#38 My Hero
A man strode forward with heavy steps toward Choi Kang-ho. His name was Kang Tae-yong, an SS-rank Awakener known as the Wind God. He had long, slanted eyes, a hooked nose, and downturned lips. His jowls sagged slightly, giving him a perpetually ill-tempered look. The man who had supposedly entered secluded training had reappeared.
His blazing eyes fixed on Kang-ho as he spoke. "Choi Kang-ho... what the hell are you doing here?"
The crowd buzzed with murmurs. Kang-ho stared straight at Kang Tae-yong and tilted his head slightly.
"I asked what the hell you're doing meddling in kids' fights."
"Kids' fights?"
His gaze shifted to his youngest son sprawled on the floor. Veins bulged on his forehead. His brothers rushed to the fallen Kang Tae-wang, their faces pale with shock. The fourth son, Kang Tae-hoon, hurriedly pressed his hand to his brother's chest.
"...My God."
The mana core was shattered. His brother's mana was ruined. His life as an Awakener was over.
"..."
Kang Tae-hoon looked up at the exhausted King, his face a mix of pity, resignation, and faint anger. King met his gaze without flinching. Kang Tae-hoon let out a long sigh.
"...Our little brother lost. You win."
He hoisted Kang Tae-wang onto his back. Glancing warily at his father, he added in a low voice, "Sorry."
His tone carried complex emotions. He turned back to his brothers. His eyes flicked to his father.
'Father...'
It had been ages since he'd seen him. For the past year, during his seclusion, they hadn't even caught a glimpse. But something felt off.
'He's definitely Father, but...'
'Why does he look so much younger?'
Kang Tae-hoon's mind raced. He turned back to King. King's eyes stared back without a trace of fear. He couldn't hold that gaze anymore.
'King...'
Everyone in Lebadon's direct line knew his story. They knew why this mess had happened. And...
'Choi Kang-ho...?'
He turned to the man called Choi Kang-ho.
'That's him.'
The Hero 5. Lebadon's direct descendants grew up hearing endless stories about them drilled into their ears. Their father hated them. He was a man consumed by honor and ambition. The youngest took after him completely. Their father's hatred, envy, and jealousy toward the Hero 5—who were idolized in textbooks despite being from the same war generation—were beyond imagination. He burned with resentment that he should have had their wealth and fame. And he always harped on losing brothers to them.
'Father's twin, Kang Jun-seok.'
That hatred had passed down to the youngest, Kang Tae-wang. Hatred begets hatred.
Kang Tae-yong's face twisted further as he overheard the voices. He growled through clenched teeth. "You... wrecked my son."
"It was a fair ranking match."
His face contorted even more at Kang-ho's response.
"And you ruined the fairness with your pathetic meddling."
"Did you step in?"
"I just gave that punk a little beating." Kang-ho turned and pointed at King. "That's all."
"..."
Kang Tae-yong's icy, sharp gaze shifted to King. Then it locked onto King's gauntlets. His eyes widened in shock.
"...The Gauntlets of the Constellation?"
Kang-ho regarded him with impassive eyes.
"You've got those in your hands?"
"Holding onto them."
"Heh... heh heh..." Kang Tae-yong laughed bitterly. "Waiting for Kang Jun-seok, the one you bastards killed? Such hypocrisy."
"..."
Kang-ho paused thoughtfully, then shook his head slowly. When he spoke, his voice was chillingly calm, piercing like a blade to the heart.
"I wondered who your son took after. Turns out it's you."
Whirr—
Oerblade gleamed from Kang-ho's wrist. A sinister mana blade extended.
"You wanna go?"
Kang Tae-yong ground his teeth, mana surging through his body.
Whoosh—!
Gale-force winds howled everywhere.
Whoosh!
Kang-ho stared at him with emotionless eyes. He could feel the mana boiling in Kang Tae-yong's body.
'Stronger than before.'
Kang-ho calmly assessed him. The crowd vanished behind the whirlwind, leaving only the two men inside.
Screech!
Winds raged from all sides.
Slash!
Oerblade sliced through the winds.
Slash! Slash!
The razor winds threatening Kang-ho shattered and scattered. Oerblade pressed against Kang Tae-yong's neck.
Whirr—
Kang-ho spoke lowly. "You don't wanna be humiliated in front of your kids. You've lost enough face already."
"Kuh..."
Sweat beaded on Kang Tae-yong's forehead.
Sizzle!
It evaporated on Oerblade's edge with a eerie hiss.
"You'll back that kid... King?"
"Who knows?" Kang-ho added coldly. "But if Lebadon pulls any more bullshit after this, maybe."
"Kuh...!"
Kang Tae-yong ground his teeth, grasping the implication.
"Watch your mouth. Jun-seok was your brother—and our friend."
"..."
Kang-ho stared him down before retracting the blade. Kang Tae-yong's eyes darkened deeply. He clenched his jaw and quelled the whirlwind.
Kang-ho stepped back slowly to stand in front of King. Kang Tae-yong glared at him for a long moment before turning to the crowd. Veins throbbed on his forehead, then he sighed deeply. His gaze swept the crowd and fixed on Lee Min-ah.
Lee Min-ah spoke. "...This interference will be formally addressed by the Awakener Association. Be advised it may affect future rank promotions for Lebadon guild members."
"..."
Kang Tae-yong ground his teeth and bellowed. "Let's go!"
He unleashed mana outward.
Whoosh—!
Winds tore through the crowd.
"Eek!"
People hurriedly parted left and right. As Kang Tae-yong moved to leave—
"No, wait."
Kang-ho spoke up. "What...?"
Kang Tae-yong scowled, but Kang-ho smiled faintly.
"No, you can't just leave. You crashed a sacred ranking match and now slink away? Not cool."
The crowd's eyes turned to Kang Tae-yong. What an utter humiliation. He scanned around. Smartphones in people's hands were live-streaming this. Giant cameras across the way broadcast it on TV in real-time. His vision blurred.
'Mistake.'
Losing it over his precious youngest son was his fatal error. He felt Kang-ho's piercing stare.
'That's Choi Kang-ho...'
If it had just been King, he could've weathered the public backlash. Heavy sanctions from the Association? Manageable. That's how the Awakener world worked now. Big guilds needed bulk. No different from the old world's ills.
But sometimes, one person could topple a group.
Grind—
That man could. Kang Tae-yong trembled as he slowly removed a ring from his finger and tossed it to Kang-ho.
Clink.
Kang-ho caught it. "Wind Breaker?"
An artifact that amplified wind magic. Kang-ho toyed with it and smiled faintly—not enough.
"Ugh..."
Kang Tae-yong tossed a second ring.
"Wind Shield, huh."
Only then did Kang-ho step back.
"I'll repay this debt."
"Hope you live long enough."
"Let's go!"
The Lebadon family followed. Soon, only the victors remained in the arena.
Lee Min-ah, standing quietly, sighed softly. "The winner of this ranking match is King."
The hushed crowd erupted in cheers.
"Wooooaaah!"
King blinked at the cheers, still in disbelief. Kang-ho shrugged at him. King couldn't help but admire him.
'So damn reliable...'
Winning felt anticlimactic. Having someone stand before him was unfamiliar. Someone who willingly stepped up against the colossal Lebadon clan for him.
Why? For a nobody like me?
This feeling was entirely new. King recalled the Lebadon direct line's arrogance. It stemmed not just from self-confidence, but from an unbreakable backing. His chest tightened. He swallowed hard.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
Applause rang out. But King heard none of it. His eyes fixed only on Choi Kang-ho. Light seemed to radiate from him gloriously.
'So damn cool.'
King straightened his back slowly. Something welled up in his throat. Goosebumps prickled his skin. His eyes stung slightly.
'...Thanks so much.'
But he swallowed it down. Slowly, he bowed deeply in a fist salute to Kang-ho. Straightening, he raised his right hand toward him—thumb up, grinning.
Kang-ho smirked faintly.
"Let's go."
Kang-ho turned and walked. King nodded.
"Yes...!"
But he hesitated, staring at Kang-ho's back. Then he pulled out his smartphone.
Click!
Kang-ho glanced back and beckoned. "What're you doing?"
"...Coming!"
King hurried after him.
Everywhere they walked, gazes showered them. Kang-ho turned to Theo, who wore a strange expression beside him.
[That guy's weird.]
"What is?"
[Gave me a strangely familiar vibe.]
"Familiar?"
[Mana's pure, but it's defying the natural order. Something you'd see in the Demon Realm.]
"Yeah."
Kang-ho's eyes darkened.
'Kang Tae-yong, past his prime, got stronger.'
And.
'He looks younger.'
Something was fishy—more than one thing. Humans had physical limits. Talent ceilings were one thing, but the body had its own wall. Human prime was finite. Kang-ho's unexplained youth was unique; he'd never seen it otherwise.
Yet Kang Tae-yong seemed to defy it. Lebadon was hiding something.