#56 Let's Have a Real Spar
By the time Choi Kang-ho woke in the morning, Seol-a was still flailing about in dreamland.
"......"
He gazed down at his rickety old bed. He had zero interest in furniture or houses, so it was just something he'd hacked together from logs. Humans got attached to the little things fast. Even this crude bed had wormed its way into his affections after all these years.
Kang-ho studied Seol-a curled up beside him, clutching his faded brown sweater tight. Inanimate objects might grow on you, but a living being? No contest. In that moment, he realized with a jolt just how deeply he'd come to care for this little one.
Without thinking, he reached out and brushed her sleeping cheek. The soft, plump skin—faintly flushed pink—felt warm under his fingers. He stroked her hair too.
Seol-a scrunched her eyes tighter, sniffing the air, then mumbled around her lips. She buried her nose deeper into the sweater clutched to her chest.
Why's she so obsessed with that thing? Kang-ho tilted his head, utterly baffled.
Suddenly—
Flap!
Seol-a's tail twitched. Kang-ho watched it idly. The fur was fluffy as cotton candy.
Kids...
He'd never raised a child in his life.
How the hell do you even do it?
Looking back, his existence had zeroed in on battles and taming beasts. Sometimes, dealing with monsters felt easier than people. Humans changed. The world had changed them all—even his oldest friends weren't exempt. Memories of his pre-Daybreak civilian days had faded to black-and-white haze. He still dreamed of them now and then.
Come to think of it, I've missed out on a lot...
Living like that.
As these thoughts swirled—
From his futon spread on the floor, Theo's eyes snapped open. The necromancer grabbed his smartphone first thing, scrolling furiously.
"......"
What's his deal now?
Sensing Kang-ho's gaze, Theo looked up.
[It's unfair.]
"......?"
[Cheating.]
He flopped back onto his futon with a massive pout and yanked the blanket over his head.
Is he begging for a beating? Kang-ho cocked his head and rose from bed.
"Hey, look."
"It's Choi Kang-ho!"
"Should I ask for an autograph?"
"He's even hotter in person!"
"......"
Downtown Seoul. The stares drilling into him made Kang-ho's head spin a bit. He was used to attention lately, but this was overkill.
He glanced at Seol-a in his arms.
"Seol-a."
She looked up from gnawing her jerky.
"Any idea what's going on?"
"Seol-a!"
"So cute..."
Suddenly, one of the murmuring crowd—a young woman—approached cautiously.
"Um..."
"......?"
"Could I... get a photo?"
"......"
Kang-ho blinked, then nodded. She beamed, snapped the pic with him, and bowed frantically.
"Th-thank you!"
This was central Seoul—right on the way to Yeongdeungpo. Across the street, a massive billboard played a video loop.
"That's..."
Him slaying the evil dragon Kasumus. The highlight: his massive mana blade shearing off a leg.
"......"
That's when Kang-ho realized things had spiraled.
He yanked out his smartphone—dead from neglect amid his busy days. Plugged in, it powered up to a blazing group chat.
"......"
The backlog stretched on. Digging in, Kang-ho pinned it on a YouTube video Theo must've uploaded. Already over a million views, comments topping ten thousand and climbing live.
Uploader was obvious.
◈ Kasumus raid highlight
◈ Live comments flooding in
"Whew......"
He regretted this morning already. Should've thrashed that demon after all—instead of skipping the bloodshed first thing.
Anyway. Kang-ho sighed shortly and trudged on. First stop: bookstore for parenting books. Digital was fine, but he preferred paper—the tactile flip of pages was a lost art these days.
Bag in hand, he ambled to Yeongdeungpo 12th Street alley. An old beastkin grandma eyed him from her stool as he pushed open the weathered wooden door. Seol-a paused mid-chew, staring.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"That child's a White Fang subspecies?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"The druids' legend..."
She shook her head slowly.
"Was true after all. Go on in."
The door behind her swung open to Yeongdeungpo 21st Street. Seol-a squirmed to get down, so he set her free and took her hand, strolling slowly. The place felt worlds away from human streets—like stepping into a fantasy realm.
Fame followed you everywhere. They reached Smith's forge.
"Ah, you're here."
The dwarf grinned broadly.
"The talk of the town lately, eh?"
"......"
Kang-ho pinched his brow silently; Smith burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
"Sigh... Check this out."
From his hefty backpack, Kang-ho pulled a single scale.
"Kasumus material, huh."
Smith's face turned dead serious. Born artisan.
"Hmm. Incredibly tough. Top-tier hardness, and the mana resistance..."
He infused a bit of mana. The scale dispersed it effortlessly.
"Self-mana resistance too... And this covered its whole body?"
"Roughly."
"Oho... First time seeing stuff like this. Mind if the workshop studies it a bit?"
"Knock yourself out."
"How much you got...?"
Suddenly, a chill ran through Smith. Kang-ho had felled that behemoth—peel off those dense scales?
"Mountain pile waiting. Looks like you've got work ahead, Smith."
Kang-ho flashed a grin.
"......"
Im Cheol-bae sat in his office, staring silently out the window. The media frenzy raged on—and deservedly so.
Choi Kang-ho's long vanishing act, then triumphant return. His godlike prowess on full display.
Top Awakeners weren't just strong anymore. They became symbols, national pride. Sometimes, raw power was national strength.
It inspired. Forte had holed up in the training hall post-raid, clearly fired up.
"Still the same firecracker."
Cheol-bae gazed out endlessly. Cigar smoldered in one hand.
Me.
Three decades against that wall. Three as Mercenary Guild's BIG3 master. Guild thrived, but a void lingered. Better with old pals around; now retired to their paths, it hit hard.
Time to retire.
Era shifting. BIG3, Four Great Sects—old guard stepping back. Time waited for no one.
But...
Cheol-bae clenched his fist. Muscles rippled across his frame. Body still ironclad, heart pounding young.
Not yet.
No matter the rising stars or sweet temptations to bow out—he wasn't leaving the peak. Not till his finest hour, exiting to thunderous applause, not time's defeat.
Thump-thump-thump.
He bit down on the cigar.
Puff—
Smoke billowed thick.
Kang-ho eyed the sleek black sedan halting before him. Rear window rolled down—familiar face.
"Kang-ho."
Cheol-bae.
Kang-ho grinned.
"What's up?"
"Heard you were nearby. Figured I'd swing by."
"Heard?"
Cheol-bae wordlessly flashed his phone screen.
"Popular, huh."
"Not thrilled about it."
"Hahaha! Hop in. Let's grab a meal—been too long."
Kang-ho nodded. The sedan purred toward a restaurant.
But they pulled up at a dingy Seoul back-alley gukbap joint.
Kang-ho smiled.
"Remember this place?"
"Crazy it's still open. Forty years now."
"Been ages."
"I drop by now and then."
An old haunt. They ducked through the worn door. A hunched grandma at the counter greeted them.
"Welcome."
Beside her, a fortyish employee hustled.
"Your daughter?"
She nodded with a smile.
"Daughter-in-law. Time to pass the torch."
"Makes sense."
They sat, ordered three bowls of gukbap and braised pork. Seol-a perched on a chair, eyes wide at the new spot, glancing everywhere.
"Kid, you like meat?"
Cheol-bae asked kindly.
Seol-a stared. For some reason, he reminded her of Kang-ho. She beamed and nodded.
"Yeah."
"Me."
Kang-ho ruffled her hair proudly.
"Good girl."
"Ung."
"Hahaha! Auntie, soju bottle here."
Gukbap, pork, soju arrived. Cheol-bae skipped shot glasses, filling big water cups instead and sliding one to Kang-ho.
He clinked as if routine.
Gulp-gulp. Drained it. Cheol-bae spoke.
"Hey, Kang-ho."
"Yeah."
"Plans after chow?"
"Dunno."
"It's been a while—"
He refilled the cup, pushed it over.
"Spar with me. For real."
"......"
Kang-ho met his eyes. Resolve burned in his old friend's gaze.
He clinked glasses, downed the soju like water.
Nodded.
"Sure. Why not."