Cruelty
Shin Jin-pae recalls a past he would rather forget. He remembers a boy from his youth who ran wild in every conceivable place. A man who was like a living nightmare.
As he had told Nakamura just a short while ago, he honestly couldn't remember exactly when the incident with Yeodre had occurred. Perhaps even the words he had spat out to Nakamura were a distortion of his memory, and in reality, it might have been when they were in college, long after high school, that Drae had caused such a ruckus.
But one thing was certain: he had been defeated. And he would never be able to win against him in the future, either.
He casts his gaze downward at the tiny, dense handwriting covering the documents. It wasn't difficult to guess the nature of the deductions written there.
Just seeing the word 'Game' scrawled across the pages was enough to know that Yeodre was repeating exactly what he had done in the past. No, since this was a fantasy world where all sorts of restrictions had been lifted, it was easy to surmise that he had rampaged on an even grander scale.
As he dwelled on the past, Shin Jin-pae couldn't help but wonder: What on earth happened a week ago?
One week before the start of the Pruynar Academy semester.
The hideout of the Gold Taeyang Clan. Usually, the place would be filled with the sounds of lewd moans related to sexual acts, but today, the sounds of battle—utterly out of place—echoed through the halls.
"Hraaaagh!"
True to his nickname "Muscle," Takashi’s arms were swollen with bulging veins. As his fist slammed into the floor, the ground buckled with a thunderous CRASH. With power on a completely different level than before, Drae blinked, hopped lightly to avoid the shockwave, and seized the opening as the other executives swarmed him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The "Uncle" Gold Taeyang pressed in with all sorts of weapons. Beside him, the "Bandman" Gold Taeyang pulled out a guitar and began to play, firing off bizarre, energy-based projectiles. Parrying them with his sword with great difficulty, Drae launched a counterattack.
Shhh-kack.
"Ugh...!"
The Uncle Gold Taeyang froze for a split second, his blood running cold as a strike cleaved through his weapon and aimed straight for his throat. Rikka’s supporting magic exploded right in front of Drae’s nose.
The team leaders seized that brief moment to rush in.
"Argh!"
"Ubai, Dad! Get out of the way!"
"Father, move!"
Kuaaa.
Drae was pushed back helplessly, struggling to deflect the blades of wind.
"We just need to push a little harder!"
Even as she said it, Rikka clicked her tongue internally.
'How is he still moving?'
Since the very purpose of the Gold Taeyang Clan’s establishment was what it was, most of their debuffs were sex-related. But even trivial effects, when stacked together, could exert power far beyond their original intent. By all rights, Drae should have been unable to lift a single finger by now.
Yet, while he looked slightly hampered in his movements as he darted through the hallway and cut down the Gold Taeyangs until he reached the main hall, he didn't look like he was incapable of fighting at all. Moreover, considering he was effortlessly handling clan members who had been empowered to several times their usual strength, the rumors that he was already at the level of a top-tier Ranker were clearly no exaggeration.
'He might really be a Ranker-level powerhouse.'
The other Gold Taeyangs were idiots who thought they could suppress a Ranker in an instant if they put their minds to it, but Rikka was different. She had considered even the "Chairman's" claim that they could fight a Ranker to be an overstatement, which was why she never let her guard down. She analyzed Yeodre with cold, objective, and discerning judgment.
'He possesses top-tier Ranker-level offensive power, but his other attributes haven't reached the average Ranker threshold.'
If they kept landing minor attacks and wore him down, she felt they could suppress him somehow. But...
'Even if we suppress him now, the plan is already ruined.'
Having fought to this extent, a smooth relationship was now impossible. Even if they managed to capture him, the thought of his acquaintances coming after him made her head spin. While the Gold Taeyang clan members were scattered to capture Drae's acquaintances, those targets were limited to the heirs.
Even if they captured the heirs, if the family heads stepped in, would they be able to withstand the wrath of the Ten Great Families, whom even the most renowned Outsider clans dared not provoke...?
'I might need to make an exit for a while.'
Thinking she might need to run once this mission was over, Rikka glared at Takashi. I told you not to provoke him too much. You just had to show off and end up riling him up. And then you got beaten on top of it.
That was right.
Rikka, too, had only considered this a light matter of having provoked Drae. Furthermore, she had failed to properly judge Drae’s true skill. Even though her mind told her to be objective, she had viewed the situation optimistically, and thus, failed to properly recognize the gravity of the enemy standing before her.
Was it ridiculous that she had thought she was different? Drae, who had been standing right beside Rikka, didn't attack, but instead sneered.
"You're thinking about other things."
"...?!?"
Wasn't he blocking attacks far away just a moment ago? When did he close the distance? As Rikka stumbled, dumbfounded, Drae watched her with interest and nodded.
"I'm curious what kind of person you are. Let's find out in a little while."
"W-what..."
"We're going to play a game. A fucking fun game."
Drae turned his head away from the retreating Rikka, muttering that this was getting boring. In the next instant, Drae’s sword slowly traced a line through the air. The Gold Taeyangs who were about to rush in to support Rikka flinched, wondering if it was a sword aura. And then.
Krr-ack.
The mana was sliced and shattered. And the debuffs that had filled the room were pulverized into nothingness.
"...What?!"
Rikka’s jaw dropped in shock, and the moment it did, her chin was grabbed by a hand.
"Argh...!"
"Why are you so surprised? I could have cut this crap from the beginning."
"......!"
"I just wanted to experience it because I was curious why you were all so confident."
As Drae grumbled about whether they really thought he had been affected by the debuffs, the Bandman shouted.
"Let her go!"
Immediately after murmurs of "He's taken a hostage" echoed from here and there, Drae threw Rikka at the Bandman. The lightning-like long-range attack fired from the Bandman’s guitar ended up frying Rikka instead.
"Kieeeaaagh!"
"R-Rikka!"
Without even glancing at the rolling Rikka, Drae picked up a sword and walked toward the Gold Taeyang group with a heavy, rhythmic gait.
'Reminds me of the old days.'
Back then, too, he had walked in with a single sword, smiling with such excitement. Drae grinned, remembering the happy days.
Su-ryun. Shin Jin-pae. Kang Gu-han had been attacked.
They hadn't just been attacked; they had been reduced to near-corpses. Shin Jin-pae, who was relatively intact, explained what had happened, but the content was impossible to believe.
A single student had gone on a rampage.
I scoffed inwardly and asked if anyone had at least broken a bone, and he told me one person was on the verge of becoming a vegetable with a mechanical pencil jammed into their brow, and a teacher’s head was rolling around on the floor.
It was a tragedy that would have been headline news on the TV right now, but strangely, it was quiet. It was nonsensical by any common standard. But the man who turned such nonsense into common sense was none other than Shin Jin-seung.
That Shin Jin-seung said coldly:
"How pathetic."
"......"
Surprisingly, it was Shin Jin-pae who was trembling in the "at ease" position. Even though he was in a state where he should have been resting due to his own severe injuries, he had taken a painkiller and mustered his strength to stand before Shin Jin-seung. Because if he didn't, he would be abandoned.
'Damn it...'
The others didn't matter. No matter how many were injured or killed, Shin Jin-seung wouldn't blink an eye.
But Su-ryun.
The fact that she had been beaten to the point of being unable to move was something that should never have happened. Shin Jin-seung had always been a man of great power, but it was Su-ryun’s power that had not only solidified that power but made it absolute. Even if that weren't the case, Shin Jin-pae, who knew Shin Jin-seung’s vicious "tastes," couldn't help but tremble in fear.
"I said you were pathetic."
Thwack.
Under the desk, Shin Jin-seung performed the bizarre act of punching his own crotch. Shin Jin-pae swallowed hard as he looked at his boss, who also happened to be his father.
"I'm... sorry."
"......"
Thwack.
Instead of an answer, Shin Jin-seung punched his crotch again. Shin Jin-pae couldn't forgive Drae. But what he couldn't forgive even more was himself.
In this situation, he was most angry at himself for being scared of both Shin Jin-seung and Yeodre. He could understand being scared of Shin Jin-seung, as he had already recognized his status and submitted to him.
But Yeodre? That guy was his age, a loner until just recently, and someone he had thought was an idiot. Yet... such... such...
'See you soon.'
The words the guy had tossed out so calmly just before he wrecked the homeroom teacher and jumped down resurfaced in his mind. At that moment, his body began to shake uncontrollably. He told himself he shouldn't do this in front of Shin Jin-seung, but he couldn't stop. His father glanced at Shin Jin-pae’s pathetic state and said:
"I suppose he knows how to fight a little."
"......"
"I looked into him. I was quite surprised."
Investigation. He meant he had investigated Yeodre’s past.
"He’s a guy with no criminal record and no backing. Other than being adopted by someone I have a connection with, there’s nothing particularly special about him. But..."
Such a good-for-nothing guy had caused this much trouble.
Thwack.
A dry sound of impact rang out. Shin Jin-pae shuddered without realizing it.
"Jin-pae."
"......"
"My son."
At the chilling address, Shin Jin-pae barely managed to answer in a small voice.
"Yes..."
"I will lend you my colleagues and give you the authority. So, resolve this on your end."
"......"
"Don't disappoint me twice."
Thwack.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes. I will... keep that in mind."
Even as he answered, Shin Jin-pae’s blood ran cold. He had to meet Yeodre? Really?
"Kehehe! It seems the young master was quite scared!"
Beside him, a fat man wearing a grotesque dog-head mask laughed as if he were from another world. He was one of the true colleagues who had been "working" with his father, Shin Jin-seung, since he was young. He was called by the ridiculous nickname "Dog Mask," derived from the shape of his mask.
"You had a rough time, didn't you? Don't worry, young master. He’s a bit of a weirdo, but at the end of the day, he’s just a brat."
The mouth inside the dog mask twisted viciously.
"I’ll pay him back several times over, so don't be so shaky."
"...Yes. Thank you."
It wasn't a bluff. The man before him was a professional murderer who had killed dozens in this peaceful Republic of Korea. There were many times he had killed openly, not even in secret, and every time, Shin Jin-seung and his masked colleagues had covered up his crimes.
Shin Jin-pae recalled once again how strong his father and his friends' influence was. No matter how powerful one's authority was, minor mistakes were bound to happen. Covering up every crime was a difficult task. But Shin Jin-seung could do it. Shin Jin-pae knew that this was possible because among Shin Jin-seung’s associates were those with special abilities, like Su-ryun’s mind-reading.
A specialist in violence who had wielded it to his heart's content, trusting in that influence, backing, and ability. That was the man in front of him, Dog Mask.
'That's right. No matter how much of a Yeodre he is, if these people step in...'
He paused. No matter how much of a Yeodre he is...? Had he, this Shin Jin-pae, already come to regard that bastard as a superior?
Tremble, tremble.
Seeing Shin Jin-pae shaking with rage, Shin Jin-seung nodded as if satisfied.
"You may come out now."
"......"
Creak.
Shin Jin-seung, who had pushed his chair back, was surprisingly wearing nothing on his pants. And from between his crotch, a fat middle-aged man crawled out, naked. His head was covered in blood from Shin Jin-seung’s fist, and his face was stained with terror.
"Principal. I'll let it slide just this once, okay?"
"Y-yes, yes. Thank you very much."
"So now, go and do what I told you."
"Yes...!"
"Oh, and. You were very good at sucking."
Smile.
Seeing Shin Jin-seung wearing a refreshing smile like someone on TV, the principal shivered. To be chosen as a dirty outlet for his anger... Shin Jin-pae felt sorry for the old principal.
It wasn't that Shin Jin-seung was particularly homosexual. He just liked to make men submit, and as proof of that, he made them do such perverted things. Shin Jin-pae knew this well because he was no exception. If Yeodre were captured alive... he might end up having to do that, too.
"By the way, young master, you were lucky. I didn't know that bastard had a son. No wonder he was good at fighting."
"...That bastard?"
"There was a monster bastard. His name was Ye..."
"Ahem, don't say unnecessary things."
"Ke-ka-kak."
When Shin Jin-seung stopped him with a troubled expression, Dog Mask laughed. Only the masked men could laugh so freely in front of him.
"I didn't know that guy died of illness, but like a tiger, he left behind a pretty decent cub. Look here, Jin-seung. He’s that guy’s son, so isn't it too much to say there's nothing special about him?"
"......"
Clearly, he must be talking about Yeodre’s father. Who on earth was he that these two evaluated him so highly? However, according to what Shin Jin-pae heard from Su-ryun... his father hadn't taught Yeodre anything about martial arts.
Then, did Yeodre learn to fight on his own? If he practiced alone, how long had that period been?
...No. It was a long shot, but.
Could it be that the first time he fought was recently?
The voices of Shin Jin-seung and Dog Mask scattered the strangely chilling imagination.
"Raising him would be fun, too."
"That is impossible."
"Ahem, Jin-seung. You should ask Su-ryun's opinion, too? Why is that girl..."
"......"
"Oops, sorry, sorry. I almost crossed the line, ke-ka-kak."
"Sigh."
"Don't be sulky. More importantly, my younger brother and colleagues will be starting the job soon, so get ready, young master. We're leaving together."
Younger brother. At those words, Shin Jin-pae asked cautiously.
"Wasn't your brother resting?"
"Come on, Su-ryun was attacked, so how can he stay still while on vacation? Besides, Gu-han was beaten to a pulp, so that friend of his, Gu-jin, is furious."
Shin Jin-pae’s mouth fell open. That’s right. That person was there, too. Kang Gu-jin.
A beast among beasts, even acknowledged by Shin Jin-seung. A human butcher who had climbed to the top by controlling gangsters across the country with just his fists. He must have indirectly killed hundreds, and directly killed dozens. Moreover, in terms of sheer martial prowess, he was stronger than most of the masked men combined.
"You should have seen Gu-jin trembling with rage, crying out that he would kill that bastard Yeodre, Jin-seung, ke-ka-kak."
"Haha. That friend is really something. Like me, he's a fool for his children. I can imagine the scene."
You, a fool for your children? Shin Jin-seung thought that, but he couldn't show it.
"But those guys. They ordered shotguns and sniper rifles? It seems they're planning to play on their own."
Those guys. He was talking about the masked men who had settled in the area managed by Kang Gu-jin. Shin Jin-pae asked, full of doubt.
"On their own?"
"Whoever catches him first gets him. They’re holed up in one of the clubs in the district Kang Gu-jin manages, preparing for the hunt."
Dog Mask’s eyes curved viciously.
"Ke-ka-kak. I'm looking forward to it. The screams of that bastard’s son."
Shin Jin-pae was looking forward to that, too. Since he had disappointed Shin Jin-seung’s expectations to some extent, he had to make up for it, so he intended to mobilize his own forces he had built up in his own way.
However, he didn't have his smartphone to contact them. He must have left it in the classroom during the commotion. Should he go get it? Jin-pae soon shook his head. Because his brain was so sharp that he had memorized every phone number he had seen once, so it might take some time, but there would be no problem with contacting them... ...No. Actually, he was anxious. He was anxious that if he went to the school, he might meet that guy alone. Why was he so anxious? Even though such great people and forces had gathered, Shin Jin-pae couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety for some reason.
"The atmosphere is really brutal."
"Tell me about it."
Two large men. Two people who looked like mobsters to anyone who saw them were standing guard firmly at what was presumed to be the entrance of a club.
It was currently being used as a lodging for some people, so the club's functions had been suspended. They were usually pleasant enough people, but for the two who knew even a little bit about their reality, they couldn't help but feel a chill at the fact that they were preparing for a hunt.
Furthermore, the boss, Kang Gu-jin, who was presumed to be superior to them, was genuinely angry, so the organization’s atmosphere was brutal.
He didn't know much about this Yeodre or whatever. But thinking about what would happen to the kid who couldn't control his temper and acted out, even they, who couldn't be called good-natured, felt a sense of pity. Well, pity was pity, and since the atmosphere had become dirty and they were busy because of that one young bastard, they definitely had a desire to personally punish him.
At that moment. One person approached. The only people who came to this place, built in a secluded area, were designated guests or idiots who had lost their way and were snooping around. The opponent greeted them.
"Hello."
"Business resumes in a week. Turn ba... uh."
This face. He had seen it before. It was the one they had been shown, told to contact immediately if they found this bastard...
"W-wait, wait?! Yeodre...!"
The words couldn't continue. A knife plunged deep into his neck, and he made a gurgling, blood-choked sound instead of words as the blade pierced through.
"Oh, you. Fuck!"
The remaining one panicked and threw a punch, and the knife was thrust into that fist, severing his fingers.
"Kieeeaaagh?!"
"Wow. Almost lost my hand."
Drae muttered as he pressed his foot down on the neck of the rolling man.
"So this is what happens if you hold a knife like this. I learned something. Big brother."
"Kaak, kack..."
"Then, goodbye."
He had shouted "Wait..." with his eyes, but the knife ruthlessly pierced his eye. He pulled the knife from the head of the man who had died instantly and scanned the surroundings.
"Geez. They built this in such a desolate place."
Drae, who was secretly disappointed that people hadn't come out even after all this fuss, grumbled and wiped the blood off the kitchen knife.
"Weapon, weapon."
Drae entered the club, humming a tune. And. For twelve hours, no one came out of there, and the only person who came out after that was one man.
"Too much time has passed."
Dog Mask’s indifferent voice. Only he and Shin Jin-pae remained in Shin Jin-seung’s office, without the owner.
Shin Jin-seung was busy. That was his public identity, due to his position as an assemblyman, but he enjoyed that busyness. He had said he liked that the trash who didn't even suspect he was the king of the underworld thought of him as a sound person and looked up to him.
Shin Jin-seung, who had waited for quite a long time to catch Yeodre since it was a matter involving Su-ryun, had left to enjoy his hobbies since there had been no news for twelve hours already.
Shin Jin-pae had to fulfill the mission given by his father, so he couldn't go anywhere and was stuck there. Since Shin Jin-seung’s office had facilities that rivaled a decent hotel, it wasn't particularly uncomfortable.
"Are you okay, young master?"
"Yes. I'm, okay."
Shin Jin-pae endured the throbbing pain as he poured painkillers into his mouth. Damn that bastard Drae. As he was cursing inwardly, Dog Mask clicked his tongue.
"What a vicious bastard. Don't worry, I'll make sure to pay him back three times over."
"Yes. Thank you..."
"Anyway, these guys are too late. Damn younger brother. Is he catching passersby and playing with them again?"
Younger brother. He was talking about the man wearing the monkey mask. In Shin Jin-pae’s opinion, he was the worst of this gang from a perverted perspective. He used to catch passing women or couples and commit all sorts of terrible acts. He thought that a man whose brain seemed to be made of cock might prioritize his own desires over the mission.
'Bad.'
He didn't mean that the guy was bad, but that the situation was bad. Even Shin Jin-seung, who was very generous to the masked men, might get angry this time since Su-ryun was involved. Then, it would be the people around them who would suffer in the whale fight. That was when it happened.
Creak.
The door opened, and Shin Jin-pae flinched. The person who entered was...
"Long time no see."
Height well over 2 meters. Mane-like hair. A man with a beast-like appearance. He was the one whose killing intent could be felt just by looking at him—Kang Gu-han’s father. Kang Gu-jin.
"Oh, Gu-jin."
Dog Mask greeted him warmly. Shin Jin-pae also bowed awkwardly. Even though he was a friend’s father, he couldn't get used to him no matter how many times he saw him. He even wondered if a creature so full of killing intent should really be walking around in society. As he frowned, he felt the space shriveling.
"Listen here. Dog. Why aren't you going to catch that kid?"
"......"
Dog Mask scratched his face. He called them only by animal names excluding the mask, and there was no meaning beyond that, but he didn't like it because it felt strangely condescending. But they were on the same side, after all. He didn't know if they would become enemies later, but there was no reason to fight.
"I'll go once my brother finishes preparing~"
"You can enjoy your hobbies anytime later. If you need to, I'll provide the supplies."
"So, shall we go catch him now?"
"......"
"Heh. Your love for your son is still the same."
Kang Gu-jin said to Dog Mask, who had muttered that.
"Can I take it that I have your permission?"
"You'll do it on your own whether I give you permission or not."
"Then I will contact you."
"Yeah, yeah. But Gu-jin. What’s the occasion? I didn't particularly care if you guys started first?"
"If you don't care, tell those four of yours not to threaten my subordinates."
It seemed the masked men, Dog Mask’s colleagues, had treated Kang Gu-jin’s subordinates roughly.
"Come on. Why don't you say it yourself?"
"I intended to, but the kids at that branch weren't answering the phone. There was never a time before when they wouldn't answer my calls no matter what happened, so your brother must have corrupted them."
"...You have a loose tongue."
The two men glared at each other. For two people who killed as a daily routine, it might just be a light glance, but Shin Jin-pae felt the feeling of the shrimp's back bursting in the whale fight he had thought of earlier. Kang Gu-jin turned his eyes away first and picked up his phone to contact his subordinates.
Ring, ring, ring.
The signal sound rang a few times quietly from the other side of Kang Gu-jin’s phone. And. Someone answered the phone.
"It's me. What are you all doing..."
The person on the other side of the phone said something in a strained tone, and Kang Gu-jin suddenly cut him off.
"You bastard. What on earth... What? What did you say, you son of a bitch?"
The two stared blankly at the sudden profanity, and Kang Gu-jin had a blank expression. He said in a voice that was beyond absurd.
"......Listen here, Dog."
"Look here, Gu-jin. While we're at it, if you call me 'Dog' without the mask from now on..."
"You have to come with me."
"Huh?"
Why was it? Shin Jin-pae had an unbearably ominous premonition.
The place they arrived, including Shin Jin-seung, was the club where his younger brother, "Monkey Mask," resided.
"Waaaaaaaah!!!"
Dog Mask was kneeling and wailing. Tears were gushing out from the gaps in the mask’s eyes. Kang Gu-jin, who had tried to kill his subordinate who answered the phone, calling him an idiot for saying something so absurd, and Shin Jin-seung, who had come after being contacted, were both speechless.
A fat man hanging from a hook installed on the ceiling. Dog Mask’s younger brother, Monkey Mask. Monkey Mask was half-destroyed, and his upper body was full of stab scars. In other words, the traces of torture were evident. Also, his lower body. The scene where there was nothing left, only his internal organs dangling, was enough to induce vomiting.
And, the corpses... corpses... corpses... he had seen on the way here. The corpses of nearly a hundred gangsters. The club’s forces that kept the "weapons." And the five masked men, including Monkey Mask, the masters of "work." They were all dead.
By whom? He knew immediately after checking the CCTV. It was Yeodre. That Yeodre, a mere high school kid, had won the fight even though this many people, including many masked men, were involved.
Shin Jin-pae went blank. He couldn't think of anything. And he heard words in a tone he had never heard from Shin Jin-seung in his entire life, and thought he would never hear in the future.
"...Crazy bastard."
A tone of being fed up. At that unfamiliarity, Shin Jin-pae’s body trembled.
"...Jin-pae. You go to school."
"Y-yes, yes?"
"He’s caused this much trouble, so he’ll be in hiding for a while. So go to school and exert your influence or whatever! Is it even logical that my son, the son of this Shin Jin-seung, missed school because he was hurt and scared by the actions of such a bastard, not even to catch him!"
"Ugh...!"
Shin Jin-seung revealed his anger more intensely than ever. The sight of him, who had always shown quiet anger, raging violently was enough to make Shin Jin-pae step back.
"Go. Go and show the robustness of the ruler’s lineage. If you can't catch him, at least show the dignity befitting my son."
"Yes. I understand...!"
Shin Jin-pae left. About 30 minutes after that. Dog Mask was still wailing, and Shin Jin-seung was having a serious conversation with Kang Gu-jin.
"To think he’s that guy’s son... It’s beyond imagination."
"Besides, that bitch Rachel is moving, too. If we delay any longer..."
At that moment. Kang Gu-jin’s subordinate came running in a hurry. Although they didn't show it out of pride, the two felt an ominous feeling.
"What is it?"
At that moment, Laeband and Kaits, who had been "assimilated" into their memories, came to their senses. And they immediately heard the urgent report from Kang Gu-jin’s subordinate. After hearing it, Laeband let out a breath, and Kaits opened his eyes and mouth a little wider. And Kang Gu-jin said in a fierce voice.
"What about the school?!"
It was different from their expectations. Drae. He hadn't been in hiding or resting at all.