The Looming Test and Fatherly Secrets
“Phew, don’t tell the other guild masters. It’ll be on the 7th of next month—about a month from now. They’ll decide on license maintenance, promotion, or revocation through a large-scale test in the Dungeon Association’s simulation room.”
“License revocation?”
“If the results are the worst-case scenario, that measure could be taken.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Uramata has almost no chance of that happening. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
Go Cheolmin felt a weight lift off his shoulders at Jo Gap-yoon’s smile.
The man was an ordinary bureaucrat with less than a 1% chance of awakening, but his judgment on guilds was impeccable. His words couldn’t be ignored.
“Thank you, Section Chief Jo.”
“Please prepare steadily and use this test to raise your license grade. See you tomorrow.”
Jo Gap-yoon stood up.
After shaking hands, Go Cheolmin escorted him out of the guildhouse.
Now he understood why the flowerpot had been smashed. It was because of the test run by the Dungeon Association.
Fortunately, with advance warning, they could prepare properly. Jo Gap-yoon, well-versed in Association internals, might even provide clues about the test content.
Go Cheolmin opened the ledger.
The jogging course along the Han River.
A young woman with a sleek figure overtook him. Earbuds in, she ran rhythmically.
Choi Muhyun panted as he sped up, but the gap only widened.
His bull-like build granted overwhelming power, but it didn’t mesh with agility or speed. Fine for a tanker, but Choi Muhyun couldn’t settle for that.
Lately, Yoo Min-jeong ran mornings beside Kim Jun. More precisely, she pushed to catch up to him. No matter how many laps ahead he got, she never quit chasing.
Mornings were the only time to see Yoo Min-jeong’s pride-wounded face.
Choi Muhyun wanted to run even a little beside her. He hoped the fierce glare she shot at Kim Jun would turn on him too.
Of course, it never did.
If I’d known, I would’ve run steadily like that punk Kim Jun.
The jogging training ended in frustration.
His phone rang. It was his father. Choi Muhyun took a deep breath before answering.
“Dad.”
―You’re out for dawn training?
“Yeah.”
―What’s gotten into you? What kind is it? Smacking balls at a toy pitching machine? Or gym work for muscles useless in real fights?
Sneering tone.
His father’s words always had thorns.
The unflinching Choi Min-su was the ultimate tanker and Cheonhondan hero to others—but to his son, a burdensome father he wanted to avoid.
Choi Muhyun closed his eyes and exhaled slowly and long.
―Choi Muhyun!
“I’m listening.”
―How long will you wander?
“I don’t want to talk about that.”
―Quit the games and come to Cheonhondan.
“I don’t want to.”
―Stop being stubborn.
“I’m hanging up.”
He cut the call one-sidedly, yanked the battery, and bellowed. A dog out for a walk startled and pissed itself.
Choi Muhyun started running to the guildhouse instead of taking a taxi.
Taking this humiliation quietly wasn’t manly.
In a spandex suit, prepping for Simulator 2, Choi Muhyun glanced at Yeom Sang-taek chatting and laughing with Kim Jun by Simulator 4.
Lately, Yeom Sang-taek stuck to Kim Jun.
Why’s that guy suddenly buddying up with Kim Jun? He straight-up ignored him as a carrier before.
Yeom Sang-taek was in top form lately.
His buffs landed flawlessly, earning praise from the Ice Queen Yoo Min-jeong multiple times. She even suggested he learn advanced buff magic, her high regard clear.
“Alright, let’s start.”
It was Go Cheolmin.
“Mount up.”
As team leader, Yoo Min-jeong’s order sent the team climbing into the simulator.
A flash erupted, and darkness slowly cleared.
A globe of light rose, pushing back the gloom. The 30-meter radius lit up clearly.
Proof of Yeom Sang-taek’s growth.
“Diamond For……”
Before Yoo Min-jeong finished, formation was set. She switched through several, but the team adapted flawlessly.
A rare smile tugged at Yoo Min-jeong’s lips.
“Everyone’s doing great.”
“Fighting!”
Yeom Sang-taek’s shout drew laughter from Yoo Min-jeong.
That bastard! I should’ve been the one saying fighting.
Choi Muhyun bit his lip.
Yeom Sang-taek high-fived Kim Jun behind her back. Seeming casual at first, he got serious, brow twitching.
“Fifty meters ahead, two Pyro-sauruses approaching. Speeding up.”
The buffer’s role: precise detection report.
Yoo Min-jeong’s eyes widened.
Detecting 50 meters out. Detection wasn’t something training alone improved much.
“Tanker.”
Choi Muhyun braced for Geumgangbyeok. He rooted his stance, pouring inner energy forward. A golden barrier snapped up.
Red dots pierced the dark, clarifying as they neared.
Pyro-sauruses charged bullishly, spewing flames. The fire hit the barrier and ricocheted back or sideways.
That instant, Yoo Min-jeong unleashed fire-attribute Fire Arrow.
Thud thud.
Arrows struck flanks, belly, chest. Wounds oozed, but far from lethal.
Pyro-sauruses had fire nature; her attacks lacked punch.
They groaned in pain and fled into the dark.
Yoo Min-jeong looked up, nearly calling to halt training.
Dealers needed backups. Similar attributes dulled impact.
Then another dealer with a lethal match was key for any situation.
Fire paired best with water, but clashing personalities often sparked issues.
I’m solo here.
Yoo Min-jeong resolved to develop a new attribute beyond fire. She’d cover two roles. For this guild’s sake.
“Ten o’clock, one Pyro-saurus approaching.”
Yeom Sang-taek again.
No order needed; left turn flowed naturally. Training’s fruit.
“Team leader, let me try?”
Choi Muhyun stepped up.
“You?”
“I’ve got an attack skill.”
“Really?”
Yoo Min-jeong brightened. A defense-optimized tanker with a solid attack skill would hugely aid her as dealer and leader.
“Do it. It’s training.”
Yeom Sang-taek urged.
“Yeah, go for it.”
Permission granted.
Choi Muhyun dropped his center, fist to waist. Straight punch stance.
Breathing timed to the charge, he shook off nerves.
Focus on success. Yoo Min-jeong beaming, everyone acknowledging tanker Choi Muhyun.
Just before flames, he thrust. Geumganggwon deployed. True energy burst gold from his fist.
The gold nearly pierced the fire…but bounced off. Inner energy lacked.
Flames scorched him, unspent, sweeping Yoo Min-jeong and Yeom Sang-taek behind.
“Death” ejected Choi Muhyun from the sim.
He flung his helmet, spotting a familiar man by the big display.
“...Dad?”
Choi Min-su stood there.
“Tsk tsk.”
Tongue-clicking father.
Why was Dad here? What had he been doing?
Watching the display. What showed? Pyro-saurus chasing sole survivor Kim Jun.
“Hello.”
Yoo Min-jeong approached, greeting.
“Min-jeong, huh? What brings you here?”
“I got kicked from Jushin, so I’m dealing here.”
“Kicked? Talents like you are rare even in Jushin. You walked out. Anyway, Level 6 fire dealer? Uramata’s getting some sun.”
Choi Min-su eyed Go Cheolmin.
The father smiling warmly at Yoo Min-jeong overlapped with the one tsking at him. Choi Muhyun grabbed his bag and bolted from the guildhouse.
Kim Jun, out of the sim, followed.
Go Cheolmin eyed the still Choi Min-su.
“You’re raising him tough.”
“He’s a tiger.”
“Not still a cub needing care?”
“A cub’s still a tiger.”
“Ah, right.”
“Heard about the test?”
Choi Min-su changed topics.
“...Yes.”
“Pass it clean. License revocation’s a mess even you couldn’t handle. If so, I’ll take Muhyun to Cheonhondan. By force if needed.”
“Here to motivate, senior?”
Go Cheolmin met his gaze squarely.
“You were a great tanker. Shame about retiring.”
“No send-off.”
Clear dismissal.
“Suit yourself.”
Winking at Yoo Min-jeong, Choi Min-su chuckled and left.
Kim Jun followed slowly.
Changed to training clothes from spandex, Choi Muhyun ran till anger faded, but his body quit after 15 minutes. He glared at the leisurely Kim Jun, like out for a stroll.
“You leech, how far you gonna tail me?”
“Till you’re hungry.”
Kim Jun said.
Then, Choi Muhyun’s stomach growled.
Kim Jun laughed.
Choi Muhyun burst out laughing too.
“I, uh, no wallet.”
Choi Muhyun said flatly.
“I brought mine.”
Kim Jun led him to a nearby snack bar.
Seven kimbap rolls, five tteokbokki servings. Most vanished into Choi Muhyun.
Tteokbokki sauce on his mouth, he asked Kim Jun.
“You and Sang-taek super tight lately.”
“Friends.”
“You’re my friend.”
Choi Muhyun emphasized.
“You’re Yoo Min-jeong’s friend.”
Kim Jun teased.
“What?”
Choi Muhyun flushed persimmon-red.
“You like her. Right?”
“Wh-who said?”
“Ah, Yoo Min-jeong!”
Kim Jun waved at the entrance.
Startled, Choi Muhyun spun. Empty, of course. He glared at Kim Jun.
“Why hate your dad? Freak out whenever he comes up.”
“If I were you, I’d have run away too. Ah, sorry.”
Choi Muhyun recalled Kim Jun’s situation late.
“If I were you, I’d go find my dad.”
“What?”
“Geumganggwon.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Your dad’s Geumganggwon defies imagination.”
“What? Dad never learned Geumganggwon! He just… never taught me……”
Choi Muhyun scowled again.
“No. He did. Insanely powerful too.”
“No way.”
“In the raid vid Master gave. That scene.”
“For real?”
“Totally.”
Moon Shadow Geumgang Heart Technique wasn’t well-known.
Rare among raiders, unwanted.
Or deemed useless publicly.
Yet Dad taught him that, not his prized Pacheon-gong!
Choi Muhyun had idolized Dad since childhood.
Wanting Pacheon-gong naturally. Versatile attack-defense, his goal too.
But Dad flatly refused.
Blocked even basics.
That rift ruined their bond.
And Dad used Moon Shadow Geumgang Heart Technique?
“Definite. Amazing. One shot, seven Pyro-sauruses down.”
Kim Jun’s calm tone rang true.
His heart trembled. He’d misunderstood Dad all along.
“Go see him. To fix your Geumganggwon flaws.”
Kim Jun paid and left.
Choi Muhyun sat alone.
Cheonhondan gazes poured on Choi Muhyun.
He ignored them, striding to his father’s training hall.
No one stopped him.
Everyone knew he was Choi Min-su’s son.
He shoved the doors open.
Choi Min-su sat cross-legged center.
One step in, immense pressure hit; Choi Muhyun dove aside.
Dad’s palm thrust forward—Pacheon-gong’s pinnacle, Cheonryunjang.
Fierce palm force sliced air, slamming the door boom.
Steel-reinforced, or it’d shatter.
“Dad!”
No use.
Choi Min-su’s assault stormed like a gale.
Choi Muhyun parried with Moon Shadow Geumgang Heart Technique’s Geumgangbyeok.
Force shoved him back a meter, but he blocked.
“Good!”
Choi Min-su shouted.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What?”