Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Black Rock Tuna Crisis
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Daeyang Shipping poured dozens of times more money into its direct-operated stores than into its chain outlets.
A grand scale, lavish interiors, constant promotions and events.
From the start, the menu prices had been set absurdly low.
To the point where they barely turned a profit.
It was all in preparation for the theme park that Daeyang Guild planned to build in western Incheon.
Daeyang Guild was mobilizing all its subsidiaries, including Daeyang Shipping, to deeply infiltrate the daily lives of the district residents.
By dominating the local commerce to expand its influence, while also winning over the residents' goodwill to minimize backlash when constructing the theme park.
Of course, a few direct-operated Daeyang Shipping stores were mere specks of dust in the grand scheme. Even if they went completely bankrupt, it wouldn't hinder the guild's grand plans in the slightest.
But it would certainly affect the performance review of Daeyang Shipping's president.
‘He’ll be completely shut out.’
Yeon Horang, the eldest son of the Daeyang Guild Master.
He was already demoted after causing a major incident.
Unlike his younger siblings who were active in the guild, he was stuck selling fish at a hole-in-the-wall shop—and failing even at that?
‘Father won’t give me another chance.’
Ruler of the Sea.
Yeon Horang’s father, Yeon Horyeong, was a legendary figure.
He had founded the guild himself and dominated the ocean gates in just thirty years.
Earning him a ruler title on par with the king—it wasn’t an exaggeration to call him one of Korea’s strongest players.
From his child’s perspective, even as his father, he was too lofty and distant a figure.
He couldn’t dare hope for mercy.
And now, at the moment he needed to prove himself, everything was going wrong!
“Damn it!”
Unable to contain his boiling rage, Yeon Horang snapped his nameplate in half.
The title of Daeyang Shipping President.
It meant nothing to him.
“Explain exactly what happened, step by step.”
By Yeon Horang’s common sense, this situation was incomprehensible.
Black rock tuna, a delicacy that only inhabited gates with seas.
Delicious and highly nutritious ingredients.
It was popular in China and Japan too, so normally it could sell for six times the current price.
But Daeyang Shipping provided black rock tuna to customers at incredibly low prices.
They even hired top chefs to prepare it for them.
And yet, customer traffic had suddenly dried up?
How was that even possible?
“L-Lion’s Castle…”
The executives, who could barely breathe under Yeon Horang’s overwhelming pressure, finally managed to speak.
“Lion’s Castle is supplying large quantities of black rock tuna to a small sushi restaurant right in the heart of our three direct stores. Given their menu prices, we suspect they’re practically giving it away for free…”
“Why?”
What the hell did that mean?
“Why would Lion’s Castle go to such lengths to sabotage us? Do they plan to go up against Daeyang Guild?”
Interpreting the sabotage of a mere subsidiary’s few stores as a challenge to Daeyang Guild was a massive leap.
But no other reason came to mind.
The executives explained to the baffled Yeon Horang.
“N-No way. It doesn’t seem like the school is directly involved. We suspect it’s related to club activities.”
“Ah, clubs…”
Yeon Horang frowned.
Lion’s Castle’s club activities were essentially guild apprenticeships in practice.
Students formed and ran organizations, took on requests, and competed.
It was hands-on training that perfectly replicated a miniature society.
In that process, clueless rookies often caused trouble.
“The nation’s future pillars stooping to supply fish to some rundown sushi joint? Pathetic. Tsk.”
Having roughly grasped the situation, Yeon Horang spat his venom.
Without a thought for the executives before him, who had spent their lives in the fish trade.
He felt like he was going insane.
Like a frog struck by a blind stone.
‘A frog? Me? Fuck!’
Being in a lowly position led to lowly humiliations.
Realizing he was in crisis because of the students’ childish games filled him with self-loathing and despair.
How should he deal with these bratty kids to vent his anger?
As he mulled it over with pursed lips, one of the executives watching him anxiously suddenly brightened and shouted.
“M-M-Manager Kim! Isn’t your son attending Lion’s Castle?”
“Oh… Is that so? Manager Kim, you’ve raised a fine son.”
Yeon Horang showed interest.
Manager Kim, sensing an ominous glint in the smile from his boss—who usually ignored him like a nephew—spoke cautiously.
“President, forgive me, but I have no intention of involving my son in company matters.”
From an employee’s perspective, Daeyang Shipping wasn’t a great workplace. It was closer to a black company.
But like any salaryman, Manager Kim devoted himself to the company.
Enduring all sorts of humiliations solely to support his family.
He had no desire to drag his hard-raised son into it.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Why are you talking like that, Manager Kim?”
The moment the executives began berating him—his voice trembling in submission but firm in refusal.
Yeon Horang raised a hand to silence the room and spoke in a gentle tone.
“Company matters? Do I look like such an idiot that I’d entrust company business to some schoolkid? Looks like you’ve always seen me as a moron, Manager Kim.”
“No, sir.”
“I just want you to mediate. We adults can’t go crawling to students begging them not to supply black rock tuna—fuck, that damn fish—to the sushi shop. It’s embarrassing. So I’m just asking your son, as a fellow student, to pass on our request instead.”
“But I don’t know my son’s standing at school. Just because we’re parent and child doesn’t mean we know every detail of each other’s lives, right? Even a small request could put him in an awkward spot, so I must decline your request—”
The moment Manager Kim uttered the word “decline.”
“Are you lecturing me right now, you punk?”
Yeon Horang’s face twisted in fury, his voice quivering.
“What do I care about you and your brat’s positions! It’s not even a difficult favor, so why are you being so damn difficult! Huh? Manager Kim! You and your fucking faaaamily!!”
“Eek!”
Chaos erupted as Yeon Horang grabbed a golf club and unleashed a wave of deep blue aura.
The executives, faces drained of color, hid behind Manager Kim, screaming for their lives.
Already crushed by power and hierarchy as company men.
In the terrified atmosphere, Manager Kim’s hair seemed to turn white.
Confirming the resolve fading from his eyes, Yeon Horang set down the club and straightened his tie.
“Manager Kim, whose credit is it that your son grew up fine and got into Lion’s Castle? Yours, for working hard to support your family. And ours, Daeyang Shipping, for giving you a job and paying your salary on time. You don’t think your smart son knows that? If he doesn’t, he’s an ungrateful wretch.”
“…….”
“Just casually ask him to pass on a few words. After all the company’s done for you, surely you can manage that much?”
Seeing Manager Kim’s dress shirt torn by the aura, Yeon Horang tossed him a few checks and urged.
“Now. Right now. Call him from here.”
***
Lion’s Castle.
‘W-What do I do?’
First-year Class B’s Kim Jin-rae’s face was pale.
He had been on edge ever since receiving his father’s sudden call.
His father’s voice had sounded so grave.
‘Which club is dragging ordinary salarymen into crisis like this?’
His father had found out about the club supplying black rock tuna to the sushi restaurant for free and asked him to persuade them otherwise.
But Kim Jin-rae was just a newbie who had enrolled three months ago.
He wasn’t in any position to track down and convince a specific club when he didn’t even know the club errand boys.
‘They seem vicious enough that talking won’t work anyway.’
Dumping expensive ingredients for free at a rival shop right in front of Daeyang Sushi.
How many salarymen like his father must be in dire straits because of that insane prank?
Feeling immense madness and malice from the unknown club’s actions, Kim Jin-rae swallowed dryly.
“Not focusing?”
“Eek!”
Grabbed by the nape, Kim Jin-rae turned in horror.
Kang Jae-hyeok.
The boy who transferred in a month later than other first-years but had already become the class center stared at him.
Innate talent. Striking looks.
And an impressive background and easy sociability in making friends.
…Well, maybe not the last two.
Anyway, Kang Jae-hyeok was different from him.
Jin-rae, who had entered Class B solely for awakening a decent first skill, knew his talents lagged far behind the others.
Whereas Jae-hyeok was a lump of talent.
He wielded iaido at an artistic level and had even mastered spear arts.
His stats were insanely high too.
Being in the same class made him feel sorry sometimes. Like he was dragging down the class average.
“S-Sorry.”
Jae-hyeok stared silently at Jin-rae, who covered his butt with both hands and apologized.
“You should apologize to your family, not me.”
“Huh…?”
“You almost died just now.”
Only then did Jin-rae look down at his feet.
One step.
Just one step forward, and he would have plummeted into the endless crevasse.
“Eek!!”
Jae-hyeok caught him again as he stumbled back in panic, tilting his head.
“Weird. Your strong focus and endurance were always your strengths, Kim Jin-rae. What’s up with you today?”
“I-I have strengths?”
You knew strengths I didn’t even know about?
Were you watching out for a guy like me?
“Of course.”
“Ah….”
The moment enraptured Jin-rae let his guard down.
Jae-hyeok kicked his exposed butt squarely.
“Who in the world doesn’t have strengths?”
Clicking his tongue.
Jin-rae soared through the air in a parabola, spotting the dazed face of the approaching yeti and swallowing tears.
‘He’s the worst.’
Even that vicious club seemed human compared to Kang Jae-hyeok.
At least they wouldn’t throw or kick a classmate at a monster, right?
‘Yeah, let’s muster some courage.’
Gaining resolve from the oddest place, Kim Jin-rae tangled with the yeti and fought.
Jae-hyeok watched approvingly at his unusual grit.
‘People really change after brushing death.’
Even in Jae-hyeok’s childhood, House Kang commanded hundreds of warriors.
All strong and valiant.
His father trained them personally—sparring until they became sword experts, drilling repetitions, then shoving them off cliffs.
Young Jae-hyeok drew much inspiration from it.
‘Speaking of…’
Jae-hyeok glanced at Park Hae-rin.
‘Her observation skills are impressive.’
When he noticed Jin-rae’s off state and leaped, Hae-rin had been looking the same way.
From her sword and shield handling, she seemed to have a tanker-type skill—likely to grow into an excellent tank.
‘I’d have scouted her if my team needed a tank.’
But Jae-hyeok’s team needed a supporter.
And there were no supporters in Class B up to his standards.
‘I need to observe other classes closely during this duel evaluation.’
If Jae-hyeok were an ordinary student, he wouldn’t have time to mind others.
His second duel evaluation opponent was from Class A again.
A fighter, no less.
Fighter-type skills countered weapon techniques by nature, giving them an edge in PvP.
But Jae-hyeok wasn’t tense in the slightest.
All Master.
This time, he planned to demonstrate the pinnacle of martial arts.