No Talent? Just Buy It

A terrible headache. It felt like someone had shoved my brain into a blender and hit puree. I groaned in pain and forced my eyes open. The first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. No—calling it unfamiliar didn't do it justice. It was obscenely luxurious. The chandelier dangling overhead looked like it cost more than the entire deposit on my old studio apartment, and the silk duvet wrapped around me was so impossibly soft it sent chills across my skin.

"Ugh..."

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pressed hard against my temples and pushed myself upright. Across from the bed, a full-length mirror reflected a stranger sitting there. Skin so pale it was almost ghostly. Sharp, irritated eyes. A face so annoyingly handsome it looked like the very concept of decadence had been sculpted into human form. I stared blankly at the man in the mirror. Then I pinched my own cheek. It hurt.

"This can't be happening."

The voice that came out was low and rough. It wasn't mine. But I knew that face. It belonged to the novel I'd been reading on my smartphone just yesterday—Ruler of the Tower. The infamous degenerate and minor villain who gets brutally ripped apart and dies early in the first arc. Lee Dohyun. That was me now.

Understanding the situation didn't take long. Lee Dohyun's memories were already flooding into my head like a tidal wave. The youngest grandson of the Daeseong Group, South Korea's top conglomerate. A man born with a diamond spoon in his mouth. But with zero talent as a hunter, he relied solely on money and family prestige to throw his weight around, picked a fight with the protagonist, and met a pathetic end. That was my new character profile.

The real issue was the timing. With a trembling hand, I grabbed the smartphone from the bedside table and checked the date.

The day after the academy entrance ceremony. The original protagonist hadn't awakened yet. And I—Lee Dohyun—had exactly one year remaining before my scheduled, miserable death.

"I don't want to die..."

I sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my face with dry hands. Death. And not just any death—a brutally painful one. In the original story, Lee Dohyun gets his limbs torn off by a demonic beast, has his guts devoured while still alive, and dies without even managing a scream. Those descriptive passages floated vividly in my mind. A shiver ran down my spine. I'd barely been reborn as a third-generation chaebol heir, only to face a dog's death in a year? No. I couldn't allow that. Not if I had any say in it.

I shot up from the bed. How do I survive? Kneel before the protagonist? No, that guy was a justice-obsessed lunatic. The moment he learned about my past behavior, he'd deliver judgment without hesitation. Run away? This world had no safe zones. When a gate burst, it turned into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hell whether you were in America or North Korea. In the end, there was only one answer.

Power. Overwhelming strength that could protect me. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this body was absolute trash as a hunter. My magic circuits were completely clogged. No matter how hard I tried, I'd never break past F-Class. Pouring money into elixirs would be like pouring water into a broken jar.

So what power could I actually wield?

I walked into the dressing room. The moment I opened the door, an overwhelming display of luxury items assaulted my eyes. A single watch cost as much as an apartment. One pair of shoes equaled the price of a foreign sports car. I stood before the mirror and smirked.

Money. Mountains of rotting, useless money.

No talent? Just buy someone who has it.

If I couldn't fight, I'd raise monsters who would fight for me. I was a veteran reader of Ruler of the Tower. I'd read it over twenty times. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠knew exactly who would become future S-Class hunters, who would rise as the hero to save the world, and who would devour hidden pieces to awaken. Every last detail.

And right now, within my immediate reach, was one of the future strongest.

Sword Saint Seo Yoona.

The legendary hunter who would one day sever a dragon's head with a single sword. But if my memory served me correctly... right now she was a dirt-poor failing student struggling to pay her academy tuition, looked down upon by her classmates because of her shabby equipment. She was backed into a corner. Without money, her talent was withering before it could bloom.

The corner of my mouth curled up. Everyone knew the best time to buy low was at rock bottom, right?

"Let's go."

I pulled the most expensive suit from the rack and put it on. It was time to go shopping for a bodyguard who would protect my life.

Daeseong Hunter Academy. South Korea's premier hunter training institution and the elite cradle established by the Daeseong Group. The students here fell into one of two categories: those with insane talent, or those from insanely rich families. Seo Yoona belonged to neither.

In a corner of Training Hall 3. The place reeked of damp basement and the metallic tang of blood. Seo Yoona gasped for breath as she braced herself against the floor. Sweat dripped onto her worn-out sneakers.

"Ugh, seriously. Why do you keep holding on like some stinking pest?"

An irritated voice rained down on her. When she looked up, three male students stood there with nasty smirks. Park Chansu. The second son of a B-Class hunter family and the hyena who relentlessly bullied her.

"Hey, Seo Yoona. Are my words not getting through that thick skull? Training time's over. Move your ass."

"There's... still twenty minutes left."

Seo Yoona answered in a hoarse voice. Her throat was parched, but she couldn't spare a moment to drink water.

"Ha, this pathetic beggar bitch is for real."

Park Chansu kicked the wooden training sword lying at her feet. It clattered across the floor, rolling into a pile of dust—its edges chipped and worn from endless use.

"Oops, my bad. Thought it was trash and tossed it."

"You...!"

Seo Yoona tried to stand in a surge of anger, but her legs gave out and she collapsed again. Her overworked muscles were screaming in protest. Park Chansu and his lackeys laughed mockingly.

"Look, let's be honest. You swinging a sword around is just an embarrassment to the academy, isn't it? With magic power weaker than a rat's tail, what kind of swordsman do you think you'll be?"

"I heard your tuition's overdue too. Drop out before they kick you out. Stop wasting everyone's time."

The words stabbed into her chest like daggers. Seo Yoona bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. They weren't wrong. She was poor. Her parents had died early, leaving behind nothing but debt. She worked three part-time jobs just to stay in school, but she could barely afford proper meals, let alone equipment. Becoming a hunter required money. Magic stones, potions, gear, training fees—everything cost astronomical sums. The wall of reality was too high and too cold to overcome with talent alone.

This is as far as I go...

Seo Yoona clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms. She didn't want to give up. She couldn't abandon the thrill she felt when holding a sword, that pounding in her heart. But the world was demanding she quit.

That was when it happened.

Click. Click.

The sound of unfamiliar dress shoes echoed from the entrance of the quiet training hall. Steady, arrogant footsteps. The kind that suggested the person was walking across red carpet rather than concrete. Park Chansu's group and Seo Yoona all turned their heads at once.

A man approached, backlit by the hallway lights. A perfectly tailored deep navy suit. A watch that screamed luxury at first glance. And above all, those cold, overwhelming eyes. It was Lee Dohyun.

The man whose aunt was the chairman of this academy and whose grandfather was the chairman of the Daeseong Group that controlled South Korea's economy. The infamous mad dog of the district, known for his destroyed personality. The air in the training hall froze instantly. Park Chansu's face, which had been mocking Seo Yoona moments ago, turned deathly pale.

"L-Lee Dohyun, sunbae?"

He had no reason to be here. This was someone who didn't even glance at training. Yet he was walking straight toward them.

Click. Click.

Lee Dohyun stopped. He stood in the subtle space between Park Chansu and Seo Yoona. His gaze swept over her collapsed form on the floor, then across the group. It was the look one might give to insects.

"I came because it was too noisy."

Lee Dohyun spoke. His low voice resonated through the hall.

"Looks like some dung flies are buzzing around."

"What? Ah, no, that's not—"

Park Chansu stammered in panic. Everyone knew Lee Dohyun's personality. Rumors said he would grab a professor by the collar if he was in a bad mood. Lee Dohyun frowned and waved his hand dismissively.

"Get lost."

"Excuse me?"

"Can't hear? The air's getting foul. Disappear from my sight."

A short, concise order of expulsion. Park Chansu's face flushed red then purple, but he didn't dare talk back. Antagonizing the grandson of the Daeseong Group could lead to silent expulsion without anyone knowing.

"L-let's go."

Park Chansu signaled his group with his eyes. They fled the training hall like dogs with their tails between their legs. The sight was almost comical. In an instant, only silence remained in the hall.

Seo Yoona held her breath as she looked up at Lee Dohyun. Why did he help me? Or had he even helped her? Maybe he was just annoyed by the noise. She watched him nervously, trying to read his mood. Lee Dohyun stared down at her with an expressionless face.

He's terrifying.

Instinctive fear rose within her. This man operated on a completely different level from Park Chansu. A predator from birth. He slowly bent at the waist. Seo Yoona instinctively shrank back. But his hand wasn't reaching for her. It went to the dusty wooden sword that Park Chansu had kicked away earlier.

Lee Dohyun picked up the dirty wooden sword from the floor without hesitation. With hands wearing expensive leather gloves, he grasped the dirt-covered piece of wood. Then he tossed it lightly.

"Ah..."

The sword landed on Seo Yoona's lap.

"Don't carry something like this around."

Lee Dohyun's words were cold poison. Seo Yoona's heart sank. Of course. He was mocking her too. Calling her a beggar who carried around rotten wood. A failure who didn't know her place. Just as humiliation began to burn her eyes, Lee Dohyun pulled something from his coat.

It was a checkbook and a fountain pen.

Scratch. Scratch.

In the silent space, only the sound of the pen gliding across paper could be heard. His movements showed no hesitation. Rip. The sound of paper tearing rang out clearly. Lee Dohyun fluttered the torn check in front of Seo Yoona's eyes.

"Take it."

Seo Yoona stared at the paper in a daze. She couldn't even count the zeros. But the number at the front was clear. One. Ten. Hundred. Thousand. Ten thousand. One hundred million won. Her eyes widened. Her breath caught in her throat.

"W-what is this..."

"Get new equipment. And eat some proper food."

Lee Dohyun casually stuffed the check into the pocket of her sweat-soaked training uniform. His touch was indifferent and careless, like throwing away a used tissue.

"It's an eyesore to look at. Don't squirm around pathetically in front of me."

Seo Yoona couldn't say anything. Her mind had gone completely blank. One hundred million won. An amount she'd never touched in her entire life. Why give it to her? Just because it was unpleasant to look at? She grabbed the check that was sticking out of her pocket with trembling fingers. It felt like a dream.

"Why... are you giving this to someone like me?"

She barely managed to squeeze out the words. Lee Dohyun had been turning away but paused. After a brief silence, he slightly turned his head to look down at her. His eyes had sunk deep. It wasn't the contempt or irritation from before—there was something heavy and serious in that gaze.

"Don't misunderstand."

He tossed the words out.

"It was simply bothering me that a jewel was buried in the dirt."

With those final words, Lee Dohyun walked away without looking back. The sound of his footsteps faded into the distance. Seo Yoona couldn't even breathe properly as she stared at his retreating figure.

The moment I left the training hall, I let out the breath I'd been holding.

"Hoo..."

Cold sweat ran down my back. I thought I was going to lose my mind. Was my acting just now okay? Did I come off as too much of an asshole? No—being an asshole was the correct approach. I had to play the role of an arrogant third-generation chaebol heir. If I suddenly acted kind, it would look even more suspicious.

My hands were still shaking. Just now, I hadn't paid part of my fortune—I'd paid the down payment for my life insurance. Seo Yoona. Seeing her up close, her condition was even worse than I'd imagined. Her emaciated body, her bruised limbs, her palms that were calloused to the point of cracking. Looking at that miserable state, I became certain.

It's the real Seo Yoona.

Even in that environment, she hadn't given up and kept holding onto her sword. Those eyes burning with determination. How incredible. Giving her a hundred million won? Honestly, it was pocket change. With that money, if she bought a proper sword and some meat to build up her muscles, her growth rate would explode.

The line about "a jewel buried in the dirt bothering me" felt a bit cringeworthy, but whatever. I vaguely remembered something similar from the original, so I just went with it. The seed had been planted. Once she used that money to buy a sword and began her awakening, my first safety measure would be secured. Later, if I found myself in danger, telling her "Pay back that hundred million from back then" would probably make her risk her life to save me at least once.

I climbed into the limousine waiting in the parking lot.

"Where shall I take you, young master?"

The driver asked politely. I sank deep into the seat and chuckled.

"The department store. I need to spend some more money."

One Seo Yoona wasn't enough. There were too many things in this world threatening my life. I needed more shields. More swords. I was still hungry.

The empty training hall. Seo Yoona remained sitting there in a daze. In her hand was a single check. That piece of paper felt so hot it seemed to burn her palm.

It was simply bothering me that a pretty jewel was buried in the dirt.

His last words echoed in her ears. Her heart pounded wildly. Everyone had mocked her. Called her a beggar. Said she had no talent. Told her to know her place and disappear. Even she herself had begun to waver. Was she really incapable? Should she give up?

But then. The man from South Korea's greatest family—the arrogant Lee Dohyun himself—had looked at her. Not at her shabby appearance, but at something hidden beneath the dirt. He had clearly called her old wooden sword "trash," but those words were directed at the sword, not at her. Instead, he'd given her an enormous sum of one hundred million won and told her to obtain "something proper." He had acknowledged her worth.

He alone had recognized her efforts, her potential, that no one else would acknowledge.

"Ah..."

Tears poured from Seo Yoona's eyes. Tears mixed with sorrow, relief, and an indescribable surge of emotion. Why had he deliberately played the villain and acted so cold? Was it to prevent people like Park Chansu from bothering her again? To protect her pride?

Don't misunderstand.

Even those words sounded kind to her. It felt like consideration—drawing a line so his favor wouldn't burden her. Seo Yoona clutched the check to her chest. Carefully, so it wouldn't wrinkle, but firmly, as if she would never let it go. His retreating figure lingered in her vision. The fleeting seriousness hidden within those cold eyes. Seo Yoona chose to believe that was the truth.

She whispered softly into the empty air.

It wasn't about repaying with money. It was a vow to prove herself to him as much as he had recognized her. From now on, her sword would only swing for him. A new light shone in Seo Yoona's eyes. Like a famous blade freshly drawn from its sheath, a sharp blue aura swirled around her entire body.

The Sword Saint Seo Yoona's awakening had begun much earlier than scheduled—and far more intensely. All for one man. Lee Dohyun.