Teaching the Thug a Lesson
What’s the most effective way to turn a thug into an ally? A mountain of cash? Priceless artifacts? No. Tangible things like those never create true allies. The moment someone offers more money or better goods, they’ll switch sides without hesitation. What truly binds someone to you is emotional. The feeling that you’re genuinely on their side, that you care about them. People call this “loyalty” or “trust.” Even merchants sometimes forgo profit to honor their word, and even criminals endure massive losses to uphold their code among themselves. In short, emotional bonds work better than anything else at forging allies, regardless of race, culture, or personality. A heart that won’t waver even for hundreds of billions—that’s something no amount of money can buy. That’s why Lee Hyunseung saw an opportunity when Ryu Namgi was attacked.
“Talk to me. I’m Lee Hyunseung. And keep it civil, unless you want me to rip that leg off before I kill you.”
Ryu Namgi was one of the men who had received a weapon from Lee Hyunseung. He would later awaken as someone useful. But that wasn’t what mattered most. Ryu Namgi was the first person inside F-class to side with Lee Hyunseung—and the first to suffer physical violence for it. In other words, he had taken a loss for acting on Lee Hyunseung’s behalf. If this incident was simply brushed aside, no one would ever want to stand with Lee Hyunseung again. Lee Hyunseung understood that perfectly.
If I handle this right, I can make my allies even more certain of their choice.
He had to show them. Show what benefits came from standing with him, and prove exactly how he treated those who aligned with him. The method was simple: unmistakable retaliation. Demonstrate what happened to anyone who touched his people.
“What if I don’t want to?” Im Tak-ju sneered arrogantly.
Lee Hyunseung racked the slide. Click.
“Then I’ll make sure you never walk again. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Gulp. A chilling silence fell over the room. Lee Hyunseung kept the gun trained on Im Tak-ju but didn’t fire. Not yet. I need a stronger justification. One solid enough that even if problems arose later, he wouldn’t suffer any consequences.
When Lee Hyunseung remained still, Im Tak-ju smirked and stepped forward.
“What, getting cold feet now that you’re about to pull the trigger? You pathetic bastard. I’m B-class. A washed-up reject like you who got demoted from A-class can’t do a damn thing to me.”
Technically, Lee Hyunseung had voluntarily transferred from A-class to F-class. Most people, however, assumed he had been demoted. After all, who in their right mind would abandon the privileges of A-class for F-class without any apparent reason?
Press. Seeing no reaction, Im Tak-ju grew even bolder and shoved Lee Hyunseung’s head against the wall. Bang!
Only then did Lee Hyunseung speak, his eyes ice-cold.
“You started the fight. You threw the first punch. So if anything happens, it’s on you. You know what I hate most? People who mess with what’s mine. You’re dead.”
“What the hell are you babbling about, you lunatic—!”
Im Tak-ju charged. He aimed a kick at Lee Hyunseung’s abdomen, but Lee Hyunseung simply shifted left and dodged. Crash! Im Tak-ju’s foot slammed into the wall. He kicked off immediately and spun into another strike, a clean diagonal arc aimed at Lee Hyunseung’s center.
This guy’s a martial artist.
Lee Hyunseung identified Im Tak-ju’s class from a single attack. People who used their bodies as weapons were called martial artists. Though not as powerful as mages or swordsmen, they were still respected among unarmed fighters.
Whoosh. Lee Hyunseung raised his pistol and blocked the descending kick. Boom!
“Huh?” Im Tak-ju stared in disbelief. His full-power kick had been stopped by a tiny handgun. It was almost comical—yet infuriating.
“You worthless piece of shit… Stop squirming around like a damn eel!”
Whirl. Im Tak-ju spun in midair and lashed out with his other leg. At that moment, Lee Hyunseung drew his gun and fired. Bang!Thud! The bullet grazed Im Tak-ju’s thigh. Jeong Eunseo instantly deployed a soundproofing spell, worried the noise might get Lee Hyunseung punished.
Lee Hyunseung noticed. The area was now completely sealed. Several witnesses could testify that this was self-defense. Violence inside the academy was forbidden, but proving you had only defended yourself removed any issue. Self-defense existed in this world too. Besides, the academy president owed Lee Hyunseung a debt. Even if minor problems arose, she wouldn’t make a big deal of it.
Lee Hyunseung aimed again. Blood poured from the graze on Im Tak-ju’s thigh. Im Tak-ju thought, Damn it… It didn’t even hit me directly. Why does it hurt this much?
The extra damage from the Legendary Gunslinger trait didn’t just increase destructive power. It amplified accumulated damage and pain. That was why Im Tak-ju felt agony far beyond what a normal gunslinger could inflict.
His arms began to tremble. His legs refused to move. The pain was simply too great. If a graze hurt this badly, he didn’t want to imagine a direct hit.
He… he really tried to cripple my leg.
If Im Tak-ju hadn’t twisted desperately at the last second, the bullet would have struck dead center in his thigh.
“You… you’ve lost your mind. How are you going to deal with the fallout?”
Fear made Im Tak-ju try talking instead of attacking. He already knew he stood no chance. But Lee Hyunseung wasn’t interested in negotiation.
“Fallout? I’m already fighting Yoo Heeyeon. You think I’m going to worry about the consequences of dealing with a nobody like you? That’s your problem.”
Lee Hyunseung pointed at Ryu Namgi, still collapsed on the floor.
“Kneel and apologize to him. I’ll let you off this once.”
Im Tak-ju swallowed hard. Damn it… This humiliation… He was B-class. A martial artist. Bowing to some F-class lackey was something his pride would never allow.
Yet every time he looked at the gun in Lee Hyunseung’s hand, his body reacted. That terrible pain—he never wanted to feel it again. If that thing hits me directly… He might actually end up crippled. Lee Hyunseung’s earlier threat hadn’t been a bluff.
Just as Im Tak-ju began to lower himself, Han Seonggil, the B-class representative who had been watching, muttered coldly, “Kneel and you’re dead. Fight properly.”
Im Tak-ju froze. Han Seonggil’s voice wasn’t excited or playful—it was chillingly calm. That tone only appeared when he was truly enraged. Lee Hyunseung was terrifying, but at least he seemed willing to talk. Han Seonggil was not. Im Tak-ju chose the only option left.
“Graaaah—!”
He pretended to kneel, then lunged at Lee Hyunseung in a desperate rush.
“Pathetic. You should’ve just begged. This is the choice you made. Don’t blame me.”
Lee Hyunseung aimed at the charging Im Tak-ju.
Last Bullet [C]
Consumes every bullet in the current magazine to fire a single, devastating shot.
A massive sphere of energy gathered at the muzzle—then fired. Bang!