The First Lesson
Watching the Sword Empress flee, Yujin wore an incredulous expression.
What the hell? Why?
Hadn’t he spoken as kindly as possible this time, precisely to avoid any misunderstanding?
Yet the Sword Empress’s reaction came back exactly the same as before.
What is it? What did I mess up this time?
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t figure it out. He’d even forced a smile he’d never worn before, all to win her over.
Grit—!
How dare she react to my goodwill like that?
Yeah. He’d held back more than enough, against his nature. Since when had he ever handled things so gentlemanly?
“Kindness, my ass.”
If he wanted something, he took it. It already had an owner? What did that matter? He’d just snatch it away. Rejected? That wasn’t a problem either. Whether it was an item, a skill, or a person—he’d take it, rob it, steal it. Just like he always had.
“I’ve done enough already.”
No more overthinking. From now on, he’d do things Seong Yujin’s way. Whatever the outcome, that would be the Sword Empress’s responsibility.
His steps, thick with anger and irritation, struck the ground. With a crunch, the earth where his toes landed caved in. Using that recoil, Yujin’s form shot forward like a bullet—a terrifying speed incomparable to the Sword Empress and her lackeys fleeing.
In an instant his figure crossed the thicket and reached the Sword Empress’s back in the blink of an eye. Just then she glanced back, and their eyes met. Shock beyond mere surprise bloomed across her face.
Grin—.
Yujin smiled. A spine-chilling smile a million light-years removed from kindness or goodwill.
“Hiiiiiiiiik—!”
A truly beautiful, nostalgic scream burst from the Sword Empress’s mouth. A sound he’d heard countless times in the first timeline. Without hesitation, Yujin reached for her nape. Whether he planned to persuade her, threaten her, or kidnap her, he had to stop her first.
At a glance she looked about level 2. Her only combat experience was probably the fight with the Sulfur Deer just moments earlier. That was nowhere near enough to block Yujin’s movements. Even at the same level it wouldn’t have been—and his current level was a full 13. He hadn’t even used any particular skills, but he was certain she couldn’t stop him.
But…
Hm?
Yujin’s eyes widened. Amazingly, the Sword Empress’s sword was reacting. A shoddy, reddish blade she must have obtained on the Tutorial Floor. Even in that split second of panic she swung it and precisely intercepted the path of Yujin’s hand.
Oh—.
As expected of the Sword Empress. No matter how low her level, her sword sense already transcended common sense.
Well, if it were just high levels, she wouldn’t have been called the Sword Empress.
Having a nickname meant she was special among the tens of thousands of Awakeners summoned to the Tower. Yujin felt once more that she was the talent he’d been looking for.
Though she’s still just an uncut gem for now.
The Sword Empress’s potential was so great that “outstanding” didn’t begin to cover it. But that was all. A gem was still just a gem. How it was forged would decide whether it became merely a sturdy sword or a peerless treasure blade. And Yujin was more confident than anyone in forging the gem that was the Sword Empress.
He casually twisted his wrist. A simple motion, yet his hand slipped past her sword like a salmon swimming upstream against the current. Before she could even think of a counter, he seized her throat.
“Ghk—!”
Speed faster than an arrow combined with monstrous grip strength to restrain her body. She wanted to scream, but no sound escaped her throat—because Yujin didn’t allow it. He watched the mist of moisture well up in real time in eyes filled with fear. It was the look of someone who had run into a serial killer.
But Yujin didn’t care. He’d already decided to throw manners to the dogs and act as he pleased. If the Sword Empress rejected his proposal, he intended to force her growth anyway. So whether she was scared or not.
Facing the tear-filled glare of the Sword Empress, Yujin slowly opened his mouth. Or rather, he tried to. But he never got the chance.
The lackeys beside her. It was admirable that they’d gone out hunting, but they weren’t worth noticing. Or so he’d thought. But no. Amazingly, the youngest among them, instead of fleeing, turned and threw a punch at Yujin’s chin—unlike the others who were running so hard their feet were sweating.
Whoooosh—!
The sound of an oversized gauntlet cutting through the air, mismatched to his build, was no joke.
“Well now?”
Yujin’s eyes sparkled. The kid. A build and face that had nothing to do with fighting. Yet the look in his eyes was rough enough to intrigue even Yujin.
“Let go of Nuna, you bastard!”
His voice was young too, of course. High school at best? Maybe even middle school. His stance was clumsy, and the power itself didn’t look that impressive. But…
Precise.
Whether instinct, luck, or skill, the kid’s fist pierced the opening and aimed accurately at Yujin’s chin.
There was a guy like this?
The movement was impressive. But the power wasn’t that great, so he could take it bare-bodied without dodging. Even so, Yujin didn’t hesitate and released the hand gripping the Sword Empress’s neck.
Thud—.
He lightly kicked off the ground and stepped back one pace.
Whoooosh—!
By a hair’s breadth, the metal gauntlet grazed past Yujin’s chin.
Hmm.
He examined the kid’s face. Indeed, a face he’d never seen before. That meant one of two things. Either the kid had died before climbing to the upper floors of the Tower.
Or he was someone I’d never met.
And coincidentally, someone who wore gauntlets, punched, had mad talent for fighting, and whom Yujin had never seen before came to mind.
Could it be the Fighting Demon?
His appearance was completely different from what Yujin had imagined. He’d pictured wild hair and a muscle-bound gym-bro type.
“What? He’s just a little brat.”
Yujin tilted his head.
“Ji-hoo, run! If he catches you, you’re dead!”
The freed Sword Empress shouted.
“Who’s gonna kill who—”
Swish—!
As he frowned and tried to retort, the reddish sword cut through the air once more. A clean slash with not a single superfluous motion. If it had been anyone but Yujin, their head would have been severed without even knowing how they died. For a sword extended in a panicked moment to be at this level… Yujin was once again satisfied with his decision to choose the Sword Empress.
Putting some distance between himself and the two, Yujin looked at the brat with an intrigued expression.
“Who are you?”
He thought he’d heard the name Ji-hoo, but that alone wasn’t enough to know. He hadn’t known the Fighting Demon’s real name to begin with.
“Nuna, are you okay?”
But no answer came. The kid just supported the Sword Empress. Even so, he never let his guard down toward Yujin. Unlike his frail, scrawny frame, his eyes were truly no different from a beast’s.
“Hmm.”
After a moment’s thought, Yujin nodded. Whether that kid was the Fighting Demon or not didn’t matter. With that much talent, he was well worth raising.
“Hey, you two.”
No more polite speech. Originally he’d planned to build goodwill, treat them kindly, and slowly show favor, but…
“I’ll raise you myself, so follow me.”
That method seemed to have gone out the window, so he’d just force it.
“Bullshit! Who the hell would follow a crazy bastard like you!”
The Sword Empress spat curses with a deathly pale face. The brat raised his fists instead of answering.
“Refusal, then?”
Yujin curled up the corner of his mouth. Thanks to the dried Red Goblin blood, it looked just like the Joker.
“Obviously!”
Whatever she was imagining, she even trembled all over.
“Murderer! Psychopath! Lunatic! How are we supposed to hang around with some guy who just swings his sword out of nowhere!”
So this was why first impressions mattered. From his actions inside Terra alone, Yujin seemed to have been branded a crazy random serial killer by the Sword Empress.
“We have no intention of hanging out with a criminal, so get lost!”
The will to cut him if he came closer was palpable even from here. The stinging sword intent was almost admirable—if only it weren’t directed at him.
“That’s a misunderstanding. Well, I don’t particularly feel like explaining now. And I don’t need to.”
Yujin picked up the Black Wing [A] he’d prepared as a gift for the Sword Empress.
“My mood’s a bit foul right now, so let’s talk again later. After you’ve suffered a bit, the misunderstanding will clear up on its own.”
He didn’t bother drawing his sword. With their current skills, it was impossible for them to receive Yujin’s blade anyway.
“…What?”
The Sword Empress asked, not understanding. Yujin offered one last kindness.
“You’ll pay the price for making me go through all this trouble. It’ll hurt a bit, but it’s what you deserve, so don’t feel wronged.”
Yujin’s smile deepened.
It was a misunderstanding.
She had misunderstood him this whole time. Lee Sia desperately cried that out in her mind—because otherwise, she really felt like she was going to die.
Thwackthwackthwackthwack—!
“Gyaaaaargh.”
Where and how was she even getting hit? She couldn’t even see it. Just a flash of black light, and then overwhelming pain washed over her entire body.
“I! Did this much! So you should! Get! The damn! Message!”
She had no idea what he was saying. But she had to understand. Because she didn’t want to hurt anymore.
The same went for Park Ji-hoo. Once his eyes rolled back, he was the type to charge in madly without thinking of the consequences, but…
S-save me.
In the face of overwhelming violence, madness and whatever else was useless. The anger-management issues that had triggered on the Tutorial Floor and inside Terra were nowhere to be found now. For a crazy bastard, an even crazier bastard’s club was the cure.
The two of them were trapped in a hell that seemed like it would never end, moaning endlessly.
“Oh? Giving up? Not even trying to block. Then you get hit more.”
The resigned feeling vanished, and survival instinct raised its head.
I-I have to block!
Thinking they might really die at this rate, the Sword Empress and the Fighting Demon instinctively moved their bodies. They didn’t know it, but this was Yujin’s first lesson.
A bit extreme, though.