breaking his nose...?
"...Idiot?"
"Pure Step's a high-performance skill that's hard to control. Korea's had three owners historically, and none ever mastered it fully."
"Not that they couldn't, they just didn't. Too chicken because of the practice risks."
"Th-thanks... for helping Do-jin."
The second-years who'd trailed Jae-hyeok and Da-hee expressed their gratitude.
"That Loren kid—he's House Baos's Necromancer, right? Honestly, we were too scared to step up first. You guys gave us courage."
"Do-jin's friends?"
"Nah?"
The second-years denied it flat-out. As if they'd be friends with that guy.
Jae-hyeok let out a dry laugh.
"Not even friends, so why butt in? What's with the thanks?"
"...Still, he's a classmate."
"..."
Friends and classmates.
Concepts foreign to Jae-hyeok, who'd been locked away in the estate.
But they stirred something in him.
Jae-hyeok realized in a flash.
For the past eight years, he'd only learned negative ideas.
"Urgh... ugh..."
Do-jin groaned, stirring.
The second-years bolted like roaches, leaving just Jae-hyeok and Da-hee by Do-jin.
"What kinda asshole personality makes everyone flee on sight?"
"I get it, kinda."
"You think he's that bad too?"
"No?"
I don't know about him, but I'm talking about you?
Da-hee, already wide-eyed, gave a pointed look, but unlike with Eujin, Jae-hyeok couldn't read her face.
"But why'd you step up? You're not even classmates."
"Well..."
Because you reminded me of someone.
"...N-never mind. I'm heading out."
"Lame."
Jae-hyeok waved lazily at the scampering Da-hee and looked down at Do-jin.
Do-jin already had his eyes open, lying spread-eagled and staring blankly at the sky.
Jae-hyeok flopped down beside him.
The blazing sun felt like Loren's golden eyes today, annoyingly grating.
"...Why aren't you asking anything?"
Do-jin finally averted his gaze from the sun and spoke.
"No point."
Jae-hyeok shrugged indifferently.
"Tell me if venting'll help. I'll listen."
"...Tha..."
"Huh?"
"Tha..."
"Quit with the 'tha'. Hanging with foreigners twist your tongue or what?"
"Ugh! Let's train! You said you'd make me strong! I need to get stronger! Someday I'll kill that bastard Loren!!"
Baek Do-jin shot up yelling, his face flushed beet red. His red hair already made him tomato-esque; now the whole package.
"Uh... yeah... okay."
How's a regular guy supposed to kill a Necromancer?
Jae-hyeok found it absurd but got up without protest.
He firmly believed nothing was impossible.
Without that, he'd have crumbled long ago.
"Let's go! I'll beat on you with all my heart!"
"You say train, but beat? Psycho?"
"You're smart enough that getting beat'll toughen you up naturally."
Above all, getting used to Pure Step was priority one.
Jae-hyeok grinned slyly, sending a chill down Do-jin's spine.
"You... ever taught anyone before?"
"Yeah. As a kid."
"How old were you, younger than now?"
"Whatever. From now on, think before you move. You didn't loosen the weights against Loren."
"Oh? Huh... no wonder I felt heavy..."
"What a moron. Tsk tsk."
For some reason.
Jae-hyeok was in an unusually great mood today.