Chapter 11. Midterms (2)
But Han Tae-gang didn't notice the change. Shim Jeong-woong had lowered his gaze as if deep in thought, and the fierce glint in his eyes vanished as quickly as it had appeared. It happened in such a fleeting moment that even Han Tae-gang, who had been watching him closely, failed to detect it.
"Representative Han, did the leader of the criminals you clashed with use that kind of power?"
Regaining his calm expression, Shim Jeong-woong's question prompted Han Tae-gang to reveal a bit more. He had wanted to keep their side's information hidden while extracting what the other knew... but that old man was no fool. More precisely, he was the type who could plausibly be said to have raised a hundred foxes in his belly.
'Red mist. The one who manifested it is Phantom's boss, and she's a powerhouse who stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us.'
That was likely the extent of Shim Jeong-woong's grasp so far. He'd heard that Joseph Leonard and Rick Gadell, co-leaders of JR Guild and members of the 36 Heroes, had recently clashed with Phantom's boss, but they had revealed almost nothing about the fight. It must have been valuable enough intel to keep from the public, and Han Tae-gang thought their decision prudent.
'A lot of time has passed...'
The days of debating morality and such were long gone. Twenty-odd years ago, maybe, but not now. They weren't close enough anymore to share every detail and tackle threats together. The 36 Heroes, who had slain demons and saved the world, earning the world's respect.
That held true even for Han Tae-gang and Shim Jeong-woong, fellow Koreans. So he cautiously shared intriguing but not core details.
"It had no substance. Yet it was real. The mana waves were faint, or perhaps absent. But it wielded power at least equivalent to a Rank 1 spell."
Han Tae-gang withheld two key facts. First, that Phantom's boss had seen through his techniques and might know him and the other heroes. Second, the blood-red eyes at the center of the red mist.
Phantom's boss's social identity. Human, demon, or something else. Her true nature as a being.
By concealing those two crucial clues for speculation, Han Tae-gang expected Shim Jeong-woong to respond accordingly. If he knew for sure, he'd dodge the question. If not, he'd offer a plausible inference based on his vast magical knowledge.
'If it's the former...'
He didn't need a firm confirmation from Shim Jeong-woong. Just knowing it wasn't human would be gain enough. Han Tae-gang could investigate from there.
'The latter isn't bad either.'
It would still be an inference from Shim Jeong-woong's broad magical expertise. With Han Tae-gang holding back info, he might even have the edge.
That was Han Tae-gang's thinking, and Shim Jeong-woong grimaced with a smile. It was hard to read—perhaps laced with longing desire, or pitying amusement toward Han Tae-gang, or pure curiosity as a mage about the unknown.
And the next moment.
Shim Jeong-woong tapped his cane on the floor.
Thock!
Crack!
The wooden building's ceiling ripped away, structures vanishing in an instant. The half-moon hung unobstructed in the sky, casting a hazy light downward.
Shoooo—
A sound came from the inner room. A glass vial smaller than a finger floated to a stop before Shim Jeong-woong. Inside was a tiny amount of dark red liquid.
Catching Han Tae-gang off guard, he stared at the old man, who asked in a tone like addressing a child.
"Tae-gang, my boy, how old are you this year?"
A manner of speech from when Shim Jeong-woong wasn't yet old and Han Tae-gang wasn't grown. Han Tae-gang answered flatly.
"Fifty-one."
"Fifty-one, fifty-one... Yes, at that age, it's about time..."
It sounded like something inevitable, yet tinged with regret.
And then...
Shim Jeong-woong uncorked the vial. With a casual flick, he scattered the liquid inside.
Splash—
The dark red liquid, like aged blood, hung in the air. A faint mana enveloped it, configured to hide the manifestor's traits, its pale hue wrapping around.
Bathed in moonlight, the liquid and mana took on a murky glow...
"...!"
Han Tae-gang's eyes widened involuntarily.
Moonlight, liquid, mana. Combined, a dark red mist bloomed. At its center floated a savage, murky dark red eye.
Han Tae-gang knew instinctively.
'This might be...'
The inexplicable authority Phantom's boss had shown. Different in scale, but from the same lineage of power.
Shim Jeong-woong waved his hand.
Whoosh!
The vanished roof returned intact as if by magic. The red mist dissipated, and Shim Jeong-woong reverted to addressing an adult.
"Representative Han, was what you saw... like this?"
Han Tae-gang decided to hold nothing back. If the other had shown this much of his hand, whatever his motives, reciprocity was right.
He answered firmly.
"Yes. That was the power."
"I see... so that's how it is..."
Shim Jeong-woong muttered to himself, his face twisting grotesquely—worried, or unable to hide his agitation.
Then he asked softly.
"What do you think has been the greatest crisis this world has faced?"
"Demons, surely."
Han Tae-gang answered without hesitation. Demons invading for fifty years. Without the 36 Heroes' victory, the world would be hell.
But Shim Jeong-woong shook his head.
"From some perspectives, yes... but I see it differently."
"I'll listen."
Even the Martial God leading a top guild didn't know this. Han Tae-gang leaned in as Shim Jeong-woong continued casually.
"Suppose there's a lifeform not human but strikingly similar. Lifespans of at least centuries, some nearly a millennium. All possess power beyond current S-rank standards, sustaining it by hunting humans. And some... embrace it fully. Demons were a threat for a mere thirty years at most. But if these have hunted humans for centuries... would you still say demons were the greatest crisis?"
A long hypothetical. Han Tae-gang cut to the core.
"Who are they?"
"Long-lived Species. Or vampires. They're not mere legend. The ancient blood I just scattered, handed down from my ancestors, is proof."
Vampires, humanity's greatest foe before demons eyed our world. Shim Jeong-woong's eyes said they had returned.
After some talk, Shim Jeong-woong saw Han Tae-gang off at the door.
"Take care. I'll contact you soon."
"Understood, Elder."
As Han Tae-gang took a step—
"Representative Han."
Shim Jeong-woong suddenly called him back. Han Tae-gang turned, and a wistful question emerged.
"You and I, Lee Si-hyeok, Jeong Se-bin, and the others... Were we... heroes?"
"Probably... we were."
Han Tae-gang answered quietly and walked away. Shim Jeong-woong gazed at the clear, star-strewn black sky, the moon hanging there. He deemed the grown child's words right.
Were we heroes? Probably, we were.
Both question and answer presupposed the past, not the present.
Shim Jeong-woong looked at his hands. Wrinkled. His gaunt fingers lacked strength. The vast mana within scattered day by day.
He who had led Korea's magecraft for half a century, fought demons to protect the world, was now dying.
'I... want to live longer.'
The old man yearned for it. Not for seeing magecraft's end or unfinished work—petty excuses. He simply rejected death.
And... he was resolved to do anything to avoid it.
He had never lived virtuously. He fought for grand causes at times, but at root, he followed his desires.
Shim Jeong-woong (沈正雄). Meaning: Hero to rightly lead the world.
His public life bore the name well, but dark sides existed, hidden by necessity. He felt no shame.
Only one regret gnawed.
'Were we... heroes?'
Twenty-odd years ago. Years as hero with thirty-five comrades. Those memories lingered faintly in his heart.
April 20th, Tuesday, around 6 PM.
After the second day's written exam, Lee Sea, in my passenger seat, blurted out.
"Who made the Magic Dynamics exam...?"
Her tone burned with resentment. I answered honestly.
"Oppa did half, Professor Seo Sang-wook the other half. ...Why? Was it tough?"
"...Which problems did who make?"
I answered honestly again.
"Oppa did the odd numbers, professor the evens. Uh... it was kinda hard, yeah?"
"... "
Sea glared without a word. I knew what she meant without her saying it.
'You call that a problem?'
Gripping the wheel, I cautiously defended myself.
"Look, I didn't know when I was a student, but that's just how the vibe is. We aimed for max difficulty without being sneaky."
Exam difficulty varies wildly by the proctor's mindset. Overfocus on hardness risks unfairness, but fortunately, Jeil High profs crafted brutally tough yet fair problems.
I hadn't wanted it that hard, but they said stick close to past levels, so I did. Contract researcher prof— what power do I have?
I wondered her score but held back; per Yoo Hae-bin's report, Sea brags only after all exams. Suppressing my itch, I drove home, fed her dinner, then sat at my desk.
A thick stack of papers in hand. List of visitors to Korea for defensive construct tech exchange, discussed with Professor Seo Sang-wook.
Names of top magecraft groups and guilds. And members.
Including three of the 36 Heroes.
France, UK, Russia. Representatives from each. All Europeans—the surviving European 36 Heroes, every one.
Could've called North America or Asia first. Authority was mine and the professor's.
But I chose Europe first.
Kill the Evil's Volume 2 subtitle: 'The Heroes' Disciples'.
My unique quest: Clear Phantom from suspicion by killing the 36 Heroes.
Yeom Ui-jun dead, five confirmed traitors left alive.
One among the three I called.
Revenge, quest, Sea, Jin Yu-ri. And more factors.
Linking them into one line, I planned the most efficient path through the night.
Two days later, Thursday afternoon.
In the cleared, spacious lecture hall, I announced to the students.
"Magic Dynamics practical exam begins. Time limit: 90 minutes. Get ready, everyone."
"Yes, sir!"
Hundreds of voices boomed in unison.
Between them and me, a translucent barrier about three meters wide slowly rotated.