Thugs (2)
Information on the man before his eyes floated up in Kim Jehyun's vision.
'Gangsu Clan.' Kim Jehyun focused on the affiliation in their information.
The Gangsu Clan. It was a famous name.
Infamous, in the worst way.
Not all clans formed by superhumans were purely good or neutral gatherings. Some were packed with vicious thugs and scum.
The Gangsu Clan was one such group.
'Thugs who exploited newbie superhumans and even sucked the blood of ordinary people dry.'
In the future, they would grow into an even larger organization. Backed by the black wizards of the Black Snake Clan, they would become a force even the association hesitated to touch.
"Hey, mister, cat got your tongue? You're the one who bought up all the C-rank dungeons around here, right?"
The yellow-haired thug at the front spat on the ground. Eight men surrounded and pressured Kim Jehyun.
'What is this, some extortion scene with street punks?'
A chuckle escaped Kim Jehyun's lips as he took in the situation. They were deliberately creating this atmosphere.
"Yeah, that's right. You didn't come here without knowing, did you?"
Kim Jehyun spoke calmly, unfazed by the threatening vibe.
The men in front of him were the ones who panicked instead.
'Wh-what? Why's he so calm?'
They exchanged uneasy glances. Kim Jehyun smirked inwardly at the sight.
'That guy must've sent them.'
The red-bearded wolf-masked man. He'd glared at Kim Jehyun so fiercely, seething with rage, that he'd scanned him with Dragon Eye. That was when he'd seen the Gangsu Clan affiliation.
'He looked like he was plotting something...'
Tsk. Kim Jehyun clicked his tongue inwardly. Thugs would always be thugs, no matter what.
"But why ask?"
"Ah, you're a bold one, mister. Why do you think we're asking? Huh? You've been hogging everything like a pig, leaving us starving. Share some with us."
In response to Kim Jehyun's question, the men ramped up the intimidation again, revealing their true colors.
There it is. Kim Jehyun muttered to himself, then spoke in disbelief.
"Listen up, fellas. I bought these fair and square. You trying to steal them now?"
"Oh come on, now that I look... you're no mister. Just a kid. Good things are better shared, right? Looks like you haven't even assembled a raid team yet. Why're you going in and out alone? Mining something inside? Or maybe you've got a Chunhyang hidden in there?"
The yellow-haired man slung an arm over Kim Jehyun's shoulder, blabbering on. They cackled at his crude joke.
They'd seen him entering the dungeon alone and assumed he was foraging for rare herbs or ores inside. They couldn't imagine him conquering it solo, since the dungeon hadn't closed.
"Listen, you've made three mistakes."
"...?"
As Kim Jehyun spoke with a chilling tone, the laughing men's eyes turned to him.
"First, you came without knowing exactly who I am."
"Who the hell are you...?"
Someone tried to retort, but Kim Jehyun continued without pause.
"Second, no sense of awareness. And finally... your breath stinks like hell. That's what you messed up today."
With those words, Kim Jehyun's presence surged ferociously.
'Dragon Fear.'
Shoooo...
The dragon's authority, Dragon Fear, emanated from Kim Jehyun's body. The eight men were fully exposed to it.
"G-guhhk."
"Kh... ugh."
They clutched their bodies with both arms and collapsed to the ground. They couldn't even dare look up at Kim Jehyun, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
'Wh-what the hell is this?'
Terror filled their minds. It felt like facing an abyssal monster they could never resist.
—How are you going to deal with these fools?
'Hmm...'
Kim Jehyun stroked his chin at Alkasha's words.
They were societal pests. He wanted to bury them somewhere, but that would leave too much trace.
'I'll have to deal with them someday.'
He had no intention of letting trash like them roam around him freely. In the past, he couldn't have dreamed of it, but now was different. He could handle the Gangsu Clan alone right now. They wouldn't have anyone who'd crossed the second wall yet.
'For now, leveling up comes first over clashing with them.'
A big fight here would bring headaches immediately. But letting them go meant they'd likely come back for revenge.
'In that case...'
Kim Jehyun's eyes changed. He intensified the Dragon Fear.
The men began foaming at the mouth.
"Gr-graaah."
"S-spare... us..."
They tasted extreme terror. He could push further and shatter their minds, but he stopped. This much would leave them with serious mental trauma for a while.
"If you show up in front of me pulling this crap one more time, you won't like what happens. And tell your boss—if he has business over today's mess, come find Kim Jehyun of the Magic Tower."
Kim Jehyun revealed his identity. Once confirmed as a Magic Tower affiliate, they wouldn't dare approach lightly. The Magic Tower was that massive a power.
In the meantime, he planned to level up undisturbed.
"...!"
"K-Kim Jehyun...?"
Even in their dazed state, their eyes widened at his name.
Kim Jehyun was the hot topic lately. They couldn't not know.
'No wonder he's ridiculously strong for his age...'
'A 4th Circle mage? The rumors were... way understated.'
They'd dismissed the rumors as exaggerated, but after that brief taste, they realized they might be true.
"Y-yes, sir."
They groveled before the young monster.
* * *
Gangsu Clan executive meeting room.
In the heavy silence, one man spoke.
"That guy was Kim Jehyun?"
"Y-yes, sir."
"And?"
"Pardon?"
"So you're advertising that eight of our guys went and got wrecked by one kid?"
"..."
Nodarae and the others bowed their heads deeply. They couldn't respond to Jeong Hangil's question.
"Oh? Not answering?"
"S-sorry, sir."
"This punk's a candidate for next exec... and can't even handle this? Hey, you little shit. I told you to read the room and act smart if words don't work, didn't I?!"
Jeong Hangil bellowed, and Nodarae cursed inwardly.
'Fucking asshole. He told me to drag him back and make him kneel.'
Now, with Clan Leader Lee Geolsu watching, he twisted his words, pinning the blame on Nodarae's incompetence. It wasn't the first time, but it boiled his blood every time. He wanted to unleash a tirade, but...
"S-sorry. It was my failure..."
He had to bow his head. Best to play sandbag until Jeong Hangil's tantrum ended.
"Hangil, enough. Let it go. What do the kids know?"
"Sorry, Clan Leader. He's not at fault. It's all my shortcomings..."
"Ah, you're too kind, sir. No need to take blame for what's not yours."
Jeong Hangil groveled before Lee Geolsu, lowering himself. Suddenly, he looked like a responsible boss owning up for his subordinate.
'What a joke.'
Nodarae ground his teeth watching. He wanted to spit in their faces.
Then Lee Geolsu turned to Nodarae.
"Darae, learn properly under such a fine boss. Opportunities like this are rare. Back in my day..."
Lee Geolsu was about to launch into his "latte" skill. Once started, it lasted at least an hour. They'd heard it so often they could recite it word-for-word. As the torture loomed, Nodarae and the other seven paled.
'Still reeling from that Magic Tower monster...'
As their faces hardened in dread...
Bang!
"Cl-clan Leader!"
The meeting room door burst open, and a clan member rushed in.
"What? I said wait during meetings...!"
Lee Geolsu frowned, then paled at the man following.
"Ch-Chief Jang."
"Long time no see, Clan Leader. Heard you're doing well—looking sharper than ever."
"H-ha... well... been taking care of my health... But what brings you here unannounced? I'd have prepared a proper welcome."
"No need for formalities between us. Heart leads the body, right?"
Jang Gwangsu, Black Snake Clan executive. The Black Snake Clan backed the Gangsu Clan. Though Lee Geolsu was clan leader in title, Jang Gwangsu was higher up in reality—background and power both.
'Why's this guy here? Black Snake's expanding, must be busy...'
Lee Geolsu grumbled inwardly, uneasy.
"Nothing major. Looks like you had a run-in with a Magic Tower mage."
"Pardon? Magic Tower? Ah... you mean Kim Jehyun. Haha, must've bothered a busy man. It was just a minor misunderstanding. I was just instructing them to apologize properly and wrap it up quietly."
Lee Geolsu sweated profusely, explaining. With Black Snake growing, he figured they wouldn't want a subordinate force clashing with Magic Tower folk. Must be here to warn him.
"No, you're handling it fine. Magic Tower or not, right and wrong need sorting."
"...Pardon?"
"Invite that kid here. I wanna meet him."
With that, Jang Gwangsu grinned with eerie eyes.
* * *
"That makes all seventeen."
Kim Jehyun spoke after slaying the boss of the Turtle-Ear dungeon.
After the clash with Gangsu Clan yesterday, he'd cleared the remaining seven dungeons uninterrupted.
As he exited, he muttered regretfully.
"Gonna need more dungeon bidding rights."
He had money to spare. One more solo sweep, plus a few respawns in others, and he'd hit level 40. Then he wouldn't need favors from Matapju or Kang Byungwoo.
Then, people approached him.
"You..."
Nodarae. The yellow-haired man he'd sent packing earlier.
'Was Dragon Fear too weak?'
It should've made him piss himself at the sight. But he was trembling, avoiding eye contact—so it had worked.
"H-hello, sir. Nice to... see you again. Sorry about yesterday... Anyway, our clan leader wants to apologize for our rudeness and asked you to come by..."
Kim Jehyun chuckled, about to tell him to have the leader come himself.
Or rather, as he opened his mouth...
'Wait... Don't these guys have dungeons too?'
Kim Jehyun's eyes lit up. A quick path to more exp appeared.