Ambush Reversed, Total War Approved
Sudden vehicles appeared, and the thugs started panicking.
“……What the hell are those?”
“Boss, aren't they heading straight here?”
“You think I don't know that?!”
In an instant, the cars flooded into our parking lot, circling the thugs. Then, as the vehicles came to a simultaneous halt and men in black suits began stepping out one by one, the thugs' faces hardened.
“You crazy bastards…… You think you'll get away with this?!”
Maybe they realized they'd walked into a trap. They aimed their guns at me and Han Seojun, shouting.
“Boss, what do we do? Sh-shouldn't we bolt first?”
One employee, sensing the ominous vibe, asked his boss.
“How the hell are we supposed to bolt with them right there, you idiot! Hoo…… Hey, kid. Let these guys go right now. If you want to live, let them go now!”
So that's what he came up with—taking me and Han Seojun hostage.
……Pathetic.
At that moment, Han Seojun grabbed the gun barrel and pressed it to his own temple.
“Wha—what?”
The thug's eyes widened in shock, and as he reflexively raised his hand, Han Seojun twisted his wrist in a flash, snatching the gun away.
“Huh?”
While the thug froze in confusion at the abrupt move, Han Seojun pointed the gun right at him.
“On your knees.”
“You crazy son of a……! You think you'll walk away unscathed if you grab me? You think my boys will just sit there if I die?!”
The thug yelled, and the guys around us raised their weapons, glaring at the bodyguards. They looked ready to charge at any second.
“Yeah?”
It was supposed to be some kind of threat, I guess…… But I just shook my head and said to the bodyguards,
“Everyone, weapons out.”
As if they'd been waiting for my word, the bodyguards popped their trunks and pulled out heavy firepower, aiming at the thugs—shotguns, submachine guns, assault rifles, even machine guns.
The sight of every single one armed to the teeth made the agency employee slowly turn to me.
“Even now, you think they'll stay quiet? I think I'll be the one staying quiet.”
“……Please spare us.”
Guns really are the greatest negotiation tool humanity ever invented.
* * *
“……What? Failed?”
At the Gangbul Agency in Jongno.
“You kidding me?! I gave you 50 million won—50 million! And now you're saying you can't do the job?!”
“What were we supposed to do?! That rich kid rolls with bodyguards packing heavy weapons. Were we supposed to play human shields?!”
Right now, Kwon Su-hyeop and the Gangbul Agency boss were at each other's throats.
“You're Awakeners—bullets don't even work on you! You should've just swept them aside and broken the kid's arms and legs!”
Kwon Su-hyeop snapped at the agency boss's excuse, who flushed red and fired back.
“Don't work my ass! Those bodyguards were all Awakeners too! If anyone's got beef, it's us—you're the one who took our money for a suicide mission! Our guys nearly got wiped out!”
The agency boss was losing his mind. When they'd scouted the target, he was just some rich kid with a big stake in a Hanwol Group subsidiary. Hell, both his parents were dead—he was an orphan.
So what the hell were those insane bodyguards, and where did they get all that heavy artillery? Even if guns were legal thanks to dungeons, that level of firepower didn't make sense unless you were military.
“Fine, you failed—so give me my deposit back!”
“You nuts? You think 50 million credits is chump change for a job like this, and now you want it back?”
Fuming, the agency boss jabbed a finger into Kwon Su-hyeop's chest.
“Remember this. You just commissioned an assault on people you don't want to mess with. Got it?”
People you don't mess with. What the hell did that mean?
“Honestly, I'd love to rip you apart right here. But you know why I won't? Because your dad's the Hunters Guild master. Yeah? Now get the hell out!”
Finally, under the agency's employees' scorching glares, Kwon Su-hyeop slunk out, seething all the way home.
What the hell was that kid that everyone acted like this? Inomiya Haru from the International Trade Club, who never even glanced his way, was now meeting Han Yujin privately. The Board Game Club weirdos with real skills backed him, and Lee Sera from Recipe Development Club—who had recipes that blew minds—cooked for them.
“What the hell is that guy?! What the actual fuck?!”
Then, a brilliant idea hit Kwon Su-hyeop.
“If the agency won't…… I'll just hire someone else.”
He'd gone to them because he couldn't use his dad's or guild's name, but screw it now. His lips curled into a grin.
“Yeah, if not an agency, then pros……”
Finding pros was easy. There was a specialist outfit for this stuff.
Kowalnoz.
The mafia under Calione that could make a crying kid shut up. The Kowalnoz Family coexisted with his dad's Hunters Guild—wouldn't they take his commission?
With that thought, Kwon Su-hyeop headed to the nearest Kowalnoz office he knew.
“Huh?”
His phone rang—his dad, who should be swamped with guild work.
“Dad, what's up— ”
[You stupid bastard! Drop whatever you're doing right now!]
“……Pardon?”
[I don't know what the hell you're up to, but stop it. Now. Your old man is begging you here. Please……]
His dad, begging? Kwon Su-hyeop could hardly process the bizarre chain of events.
* * *
“This should keep any more headaches from coming your way, young master.”
Back at the mansion, I'd had Han Seojun send a message in the Calione name to the kid's dad: keep your son in check.
Not for my sake, of course. Once was forgivable, but twice? Parnello or the organization would've killed him themselves. This time, luck let me stop it before it hit my dad's ears—but next time, who knows. Dad might hear first and act.
“Does he even realize I just saved not just his life, but his whole family?”
“……A guy dumb enough to hire an agency to assault you? He'd probably try someone else.”
Hard to believe he'd be that stupid. Even I wouldn't hire out against a guy with heavy-armed bodyguards again.
Whatever—better not get dragged into kid games and take needless hits. Besides, he needed my personal education; wasting organization resources felt off.
“No work this Saturday or Sunday, right?”
The requests I'd gotten the past four days were all small potatoes. Makes sense—lieutenants handle their own turf, and mine was the academy. Can't dump trivia on a lieutenant either.
So I'd been semi-forced into downtime, resuming successor lessons with Parnello after a break.
“Yes.”
“……Gonna die again.”
Parnello's lessons were demonic. He hit to hurt just short of injury with eerie precision—still terrifying.
“Oh, young master. Your lieutenant promotion party is next week too.”
“Lieutenant promotion party? ……Dad's hosting, I take it.”
“Yes. Should've been the day you promoted, but Maestro's suit finishes next week, so……”
“……Next week's gonna be nuts. Total war, party—what else?”
“Oh, and Don sent an invite to Hanwol Group Chairman too—he might come.”
Mom's side coming……? Good timing; had International Trade Club stuff to discuss. Not bad.
Plus, game intel on my maternal grandpa, Hanwol Chairman, was scarce. Meeting him might unlock Character Compendium or new info.
Looking forward to this.
“Got it. Proceed as planned.”
“Yes, young master.”
* * *
I really hated that SpongeBob chef who lived under Bikini Bottom.
How could anyone say Monday's good? To me, it was murder.
So annoying……
“‘Familia’ Vice President Han Yujin. You coordinated with ‘Ranger Club’ Vice President Kwon Su-hyeop for this total war, correct?”
“……Yes. Correct.”
“‘Ranger Club’ Vice President Kwon Su-hyeop. You coordinated with ‘Familia’ Vice President Han Yujin for this total war, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then, in the name of Seoul Hero Academy Student Council, I approve the total war between these two clubs.”
Lunchtime at Seoul Hero Academy—while others ate or chilled, we were in the student council room finalizing total war prep.
Seo Yeon-su, student council member and club overseer, was the one greenlighting it. Ji Suhyun had dragged her three club certs there herself for the agreement.
“Total war starts at 3 PM today—no sparring class—with limited arena fields, so it'll be on the outdoor field designed for large battles. Any objections?”
We both shook our heads.
“No objections from either vice president confirmed. Procedures complete—you're free to go.”
We bowed and left. Then Kwon Su-hyeop, who'd been quiet, glared at me.
“You…… What'd you do to my dad?”
“Huh? What're you on about?”
“Don't play dumb. The day my guys bailed on you scared shitless, why'd my dad yell at me all teary-eyed to knock it off!”
Guess he was griping about last week. Hilarious—Han Seojun was right. This guy's a real moron.
I snorted at his brazen attitude.
“So you sent those losers? Pathetic.”
“Wh-what?!”
He panicked, realizing he'd confessed.
“If you're scared, just kneel and apologize like a man—instead you strut around? I'm the one baffled. Hiring an agency to break my limbs—proud of that?”
“……Shut up. I didn't order that.”
“Just now you said you sent them—now you didn't? Brain fart from facts hitting too hard?”
“……I said shut up!”
He exploded and lunged. Bang! The door we'd exited flew open.
“……No commotion outside student council room.”
Seo Yeon-su, having heard him inside, shot Kwon a dirty look and went back in.
I sighed, turning away from the dumbstruck idiot with his hands up.
“Mondays suck.”
Time to handle this annoyance quick.