Back Alley Intruders
There’s a certain atmosphere unique to back alleys.
It’s hard to pin down exactly, but it’s the kind of vibe that keeps ordinary folk from wandering in too easily.
The alleys around the Black Market were especially thick with it, but today felt different—more chaotic than usual.
Normally quiet despite the occasional bustle, now it buzzed with noise.
Probably due to all the unfamiliar presences scattered throughout the alley.
What’s going on?
The disorder grew worse the deeper I went.
Like proper control had slipped away.
A quick scan showed a few gangs strutting around with unusual swagger.
They weren’t Korean, up close.
Japanese?
Listening in, I caught some Chinese groups too.
Something must’ve happened while I was away.
I expanded my senses.
The area around the back alleys all felt similar.
No familiar presences among them.
Did something happen to Lisa and Na Yeon-seong?
A flicker of irritation rose.
“Kwaaaak!”
“W-what…!?”
“An attack!?”
I snatched one of the groups swaggering around like they owned the place.
No intention to kill.
Just wanted to hear what had gone down lately.
But conversation was impossible.
None of the four I grabbed spoke proper Korean.
Shouldn’t you at least learn the local language when you come to another country?
Sloppy bastards.
Guess I’ll have to find others.
As I clicked my tongue, one stammered out some Korean.
So he could speak it if he tried.
Good enough—no need for others.
A bit disappointing.
“P-please let go, sir!”
As I geared up for a real talk, the guy yelled desperately.
At least it was intelligible, so I watched silently as he fumbled something from his pocket.
A smartphone…?
He calmly fired up a translator app.
Smart one.
Modern man knows his tools.
I’d forgotten, living as a monster too long.
Thanks to the app, I got the full story.
Short version: Japanese hunters plotting to take over Korea’s scene.
Starting with the underworld, methodically.
Chinese? Same idea, apparently.
Currently locked in a power struggle.
Oh, and the original Black Market boss—Lisa—had been fully ousted.
They boasted about teaming up with one of her underlings to do it.
“…So what happened to the former Black Market boss?”
“Unfortunately, she slipped away during the chase. She’s gone underground with a few close aides… but our trackers and the Chinese pursuit hunters are on it. Won’t be long.”
The guy spilled everything under mental domination, then collapsed limply.
His mind shattered from the strong control.
Obviously not dead.
Just daily life’ll be rough now.
We’ve got some conscience—won’t kill ’em.
Wait, do snakes even have a conscience?
Pity the info source was ruined, but no big deal.
Three more waited, eyes flicking over.
Translator app’s got us covered.
The others started trembling at their fallen comrade.
I strode toward them.
I had the basics, nothing more to ask—but ending it felt off.
Still curious about plenty.
[Hmm… How about sparing one?]
I’d just finished with the third when Snow spoke from where she’d watched quietly.
She’d put up a barrier to keep others away.
Thanks for the effort.
[Hmm? Why?]
[Don’t know the details, but from the looks of it, keeping one for ongoing use might benefit us more than just this once.]
[…Spare and use as a spy?]
Snow nodded lightly.
I pondered her suggestion quietly.
The last guy hadn’t been touched yet, but he was half-broken, trembling.
That sharp smell hitting my nose? Yeah, he’d pissed himself.
[True… An info source wouldn’t hurt.]
Decision didn’t take long.
I grabbed the chin of the dazed, shivering one.
Forced eye contact, hit him with mental domination.
Left eye pulls overtime today.
Ah, but don’t break this one—dial it back.
Gonna use him awhile.
Keep his personality, just make him obedient, loyal—no betrayal.
Left eye whined about the demands, but it’s the usual routine.
Ignore.
Talks tough but always delivers, tsundere style.
Oh, and fix up the collapsed ones too?
Can’t revive dead minds, but puppet them—obedient dolls.
Won’t look weird if he returns alone.
He’ll handle their management.
Left eye griped a bit but got it done, as always.
Total tsundere.
Sent off the dominated guy and the three new puppets.
Left eye’s thorough—no issues.
Hope he gathers intel there and reports as needed.
[So, still no luck finding who we’re after?]
[Yeah… She’s gone quiet, vanished cleanly. Weird vibes all around.]
[Hmph… This one must learn the local tongue swiftly. Guessing from context has its limits. Most vexing.]
Snow crossed her arms, displeased.
I nodded along.
Yeah, time to teach her the outside language.
Not just that—common sense too, all at once.
Guess I’ll step up.
[…You’ve looked off since earlier.]
[…Hm? Misunderstanding. What’s wrong with my face?]
[…It resembles Suli’s when she’s plotting mischief. What schemes?]
[…Nothing. Just pondering how to teach you language and common sense.]
[…….]
Snow’s gaze sharpened, but I brushed it off.
Rare chance to tease—er, educate her. Can’t pass it up.
Payback for all those sparring beatdowns.
Won’t go too far, since it’s Snow.
Just a little spite. A tiny bit.
So don’t glare like that, Snow.
Makes me wanna do it more.
Unfortunately, no chance to torment—er, teach Snow myself.
She caught on quick, consulted my sister right after we got home.
Sister jumped in, yelling she’d handle it…
Couldn’t help but click my tongue in regret.
My 108 planned lessons for Snow? Useless now.
Too bad.
While Snow crammed language and common sense with my sister overnight, I slipped out quietly.
To wrap up daytime business.
Or rather, this was just the start.
Anyway, Black Market trouble had me moving.
First, track down Lisa and Na Yeon-seong, who’d vanished.
They might’ve fled to the provinces or overseas, but I wasn’t worried.
Lisa would’ve prepped minimally, even in a rush.
Her type—monitoring the outside even underground.
My job: rampage enough for her side to notice and reach out.
Though knowing her, too much might earn a scolding for overkill.
No other way to find her now.
Met Japanese earlier—Chinese next?
Or both?
Short debate, then I launched into the air.
Destination: that daytime back alley.
* * *
True, real business hours kick in at midnight? Twice the presences compared to day.
No dead spots in the alleys; underground, hundreds at least.
Scanned briefly, then moved stealthily.
Most were customers, but whatever.
Using the Black Market means they’re shady anyway.
A little damage? No biggie.
Never picked fights with mercy before.
“Hold it. Customer? Please stop. To enter… Gurk—!”
“W-what…!? A-attack…! Kwaaak—!”
“Kyaaak!”
“D-damn it, emergency evac broadcast—!”
Unlike last time, I used the customer entrance properly.
Still cleared all blockers, same as before.
Perfectly legitimate entry, too.
Customer service’s lacking.
No distinction—blockers, runners, staff, guests—all dropped on sight.
Indiscriminate slaughter, maybe, but calculated.
All for Lisa later.
Current manager: third party who ousted her.
Started with Japanese alliance, now tugging lines with Chinese too.
Time to show ’em.
This chaos? They and their ties will get the message.
What happens when the boss changes.
How well Lisa ran things.
Make ’em feel it personally.
Cleared visible foes, pressed on unhindered.
Occasional A-rank hunters popped up—no issue.
Word was SA- and S-ranks crossed from China and Japan, but none here now.
A-rank without S? Barely a delay.
Weakling Extermination and Magic Eye dropped them effortlessly.
Short work—over a hundred down—reached the Black Market underground core.
Customers fled other ways; place felt hollow.
Auction mid-swing? Seats scattered, stage had a big display.
Sensing from there, I approached quietly.
Iron cage held a monster.
Drained somehow, but aura screamed A-rank equivalent.
Horse with long horn center forehead.
Commonly called a unicorn.
Unlike the fairy-tale name, a nasty high-rank monster.
Unicorn lifted its head at my approach.
Eye contact, then I looked away.
Heavy chain around neck.
That’s sapping its power.
Glanced around after swapping looks.
Other monsters too, ranks all over.
G-rank trash to more A-rank heavies like the unicorn.
Stared a moment.
Good idea hit.
Smashed every cage, snapped all neck chains.
Suppressed auras exploded viciously.
Freed monsters rampaged.
They’d sensed me earlier—no idiots charged me.
To deal with me?
Soon, dozens rushed in.
Two S-ranks among them, coming separately—different factions.
China and Japan?
Didn’t matter.
Yeah, you won’t care either.
Go wild.
Hunters and monsters clashed soon.
Hunters had rank edge, but monsters outnumbered.
Hunters’d win eventually, but casualties’d hurt.
Watched the fight briefly, then turned away.
Enough—head home.
That’s it for tonight.