Thugs (4)

Rumble.

The building shook with a massive vibration.

'That bastard...'

Kim Jehyun stared through the scattering flames, his face hardening.

―That one... suffered no significant damage.

Alkasha's words made Jehyun's gaze darken further.

He hadn't expected to take it down in one hit with that attack. Still, he'd thought the surprise strike would land some damage. The enemy was tougher than anticipated.

"Ha... this is embarrassing."

From amid the golden flames scattering in the air, Jang Gwangsu's figure emerged. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠A shield of dark mana enveloped his body. Jehyun's attack hadn't pierced it.

"Pushing me into a corner, even if just for a moment. You can take pride in that."

Jang Gwangsu smiled, but the air grew murderous. Killing intent flickered in his eyes.

In truth, Jang Gwangsu was inwardly shocked.

'This destructive power... the casting speed... And a mere 4th Circle mage handling double casting? The rumors were way downplayed!'

It was an absurd, insane talent. He wondered how far Jehyun could go if left to grow. He might even surpass the 9th Circle wall that even the world's top archmages, including the Tower Master, couldn't breach.

Jehyun was a seedling with the potential to reach uncharted realms. He couldn't be allowed to live. Intuition told Jang Gwangsu he'd become a massive obstacle to their grand ambitions.

"Sorry, but... you'll have to die here."

Jang Gwangsu drew a wand from his robes and aimed it at Jehyun. The ruby embedded in it shifted from red to black and purple.

―Be careful!

Even without Alkasha's warning, Jehyun surged his mana in preparation. The energy gathering in Jang Gwangsu's wand felt ominous even to him.

Flash!

A beam of black and purple light erupted from the wand.

'Black Labyrinth.'

The name of the spell Jang Gwangsu had cast.

Jehyun summoned a shield, but it was useless. This wasn't ordinary magic.

Whoosh.

Jehyun's vision went black. The space where he'd faced off against Jang Gwangsu vanished, replaced by a labyrinth of black walls stretching to the sky.

'...Where is this?'

As Jehyun scanned his surroundings, a human face emerged from the black wall.

'That's me.'

It was Jehyun—but not his current self. It was his pre-regression self, showing scenes of frustration at his own talent, mockery from others, and descent into despair. Just watching drained his mental strength rapidly.

Then, faint light leaked from the Black Lime Ring he'd recently acquired. It seeped into his body, greatly boosting his dark resistance.

And then.

System messages flashed before Jehyun's eyes, confirming his abilities had successfully broken the Black Labyrinth.

Any ordinary person would have had their mind shattered by this spell alone. But he'd picked the wrong opponent. Jehyun's mental defenses already surpassed those of high-tier archmages. He had the Clarity of Mind skill, a dragon's spirit, and the new Black Lime Ring for support. Landing mental magic on him was like reaching for the stars.

"Krrgh, arghhh!"

But suddenly, Jehyun clutched his head and rolled on the ground.

―What is this? Why? Didn't you break the spell?

'Stay still. Can't pass up a chance like this.'

―……!

Hah. Clever thinking.

Alkasha admired him, realizing the ploy: pretending to be affected by the Black Labyrinth to lure the enemy in.

"The so-called genius of the century writhing like a maggot. How pitiful! I wonder what traumas he's reliving... I'm dying ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to know. Haha."

Jang Gwangsu smirked at Jehyun. This was one of his joys. Specializing in mental and illusion magic, he relished watching victims writhe in agony.

"In your next life... grk."

As Jang Gwangsu approached leisurely, Jehyun's summoned light soldier, Whisper, morphed into a sharp spear and shot toward him.

Stab!

Blood sprayed from Jang Gwangsu's torso. Whisper had slashed deep into his side.

"You fucking...!"

A vulgar curse escaped the hitherto composed Jang Gwangsu. His eyes rolled back as he whipped around to where Jehyun lay.

"You bastard!"

Dark energy burst from Jang Gwangsu's hand, transforming into iron spikes that rained on Jehyun.

Whoosh!

Dozens pierced Jehyun's body instantly, riddling it with holes.

"I was going to give you a clean death! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠This is on you... huh?"

Staring at Jehyun, astonishment leaked from Jang Gwangsu's mouth. The hole-riddled body twitched, then dissolved into white particles scattering in the air.

'Mirror Image.'

In that brief moment, Jehyun had created an illusion duplicate to deceive him.

"What?!"

Jang Gwangsu spun frantically, searching. Jehyun was right behind him.

And Jang Gwangsu saw it: the massive white bow in Jehyun's hands. Light spirits seeped into it, condensing an overwhelming surge of light energy.

"This shit!"

Jang Gwangsu's eyes bulged red as he gathered every shred of dark energy in his body. His hands trembled. He'd long exceeded his limits—his hands might explode. But it was necessary to block that light.

"Raaahhh!"

Jehyun loosed the arrow of light. Jang Gwangsu roared, unleashing his amassed darkness.

Boom!

Light and darkness clashed, deadlocked in the middle.

Sweat beaded on Jang Gwangsu's forehead as he strained to hold. Darkness devoured light, light annihilated darkness—an endless cycle. Watching it, he suddenly gasped in epiphany.

"Ah...!"

Light and darkness consuming each other—he'd grasped the 7th Circle realm.

His eyes lit with ecstasy. Power coursed through him; he felt invincible.

'Now, that Kim Jehyun bastard... Ah!'

Then it hit him: he'd been fully focused on blocking the arrow.

A blinding white light engulfed him, and consciousness fled.

* * *

Boom!

Jehyun's light arrow punched through the wall. It devoured Jang Gwangsu and even breached the building's high-grade magic defense arrays.

―As expected of elven treasures. Dragons overshadow them, but elves are mighty in their own right. Their treasures are no joke.

"That guy... didn't even leave a corpse."

Jehyun muttered at the spot. He'd seemed on the verge of breaking through in his final moments. Crossing a wall mid-battle could have been disastrous for Jehyun.

Anyway, Jang Gwangsu met a tragic end.

Alkasha absorbed the purple energy leaking from Jang Gwangsu's spot. Another message confirmed rising Overmind comprehension.

'What happens when comprehension maxes out?'

Jehyun wondered. He had a gut feeling something big would occur.

Rumble.

"W-What the hell is that?"

Jehyun's thoughts shattered as over a hundred Geolsu Clan members poured from the central building, brimming with hostility. The training claim hadn't been a total lie.

"The training hall wall is broken..."

Someone gulped. They knew how sturdy those magic-etched walls were. This meant something huge had happened.

'H-How did that guy...?'

Jeong Hangil, in his red-bearded wolf mask, gaped at the chaos. Lee Geolsu and Jang Gwangsu had sworn to handle Kim Jehyun today. Yet they were gone, and Jehyun roamed unscathed.

"Show's over! What are you waiting for? Grab him! Kill him if you can't!"

Jeong Hangil finally barked an order. Deal with him first, explanations later.

"Ha, round two already?"

Jehyun grinned at the charging hundred-plus superhumans.

* * *

"...You did all this alone?"

"Yes, as you see."

Kang Byungwoo surveyed the scene, clicking his tongue. Over a hundred Geolsu Clan members lay groaning. Jehyun had dismantled the clan single-handedly.

Not top-tier, but all C- to D-rank superhumans. Clan leader Lee Geolsu was A-rank. And a 4th Circle mage crushed them solo.

'Insane.'

Kang Byungwoo eyed Jehyun with awe. Far stronger than last time. He'd outgrown him completely. What kind of growth rate was this? In all his years, no mage like Jehyun.

"The ledger's here. I skimmed it before you arrived—they're worse than I thought."

Jehyun handed over the ledger from the clan's vault. It detailed their illicit dealings.

"Illegal fundraising, tax evasion, extortion, robbery, kidnapping, murder..."

Kang Byungwoo's face twisted reading it. They'd done every crime imaginable.

"How did this stay hidden?"

Some left obvious traces. Someone had covered for them deliberately.

"This stinks."

Kang Byungwoo's eyes sharpened, scrutinizing the ledger.

"Can I go now? I'm beat today."

"Of course! But come back if called for testimony. Great work. You did something huge."

"No big deal."

Jehyun smiled and stood—then sat back down.

"More to say...?"

"Yes. Forgot something important."

Kang Byungwoo sat again, puzzled. Jehyun looked grave; he mirrored it.

"Any C-rank dungeons needing a clear? On the brink of break, maybe. Or one from Geolsu Clan's stock."

"...A dungeon?"

"Yeah, I need to run one urgently, personally."

"..."

Kang Byungwoo was speechless. Geniuses were weirdos. He couldn't read this kid.

* * *

Whoosh! Boom!

Fire Burst incinerated the orcs, the shockwave rumbling the C-rank dungeon. Dozens swarmed, but to Jehyun, they were mere EXP fodder.

―Kraaak.

―Kreurgh.

Their death cries echoed as they fell.

Finally, the message confirmed level 40.

"At last..."

Jehyun beamed at his grind's reward. Lingering insights from his prior breakthrough let levels come easily with EXP.

His Mana Core expanded, devouring ambient mana and swelling rapidly. Power filled him; euphoria surged—he could do anything now.

"Hnnngh."

Every neuron sang in bliss.

Then.

Jehyun's eyes widened at the new messages.

'Authority Enhancement Chamber? An unexpected path has opened.'