Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: 22. Let Them See Gwanak (5)
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Kwaaaang!
Negig's high-speed gallop was truly astonishing.
The buildings flashing by on either side blurred into afterimages.
But there was a commensurate drawback.
Namely.
“Kyaaak!”
“M-Monster!”
“The monster’s already…?”
It was utterly unsuitable for passing through crowded areas.
Right now, Gwanak District was teeming with ‘monster operators’—police waiting for the impending monster—and their customers.
So when something mounted on an iron horse came charging in, belching steam, chaos erupted immediately.
“S-Save me!”
“What are you doing? Block it quick!”
The customers screamed at the Gwanak police, who were monster operators, demanding their money’s worth, while some bolted without looking back.
“Damn it.”
In this situation, the Gwanak police had no choice but to draw their blades.
They didn’t for a second think the intruder might be human.
-Kweeeik!
Of course, Negig didn’t actually crash into anyone.
Kwaak!
Just before colliding with the crowd, it leaped high into the air ahead.
Shiiiaaa!
“Huh?”
“Eek!”
The officers, poised for battle, looked up in unison, spotting a trail of white steam arcing far into the distance behind them.
And the mysterious intruder had already vanished from sight.
* * *
‘Leaving traces everywhere it goes.’
In just a few hours since arriving in Seoul, he’d created at least a thousand witnesses.
‘Won’t be hard for the Gangnam First Sword to find me.’
Hanging onto Negig’s back, Young-woo glanced behind but could no longer see that earlier scene.
They’d put too much distance between them.
Instead, the problematic red pillar of light was now very close.
Kwaaaaa…!
The whoosh of the pillar shooting up was now audible.
‘Already covered that whole distance…?’
It was astonishing, but there was no time to gauge Negig’s top speed.
[00:01:33]
The mutant would arrive in 1 minute and 33 seconds.
‘Where’s the Gwanak First Sword?’
Turning toward the sound of the pillar’s whoosh, he spotted a thick bridge over the stream ahead, tinged reddish.
Beyond it, in the wide intersection, the marker for Gwanak’s mutant had descended.
Kwaaaang…!
A red pillar swirling fiercely, as if poised to devour everything.
“…….”
Young-woo stared blankly at the pillar for a moment, then noticed a middle-aged man in a suit crouched in the middle of the bridge over the stream.
And above the man’s head floated a brilliantly shining title.
『Gwanak First Sword』
‘That’s him.’
Gwanak First Sword Jo Sang-ik01.
Oblivious to the outsider’s arrival, the man was gazing endlessly at the red pillar.
Young-woo tugged lightly on Negig’s reins.
Tug.
-Kweeeik!
Negig raised its head along the reins and let out a screech. Only then did the First Sword on the bridge finally turn around.
“…….”
The man’s eyes flicked to the black iron horse, then shifted to some vague point.
[00:01:21]
He’d checked the mutant timer, no doubt.
1 minute 21 seconds.
As the man slowly rose from his spot, Young-woo guided Negig forward at a leisurely pace until they reached the bridge.
“Didn’t expect a visitor. Bad timing. I’m Jo Sang-ik.”
The Gwanak First Sword, Jo Sang-ik01, greeted him with his gaze fixed on empty air.
He appeared to be in his early fifties, looking impeccably neat in a navy suit and matching blue tie.
“First time meeting you. I’m Jeong Young-woo.”
By contrast, Young-woo’s attire—tracksuit haphazardly laden with gear—was a chaotic mess.
-Shiiit.
Even the Greed Serpent coiled around his wrist flicked its tongue at Jo Sang-ik.
More precisely, at the massive curved sword gripped in his right hand.
The serpent always eyed rare treasures, after all.
‘Mutant gear?’
Young-woo was just as curious about the curved sword’s nature, but he saved his questions for more pressing business.
“I’ve come to take down the mutant.”
“So it seems.”
The two First Swords checked the timer simultaneously.
[00:01:07]
1 minute 7 seconds.
After confirming the time, Jo Sang-ik spoke first.
“First time in Seoul, I take it.”
“Yes. But I’ve heard the gist.”
“Then you know you’re on the verge of breaking the rules.”
All disputes in Seoul were to be resolved only within Yongsan Park during the assembly.
And each district’s mutants had priority claim by that district’s First Sword.
So for Young-woo to touch Gwanak’s mutant, he’d first have had to attend the assembly and formally duel for the Gwanak First Sword title.
But Young-woo had no time to wait until the assembly at 3 p.m.
“If the First Sword yields it to me, I won’t be breaking any rules.”
As he said this and dismounted Negig, the Unique-grade boots ‘Mirage’ encasing his feet clanged against the ground.
Clang!
Only then did Jo Sang-ik show the first sign of agitation.
Superhumans of First Sword caliber were commonly barefoot out of necessity—that was common knowledge in this world.
Even Gwanak First Sword Jo Sang-ik, despite his suit, had his bare feet exposed, mismatched as it was.
He usually wore shoes, but since they’d burst in a mutant fight anyway, he’d opted to wait barefoot.
“…Those boots you’re wearing are gear too. Mind if I ask where you’re from?”
The Gwanak First Sword finally showed curiosity about Young-woo’s origins.
Young-woo thumped his chest in response.
Fwaaah!
『Gyeongbuk First Sword』
“…Hmm.”
Jo Sang-ik let out an involuntary groan upon seeing Young-woo’s title.
He couldn’t help but acknowledge the basis for the confidence his opponent had shown all along.
Gyeongbuk… the unified First Sword of a major province naturally wouldn’t fear Seoul’s mere district First Sword.
[00:00:48]
48 seconds left.
Jo Sang-ik eyed Young-woo with far more anxiety than before.
Then, for the first time, he spoke with emotion.
“Why come to Gwanak of all places?”
“……?”
“As Gyeongbuk First Sword, you’re surely stronger than me. I’ve only got one life, so I’d have to step aside.”
“…….”
He was likely under a major misconception, but Young-woo listened silently for now.
“But this will greatly weaken Seoul University’s position at the assembly.”
“Because the Gwanak First Sword will be 3 million karma weaker than the other First Swords?”
Young-woo’s question drew a bitter smile from Jo Sang-ik.
“Simply put, yes. But it’s not that straightforward.”
“I figured.”
Young-woo had a vague sense of what Jo Sang-ik meant.
An assembly of First Swords wouldn’t exactly be cordial.
All participants were murderers with blood on their hands, and some transcended sanity altogether.
They were just sizing each other up under the pretext of rules, not yet knowing each other’s true power.
At least, that’s how it seemed to Young-woo, who’d faced countless provincial First Swords.
[00:00:21]
21 seconds.
Time enough that even talking felt like a luxury.
“No helping it.”
Swish.
In the end, Jo Sang-ik stepped aside, clearing the path.
He’d yielded the mutant without a single exchange, based solely on the opponent’s title.
“You’re giving up awfully easily.”
“Better than dying. If I go, Seoul turns lawless again in two days flat. No one left trying to maintain order.”
He couldn’t afford risks, burdened as he was.
“…….”
That said, it wasn’t mere arrogance—Young-woo recalled what he’d heard at Seoul’s outskirts.
Seoul University was effectively the government’s top brass.
The idea of gathering all the First Swords had likely come from them too.
[00:00:09]
9 seconds remaining.
Clang.
Stepping onto the bridge, Young-woo asked Gwanak First Sword Jo Sang-ik,
“What did you do before? Too old for a Seoul U student. Don’t tell me you’re one of the professors.”
Jo Sang-ik blinked in momentary confusion.
Then, with a look like a professor eyeing a student, he replied,
“I was Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Also one of Seoul U’s board members.”
“Ah.”
It explained a lot.
The insane scheme of backing First Swords to run monster businesses and print money via scout quests suddenly made sense—who’d dreamed it up.
Former Ministry of Economy and Finance Vice Minister.
Current Gwanak First Sword.
There was reason those near-demonic First Swords quietly followed the regulations.
Kuuooo…!
At last, the red pillar across the bridge began roiling, shoving away the surrounding air.
[00:00:02]
2 seconds left.
Kwarung!
Crimson lightning flashed deep within the sky linked to the red pillar.
The mutant assigned to Gwanak District was preparing to descend.
‘Lucky to snag the mutant, but… can I take it solo?’
Fixing his gaze on the pillar’s upper reaches, Young-woo drew the black sword from his waist.
Chwaaak!
Of course, he could summon mutant buddy Young-tae again, or dope his strength with ‘Blue Blood’.
But the fights ahead weren’t just this one.
‘There’s another option right in front of me.’
Kwajijik!
Finally, a tearing sound ripped through the sky, and a chilling groan emanated from the pillar’s tip.
「Graaaah…!」
The mutant’s voice, no doubt.
But Young-woo wasn’t looking at the pillar.
“Vice Minister, how about a deal?”
His eyes were on Jo Sang-ik now.
“A deal? What are you—th-there’s…!”
Jo Sang-ik, watching Young-woo from the bridge, suddenly freaked out.
“…Eek!”
At the same instant, an immense presence erupted above the pillar.
Shwaaaaaaaa!
The mutant was plummeting from the heavens.
“H-Hey!”
As Jo Sang-ik cried out in near-panic, Young-woo elaborated on the deal.
“Help me take down the mutant, and I’ll distribute 30,000 karma across all of Gwanak District.”
“……?”
“Just find 100 Seoul U students, and that’s 3 million karma.”
“…What?”
Former Ministry of Economy and Finance Vice Minister.
Current Gwanak First Sword.
The 52-year-old polymath Jo Sang-ik realized in that instant.
He might have been fooled by the opponent’s grandiose title.