Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Black Existence
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Seo Woojin took Kim Woo-ram to the indoor training hall.
He greeted the manager, whom he hadn't seen in a while, and headed straight inside.
"Pick up your spear."
It seemed like he needed to give him a proper lesson today.
If he had his way, he'd just abandon him and focus on the others.
But since he'd already reached out once, he had to take responsibility all the way.
Even if it meant beating some sense into him.
"Um..."
He could practically hear Kim Woo-ram's eyes rolling around.
"If you won't listen, I'll just hit you?"
Seo Woojin furrowed his brow, and only then did Kim Woo-ram jolt in surprise, grabbing his spear and assuming a stance.
"I was trying to let it slide as much as possible, you know?"
Kim Woo-ram was similar to the old Seo Woojin.
That made him both pitiful and annoying.
Which was why he wanted to help him grow.
But if he wouldn't change on his own and kept up the same attitude, that was a problem.
"It's not like I want to act this way..."
He started making excuses.
He lacked the guts to mingle with others.
The skill gap made joint training tough.
No one paid attention to him, and so on.
To Seo Woojin, they all sounded like nonsense.
"What about Jin Taeseong?"
"...Pardon?"
"Does he strike you as outgoing?"
No.
If they were talking about lacking guts, Jin Taeseong was far worse than Kim Woo-ram.
And yet, he'd mingled with others and built up his skills.
"What about Byung-gyu and Park Min-seong? Are they stronger than you?"
Their levels were higher.
But they had non-combat classes.
In pure combat, Kim Woo-ram was far superior.
"Have those two ever bailed on training because they couldn't handle it?"
"...No."
Kim Woo-ram hung his head.
"No one looks after you? You idiot, doesn't it occur to you to approach them first?"
In the end, everything Kim Woo-ram said was just an excuse.
"Today, I'll knock some sense into you properly."
Seo Woojin cracked his neck, producing a series of pops.
"Come at me."
At Seo Woojin's words, Kim Woo-ram bit his lip and kicked off the ground.
He was going to get hit anyway if he just stood there.
Better to flail around at least.
"You're slow, man."
Seo Woojin flicked the tip of Kim Woo-ram's spear with his index finger.
Clang-!
Unable to withstand the force, the spear shaft shuddered and shot upward.
"Not using your skills?"
Among Kim Woo-ram's skills was 'Slithering Viper.'
It allowed the spear shaft to bend like a snake according to his will, striking from unexpected angles.
If he'd used it now, the spear could have aimed for Seo Woojin's nape.
But Kim Woo-ram didn't seem to even consider it.
"If you'd sparred with the others just a few times, you wouldn't be getting crushed this pathetically."
That's why experience matters.
Kim Woo-ram had overlooked it and deemed it unimportant.
Seo Woojin's fist drove into his side.
"Ughhh!"
The massive impact made him vomit up his guts.
"Get your head in the game!"
He'd pulled his punch as much as possible.
Sure, it hurt, but to go completely defenseless after just one hit?
It was pathetic.
He lost any will to attack.
Seo Woojin finished it with a smack to the back of his head.
Thud-!
It packed enough force that Kim Woo-ram's face planted into his own vomit.
"This won't cut it."
He needed to think of a proper way to teach this guy.
'I was planning to raise one more kid anyway.'
Seo Woojin thought of the cheeky brat and pondered how to handle both of them.
Then, an idea suddenly struck him.
Heh-
"A side project, you say?"
Ban Slaine, lying in bed, looked intrigued.
"I've got a hopeless punk who won't shape up and a kid who needs training from the basics."
Seo Woojin told him about Kim Woo-ram and Rinar.
"Hoo."
Curiosity laced Ban Slaine's sigh.
"Fair enough with that Rinar kid, but a hero who's that much trouble?"
"I'd rather not bother, but... he's kinda like me from back then."
Seo Woojin glanced at Ban Slaine as he spoke.
If he hadn't received help from the old man in front of him, he might not have grown like this.
Even for Kim Woo-ram, if someone just guided him properly, he could grow right.
"I want to pass on what I received, you know."
Unfortunately, he lacked the ability.
He could teach combat techniques, maybe, but not how to refine his character and personality.
That was right up Ban Slaine's alley.
He knew from personal experience, so he was certain.
"Hmm."
Ban Slaine stroked his nonexistent beard as if pondering.
Then he suddenly asked.
"Can I do it my way?"
"Of course."
It was exactly what Seo Woojin hoped for.
Ban Slaine's methods for handling people were beyond imagination.
Even back when Seo Woojin was low-level with knight-level stamina, he'd collapsed from exhaustion every day.
"I'd even beg you to."
Seo Woojin smiled as he spoke, and Ban Slaine mirrored the expression.
"Then I'll take them on."
"Thank you."
He bowed his head in gratitude.
If Ban Slaine took charge, whether Rinar or Kim Woo-ram,
They were sure to become different people.
"But I can't watch them for long. A month at most."
"Is something coming up?"
At Seo Woojin's question, Ban Slaine slowly nodded.
"Why else would I leave Massive Guardian and come to the Empire? I've got business, of course."
He didn't say what.
But it wasn't ordinary.
Otherwise, he wouldn't leave the north with the subjugation looming.
"A month is plenty."
Seo Woojin spoke with a hint of regret, and Ban Slaine opened his mouth as if to say not to worry.
"I'll do my best. Even more than I did with you."
The two seemed to hear the gates of hell creak open.
Seo Woojin shuddered involuntarily and stood up.
"For now, focus on recovering. Training can start after."
"I'm already fine. I was just staying longer because Ailin kept nagging."
"She sees you like a father figure, so it's natural."
Seo Woojin shrugged, and Ban Slaine sighed.
"Still, it's too much. This old man's having trouble breathing."
Seo Woojin burst out laughing at the quiet grumbling.
Then he stood.
"I'll pass that on to Ailin exactly as you said."
"Ah, no, wait a second!"
"Rest well."
He bowed and ignored Ban Slaine's calls as he left the infirmary.
"Alright, the headaches are sorted."
He'd already gotten permission from Yorn for Rinar, so he just needed to bring him to the academy.
"So, what now?"
He'd been running nonstop lately, so with some free time, he didn't know what to do.
"Hmm..."
As he wandered the academy grounds pondering, Seo Woojin stopped.
"Guess I'll head to the Sky Tower."
He needed to thank Martes anyway, and if possible, get more 'summoning stones.'
They weren't much use to him anymore, but the other heroes were different.
With his destination set, Seo Woojin started walking out of the academy.
But only for a moment.
He hadn't gone far before he had to stop.
"Haa..."
A sigh escaped him.
"What now?"
Seo Woojin said toward the front.
There stood Seong Yu-ra, blocking his path.
"You wrecked my friend."
Her voice was icy.
Seo Woojin let out a hollow laugh.
"He deserved it, so he got hit."
Park Jin-han had started the provocation and the attack first.
In Korea, it might've been excessive defense making Seo Woojin the perpetrator, but this wasn't that place.
Might made right here.
"You're shameless after turning someone half-crippled."
"Cut the nonsense. You healed him anyway, so what's the issue?"
Park Jin-han's injuries were severe, but a Saintess's skills could fix them in under a second.
That's why he'd tossed him in the dorms instead of the infirmary, aiming for that.
"Whether it's healable or not isn't the point. The problem is you did that to my friend."
"So what? Revenge?"
It was getting hard to hold back.
For some reason, Seong Yu-ra had never liked Seo Woojin from the start.
He'd let it slide at first, but now she was crossing lines.
"For the record, I'm not planning to go easy."
Seo Woojin's tone chilled as well.
If she attacked, he'd give her payback on par with Park Jin-han.
"Do I look that stupid? Like I'd pick a fight I can't win?"
She'd blocked his path out of nowhere and brought up Park Jin-han, but now she said it wasn't a challenge?
"I have no idea what you want."
Seo Woojin sighed and scowled, prompting Seong Yu-ra to scoff.
"I'll ask one thing before I go, so just answer."
"You wanna ask about Baek Si-woo too? I told your mage already—I don't know. So move."
Seo Woojin waved her off irritably.
But Seong Yu-ra didn't budge.
She even stepped closer, glaring at him.
"Not that. Something else."
"I doubt I'll know."
He wanted nothing more to do with Seong Yu-ra.
So he tried to ignore her and sidestep.
"Are you the 'Black Existence'?"
He froze.
Seo Woojin halted.
Then slowly turned to look at Seong Yu-ra.
"Where'd you hear that?"
The 'Black Existence' was kept strictly secret.
Only Jinhan's knights, the White Silver Knights, and Crusiel had seen it firsthand.
And they were tighter-lipped than anyone.
Sealed by imperial decree—no way word of the 'Black Existence' leaked.
Yet a hero like Seong Yu-ra knew?
'No, that's not the important part.'
Whether she'd charmed nobles or gotten intel some other way,
It wasn't Seo Woojin's concern.
What mattered was that she'd linked the 'Black Existence' to him.
This was trouble.
"I happened to find out. More importantly, answer me? I'm dying to know."
Seong Yu-ra smiled.
As if she already knew everything.
"Do you even know what the 'Black Existence' is to say that?"
Her smile deepened at Seo Woojin's question.
"Someone told me. So I know more than you'd think. Less than you, of course, but still."