Master? What Even Is That? (1)
Gurye Free City's security was handled by the autonomous committee's vigilante squad.
The empire had granted civilians legal authority to use force in order to maintain stability in the city—provided they were under constant supervision and oversight.
Ji Gwangin, a vice-ministerial-level administrative officer dispatched by the empire, served as the standing committee member responsible for monitoring and checking the vigilante squad.
The squad's base was outside the castle walls.
Its members needed combat prowess, so they were centered around awakeners from the Nogodan Guild.
That was the unique aspect of the Nogodan Guild.
They focused more on Gurye city's security than on hunting.
How did they make money, then?
Taxes, of course.
They occasionally went out hunting, but the guild maintenance fees were more than covered by taxes.
Early one morning, a crime report call came into the Gurye vigilante squad.
The Nogodan Guild member who took the report sensed something was off and rushed straight to the guild master's office.
"What is it? What kind of big deal is this that it made it all the way to me? Can't you guys handle it yourselves?"
Guild Master Lee Jeonghak scolded the member with an annoyed look.
"W-well, it's the name of the reporter."
"Who is it?"
"Kim Taeju."
"Who the hell is that? Do I have to care about every no-name—wait, what?"
Lee Jeonghak's expression flipped in an instant.
"Kim Taeju?"
"Yes."
"The Kim Taeju who developed the mosquito poison antidote?"
"That's right."
"What's the report about?"
"Here..."
The vigilante squad guild member handed over a pre-summarized transcript of the report recording.
"Read it yourself."
Lee Jeonghak read it slowly.
His face grew redder with every line.
"Haa, this is driving me insane."
Four thug druggies had broken into Kim Taeju's house trying to kidnap him, only to get caught red-handed.
They were currently detained, and the suspects' names were listed.
'Ma Sang-sik, you fucking idiot.'
Famous junkie gangsters, the so-called Sangsi faction. Their boss, Ma Sang-sik, was an awakener.
They were tools frequently used by YJ Drugstore owner Jo Hoonseok.
Lee Jeonghak knew it too—that Jo Hoonseok supplied them with drugs.
This was free city Gurye.
Drugs rolled around in the slums like trash.
Rooting them all out would take massive manpower and money.
He'd been turning a blind eye since they hadn't caused any major issues so far, even though he'd been keeping tabs.
Besides, Jo Hoonseok had been controlling things decently with drugs as leverage.
'If you're gonna start something, at least succeed, you morons. What an idiotic failure.'
And they'd even uncovered the mastermind behind it.
With evidence in hand, come pick them up.
Conduct a thorough investigation to show the vigilante squad's credibility.
"Damn it all!"
His head throbbed.
Jo Hoonseok was a pillar of Gurye, one of the autonomous committee members, and held his own faction within it.
Punishing him would be a huge burden.
On the other hand, Kim Taeju was a newcomer to Gurye, but he had a background that couldn't be ignored.
Baek Hongpyo, owner of Baek's Drugstore and director of Baek's Orphanage—a man with immense trust among the people of Gurye—backed him.
Neither side could be handled lightly.
"Hoo, no wonder I've been feeling uneasy."
First things first—check the scene.
"Call the guys. We're deploying to Kim Taeju's place immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
Lee Jeonghak set off right away.
Even in the car, his dilemma persisted.
'How should I handle this?'
The best way would be to drag Jo Hoonseok by the collar, make him apologize to Kim Taeju in person, and push for a settlement.
But would Jo Hoonseok comply obediently?
What if he played crazy and denied it to the end?
The conflict could drag on.
It would burden the vigilante squad too.
They were almost there.
The empty lot in front of that five-story building.
"Ah, shit!"
Four men were bound with ropes, kneeling on the ground.
Sangsi faction guys.
Behind them stood Baek Hongpyo, a man in a gray coat, and armed people.
The armed ones were likely orphanage alumni awakeners or mana compatibles.
Screech!
The car stopped, and Lee Jeonghak got out.
Then, his Nogodan Guild members piled out behind him like a entourage.
Lee Jeonghak stormed over to the bound Ma Sang-sik without so much as glancing at anyone else, kicking him hard as if furious.
"You fucking junkie bastard! I always knew you'd cause trouble someday."
Thud! Thud thud!
"Aaaagh! Aaagh! Sp-spare me..."
"It hurts? You think you're worthy of pain?!"
Shing!
Lee Jeonghak drew his sword.
"By the authority granted to me by His Majesty, I execute summary judgment. You piece of shit!"
"Huuuuh?!"
Taeju didn't like this Lee Jeonghak one bit.
Executing summary judgment right away without even verifying the facts?
So he stepped forward.
"That's enough."
"What? Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Kim Taeju."
"Ah..."
Only then did Lee Jeonghak look Taeju straight in the eye.
"Finally looking at you. I've wanted to meet you sometime—to thank you for the mosquito poison antidote."
"Is that so? Anyway, Ma Sang-sik here is a key witness. You can't just kill him without an investigation."
"Key witness, huh."
"Here..."
Taeju played the smartphone video.
"The mastermind is YJ Drugstore owner Jo Hoonseok. He ordered us to kidnap you and addict you to drugs... Aah! Please, just one syringe..."
Lee Jeonghak watched the video silently.
"Fine, that's all good, but this guy's a junkie. You think his testimony is credible?"
"That's for the vigilante squad to figure out. I don't have investigative authority."
"So you're saying investigate Jo Hoonseok?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Lee Jeonghak glared at Taeju.
His face screamed, Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?
Taeju didn't avert his eyes either.
Lee Jeonghak, the guild master, was a Master.
How high would that be in martial terms?
Facing him, he naturally realized.
The overwhelming presence, well-trained physique, controlled movements, piercing gaze.
When living with his Master-rank father, he hadn't grasped what a Master entailed.
As a mana rejector, how could he?
He'd just accepted it because people said so.
But now that he'd reached a certain level himself, he understood.
'Pretty strong.'
How many seconds could he last against this guy?
Finally, Lee Jeonghak spoke.
"Let me make a proposal."
"What is it?"
"How about we wrap this up by chopping off these four's heads?"
"What about Jo Hoonseok?"
"Of course we can't let him slide. I'll drag him here and make him apologize for sure."
"Apologize? This is clear attempted murder-for-hire, and you're saying it'll end with an apology?"
"Of course, with separate monetary compensation."
"Do I look like I'm doing this for money?"
Lee Jeonghak scowled, clearly displeased.
"Seems like you're misunderstanding something."
The sword in his hand slowly rose.
"In free city Gurye, my word is the law."
"I can't agree to that."
"I don't need your agreement. If I say so, you follow."
Lee Jeonghak's sword came down toward Ma Sang-sik's head.
"Try blocking it if you can."
In that instant!
Tzzt!
Clang!
A heavy dagger struck the side of the blade in Lee Jeonghak's hand.
Flying Waterfall Flash—a single stroke unleashed with Phantom Bewilderment Step.
The sword veered away from Ma Sang-sik.
'Hm? Where'd that come from?'
He knew who.
Lee Jeonghak smiled at Taeju, amused.
"Now I see you've got some skill. Did you catch these guys too?"
He glanced at the Flying Waterfall Flash that had struck his blade's side and fallen to the ground.
"Throwing skill? ...But you're not even an awakener. At best a compatible, and without skills, how does it hit that hard?"
Lee Jeonghak eyed Taeju curiously.
Even mana compatibles had mana-enhanced bodies.
But their limits were clear.
No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't surpass Beginner.
Awakeners had skills, after all.
"Whatever."
Lee Jeonghak's voice grew rough.
"You dared throw a blade at me?"
Step.
He took a stride toward Taeju.
"What gives you the guts? Is the mosquito poison antidote developer that great?"
Vrrr!
The mana vortex intensified.
Lee Jeonghak's sword glowed milky white.
The Master's symbol: Mana Blade.
But Taeju's expression didn't change.
He simply parted his coat slightly and circulated Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong.
"Or do you trust that weird throwing technique?"
Lee Jeonghak advanced another step, sword tip downward.
Chilling!
The Master's pressure sharpened enough to slice skin.
"Or maybe you're banking on your general father? Too bad—he's already struck you from the family register."
Taeju's expression flickered slightly for the first time.
'Struck from the register? ...I see.'
His father had given up on him too.
But it changed nothing.
He'd resolved to stand alone from the start.
No resentment either.
He understood his father.
"I'm really curious. What exactly are you relying on?"
"A justified demand. If anything, I'm curious what you're relying on, Guild Master."
"Hah, you arrogant punk..."
Lee Jeonghak raised his sword.
Startled, Baek Hongpyo rushed between them.
"Stop! Guild Master Lee Jeonghak!"
"Stay out of it, Director Baek! Unless you want to die."
Whoosh!
"Hup!"
Baek Hongpyo, charging in, was repelled by an invisible force and tumbled backward.
"Father!!!"
"You bastard!"
Baek Changhoon's eyes flashed seeing Baek Hongpyo fall.
The orphanage alumni compatibles did the same.
All drew weapons, entering combat stance.
Lee Jeonghak was dumbfounded.
"...Bastard? Hah! Do I look like a joke to you? These nobodies too?"
Gurye city's Nogodan Guild master and a Master.
No one had ever charged at him so fearlessly.
"I tried to end this nicely..."
Even then, he'd just shoved Baek Hongpyo without harming him.
"And you ignore my goodwill?"
Lee Jeonghak's form vanished.
He reappeared right in front of Baek Changhoon.
"I'll take one arm. Give you something to reflect on your mistakes."
And a warning to Kim Taeju not to get cocky.
The Mana Blade fell toward Baek Changhoon's shoulder.
Right then!
Tzzt!
'What?!'
A sharp blade aura flew at his nape.
Whish!
Clang!
He swung to block, but
Tzzt, tzzt! Tzztzt!
Narrow, leaf-shaped throwing weapons relentlessly targeted his vitals.
Clang! Clang clang!
'Damn...'
Lee Jeonghak was slightly surprised.
Fast, sure—but the paths weren't straight.
Some curved, some zigzagged right in front, fast then slow, targeting upper body but dropping low, or vice versa.
He could take one.
He had gear; no way a throwing weapon could hurt him seriously.
But the crisis he felt as they approached, that nauseating green aura.
Can't let it hit.
That's what his instincts screamed.
Meanwhile, Taeju was furious.
A novel emotion he'd never felt before.
Even for a stranger, he burned with rage at the persecution.
'This bastard, laying hands on Director Baek...'
A man he'd chosen.
A partner he'd vowed to build the future with.
Taeju's eyes narrowed.
Blazing fury, surging battle lust, sharpening calm.
What? A Master?
What the hell is that?!
Swish!
Six more Willow Leaf Daggers slipped from his wrist guards—three per hand.
The Willow Leaf Daggers gleamed blue-green.
Poison essence flowing from his poison core.
All the poisons Taeju had absorbed coated them.
Poison toad, poison dodder, mutant seven-spot ladybug, qi-dispersing mosquito poison, Jirisan's myriad toxic herbs, poison-clawed civet, spore poison, narcotics.
Graze and be poisoned.
A display of the Absolute Poison Demon's dreadfulness.
Of course, he'd need to pierce a Master's thick skin first.
Even Lee Jeonghak couldn't hide his unease.
Because Kim Taeju was stronger than expected?
No.
That level wasn't a threat.
'This guy...'
Kim Taeju stood tall, long coat draped, hands with throwing weapons lowered.
A presence that made even a Master like him shrink.
Kim Taeju loomed gigantic.
He didn't know why, but he did.
He'd faced countless experts, but none gave this vibe.
Would facing the empire's top awakener Master, the emperor, feel like this?
Battle was a clash of auras; once broken, defeat was certain.
But Lee Jeonghak rejected the feeling.
'Fucking punk.'
As if shaking off fear, he gripped his sword hilt tight, zigzagging steps toward Kim Taeju.
Tzzt! Tzztzt!
Clang! Clang! Clang clang!
Pouring projectiles.
Lee Jeonghak deflected them all with his sword.
But!
Tzzzt!
One grazed his hand.
A tiny horizontal blood trace on the back of his right hand.
Vrrr!
His Mana Blade flared brighter, furious at the wound.
"You bastard!!!! I'll chop off your limbs and feed you to the orcs."
"Long tongue. Quit yapping and come at me!"
Taeju didn't retreat from the charge.
Flee from a mere Master? The Absolute Poison Demon?
He'd sooner sacrifice an arm.
Retreat was impossible.
Dangerous, yes.
A Master's Mana Blade.
He couldn't guarantee victory.
But even if wounded, he'd kill them all.
Autonomous committee, Cheonwang Group chairman, imperial high official, Nogodan vigilante squad, pharmacy council... not one left alive.
He had changed.
Yes.
The pathetic mana rejector Kim Taeju was gone.
After linking souls with his parallel self from another world, the Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak.
Honestly, that might be his true nature.
The real him, dormant under the curse of mana rejection.
Taeju slipped his hands into his coat.
His dantian's poison core trembled.
Let's do this.
Get sliced by the Mana Blade or turn him into a pincushion with Flying Waterfall Flash.
Taeju's hands glowed deep green.
Right then!
Thud thud thud thud...
A helicopter propeller sound suddenly filled the air.
All eyes turned skyward.
A chopper hovered overhead.
Before it even landed, a gray-haired man leaped from mid-air to the midpoint between Lee Jeonghak and Taeju.
Shoo! Thump!
One arm and one knee to the ground.
The man nailed the so-called hero landing.
"Hey, Lee Jeonghak!"
Lee Jeonghak's face twisted horribly at the sight.
"Long time no see? You never change—love that."
"...Major General Oh."
It was Oh Jinhyeong, commander of the Jirisan monster defense legion.
End of "Master? What Even Is That? (1)"