{Fist Emperor Jin} 2

Translator : Elizabeth

From the fist Kang Jin-ho clenched, a blue energy rose and took on a firm shape.

Aura.

Its standard was different from the Aura knights wrapped themselves in.

As if symbolizing Kang Jin-ho's powerful vitality, the amount of Aura was also on a different dimension.

Such a massive amount of Aura was condensed that the space around it seemed to waver.

It was truly the embodiment of murderous intent to crush everything it touched.

"Hiiik!"

The knight at the very front screamed and fell on his butt.

His sword had already fallen to the floor in terror.

It wasn't just losing the will to fight from a single blast of killing intent.

That enormous energy condensed in that Aura.

It was even more terrifying to knights who could feel that energy more detailedly than ordinary people.

"Oh, oh my god."

"Is this the Aura of that Fist Emperor!"

"H-How can a human possess such a vast amount of Aura?"

The Winter Knights, called the elite of the North, lost their will to fight in an instant.

"N-No way. The rumors were actually…."

Watching this, Aide Lowell's face had turned white like a corpse.

He, too, was a martial artist who had lived in the rough North.

With his sense as a martial artist, he instinctively realized.

'I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but he's even more of a monster!'

That monster in front of his eyes wouldn't bat an eye even if he snapped their necks right here and now.

The authority of the Grand Duchy and the name of the North were worth less than a sheet of paper in front of that overwhelming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠martial power.

"W-Wait! Wait!"

Lowell urgently reached out his hand.

His voice trembled like a goat.

"It's not a simple summons! This is… a formal request!"

"……."

Kang Jin-ho's fist stopped.

The blue Aura faded away like a candle being blown out.

"Request?"

"T-That's right! His Highness the Grand Duke wants to verify your skills personally and… no, he wants to entrust a formal request to you!"

Lowell swallowed dry saliva and added.

"The reward is… a blank check."

For a moment, silence flowed inside the guild.

A blank check.

It was a symbol of truly infinite financial power, promising to pay whatever amount was written.

It was a proposal possible because it was the world-renowned Grand Duchy of the North.

Kang Jin-ho's eyes softened gently.

The gaze that seemed ready to kill people just moments ago was nowhere to be found, and a playful smile hung on his lips.

"Haha, you should have said so earlier."

Kang Jin-ho stuck his hands in his pockets and grinned.

"Confusing people like that. I thought you were picking a fight."

"……."

Lowell was dumbfounded and speechless.

What on earth was that change of stance?

He was ready to kill everyone just a moment ago, but as soon as money was mentioned, he turned into such a gentle sheep… no, like a sly snake.

"So, what is the job? Killing people? Or beating up monsters?"

"T-That cannot be revealed here. It is a confidential matter. You must go to the North and hear it directly from His Highness."

Lowell barely regained his senses and answered.

Kang Jin-ho stroked his chin and pretended to ponder for a moment.

'Grand Duke of the North, Kalian.'

The male lead of the original novel <The Regressor Saintess Only Walks the Flower Path>.

Before the regression, he was the cold-blooded man who killed the Saintess and the ringleader who raised a rebellion against the Emperor, driving the Empire into the vortex of civil war.

Of course, since the target was the tyrant Cedric, his revolution was said to have received the support of the populace.

And after the regression, he was also the character supposed to film a romance while getting involved with the Saintess.

'Why is a guy like that calling me?'

If it followed the original story, it would be normal for him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to be busy engaging in a battle of nerves with the Imperial Family or blocking demonic beasts in the North right now.

But suddenly offering a blank check to him, a mercenary, for a request?

'Did a variable arise?'

Kang ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jin-ho's eyes narrowed.

5 years ago, his falling into this world itself was a variable.

His existence might have caused a butterfly effect and twisted the flow of the original story a little.

Especially since he had done so much, it wouldn't be strange if something happened due to the butterfly effect.

'But there's nothing bad about it. Since money is important.'

It's a blank check.

The more money, the better.

He, who had lived trusting only himself in this world, had another belief.

'Doing the money's worth.'

It was that he would do his money's worth.

If they gave him a lot of money, he could even take the Emperor's head and give it to them.

Of course, the price for taking the Emperor's head would probably be an amount the Grand Duchy of the North couldn't pay.

"Fine."

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

"If it's a request, it can't be helped. I'll gladly go. Instead."

He strode up to Lowell.

And while dusting off Lowell's crumpled collar, he spoke in a low voice.

"I have conditions."

"C-Conditions?"

"Prepare the highest grade carriage for the journey. One with plenty of cushion. Because my butt is precious."

"……."

"And for meals, I won't eat unless it's A-grade meat or higher. Wine must be over 30 years old."

Kang Jin-ho unfolded his fingers one by one, listing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his demands.

"Lastly, don't talk to me annoyingly while moving. I'm very shy with strangers."

It was blatant abuse of power (gapjil) to anyone looking.

Lowell's eyebrows trembled.

It was the first time in his life someone treated him, the aide of the Grand Duchy, so lowly.

But what could he do?

The fear that he might really die if he refused here still chilled his spine.

"…I, I understand. I will prepare it."

Lowell gritted his teeth and nodded.

Kang Jin-ho whistled as if satisfied.

"And one more thing."

Kang Jin-ho brought his mouth to Lowell's ear.

His voice lowered a notch further.

"Moving me with money was wise. So please act wisely. If I go and it's a wasted trip, then the Grand Duchy's city walls might not remain intact. Understand?"

"Hiek!"

Lowell flinched in surprise and stepped back.

He also knew the rumor about blowing away the city wall.

He felt, recalling the Aura from just now, that it wasn't a false rumor.

With those fists… with that amount of Aura, it seemed he could really do it.

"Then let me know when you're ready. I'll go pack some luggage."

Kang Jin-ho leisurely walked out of the guild.

Lowell stood devastated, watching his retreating figure.

It was the moment when the world-renowned Grand Duchy of the North became thoroughly the 'beta' (Eul) to a mere mercenary.

Two days later.

Inside the carriage heading to the North.

Kang Jin-ho was shaking a wine glass while buried in the highest grade leather seat.

Outside the window, the scenery of snowfields passed by quickly.

The carriage Lowell prepared was certainly good.

Perhaps due to shock absorption magic, there was almost no shaking, and the interior was warm thanks to a magic stone heater.

"As expected, money is good."

Kang Jin-ho muttered while taking a sip of wine.

It was quite a distance to the North, but using the gate made it quick.

They would soon arrive at the Winter Territory.

'Kalian de Winter.'

Kang Jin-ho retraced the content of the original story in his mind once again.

A cold handsome man with black hair and blue eyes.

A genius of swordsmanship and the guardian of the North.

A character whose personality was cold and cynical, and who revered only martial power.

'In the original story, he's the ringleader who kills the Saintess and triggers the regression.'

Of course, after the regression, he was a three-dimensional character who changed little by little as he got involved with the Saintess.

Befitting a Romance Fantasy, he is a cold handsome Northern Grand Duke character with some inner wounds that women like.

'To me, I just want to say, so what.'

Anyway, the male lead of the original story.

Such a guy called him.

Simply to catch monsters?

Or to scout him after hearing rumors of his martial power?

'Whatever it is, if the calculation doesn't add up, I can just overturn it and that's it.'

Kang Jin-ho put down the wine glass on the table.

At that time, the carriage slowed down and stopped.

"We have arrived."

Lowell's voice was heard from outside.

Kang Jin-ho tidied his clothes and opened the carriage door.

Whoooosh—.

The cold north wind slapped his cheeks.

In front of his eyes, a massive city wall stood boasting overwhelming majesty.

A solid fortress built up with grey bricks.

Scratches that seemed to be traces of battle remained all over the walls, and the wolf flag of the Winter family was fluttering on top of the towers.

'Is this Winter Castle?'

It was certainly different from the splendid castle of the Imperial Capital.

It was a place where rough but practical strength could be felt.

Kang Jin-ho felt a strange thrill as he entered the castle.

The feeling of the scene he had only seen in the novel unfolding in reality was unique.

'Come to think of it, I haven't been here in 5 years.'

He didn't exactly intend to avoid it, but somehow he had never come here to Winter Castle.

The interior of the castle he entered was savage.

The eyes of the passing knights were sharp, and shouts of spirit from training could be heard from everywhere.

But Kang Jin-ho walked looking around like a tourist.

"This way."

Lowell took the lead.

He guided with quick steps, trying not to make eye contact with Kang Jin-ho.

Passing through a long corridor, they arrived in front of a massive double door.

The door was decorated with a wolf head carved in silver.

"Your Highness Grand Duke, I have brought Fist Emperor Jin."

Lowell announced politely.

"Tell him to enter."

The voice heard from inside was low and heavy.

A cool resonance like river water flowing under a sheet of ice.

The tone of Kalian in the early parts described in the original story, that feeling.

'In the original, they said that changes to be affectionate as he mixes with the female lead.'

He didn't want to hear the affectionate voice of a male bastard.

So to Kang Jin-ho, that was actually better.

Since then he could just cleanly do business and end it.

Creaaak—

As the door opened, Kang Jin-ho went inside.

A wide office.

A fireplace was burning, but the air inside the room was cold.

And in the center, a man sitting on a black leather chair.

'That's the guy.'

A man with pitch-black hair swept back, and chillingly blue eyes.

The Grand Duke of the North, Kalian de Winter.

He turned his gaze from the documents and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

Glare.

The moment their gazes met, Kang Jin-ho glared back as if finding it ridiculous.

"Oh? Emitting spirit? Was the request perhaps to ask me to kill you?"