Chapter 487: Trouble (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 487: Trouble (4)
The incident had occurred a few days prior, immediately following his meeting with Moon Tae-jun.
Acting on Roman Dmitry's orders, Kim Jun-hyeok summoned his Directly Controlled Unit. The men gathered in a state of confusion, murmuring amongst themselves. The Directly Controlled Unit was no ordinary army. They were a private military force personally raised by Kim Jun-hyeok. Though their numbers were small—only about thirty men in total—there was no doubt that, under the leadership of Lee Tae-seong, they were the finest combatants in Incheon.
That very reputation was why they had been summoned.
Now that Incheon was undergoing a rebirth, their internal and external standing needed a drastic overhaul.
Roman Dmitry stepped forward.
"I believe you have already heard enough about me from Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok. I will rule Incheon from now on. As my first act, I have severed all ties with the Central Government. From this moment forward, we will receive no assistance from them, but in return, we are no longer bound by their demands or duties."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the ranks.
The men were thrown into chaos.
Severing ties with the Central Government? This was the first they were hearing of it. Still unfamiliar with Roman Dmitry's presence and authority, they instinctively looked to Kim Jun-hyeok for guidance.
"Incheon will undergo a cataclysmic change," Roman continued. "And in the tides of that change, this Directly Controlled Unit that Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok so painstakingly built is completely insignificant. Your leader, Lee Tae-seong, is a B-Rank Hunter, while the rest of you hover between C-Rank and D-Rank. As a standalone organization, some might call you excellent. But with such meager power, you cannot protect Incheon from true danger. It is laughable, really. You speak of defending Incheon's safety, yet your entire force couldn't even handle a single mid-sized guild from Seoul."
"...You go too far."
One of the unit members flared up, unable to stomach the scathing criticism.
Having been briefed beforehand on how this would play out, Kim Jun-hyeok clenched his fists but did not intervene.
Resistance from the unit was only natural. Roman Dmitry knew this; he was intentionally provoking their pride.
"Too far, you say?" Roman asked. "Do you truly believe your existence holds that much value?"
"It is true that we are lacking compared to the elites of South Korea. However, ever since we gathered under the banner of the Directly Controlled Unit six years ago, we have shed blood and sweat in training every single day. Men who were nobodies back then have all risen by one or two ranks. I am confident that no organization in Incheon can compare to us. Do not look down on our efforts!"
"Yes, you must have worked hard. But the problem is, no matter how much effort you poured in, the results are pathetic."
A new life.
It was vastly different from his past one.
Back then, Roman Dmitry had needed time to grow stronger. He had to seek out and recruit talents like Chris and Kevin to build his army. But things were different now. Because he retained all the absolute power of his previous life, he didn't actually need the backing of any specific faction to achieve his goals.
He was more than enough on his own.
Yet, the reason he accepted Incheon was because Roman Dmitry now desired coexistence.
If their goals aligned, they would move forward together. Just as he had rediscovered the meaning of life in his past existence, he wished to forge a new power centered around himself.
The people of this world, including the Directly Controlled Unit, are not yet accustomed to my standards. That gap will only breed distrust and create unnecessary noise in my goal to prevent the Great Disaster. I wish to form a new power, but I have no patience for fools who do not know their place running rampant.
Standing at the starting line, he needed to show them reality.
He had to show them exactly what kind of being would be ruling Incheon from now on. He had to demonstrate an overwhelming difference in power to forge a relationship of absolute obedience.
That was why he had summoned the Directly Controlled Unit.
He provoked them, deliberately stoking the resentment burning in their eyes.
Roman spoke.
"If your efforts are real, I will give you a chance to prove it. From this moment on, all of you in the Directly Controlled Unit, attack me. If you succeed in landing even a single meaningful blow, I will acknowledge your strength and grant you independence."
* * *
It was an unexpected declaration.
The unit members exchanged hesitant glances.
With Kim Jun-hyeok having already submitted to Roman Dmitry, logic dictated they shouldn't attack him all at once. Above all, wouldn't thirty against one be cowardly?
When even their leader, Lee Tae-seong, held his tongue, Roman spoke coldly.
"If you lack even the courage to prove yourselves, the Directly Controlled Unit will be disbanded as of today. I will give you one minute. Prove yourselves within that time."
"...Fuck."
The faces of the unit members contorted in anger.
Disbandment was unacceptable.
The member who had first spoken out against Roman stepped forward, leaving his still-hesitating comrades behind.
"Do not regret those words."
Screech.
He drew his sword.
There was no turning back now.
With all eyes fixed on him, the unit member kicked off the ground and rushed toward Roman.
Swish.
Tap, tap, tap.
He was fast.
In an instant, he closed the distance and swung his blade, though he held back slightly, intending not to inflict a lethal wound. He knew his opponent was a powerhouse who had single-handedly resolved the Omen Phenomenon. But as long as Roman was flesh and blood, the hunter believed he could land at least one meaningful strike.
However—
Thud.
Crash!
The unit member rolled across the floor.
He had been certain his attack would connect, but the ground and sky suddenly flipped, and he completely lost his balance.
"Shit."
His face flushed red with humiliation.
Roman Dmitry had merely tripped him.
Once he realized that, his pride took over. It was do-or-die.
Rumble!
He activated a skill.
He closed the distance using Dash, a famous basic skill, and attempted to push Roman back by unleashing a barrage of offensive skills. Whether the man got hurt or not was no longer important. Roman Dmitry had to be made to eat his words. Watching their comrade press forward relentlessly, the other unit members looked on with anxious expressions.
But contrary to their worries—
Whoosh.
Slap!
The moment he swung his sword, the unit member was brutally slapped across the cheek.
Gritting his teeth, he swung his blade again, only to be slapped on the other cheek.
Slap!
It was completely one-sided.
His attacks didn't work at all.
The unit member's cheeks swelled up heavily, and after being slapped five or six times, his legs began to give out.
Landing a single strike?
Not a chance.
The faces of the unit members contorted at the miserable sight. They glanced at Lee Tae-seong, but given his stoic expression, it seemed he wouldn't step in no matter what happened.
It was then that Kim Jun-hyeok finally spoke.
"I did not train you to be like this. If you know your opponent is strong, throw away your pride."
Those words shattered their mental restraints.
Lee Tae-seong locked eyes with Kim Jun-hyeok, then drew his twin swords with a cold gaze.
"I will obey your command."
* * *
Lee Tae-seong had stated before that, regardless of the decision to follow Roman Dmitry, he was Kim Jun-hyeok's man.
In the face of Roman's arrogant remarks, he wanted to prove that Kim Jun-hyeok's efforts had not been in vain.
"From now on, we coordinate our attacks with me at the center," Lee Tae-seong ordered.
"Understood!"
Clang.
Clang, clang.
The unit members drew their respective weapons.
The light in their eyes completely changed.
Lee Tae-seong was the spiritual pillar of the Directly Controlled Unit. They had rigorously trained in coordinated formations to prepare for any assault on Incheon. His command meant they were going all out. Nearly thirty men closed in on Roman, and the moment the signal was given, they rushed him like a pack of starving wolves.
Swish.
Rumble!
They scattered in all directions.
Some circled behind, while others flanked from the sides.
Lee Tae-seong stood at the vanguard.
Unleashing the mana within his twin swords, he sought to cut Roman down in a single strike.
Onslaught.
Whoosh, whoosh!
He did not let his guard down.
Roman Dmitry was an incredibly powerful individual. Yet, despite Lee Tae-seong going all out from the very beginning, Roman did not even draw his sword as the distance closed. No, from the very start, he had no intention of using a blade against them.
Having studied the power standards of this world over the past month, Roman knew that people like Lee Tae-seong were indeed classified as strong.
But that was all.
By his standards, they were severely lacking.
He could guarantee that these men could be easily dealt with by ordinary Dmitry soldiers—there was no need to even bring up Chris or Kevin.
Therefore—
Crack!
"...?!"
Roman struck straight down.
With a single bare-handed punch, Lee Tae-seong's sword shattered into pieces.
Lee Tae-seong's eyes widened in shock at the unbelievable sight. He had pictured a myriad of scenarios in his mind. He had fully expected Roman to use a weapon or a high-tier skill, staying within the realm of common sense. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine his ultimate attack would be countered by a crude, bare fist.
He gritted his teeth.
The moment he tried to swing his remaining sword, a brutal impact slammed into his abdomen, piercing right through his storm of mana.
Bam!
"Ugh."
His breath was instantly cut short.
As the fist exploded into his stomach, Lee Tae-seong reflexively dropped his weapon. It was an impact that even he—a man widely known as a tough bastard—could not endure. His vision went white, consciousness slipping from his grasp. As he stumbled backward, the agonized screams of his unit members rang in his ears.
"Argh!"
"Aaargh!"
A coordinated attack?
It had already lost all meaning.
The plan was for the unit to strike while Lee Tae-seong bought time at the front. But since their vanguard was instantly suppressed, everyone who rushed in was ruthlessly struck down, spitting blood.
Roman still did not draw his weapon. He took their skill-infused attacks with his bare body, brushing them off effortlessly. In the lightning-fast counterattacks that immediately followed, the unit members were left utterly helpless.
It was an overwhelming massacre.
They knew he was strong, but they had never imagined the gap would be this vast.
And finally—
Thud.
"Keuk."
The last remaining member collapsed.
It was over.
With all thirty men groaning on the ground, Roman looked down at Lee Tae-seong with a cold, impassive gaze.
"Is this all?"
* * *
Lee Tae-seong lay dazed.
He had completely lost his will to fight.
In less than a minute, he understood exactly what Roman was trying to say.
This man was a monster.
A supreme being that even he, a reputed B-Rank powerhouse, could not dare to touch.
Kim Jun-hyeok was equally shocked.
To the people of Incheon, Roman Dmitry is an outsider. That sentiment is bound to be strongest within the Directly Controlled Unit. Yet, Roman Dmitry has just proven with sheer, undeniable force exactly why they must follow him. Just what kind of past does this man have? Not only is his strength enough to induce goosebumps, but he also knows exactly how to handle people.
He was deeply curious.
Roman Dmitry was definitely no ordinary person. Only a ruler with experience managing countless subordinates could make such bold, decisive, and ruthless judgments.
In a space filled only with pained groans, Roman spoke.
"This is your reality. You comfort yourselves by thinking you are strong inside the small well of Incheon, but in truth, you are nothing. Let me warn you right now. In the Incheon I will rule, weaklings like you will not be tolerated. If you plan to simply accept despair when the Great Disaster strikes, using your weakness as an excuse, then leave the Directly Controlled Unit right now."
No one could refute him.
Their past efforts?
The years stained with blood and sweat?
It was all meaningless.
The brief, one-sided slaughter Roman had just demonstrated proved exactly how powerless the Directly Controlled Unit truly was.
Results mattered more than the process.
If their strength could not stop the Great Disaster, then all their desperate struggling was nothing but a futile effort.
"Incheon will face an era of cataclysmic change," Roman declared. "If you wish to remain as members of the Directly Controlled Unit in this newly reborn Incheon, you must each rise by one rank within a month. Anyone who fails, regardless of their current position or past merits, will be forcibly expelled from the unit."
"...That is impossible."
It was Lee Tae-seong who spoke.
He was a B-Rank Hunter. To rise to A-Rank—a tier containing fewer than thirty individuals in all of South Korea—within the short span of a single month was practically impossible.
If this was just an empty, tyrannical command, they couldn't possibly accept it.
Roman simply looked at him.
"Once this meeting is over, search the name 'Kang Min-ho' in the Hunter Database. There are probably a few of you here who know of him. Just a month ago, Kang Min-ho was a man who firmly belonged in E-Rank. Not a single member of this unit was weaker than him. Kang Min-ho."
"Yes?!"
Kang Min-ho gasped in surprise.
He had no idea what was going on. He had simply been watching in awe as Roman dismantled the Directly Controlled Unit, only to suddenly hear his own name called out.
"I will give you three days. Prove my words by rising two ranks."
The realm of the impossible.
To shatter their common sense and refute their doubts, Roman Dmitry had put forward Kang Min-ho as his absolute proof.