Gathering at Hunter's Square
“So none of your abilities worked on him at all?”
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Jae-kyung knelt before Yohan like a criminal on trial.
The gaze Yohan fixed on her was utterly chilling.
The type of person Yohan despised most was the incompetent.
Knowing full well that anyone who fell out of his favor was swiftly culled from Dongdaemun, Kim Jae-kyung trembled.
“What did it feel like?”
“His mental barrier was rock-solid.”
“Rock-solid?”
“There wasn’t the slightest gap to exploit. When I tried to brainwash him, the backlash hit me hard instead.”
“Hmph!”
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Jae-kyung bowed her head once more.
Yohan stared at her in silence for a moment before turning away.
“Get out.”
“Yes, sir!”
With that response, Kim Jae-kyung cautiously slipped out.
Left alone, Yohan gazed coldly over the sprawling vista of Dongdaemun.
“He’s even more formidable than I thought. It’s not that Jae-kyung is lacking—it’s that he’s exceptional. Well, what else to expect from the man who erased Goran without a trace...”
Dongdaemun had been unable to infiltrate Shinchon because Goran had held the line so firmly.
Even when they’d tried to proselytize, Goran’s wall had kept his followers out.
That was why Yohan saw Goran’s disappearance as the perfect opportunity to expand.
In his haste to seize Shinchon before the other powers could stake their claims, he’d sent Kim Jae-kyung—and failed.
Now Zeon would be even more wary of him.
“Should I have tried recruiting him instead?”
“You were definitely too hasty this time, Yohan-nim.”
A voice suddenly spoke from behind him.
Yohan’s expression hardened into ice.
He hadn’t sensed a thing until the voice reached his ears.
Turning, he saw a man in a sharp suit.
Not a hair out of place, combed back impeccably.
Yohan recognized him instantly.
“Tajik?”
“It’s been a while, Yohan-nim.”
“What brings Shaorun’s dog to my doorstep? Did he send you?”
“Perish the thought! Lord Shaorun is far too busy handling affairs inside Neo Seoul to bother with a slum like this.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
Yohan’s eyes flashed sharply.
Anyone else might have quailed under that glare, but not Tajik.
He shrugged casually.
“I understand your skepticism. But it’s the truth.”
“Then why are you here? If Shaorun has no interest in the slums, as you claim, what reason does his right-hand man have to show up?”
“Personal business.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Does this ‘personal business’ involve Zeon, by any chance?”
“As expected of you, Yohan-nim. You saw right through me with just that one guess.”
Yohan’s brow furrowed at Tajik’s response.
“Why?”
“Just a personal interest.”
“I’m asking why you have a personal interest.”
“For the same reason as you, wouldn’t you say?”
Tajik flashed a toothy grin.
Yohan’s face, by contrast, grew even stonier.
“And?”
“Please hold off on targeting Shinchon for a little while.”
“Is that Shaorun’s order too?”
“It’s mine for now, but you can take it as his if you like.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You’ve planted quite a few of your followers throughout Neo Seoul. Especially in the East District, under Sedn-nim’s command...”
“Enough!”
Yohan cut him off, fury blazing across his face.
Sedn Price, the overlord of the East District.
A magic user wielding the ultra-rare dark attribute, whose power peaked under the cover of night.
Sedn was the strongest of them all.
Yohan had infiltrated his own followers into Sedn’s ranks, gleaning valuable intel from them.
How the hell did he find out?
Yohan’s cheeks quivered with rage.
Sedn and Shaorun were both overlords of Seoul, but polar opposites in temperament.
If Shaorun was a sly old fox, Sedn was a ruthless tactician.
Both were thorns in Yohan’s side, but Sedn felt heavier—likely due to their clashing natures.
The East District under Sedn was packed with whites and blacks.
Descendants of U.S. troops stationed in Korea and exchange students.
Combat specialists, blending magic and tactical weaponry seamlessly.
Sedn’s men were soldiers through and through.
Dongdaemun’s forces were strong, but they paled against the East District.
Even Shaorun kept tabs on them with his own plants.
Tajik continued.
“I’m not saying pull back from Zeon entirely.”
“Then what?”
“Just give us a little time.”
“How much?”
“About a fortnight?”
“Fine. If it’s just that long...”
“Thank you, Yohan-nim! I knew you’d see reason.”
Tajik beamed at him.
Yohan returned a smile of his own.
One day, I’ll feed you to the beasts.
On the southern edge of the slums lay a fairly large open field.
Known colloquially as Hunter’s Square, it was nothing special—just a broad expanse with a rickety shade structure to block the sun.
Yet it was one of the slums’ most vital facilities.
Awakeners heading out to hunt from the slums all gathered here to check gear and swap intel.
The slums teemed with factions like Dongdaemun and Shinchon, locked in cutthroat struggles both overt and covert.
They never left unclaimed territory alone.
Even holdings in others’ hands were ripe for the taking.
But Hunter’s Square stayed untouched—not out of respect, but because any faction trying to control it would face a united front from the rest.
It was neutral ground.
The moment anyone coveted it, they became the common enemy and got crushed.
Thus, Hunter’s Square stood mostly empty, save for when slum Awakeners mustered for hunts.
This morning, it buzzed with a sizable crowd.
Awakeners assembled to raid a dungeon today.
Some were the team Tajik had summoned; others, put together by Yuse-hui. A few were volunteers.
The volunteers eyed Tajik’s raid team with awe.
“Inazuma.”
“Holy shit, Inazuma.”
Tajik’s team was none other than Inazuma—a fairly renowned raid group even among Neo Seoul’s many.
Their leader was Kouji.
Of Japanese descent, he’d awakened as a martial artist swordsman.
His rank was unknown, but his track record pegged him at least C-rank, maybe B.
Under him were Yuri, Byron, Shuhan, and Comain—four elite Awakeners who’d charge into hell at his word.
Kouji stood clutching his signature katana, his four comrades arrayed around him, radiating menace.
Watching Inazuma fired up some onlookers.
Namely, the Awakeners dispatched from Dokkaebi Market.
Their leader was a man named Jack.
Flanking him were Dosuyeol and the Explosion Brothers, Declan and Conner.
All grizzled Dokkaebi Market veterans, handpicked for this.
Dosuyeol scowled at Jack.
“They say Inazuma’s killer at dungeon raids, right?”
“Well-organized team. Kouji and Shuhan are the core.”
“Kouji, sure—but Shuhan? That old geezer? Looks like a nobody.”
The man Jack pointed to, Shuhan, wore ragged clothes and leaned on a staff.
By appearance alone, no one would peg him for an Awakener. But Jack’s gaze was deadly serious.
“He’s an exceptional scout. Word is, he sniffs out danger like nobody’s business.”
“Sniffs it out? Like a dog or wolf?”
Dosuyeol’s eyes sharpened.
Pre-sensing threats made dungeon runs a breeze.
He was a martial archer type.
Ideally a ranged supporter, but he often took point due to team needs.
His tracking skill helped navigate and gather intel.
But even he couldn’t detect danger ahead of time.
That’s when the dwarf Conner chimed in.
“No need to freak out yet. They’re just greenhouse flowers. Without Shaorun’s backing, they’d never clear that many dungeons. If push comes to shove, my bro and I’ll wipe ’em—don’t worry.”
“Yeah, we’ll wipe ’em.”
His younger brother Declan thumped his chest in agreement.
Declan was a near-three-meter giant; Conner, conversely, barely topped 120 cm.
Normally, Declan carried Conner on his shoulder.
Jack nodded.
“I know what you two can do. But no slacking. They’re the real deal in Neo Seoul.”
“Hmph! What’s to fear from wall-dwellers?”
Conner refused to acknowledge Inazuma.
Jack eyed him uneasily.
Please don’t cause trouble.
Conner was elite and indispensable, but his hot temper sparked issues now and then.
Cleaning up his messes fell to Jack.
Conner asked, as if it just occurred to him.
“By the way, who’s this extra Awakener the workshop’s sending? Thinks we’re not enough?”
Displeasure etched his face.
The others felt the same.
Yuse-hui had told them, when dispatching the team, that one more would join.
It stung like a vote of no confidence.
They wanted to refuse, but couldn’t.
Yuse-hui’s word was law in Dokkaebi Market.
And this mission was critical—no room for error.
Dosuyeol asked Jack.
“You know who’s joining us, boss?”
“Yeah.”
“Who?”
“Be careful when he shows. Keep running your mouth like that, and you might end up dead.”
“No way.”
“The one who took out Goran.”
Dosuyeol and the brothers’ faces stiffened.
“Goran? The rumors were true?”
“Yep.”
“Hmph.”
Dosuyeol grunted.
Anyone tied to Shinchon or Dokkaebi Market knew.
Goran—the terrorist—had vanished without a trace.
Even Yuse-hui and Yohan treaded lightly around him.
His erasure shocked them all.
Then—
“He’s here.”
“That’s him.”
Inazuma murmured, spotting someone.
Dosuyeol and the brothers followed their gaze.
A man approached.
Zeon, hood of his robe pulled low, hands in pockets.
At his appearance, Inazuma and Jack’s team tensed, eyes shifting.
That’s... Zeon?