Happy Birthday 1
Everyone knows the saintess hard-carried the Seoul City Hall Square incident, right? But in all that chaos, the real culprit Lee Han didn't show his face once. Word is he wiped out Red Skull and went into hiding.
Now an internal whistleblower's spilled why he killed Dessoir. Some grand reason? World peace? Total bullshit.
"Yo, you know lizard tails are a straight-up hit for a man's... vitality, right? Chow down on a big orphan like that, and boom—you're the emperor of the night in seconds flat."
Heard that? That's what Lee Han said to a Red Skull grunt. Dragon Heart? Mana? All excuses—he straight-up killed it for his dick energy. Butchered the pet the saintess loved like family just to fuel his lower half imperialist bullshit.
We really gonna let a psycho like this roam the streets?
Under the dazzling chandelier of a VIP room in Seoul's priciest membership club, Elysium.
One man set down his smartphone.
Black Moon 2nd Branch Chief, Ma Gwang-su.
Username: BurningWarrior.
He raised his champagne flute, watching his post rocket to real-time hot post status.
"Kuh, the masses are so easy to rile up. Now they all think the saintess saved the world and Lee Han's the scum of the earth."
His subordinates, lounging beside him, burst into sycophantic laughter.
"Chief, you're a genius. That synthesis job is art."
"Took some work modulating it to sound like Lee Han. But check the reactions—especially those stamina-obsessed old dudes."
Ma Gwang-su sank deeper into his chair.
Today was his birthday.
And the day he could crush his thorn-in-the-side rivals, Red Skull, without lifting a finger.
Isha von Estelle had been on edge since the City Hall Square incident.
If word reached her that Lee Han ate a dragon as tonic?
Her wrath would zero in on the Red Skull hideout where he was holed up.
Her and her fanatics would sniff them out eventually.
And in the end, they'd be annihilated by the saintess herself.
"Perfect. What better birthday gift than this?"
Ma Gwang-su hummed a tune.
Lee Han? That F-rank punk who'd gotten cocky after one lucky dragon kill had always irked him.
But in a battle of wits, Ma Gwang-su was a cut above.
"Tighten up water management today. No lowlifes crashing my birthday bash."
"Yes sir! Entrance cuts are strict!"
With fat tips flowing, Ma Gwang-su planned to savor the day.
Adel von Kryber's underground lab.
"Found him."
I muttered at the wall-spanning monitor.
Adel, slurping instant ramen beside me, poked her head over.
"Who? Some troll?"
"Yeah. BurningWarrior."
Her tracking program had pinned his location as a red dot on the map: a Gangnam nightlife spot.
Adel hammered the keyboard, then tapped my shoulder.
"Found something else—check this."
[Black Moon 2nd Branch Front Business]
Elysium
"Jackpot, right? That Burning whatever—he's Black Moon brass. 2nd Branch Chief Ma Gwang-su."
Adel gaped, chopsticks dangling from sauce-stained lips.
"Spreading fake rumors to sic Isha on his rival gang... Guy's working overtime with that empty head."
"You know Isha won't bite on that crap."
The world thought I'd bailed without showing my face.
But Isha knew the truth.
That was enough.
Even if it was just a fading afterimage.
"......"
But daring to peddle my name for profit?
That needed correcting.
"Adel. It's his birthday, apparently. Let's congratulate him."
"Birthday? Whose?"
"Who else? Ma Gwang-su."
"Huh? Oh. Got it. But now? Wait—"
Adel pulled up Elysium's floorplan.
Red lines snaked through the building like a maze.
"Even rushing, we need a plan. Look—security's insane. Entrance has top-tier mana detectors, inside's a fortress. Even with your dragon power, unknowns are flat-out banned."
"TL;DR."
"No infiltration routes! Invisibility? Bounced at the door. Sewer? Sensors everywhere. Even my genius sims say zero success rate."
Adel shook her head in despair.
"Lee Han, even storming the front, if they dogpile you, it's bundle delivery straight to Isha."
She had a point.
And yeah, 2nd Branch security was tight—probably beefed up after their 3rd Branch got raided.
But I had a way.
I checked the mirror, picking a rare tie.
Grabbed the luxury suit from the Red Skull boss rotting in the factory corner.
"So what's the play? Pose as a vendor?"
"Walking in the front door."
"......You're nuts?"
A ramen noodle plopped into Adel's red broth.
"Combat troops there alone: 100! 100-on-2 in tight quarters? You're strong, but that's suicide!"
Instead of answering, I pulled a small vial from my pocket.
Last time's City Hall Square Hell Gate reward: hidden item.
◈ Dragons are greedy and arrogant, yet fatally alluring beings. Consuming this radiates cross-species charm.
◈ Condition: Target a subject to activate (long cooldown).
◈ Effect: Forces massive favorability boost, Charisma +300%, grants Skill: Homme Fatale.
◈ Side Effect: Fatigue.
"If the method's a date, that's different."
"What? Date? With who?"
I pointed to a corner of the monitor: Elysium entrance CCTV.
A woman stepping from a car in a flashy dress, haughty expression.
Black Moon 2nd Branch finance head, Black Rose.
"Her."
"......Huh?"
Adel stared like I'd lost it.
"You sane? Think she'll drag you in? Some unknown guy? Let alone a total stranger?"
"Watch. Tonight, I'm feeling fatal."
I uncapped the vial and downed it.
Minty burn raced through my veins, a weird heat spreading.
Item Effect Triggered
Skill Acquired: Homme Fatale
The mirror me grinned.
Huh? Same face as always.
But somehow... dangerous. A lazy, decadent vibe that could melt anyone with a glance.
Me?
"Hey, Adel. How do I look?"
I swept back my hair, shooting her soulful eyes.
"......"
Adel's blank stare turned tomato-red in seconds.
She instinctively backed away.
"W-what the hell? Why so sudden? Hot? No, sexy? Argh! My eyes! My heart!"
She clawed at her eyes, screeching.
"Works like a charm."
I grabbed my gear, satisfied, and headed out.
"Tonight's gonna be electric."
"Lady Rose. You're here?"
Elysium club entrance.
"Not going in yet."
Black Rose fished a cigarette from her handbag, face sour.
Her arranged host date had ghosted.
She usually brought a buffer to dodge creeps like Ma Gwang-su.
Now? She'd be stuck next to him at the branch chief's birthday party.
"Fucking great."
Couldn't just bail, though.
Awkward spot.
"Sigh... Nothing's going right."
Her cig ash was about to drop.
"Pardon me."
Low, velvety. Like a cello string plucked deep.
Black Rose turned.
Time froze.
A man stood there.
Lee Han.
Black coat hugging his suit. Tousled-yet-perfect black hair.
Above all, those abyss-deep eyes sucked her in like a black hole.
"...Who might you be?"
She cleared her throat unconsciously.
Normally? "Fuck off."
But now... she needed his name.
"Just an uninvited guest myself."
Homme Fatale (A+ Grade) Triggered
[Target's heart rate spiking dramatically.]
Lee Han smiled.
A smile that read her soul—shivers raced down her spine.
"But with someone like you, this party might actually be worth it."
"...Smooth talker. Pickup line?"
Black Rose played haughty, but her eyes betrayed her.
Lee Han stepped closer. Breath-close.
"Pickup? More like a plea for salvation."
His gaze swept her empty side.
"That perfect dress is missing one accessory. Mind if I fill the spot? The genuine article, not a fake."
He offered his arm naturally.
"Sh-sure, why not?"
Insane.
Black Rose bit her lip.
Arrogant, irresistible offer.
Miss this, regret forever—gut instinct screamed.
"Ahem. We'll see if you're fake or real inside."
No hesitation—she hooked his arm tight.
Security exchanged glances.
Her icy glare shut them down.
"Don't test me."
"Y-yes, Lady Rose!"
The front gate swung wide.
High-tech security?
100 combat troops?
Powerless before an insider in love.
Lee Han strolled the red carpet leisurely.
Adel's stunned voice crackled in his earpiece.
'Quiet. This is skill too.'
With Black Rose on his arm, Lee Han headed to the deepest VIP room.
"Happy birthday!! Ma Gwang-su!"
"Cheers!!"
Music and popping champagne filled the VIP room.
Ma Gwang-su lorded over the sofa throne.
Beauties flanked him; a five-tier cake towered on the table.
"Chief! Black Rose is here!"
"Send her in. Host bailed, so sit by me. You, scoot."
The door opened. Black Rose entered.
"You...?"
A stranger stood beside her.
Ma Gwang-su's eyes narrowed.
'Who the hell's that?'
Unfamiliar face.
Uncomfortably handsome.
Beyond that—annoyingly off-putting.
'Like a damn incubus.'
Primal male instinct screaming warning.
"Rose. Late? Who's the arm candy? New SSR doll?"
Ma Gwang-su sneered.
Execs cackled.
Black Rose clung tighter to Lee Han, pressing close.
"Watch your mouth, Ma Gwang-su. My date tonight. Higher class—show respect."
"Date?"
Her cozied up to the stranger? Ma Gwang-su was floored.
Lee Han stepped forward.
"Pleasure. Ma Gwang-su, Branch Chief. Heard lots."
"Yeah? You know my rep."
Ma Gwang-su crossed his legs smugly.
"So, not showing up empty-handed, right? My birthday."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Lee Han grinned, hand in pocket.
"Got a special gift. Something to shut that filthy mouth."
"What?"
Ma Gwang-su's face hardened.
Eyes locked on Lee Han's hand.
He pulled it out.
Empty.
Well, a clenched fist.
"What? Joke?"
Ma Gwang-su scowled.
Lee Han murmured low.
"Birthday punch."