Chapter 253: S-rank
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 253: S-rank
“Hooo…”
I opened my eyes, breathing in the dawn air.
Calming the internal energy circulating through my body, I wiped the sweat from my skin with a dry towel.
I walked to the window and watched the sun begin to rise as I did some light stretches.
I had been immersed in training all night, but I didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue.
I did have a hell of a time calming down Noel after her ridiculous misunderstanding last night, but that was all in the past now.
At first, I thought Noel was trying to kill me.
I couldn't help but be flustered when I saw her on the verge of tears, looking as if she’d been utterly betrayed.
To think she’d ask me to get her pregnant too.
I managed to resolve the situation smoothly by promising to grant her one favor in the future.
After returning home and fixing the broken window, I explained the "blessing" of infertility that had been cast on me to Jeon Seoha.
I tried to tell her in a way that wouldn't hurt her feelings, but she ended up bursting into tears anyway.
Just thinking about it now is enough to make me break out in a cold sweat.
If Noel hadn't been there to help, I might have had to spend the entire night holding and comforting her.
Her personality is getting softer and softer. I guess this is what she’s really like.
But the way she acted spoiled, wagging her tail, made her look less like a wolf and more like a dog.
It even occurred to me that Jeon Seoha might be a half-breed.
I’d have to seriously consider that later when I got back and could pet her ears and tail.
In any case, Noel shooed me away after that, saying they had girl talk to attend to.
With no other choice, I went next door to meditate and review the martial arts duel from earlier in the day.
And now, I had just opened my eyes.
I started at dawn, so has it been about half a day?
Strictly speaking, it wasn't just meditation. I had also been circulating my qi from time to time.
It wasn't a particularly long time for training, but it was a different story since I had repeatedly used Thought Transcendence.
The actual time I had focused on training was probably close to nine hours.
And those nine hours became a time for me to reflect on all the martial arts I had accumulated so far.
Formless Vajra Art, 4-star. Crimson Cloud Thunder Art, 3-star.
As for the Formless Vajra Art, if I broke it down into its specific techniques, Formless Step was at 6-star and Formless Sword Art was at 4-star.
Of course, I had other martial arts, but there were too many to list one by one.
To give a brief example, the Vajra Tathagata Demon-Subduing Palm was 2-star, and the Formless Void Palm was 1-star.
Putting it all together, my current realm was the late-stage Peak Realm.
Some might say I was on the verge of the Transcendent Realm, but at least, that's not how I felt.
That single step seemed so incredibly far away.
In the first place, I hadn't reached the Peak Realm by accumulating proper enlightenment.
It would be more accurate to say I reached this realm based on the know-how I gained from using magic.
It was a kind of shortcut.
If I had learned demonic arts, it might have been different, but since I was learning orthodox martial arts, this method of advancing my realm would not benefit me in the long run.
Last night, Jeon Seoha had told me this:
—I swung my sword to live. You could say that my life’s direction was set on survival. Hyun-woo, you also need to clarify your own life’s direction, the reason you wish to wield your sword.
Life's direction.
The reason for wielding a sword.
I had never seriously thought about it before.
“…This is difficult.”
Of course, the late-stage Peak Realm wasn't a low level. I wasn't a pure martial artist either; being a 5th Circle mage and at the Peak Realm meant I could be considered at the very top of A-rank.
But I had a reason not to be complacent with my current level.
The Asura Demon Lord, Ma Paeseon.
An elder of the Heavenly Demonic Cult whom I would have to face one day, an absolute master who had reached the state of Extreme Demon.
Although I had managed to injure him internally, he was undoubtedly an enemy far stronger than anyone I had faced before.
The only silver lining was that the Extreme Demon state was considered about half a step lower than the Flower Realm.
It was the difference between orthodox and demonic martial arts.
Of course, to me, that was like splitting hairs.
“…Let’s take it slow.”
I didn't think I could beat Ma Paeseon right now.
More importantly, having just reached the 5th Circle, I needed some time to regroup.
I had to endlessly delve into research on the light and dark elements I had just started to handle, as well as ways to combine fire, lightning, and black flame with those elements.
My Formless Vajra Art wasn't finished just because it reached 4-star, either. In fact, it was more accurate to say this was just the beginning.
In a situation like this, impatience would only be poison.
Unable to see my destination through the fog with my naked eyes, the most important thing now was to calmly move forward one step at a time, at my own pace.
“Is the Triad what I should be worried about right now?”
The night before, I had heard about a woman named Joo Seoyeon from Jeon Seoha.
Joo Seoyeon.
The second daughter of the Joo family, a cold-blooded woman who had eliminated her older brother and sister at a young age to solidify her position as the heir.
I didn't know why she was in Korea, much less why she was looking for Jeon Seoha, but her intentions couldn't be good.
Even if Joo Seoyeon had been more neglectful than abusive toward Jeon Seoha, that wasn't a reason to let my guard down.
But there was nothing I could do about it right now. It wasn't like I was going to storm the Triad's headquarters.
The fortunate thing was that the Triad wouldn't be able to openly target Jeon Seoha.
It might be a different story overseas, but in Korea, the Three Great Families wouldn't just stand by and watch.
Even if an attack did come, I wasn't worried.
Even without me, Jeon Seoha and Noel were top-tier among A-ranks, and I had set up barriers around the house.
To take Jeon Seoha in this situation, they would need at least a special team of A-rank hunters armed with artifacts.
Even for the Triad, dispatching that much power overseas wouldn't be easy, so I could probably set my worries aside for now.
“Still, just in case… Hmm?”
Vrrr—
I picked up my phone and saw a familiar name.
[Choi Hyena]
*
After receiving Choi Hyena's call, I immediately headed for the Seongbuk Choi family's mansion.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Mr. Kang Hyun-woo.”
A maid I vaguely recognized was standing in front of the main gate. I was sure she was the maid who had been by Choi Hyena's side during my last visit.
I followed her inside the mansion.
Still as huge as ever.
After crossing the garden, whose scale was hard to get used to, I arrived at the main building, which was rather noisy. Maids were bustling about.
“Is something going on today?”
“The head of the family is returning from abroad for the first time in six months.”
“The head of the family?”
“He is Lady Choi Hyena’s grandfather.”
“Ah.”
I had found it odd that only Grandma Choi Young-ok was here last time, but I just figured there was a reason and let it go.
Choi Hyena hadn't mentioned anything either.
But for him to return after six months on this particular day… I couldn't shake the feeling that it was quite a coincidence.
Nothing bad will happen, right?
Suppressing my anxiety, I went up to the second floor.
I soon arrived at the reception room and met Choi Hyena. Sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed, sipping from a teacup, she looked every bit the part of a chaebol heiress.
Ah, wait, she is a chaebol heiress, isn't she?
“You’re late.”
Choi Hyena glared at me, her voice slightly subdued.
“I got your call at 6 AM and got here in thirty minutes. I’d say that’s pretty fast.”
She said it was urgent, so I ran all the way here instead of taking a taxi.
“Hmph. You were probably just fooling around with that rabbit girl.”
I kept my mouth shut. Making excuses at a time like this would only backfire.
I was about to quietly sit across from her, but Choi Hyena frowned as if something displeased her and glared at me.
“What?”
“…”
No answer came back.
Instead, Choi Hyena patted the spot next to her and averted her gaze. I could see the tips of her ears, slightly red, through her hair.
When I took the hint and sat next to her, Choi Hyena wrapped her arms around mine as if she had been waiting. The look of dissatisfaction in her eyes was a bonus.
“…Why didn’t you come see me? Not even once?”
“?”
Excuse me?
“I haven’t replied for days. Couldn’t you have come to see if I was okay? Or did you forget all about me while you were living with that rabbit girl?”
“What are you talking…”
“Am I just a fish you’ve already caught?”
“No, that’s not it. I just figured you were busy with your research.”
Whatever had upset her so much, Choi Hyena pressed on, blaming me.
Naturally, I felt wronged.
Unlike me, who had been sending messages periodically, she was the one who had been cooped up in her workshop and out of contact.
If anyone should be complaining, it was me.
“And you got another woman in the meantime? Who would have thought you’d even seduce the person you called your master and start living with her?”
“How did you…”
But Choi Hyena’s next words made the complaint rising in my throat sink right back down.
“How did I know? You never came to see me, so I secretly went to your house. How do you think I felt, going to my boyfriend’s house to surprise him, only to see another woman walk out?”
Bang, bang.
The verdict was in.
As I broke into a cold sweat, Choi Hyena let out a light sigh and caressed my cheek.
“I’m not scolding you for getting another woman. I knew from the start that you were a lecher.”
The next moment, our lips met.
As I stood frozen by the hot, soft sensation, Choi Hyena’s lips curved into a smirk.
“But remember this. The position of the first wife, and the one to first carry your child—both will be me.”
When I nodded silently, Choi Hyena gave a satisfied smile and sat back down.
The soft feeling of her breasts pressed against my arm as she held it.
First wife, huh…
I felt bad for Choi Hyena, but there would be no first wife in my harem.
The basic policy of my harem was for all my wives to get along happily without any kind of hierarchy.
Of course, one might think that’s a baseless ideal.
After all, there’s a reason they say that when three women get together, you’ll find four different group chats.
Nevertheless, I believe my women won't hurt each other with things like power struggles.
Well, I am a little worried that Yeo-hwa and Hyena will fight the moment they meet, but being able to handle and resolve even that is what it takes to build a harem.
“…I think you were just having a strange thought.”
“Of course not.”
I completely ignored Choi Hyena’s pouting glare.
“Anyway, didn’t you say you had something urgent to tell me?”
“Ah.”
Only then did Choi Hyena’s expression turn serious as she moved closer.
We were already plenty close.
“You… where did you hear the name Joo Seoyeon?”
“Joo Seoyeon?”
I wondered why that name was coming from Choi Hyena’s mouth, but then I remembered asking her about Joo Seoyeon when I met her in front of the dojo.
I had so much on my mind lately that I had temporarily forgotten.
“I met her a few days ago.”
“…What?”
In that instant, Choi Hyena’s eyes went wide.
She was clearly flustered. Her rare reaction surprised me as well.
“Wh-Where?!”
The moment Choi Hyena’s voice rose.
CRASH!
The reception room door flew open as if it were being smashed, and an intense killing intent swept through the room. I reflexively cast a maximum-strength barrier and prepared a spell.
“So this is the place.”
Goosebumps rose on my skin.
It was a sensation my instincts remembered.
There was no mistake.
It was the same feeling I had when I faced the branch manager at the Hunter Association and when I confronted the Asura Demon Lord, Ma Paeseon.
Forcing my heart to calm its frantic pounding, I looked past the doorway.
“Where the scoundrel trying to take my precious granddaughter is.”
Standing there was an incredibly muscular man.