The Request
"Excuse me… are you by any chance student Kim Ilshin? Ah, you are!"
As I was walking briskly toward the training center, a man in a suit suddenly cut in from the side. He had a friendly, easygoing expression that made him seem like a good-natured person. When I kept my distance, wary, he smiled and opened his mouth.
"I was worried because you weren't in your dorm, but I'm glad I found you. I'm Inspector Ahn Tae-young from the Superhuman Crimes Investigation Division of the Gangnam Police Station. Here is my official ID."
I examined the badge he held out; there didn't seem to be any room for forgery. The next thing I was curious about was why he had come to find me in person. I had been involved with the Gangnam Police Station before during the request to sweep the Black Tiger Faction, but I couldn't think of a reason significant enough for them to come all the way here.
Before I could even say anything, Inspector Ahn held up two fingers.
"You must be wondering why I came in person. There are two reasons. The first is to discuss the additional compensation for your previous request."
It seemed the results of that request had been quite satisfactory—enough to warrant additional compensation. Still, it wasn't enough to justify a personal visit. I suspected the second reason was the real one. And as expected, I was right.
"The second reason is to ask for your help with another request. I can't give you the exact details before you accept, but I can tell you this: traces of the Red Heaven Cult were discovered at the Black Tiger Faction's hideout that you cleared out last time."
The Red Heaven Cult. My gaze sharpened. That was more than enough reason for him to come in person.
The doctrine of the Red Heaven Cult is simple: Kill, and kill again. If the earth is dyed red, our god will descend, painting even the remaining sky in crimson.
'A group of insane fanatics.'
But that is exactly why they are in a different league from ordinary criminal organizations. Because of their faith-based nature, they are difficult to eradicate completely, and their rate of spread is unpredictable. Not only the high-ranking members but the individual rank-and-file cultists possess powerful strength.
The leader of the Red Heaven Cult is the medium of their faith. The cultists gain power simply by offering their faith to him. Rigorous training isn't particularly important. They can gain great power through belief alone. They join because it's an easy way to gain strength, get brainwashed, and increase their power. As they realize the leader's abilities, they gain even stronger power through more steadfast faith. At the end of that vicious cycle, an unshakable faith in the Red Heaven Cult is perfected. A fanatic is born who will gladly offer their own life for their god.
It was an ability that was a superior version of Song Jong-ho, the head of the Black Tiger Faction. I only wondered why I hadn't realized the connection between the two sooner.
"Then, while we travel, I will explain the details of the request."
Inside the quiet moving car, Inspector Ahn, sitting in the passenger seat next to me, spoke. I had decided to accept the request. The Red Heaven Cult would become a major threat in the future. Especially if the plan they called the 'Great Undertaking' was completed, the world would not be able to escape its doom. So, it was important to stop them step by step starting now. Of course, it wasn't just that—the value of the reward offered by the police was also high.
'Scale of the Serpent King.'
It was an incredibly expensive material used for crafting armor. It was hard to come by, possessing defensive capabilities that could block even mana-imbued weapons, along with regenerative properties. It was a better reward than receiving the same amount in cash.
"To explain the core of it, a passage leading somewhere was discovered in the basement of the Crown Club, along with traces of the Red Heaven Cult. We haven't figured out what's at the end yet, but the Red Heaven Cult's emblem was found on the wall near the entrance."
Information I hadn't known when playing the game. Just because I had seen the ending a few times didn't mean I could grasp every single hidden element. Especially if it was something happening outside the Academy.
"What we need student Kim Ilshin to do is investigate where that passage leads. I trust in the skills you showed when you quickly located the Black Tiger Faction's hideout during the last request."
Listening to him, it seemed the police were expecting information-gathering skills from me. It seemed I had been overestimated because I had headed straight for the Black Tiger Faction's hideout as soon as I took the request. I didn't bother to correct him.
"And there is someone who will be performing the request with you. Do you happen to know 'Blood Fist' Park Eun-ho? He is a current B-class Hero."
"Yes. I've heard the name."
I had only heard the name. I remembered him mostly using his fists. But I couldn't ignore him. If he was a B-class Hero, he was among the upper echelon.
"He departed a little while ago, so he should be arriving about now. Ah, we've arrived as well."
The place where we got out of the car was in front of the Crown Club. Following Inspector Ahn, I entered past the police cordon. Inside the scene, which reminded me of the fierce battle, detectives were moving busily.
"Tae-young, you're here? Oh! Is that him? The one from the Black Tiger Faction case?"
"Yes, that's right. I persuaded him to come—"
"Wow, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
A burly detective pushed Inspector Ahn aside and grabbed my hand. He shook it vigorously, saying he was glad to see me in person; I thought my shoulder might pop out. I was even worried I might have to use mana.
"Good luck with the work!"
The detective left after offering words of encouragement. I shook out my aching wrist and followed behind Ahn again.
"Student, thanks for last time!"
"You're handsome! Do you have a girlfriend?"
I thought the first detective was just an odd person, but the others were the same. They were showing an strange amount of favor to me, someone they were seeing for the first time. It was dizzying, with someone talking to me every step I took.
"Ugh, everyone being like that makes me even more scared. Even if their faces are rough. Here we are."
The place Inspector Ahn guided me to was the VIP room at the very end of the club's hallway. Where a table should have been, a long staircase led downward. In front of the entrance to the stairs, a sword emblem was engraved. It was a figure standing at an angle, pointing a sword at the sky. It was the symbol of the Red Heaven Cult.
A man was standing next to the stairs. I could feel a well-disciplined aura that matched his heavy impression. He must have been the Hero Park Eun-ho that Inspector Ahn had mentioned.
"You're already here. This is student Kim Ilshin, whom I mentioned earlier. Student Kim Ilshin, this is Hero Park Eun-ho."
"Hmm."
Sharp eyes scanned me. It looked like he was trying to gauge my skills, so I didn't react.
"So you're the one who swept the Black Tiger Faction."
The moment I was about to answer, Park Eun-ho's body closed the distance. A fist laden with wind struck out in an instant.
'Is this the strike of a current Hero?'
The simple punch contained the logic of a spiral. The flow of rotating mana tore through the air as it approached.
Kwak!
A flash of light sparked in my eyes. As I took a step along an instinctive path, Park Eun-ho's gipa (energy wave) wavered. It was a single step that perfectly blocked the opponent's flow. I mainly used a sword, but that didn't mean I was helpless without one. The talent of [Martial God (S)] elevated even my close-quarters combat skills to the realm of ascension.
Papak!
A technique of Geumnasu (Grappling Hand) I had never even seen before unfolded, containing the mysteries of the Heavenly Flow. The strike, its flow interrupted, was firmly entangled and bound in my left hand. I stomped on Park Eun-ho's front foot while simultaneously stepping forward. As I lowered my stance and pushed, the opponent's balance wavered.
'Is this how it's done?'
I pulled my fist back as if drawing a bowstring. The mana heated by the Cheonji Myowon-gong rotated around the central axis of my palm. I immediately struck upward with my fist. The mana released like an uncoiling spring neutralized Park Eun-ho's defensive maneuver.
Whoosh—
My fist stopped just under his chin. Park Eun-ho's expression as he looked at it seemed quite satisfied. I withdrew my fist and asked.
"Would this be enough?"
"More than enough. An incredible junior has arrived."
Park Eun-ho, wearing a refreshed expression, turned his head toward Inspector Ahn. Inspector Ahn's face was as pale as a corpse. He had mistaken the fight between me and Park Eun-ho for a real one.
"With this friend here, I don't think there will be any problems carrying out the request."
"Ah, yes..."
"Then how about we enter right away? It feels like we've warmed up enough."
"Ah, then I will prepare for entry..."
It was me and Park Eun-ho who had exchanged fists, but the one who was exhausted was Inspector Ahn. He walked out with a weak gait and began to move busily. He was probably checking equipment or plans.
"What grade did you say you were in?"
"I'm a third-year."
"The Academy has improved a lot. Hmm, or maybe you're just exceptional. I didn't see talent like yours even in my day. You must be the top student, right?"
"Ah, I'm currently ranked last in the school."
"What? Then the others are even more...?"
Left in the room, Park Eun-ho and I talked about various things. It was usually a pattern of Park Eun-ho asking and me answering. He seemed to be reminiscing about his school days while looking at me.
"I tried using weapons in the past too, but no matter how much I used them, the 'hand feel' just wasn't there. There's no thrill like when you smash an enemy's skull. So I always had to come back to these bare fists."
I could feel that even if he was a bit rough around the edges, he was essentially a good person. The fact that he threw a punch at our first meeting must have been for my safety. Because if I acted naively against the Red Heaven Cult, it would be hard to come out alive.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! Entry preparations are complete!"
After waiting a few more minutes, Ahn returned, looking recovered. "To explain again, your goal is to investigate what place this passage leads to. Radio signals don't work below the stairs, so please move based on your own judgment."
Ahn handed us flashlights and continued. "If it leads to a place related to the Red Heaven Cult as expected, and you encounter cultists there, please subdue them regardless of whether they are dead or alive."
I hope that doesn't happen, though. Ahn added that wish and stepped back.
"Then let's enter."
I nodded and stood in front of the stairs. As soon as I stepped down, I was certain that Ahn's wish would not come true. The scent of blood rising thickly from below sharpened my senses.