New Guardian (2)
Just as Seojun stepped into the Arcane Chamber.
The Superhuman Net.
Discussions about 100% conductivity mithril were in full swing there.
Until now, China had been the world's largest mithril exporter.
Thanks to their terrain, dungeons yielding mithril were plentiful there.
But with 100% conductivity mithril emerging, the landscape was about to shift dramatically.
Superhumans who could afford mithril eagerly awaited Madoje's mithril to hit the market.
But then, shocking news hit them like a bolt from the blue.
Mado Corporation had posted>Mado.
Some immediately protested to Mado Corporation.
But Mado Corporation had no choice in the matter.
The Mithril Distribution Union was interfering.
And sure enough, just as Section Chief Lee Jeong-won had predicted, the Mithril Distribution Union took physical action.
"Over there?"
"Yes, brother. That's it."
Superhumans covered head to toe in tattoos.
Fifty of them.
They were clan members of the Black Tiger Clan, notorious in the shadows.
They gathered in front of the building housing Mado Corporation's office.
"It's tiny."
"Guess starting a business fresh..."
"You idiot, you asking 'cause you don't know?"
"Sorry, brother!"
"Get your head straight, man."
"Yes, sir!"
Their average level was 60.
The highest was a whopping 70.
This kind of force could rank among Korea's top clans.
From Mado Corporation's perspective, stopping them was impossible.
"Three guard the entrance. Everyone else, follow me up."
"Yes, brother! Got it."
Level 70.
Black Tiger Clan's number two, Kim Bong-jun.
He lumbered his bulky frame toward the Mado Corporation building.
His clan leader's recent words echoed in his ear.
'Hey, Bong-jun.'
'Yes, brother.'
'Know Mado Corporation? The ones hyping 100% conductivity mithril lately.'
'Yeah, heard of 'em.'
'Take the boys and rough 'em up.'
'...Na Seon-uk put you up to this?'
'Sharp as ever, kid. Yeah. So go wreck the place proper.'
'Understood, brother.'
Na Seon-uk.
Head of the Mithril Distribution Union and one of the shadow world's three bosses.
With him as backup, even a government-backed joint venture like Mado Corporation was no big deal.
BAM!
The Black Tiger Clan burst through Mado Corporation's doors.
About a dozen staff huddled in the 30-pyeong office.
They stared at Kim Bong-jun in shock.
"Get over here, punks."
"Wh-who are you?"
"Don't need to know. Get your boss."
As Kim Bong-jun barked, the staff shrank back.
'Just small fry.'
Mostly non-superhumans, and the mana-users barely level 10.
No combat power at all.
'The biggest aura...'
From the representative's office.
Around level 50.
Solid mid-tier anywhere.
But against them?
Just a bigger fish.
Heh.
Easy. Too easy.
Kim Bong-jun led his Black Tiger goons and kicked in the representative's door.
BAM!!
"Hello there."
He grinned, scanning the room.
Three people sat at a small table: two men and a woman.
The middle-aged man front and center.
Lee Jeong-won, the section chief. Level 50-ish superhuman.
Next to him, a wide-eyed middle-aged man.
The nominal CEO, from what he'd heard.
Both matched prior intel.
And the long-haired woman facing away.
Couldn't see her face, but she felt young.
'Weird. Should've turned at the noise.'
Unlike the two men gawking with round eyes.
This young woman didn't even glance back amid the commotion.
A strange dissonance hit him.
'Something's off.'
His gut, key to surviving the shadows and rising to Black Tiger's number two.
It screamed: this ain't good.
"Brother? Drag these bastards out?"
"Heh, young chick too. Hehehe."
"Let's see that pretty face, slut."
He barely held back from slapping his men.
Already uneasy, and they were pouring oil on the fire.
"Curious about my face?"
Then.
Her voice flowed out.
A clear, heart-stirring tone.
The kind that promised stunning beauty.
But...
'Sounds familiar...'
A face flashed in Kim Bong-jun's mind.
'No way.'
His heart sank.
The woman turned.
"...!!"
And he saw it.
Hong Seolhwa.
Master of Hongryeon Clan, one of Korea's eight great clans.
A member of the Twelve Heavens.
"F-fuck..."
"My god..."
The bold Black Tiger intruders.
Froze like statues on the spot.
Arcane Chamber.
The magic training room.
A vast, empty white space stretched out.
I fiddled with the control orb, setting up targets.
Vwoooom.
Targets rose across the white expanse.
Black mannequin-shaped ones, calibrated to take hits only from level 130 attacks.
Crackle, crackle-crackle.
Purple sparks flowed from my body as I stared them down.
Time for Dragon Words training.
"Whirl and strike. Lightning."
KRAKABOOM——!!
With my will.
Purple lightning shot from my hand, smashing the forward targets.
KABOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!!
The world drowned in purple.
The lightning became a wave, then an ocean.
Boom, boom, boom-boom-boom!!
Targets shattered and exploded one by one within it.
Unable to withstand the lightning damage.
Crackle, krakle-crackle!
Even after destroying all targets, residual sparks flashed.
Terrifying destructive power.
'No wonder Dragon Words are called the pinnacle of draconic authority.'
Magic via Dragon Words a on Earth, they'd be floored.
Magic implemented with Dragon Words had overwhelming versatility and power.
Even just lightning—I could fire it in any form I desired.
And the destructive force? Needless to say.
Infused with draconic stature, far stronger than regular spells.
The more I tested Dragon Words here, the surer I grew.
"Late 100s won't be completely immune now."
I could at least scratch them.
Meaning the brutal level-up difficulty spike from 90 onward would ease up.
"But..."
Couldn't just celebrate.
"Definitely tiring."
Deep fatigue crushed my head.
Mental drain was severe.
Basic stage one Dragon Words, and it was this much.
To wield them freely ahead, I had to solve the mental cost issue.
'Then learn 9th-circle magic before leaving.'
Can't do all now, so lightning-attribute focused.
9th-circle magic, Judgment Thunderclap, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Heavens Spear, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Lord of Storms, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Wrath of Thunder God, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Lightning Tribunal, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Empire of Thunder, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Dimensional Bolt, acquired.
9th-circle magic, Heart of Thunder, acquired.
9th-circle magic, End of Thunder, acquired.
In just days, I'd acquired a slew of 9th-circle lightning magic.
Others paid huge time and money for scrolls or books per spell.
Higher circles cost even more.
But thanks to the Arcane Chamber, I learned them effortlessly.
If Earth's superhumans saw this, they'd despair hard.
'Tough luck. Jealous? Awaken an EX trait then.'
Pfft.
I chuckled and headed out.
But then!
'Hm?'
A Superhuman Net message.
Usually I'd ignore, but it was from Section Chief Lee Jeong-won.
He only messaged when truly needed.
Couldn't skip it.
Something was up.
'What?'
I checked—and my eyes narrowed sharply.
'Damn.'
The reason: mithril distribution they'd planned.
A summary of events.
The old Mithril Distribution Union had sabotaged them.
Even mobilized actual force.
If he hadn't anticipated and acted, they'd have seized the office.
Rage flared in my chest.
Daring to touch my stuff?
Thump-!
The Dragon Heart pulsed fiercer than usual.
Unknown reason, but the displeasure dwarfed my normal ire.
'Still...'
Hong Seolhwa.
She'd helped capture all the thugs.
After that, smooth sailing.
Traced Na Seon-uk's ties through them, exposed their threats via authorities.
Hong Seolhwa stepped up big, making it even better.
Mithril Distribution Union crushed, Na Seon-uk fled to China.
'Connected to Chinese capital, huh.'
Turned out over half his exploitative fees went to China.
The reveal caused a massive uproar in Korea.
'Gotta thank Hong Seolhwa later.'
Anyway, resolved well.
Distribution starting successfully.
'While at it, sell this too.'
My old Silver Whisper Staff (SSS).
Level 70 limit—useless now.
Planning new gear from Bellerin: mental drain reduction focus.
So I sent it for sale.
Had no idea then.
The frenzy it'd unleash on Earth.
"Alright, everyone gather up."
Back at the lair, I called my guardians.
Why?
To use the ★ gems.
Had six ★ gems total.
Pondered long on usage.
Finally decided the first guardian recipient.
Archeron.
Archeron had five stars now.
★ gems multiply needed from the eighth star.
One gem fills his last one.
Then I can check full ★ effects via him.
So.
Apply ★ to Archeron?
'Yes.'
With my will.
WHOOOOOOSH!!
A storm of black starlight swirled around Archeron's body.