Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: There's a Reason for Everything!
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There's a reason for everything!
The Smiling Man attacked the Sword Saint!
This news left countless people stunned.
Those ignorant of the Jin family were shocked by the Sword Saint's prowess.
Those familiar with the Jin family were shocked by the Smiling Man's boldness.
"Grandpa!!"
The moment class ended, Jin Seo-ah rushed back and searched for the Sword Saint.
She scanned the body of the Sword Saint, who was leisurely swinging his sword.
Checking over and over for any possible injuries.
"Grandpa is fine, Seo-ah."
"What happened? How did an intruder get in?!"
Numerous A-Rank heroes. Among them, those nearing the top.
With all those swordsmen forming a sword formation, the Sword Saint positioned at the end.
One could kill some of them. One could resist.
But the moment they entered, the net would tighten gradually.
In the final moment, the Sword Saint would step forward and resolve it with a single strike.
This was the Jin family's sword formation, which even S-Rank heroes found burdensome.
"That's how it happened."
"Everyone else might not have noticed, but you didn't sense the Smiling Man coming for you too?!"
The public knew the Sword Saint had retired from active duty due to old age.
But Jin Seo-ah, who had grown up watching the Sword Saint up close, thought differently.
He hadn't retired because of frailty; he had stepped back because he trusted his juniors.
He had pulled away to avoid making the young ones mind an old man's gaze.
The Sword Saint's sword sense was still sharp. It reached everywhere in the Jin family.
The sword formation was maintained on that basis, so if this happened...
"You old geezer!!"
This time, it was Valkyrie. She had barged in right after class ended, as expected.
The Sword Saint grumbled, 'That mouth of hers...', but she ignored him.
Just like Jin Seo-ah, she examined the Sword Saint's body.
"You're really unharmed? I heard you went a round with the Smiling Man!"
"That's how it happened. Why? Disappointed?"
"What kind of talk is that! I rushed here right after leaving the academy because I was worried! I'm a busy person! Unlike you, old man!"
"Tsk tsk. I should have told your father to teach you manners before swordsmanship."
The Sword Saint set down his sword and looked at Jin Seo-ah and Valkyrie for a moment.
'Hmm.'
At first, he had intended to keep the incident with the Smiling Man a secret.
But upon second thought, both of them had connections to the Smiling Man, just like him.
First, his granddaughter Jin Seo-ah had been saved by the Smiling Man.
Next, Valkyrie had received information from the Smiling Man.
'That man wouldn't start something without reason.'
Having organized his thoughts, the Sword Saint led them to his study.
And as soon as Jin Seo-ah and Valkyrie sat down, he confessed the truth.
"The Smiling Man didn't ambush me."
"Grandpa? What do you...?"
"I've known the Smiling Man for a while already."
"Huh?"
What was this all of a sudden? Valkyrie and Jin Seo-ah were stunned.
Fortunately, the Sword Saint's subsequent explanation helped them grasp the situation.
"...So, you've been sparring with the Smiling Man all this time?"
"He barged in on his own, so I tried to kill him at first. But then he said he saved you, Seo-ah, so I took a closer look, and for a villain, he was quite unusual."
"Well... that's true."
Among villains, there were more who avoided attacking heroes than one might think.
They figured it was a loss if they died in needless fights.
But conversely, almost none avoided attacking civilians.
They were the type who enjoyed massacring the defenseless.
That was the most decisive reason the world called villains evil.
Amid such villains, the Smiling Man was one who didn't attack civilians.
He had been named a suspect in the recent terrorist incident.
But now, he had effectively been cleared.
The villain who had been using his name had been killed by the Sword Saint.
The build was similar, and the ability used was the same, so it was understandable.
Experts had suspected from the start it might not be the Smiling Man.
'Above all... he saved me, Cadet Louis, Cadet Kang Yuna, and Cadet Seo Ha-eun.'
The Smiling Man was indeed a villain. He had killed heroes before.
But he was different from other villains. They had to accept that.
"So when I looked into it, he clearly had some deeper motive. Isn't that right?"
The Sword Saint now turned to Valkyrie as he spoke.
Valkyrie glanced at Jin Seo-ah before nodding.
"That's right."
"Valkyrie?"
"I can't go into details, but I've had my own dealings with the Smiling Man too."
She wasn't doing it now, but someday she would expose the Union's corruption.
For the right moment, she was biding her time and preparing.
Fortunately, her S-Rank position made gathering information easy.
"So, from what we've heard so far, none of us are outright enemies with the Smiling Man. So why the huge public clash all of a sudden?"
This was the key point, Valkyrie pressed for the facts.
Jin Seo-ah quietly waited for the Sword Saint's next words too.
"... ."
One was his granddaughter, who would become an important figure in the Jin family.
The other was someone distancing herself from the Union out of disappointment.
So it was fine to tell them. Perhaps he even had to.
'Maybe the Smiling Man wanted this too.'
If that was true, he had met a truly frightening man, he thought.
The Sword Saint explained the full story of his clash with the Smiling Man.
"Lately, the Union has been pressuring the Jin family more intensely."
"What? The Union? Why?!"
"...Those bastards finally did it."
The Union was a pan-national organization existing for heroes, as Jin Seo-ah knew.
So she was shocked to hear they were pressuring her family.
On the other hand, Valkyrie, who knew the Union's true nature to some extent, reacted differently.
She had suspected as much, but seeing it become reality, she showed her anger.
"Grandpa. Why? Why is the Union pressuring our family?"
"Seo-ah. Do you know well the influence our family holds?"
Jin Seo-ah nodded at the Sword Saint's question.
In his youth, even the nation's highest officials bowed to the Sword Saint.
If he had sought power, Korea would have fallen into his hands.
Even now, though not to that extent, their influence remained immense.
Right beside them, the S-Rank hero Valkyrie was an acquaintance of the Sword Saint.
Globally, he had connections with numerous S-Rank heroes as well.
Korea saw exceptionally strong villains appear frequently.
The Sword Saint's presence there kept the pressure somewhat in check.
"The Union wants the influence the Jin family holds for themselves."
"Why? Our family and the Union help each other."
"Korea has always produced exceptional heroes. They judged that securing an absolute position here would allow them to influence the world."
The Union wasn't an enemy. But neither were they friends.
They were allies who smiled politely out of mutual necessity.
Yet a relationship that could sour and become uncomfortable at any time.
That was exactly the case between the Jin family and the Union, the Sword Saint concluded.
"The Smiling Man made me an offer similar to the one he made you."
Now the Sword Saint turned to Valkyrie.
"A check on the Union, right?"
"He seemed to dislike the Union's influence growing excessive. And since I felt the same, we reached an agreement to play along moderately."
"So that's why you put on that show recently. The name Sword Saint still holds strong. No rust on that blade. So don't go thinking you can take liberties."
Going beyond merely controlling heroes.
Now they were scheming to sideline even the old heroes.
Valkyrie trembled with rage once more at the Union's misdeeds.
"Do we really have to put up with this? Can't we just blow it open?"
"We could expose it. But what then?"
"Well..."
"Be careful. Public opinion and justification aren't to be taken lightly."
Over the years, the Union had poured everything into becoming the symbol of 'justice'.
Now, most people saw them as the 'absolute good'.
Only villains, monsters, or traitors attacked the Union.
What started as doing right could lead to becoming the devil oneself.
If the whole world pointed fingers, who could endure it?
Those who became heroes to save them would find it even harder.
That was why even those who knew the Union's true face stepped back.
'But the Smiling Man is different.'
He was a villain. He didn't care about public opinion or justification.
Even if the Union painted him as a devil, he would mock and slip away.
There was no one more suitable to reveal the Union's true face.
"The Smiling Man seems to have chosen me and you as partners."
"We all have grievances with the Union. But there's one problem."
What Valkyrie pointed out was indeed the most crucial part.
"What does the Smiling Man get out of this? He can't be doing it for nothing."
"Hmm..."
This time, even the Sword Saint couldn't answer immediately.
Indeed. Why was the Smiling Man helping them?
What was this villain thinking?
***
"You rascal! You went to the Jin family despite my warnings, didn't you?!"
"Eek! Spare me, Boss!"
"Stand still right now!"
A chase unfolded between the Smiling Man and the Black Woman around the pavilion.
At a glance, it almost looked like a playful 'catch me if you can' between a man and a woman.
Ssssh!-
A speed no ordinary citizen, not even a hero, could dare pursue.
Even Lee Bora standing nearby could barely catch the afterimages.
"I'll play a game of baduk with you, so cool off a bit!"
"No need!"
"Really?"
"... ."
She couldn't quite bring herself to say, 'Well, maybe.'
Instead, she slowed down and quietly climbed atop the pavilion.
"Baduk with a wager again?"
"Of course."
"Fine. This won't be an easy match."
"I'm looking forward to it."
Smiling Man versus Black Woman.
After another intense game, the scene that unfolded was...
"Argh...!"
The Black Woman glaring at the baduk board with a flushed red face.
Despite giving her all, she had suffered another crushing defeat today.
"It was a fierce battle! Hahaha!"
The Smiling Man casually said things that turned her insides out.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much, Boss."
"So what is it?!"
"Will you come on a trip with me?"
"...Pardon?"