Chapter 178: Lewd Yokai After School (44)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 178: Lewd Yokai After School (44)
I gripped the reins of the Black Flame Horse tightly and looked down.
Han Chae-yeon and Baek Mi-ho were staring up at me with worried eyes. The cold dawn air mingled with their anxious breaths before scattering.
"Are you… really going?"
Han Chae-yeon asked quietly, biting her lip. She was usually so calm and composed, but her voice now carried a tone that said she couldn't just let this go.
"Yeah. I can’t waste any more time here."
I answered calmly. Dark red flames flickered from the Black Flame Horse’s hooves.
Baek Mi-ho moved closer and gently tugged on my sleeve. Her fox ears twitched and trembled with anxiety. Her usual playful demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
"Seo-yun… it’s dangerous. The Valley of Yokai… you might really not come back."
I chuckled at her words and lightly patted her head. Her white fox ears trembled at my touch.
"Don’t worry. I’m not the type to die so easily, am I?"
"Still…!"
Baek Mi-ho clenched her fists. Her tail swayed nervously, betraying her true feelings.
Beside her, Han Chae-yeon let out a sigh. It seemed her succubus intuition was telling her that this time was different.
"You know how dangerous that place is, and you’re still going?"
"I know."
Baek Mi-ho and Han Chae-yeon looked at each other, then reluctantly nodded.
"But… you have to come back alive."
Baek Mi-ho managed to say, biting her lip. The corners of her eyes were red.
I gave a slight nod and gently squeezed her hand.
"I will. Don’t worry, just take care of yourself."
Baek Mi-ho puffed out her cheeks in a pout and squeezed my hand tightly. It was a typical reaction from her.
"That’s why you have to be even more careful! If you don’t come back… I’ll never forgive you!"
I squeezed her hand lightly one last time before letting go and turning to Han Chae-yeon.
She stared at me for a long moment with a complicated expression before finally letting out a small sigh.
"…If you’re determined to go, I suppose we can’t stop you. But remember this. Don’t just think about yourself. We’ll be here, believing that you will absolutely come back."
Her words were heavy with meaning. It wasn’t just simple worry; it was a promise of a future we would share.
"I will."
I tightened my grip on the Black Flame Horse’s reins again.
"Well then, I’m off."
The Black Flame Horse kicked off the ground with a powerful surge of dark red flames. I could feel the gazes of the two women following me for a long time.
*
The first thing Kim Hyun-woo did upon opening his eyes was try to clear his blurry vision.
The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
It was made of rough, hard stone. A faint lantern flickered, illuminating the surroundings. Light and shadow danced quietly along the stone patterns on the ceiling.
‘…Where am I?’
He tried to sit up, but his entire body felt heavy, as if it were sinking, and he couldn't move properly. His limbs were as heavy as if they were weighed down by a thousand pounds.
"Ugh…"
He couldn’t muster any strength in his arms or legs. A strange energy spreading from his core seemed to be binding his body. It was a peculiar sensation, as if molten iron were flowing through his veins.
Just then, a voice came from right beside him.
"So, you’re finally awake?"
It was an unfamiliar, low-pitched voice. The deep, resonant tone echoed through the space.
When Kim Hyun-woo managed to turn his head, he saw a colossal man with golden eyes sitting there. His very presence made the air in the room feel heavy.
This man was no mere human.
Tiger ears protruded from his head, and a long, thick tiger tail swayed lazily behind him. An intimidating aura that felt like it had been cultivated for a thousand years emanated from him.
‘A giant…?’
Kim Hyun-woo’s mind began to race.
‘I was definitely captured by the exorcists and was being transported. But then… there was a sudden attack…’
Then, the last intense scene he remembered flashed through his mind.
A darkness that seeped in like a shadow, and… a massive being that fell from the sky. The image of it wiping out the exorcists with overwhelming power.
‘Don’t tell me… this man is…?’
Kim Hyun-woo opened his mouth, his voice hoarse and wary.
"…Did you save me?"
The man chuckled and crossed his arms. His laughter sounded like distant thunder rolling in from the mountains.
"I did."
"…Thank you for saving me."
"Well, at least you’re not a complete ingrate."
Kim Hyun-woo was still confused. Although this being before him claimed to have saved him, he had no idea what his purpose was. Moreover, the overwhelming aura emanating from this giant yokai made him even more anxious.
"But… why did you save me…?"
When he asked cautiously, the Tiger King leaned back with a relaxed posture and answered.
"Because you are Kim Jin-ho’s son."
"…What?"
The moment he heard that name, Kim Hyun-woo’s heart began to pound.
"You know my father?"
The Tiger King smirked and nodded. His golden eyes gazed deeply into Kim Hyun-woo’s.
"I don’t just know him. We have a very old connection."
At those words, Kim Hyun-woo’s head spun again. Countless questions swirled in his mind like a vortex.
‘Just what kind of person was my father?’
The Tiger King leisurely shifted his position and continued. His golden eyes held a light of unfathomable depth.
"Your father was the strongest exorcist I ever knew. They even called him the Heavenly Demon Extermination."
"Heavenly Demon Extermination?"
"That’s right. Countless yokai fell at his hands. They would tremble in fear at the mere mention of his name."
The Tiger King’s gaze seemed to be reminiscing about the distant past.
"But he wasn’t an exorcist who simply killed yokai. He executed the evil ones, but he also protected the good ones."
Kim Hyun-woo was bewildered. The father he knew was a henpecked, simple-minded man. He couldn't believe that he had borne such a grand title as Heavenly Demon Extermination.
"Then… is my father currently… abroad working as an exorcist?"
The Tiger King smirked and nodded. A meaningful smile played on his lips.
"Indeed. While there are yokai in this world who live and interact with humans, there are also those who see humans as nothing more than a meal. Kim Jin-ho primarily hunts those kinds of yokai."
The Tiger King studied Kim Hyun-woo intently once more. His gaze felt like it could pierce right through his heart.
"By the way, where is Han Chae-yeon? Is she dead?"
When his mother’s name left the man’s lips, Kim Hyun-woo flinched. A cold sweat trickled down his spine.
The Tiger King didn’t miss his reaction and spoke sharply.
"It seems something happened."
Seeing Kim Hyun-woo’s fingertips tremble, the Tiger King’s eyes narrowed.
"Speak. What happened to Han Chae-yeon?"
"With another man…"
Kim Hyun-woo’s voice trembled. The image of Jin Seo-yun and his mother flashed in his mind. The shameful memories came flooding back, and he found himself at a loss for words.
The Tiger King sighed.
"Well, well… this is unexpected."
He paused for a moment in thought before speaking again.
"But that’s not what’s most important for you right now."
"It’s… not?"
"This unstable yokai energy I feel inside your body…"
At the Tiger King’s words, Kim Hyun-woo touched the area around his heart.
He could feel a sensation like a hot ball of fire burning there.
"If you leave it as it is, you will lose control of yourself."
The Tiger King slowly rose to his feet. His massive silhouette, cast by the lantern, dominated the room.
"You have two paths. Either be consumed by your yokai blood, lose control, and die…"
"…Or?"
Kim Hyun-woo asked in a trembling voice.
"Or perfectly harmonize the human and yokai blood within you and obtain true power."
The Tiger King’s golden eyes glinted sharply.
"So, about that…"
He slowly bent down, bringing himself to Kim Hyun-woo’s eye level.
"Have you any interest in becoming my disciple?"
"Your disciple… you say?"
"Yes."
The Tiger King crossed his arms and looked down at Kim Hyun-woo.
"The blood flowing through your veins holds the power of two worlds, that of an exorcist and a yokai. But in your current state, you’ll fail to become either and remain an incomplete being."
His eyes flashed sharply.
"If you go out like that, you’ll either become easy prey for other yokai or be killed by exorcists."
Kim Hyun-woo clenched his fists tightly.
"…So, you want me to become your disciple?"
The Tiger King smirked and nodded.
"That’s right. I’ve lived a long time, and I’ve started to think that raising an exorcist might not be so bad. Besides, the fact that you carry Kim Jin-ho’s blood makes it all the more interesting."
His golden eyes seemed to pierce right through Kim Hyun-woo.
"Are you interested?"
Kim Hyun-woo took a deep breath. There was no room for hesitation.
He was a half-yokai. A being teetering on the line between human and yokai.
He had lived his life as an ordinary human until now, but that was not the reality.
Now that he knew the truth, he couldn’t just run away.
And…
‘I will become strong… and get my revenge.’
A deep darkness crept into Kim Hyun-woo’s eyes.
Jin Seo-yun.
Just thinking his name made his blood boil with rage.
The man who had stolen the person he trusted and relied on most.
The man who had defiled his mother and utterly crushed him.
All he could do in his powerlessness was watch.
‘I won’t just take it anymore.’
He would crush him, break him completely. To do that, he had to become stronger.
No matter what it took. Kim Hyun-woo gritted his teeth firmly.
"…I accept."
At his resolute voice, the Tiger King let out a smirk.
"Good."
The Tiger King stroked his chin, looking satisfied.
"Then, allow me to introduce you to your first master."
"What? My first master?"
The Tiger King gave Kim Hyun-woo an ominous smile and shouted toward the door.
"Ho-yeon!"
Creeak.
The door slid open, and a woman appeared. Her short, golden hair swayed as she moved.
She had pointed tiger ears, and she looked down at us with her arms crossed.
Sharp eyes, a toned body, and a powerful presence.
Her golden eyes, the same as the Tiger King’s, were shining.
"Dad, what is it?"
She spoke as if she were rather annoyed. The Tiger King laughed heartily and pointed at her.
"From now on, you’re in charge of training this one."
"What?! Why me?!"
Ho-yeon placed her hands on her hips and frowned.
"Dad, I’ve told you countless times I’m not interested in this kind of thing!"
The Tiger King shrugged.
"There’s no one as strong as you and as suited to handle this kid."
He pointed at Kim Hyun-woo and said.
"Listen up, kid. This is Ho-yeon. She’ll be teaching you from now on. If you don’t listen or you slack off, you might just die."
"…What?"
"I’m serious. My daughter may be delicate, slender, and cute, but she doesn’t know the meaning of moderation."
The Tiger King said with a chuckle. Kim Hyun-woo looked at Ho-yeon with an uneasy expression.
Ho-yeon sighed and looked Kim Hyun-woo up and down.
"Ugh… this is such a pain. Fine, whatever. But let me tell you this first…"
She walked slowly over and looked down at Kim Hyun-woo.
"I’m the type who has to see things through once I start. So…"
Ho-yeon grabbed Kim Hyun-woo by the collar and yanked him forward.
Their faces were suddenly inches apart.
Her golden eyes glinted sharply.
"If you’re thinking of half-assing this and running away, you’d better just give up now."
Kim Hyun-woo swallowed hard. Ho-yeon narrowed her eyes and spoke in a low voice.
"I’m not a kindergarten teacher here to babysit you. Even if you look like you’re about to die, I won’t go easy on you. Got it?"
The Tiger King smirked as he watched the scene.
"Yes…"
Still holding Kim Hyun-woo’s collar, Ho-yeon clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Haa… I feel like I’ve been saddled with a real burden."
She let go of his collar and stepped back.