5
Chapter 5: The Villain in the Novel
Chapter 2: The Red Wolf (2)
Along with his resolve, his heart began pounding as though it would burst. He didn't know whether it was because he was breathing only through his nose or because of fear, but he quickly became short of breath.
And he hadn't even started yet.
That was how pain worked. Even if you had experienced it before, you never became accustomed to it.
‘Well, that's why torture works.’
He had learned that through direct experience and by carrying it out himself, so he knew it for certain.
After briefly getting distracted by other thoughts, he forced mana into his body.
The moment he began, an intense pain surged through his left hand, as though it were being torn apart into tiny pieces like jangjorim.
He had already been biting down on his pillow before starting, but he clenched it so tightly that he could hear his teeth grinding together.
“Grrr—!”
Every muscle in his body tensed.
He tried to endure it, but his body twisted, and his vision turned completely black.
I'm going to die.
His breathing became even more labored, and his previously clear thoughts began to collapse.
He was afraid.
Because he knew from experience how long the pain would last, Park Sang-woo wanted to lose consciousness immediately.
However, contrary to the horrific pain, his mind became even clearer.
His body lying on the bed writhed against his will.
“Ughhh—!”
He suppressed his screams and restrained his struggling.
Unlike the secluded place outside, where he had hidden himself and screamed while writhing in pain, the elementary school had dormitory supervisors who would rush over whenever the noise grew too loud.
They were heroes who had graduated from a hero military academy.
If a magician or hero examined him while he was undergoing physical modification, they might notice something.
That couldn't happen.
The process of physical modification was fucking terrible, but its effects were excellent.
They were good enough that, if he removed the Japanese villain who would appear in the future, he could even make it into a secret technique.
And if he wasn't the Red Wolf, it was also his only support.
“Ugh……”
After a long while.
Because of the terrible pain, Park Sang-woo had lost all sense of time. When the pain finally stopped, he panted and struggled to spit out the pillow, which was stained with saliva and blood.
He didn't even have the strength to sit up, so he simply rested his head on the pillow and stared into the air.
His head felt foggy.
‘Why am I doing this? I've already torn the warden apart and killed him.’
It had been over two years since he began gathering mana and attempting physical modification.
Yet the only area he had finished modifying was from his right hand to his elbow.
Today, he had added part of his left hand.
When he thought about how long he would have to repeat this process for the remaining parts of his body, a chill ran down his spine.
However, the effects were too good for him to pretend he didn't care and stop.
Even though the modified area was still small, the amount of mana he could absorb had increased significantly.
Park Sang-woo forcibly redirected his thoughts away from this insane act that he couldn't stop.
‘Tomorrow.’
All the qualified candidates who were supposed to enroll had already gathered, and the entrance ceremony was tomorrow.
Tomorrow, he would finally be able to see the list of new students he had been most eager to check.
If there was no orphan named ‘Sang-woo’ on that list, it would confirm that he was the Red Wolf who possessed the trait Evil Gluttony.
Park Sang-woo rose from the bed, which was soaked in blood and sweat.
His arms and legs trembled.
After enduring such immense pain, even moving a single finger was difficult. Still, he knew from experience that if he didn't keep moving, his physical condition would remain unchanged, so he moved to the chair placed directly in front of him.
“Hoo……”
Cold sweat broke out again.
His tracksuit, soaked with blood and sweat, felt unpleasant, but he didn't have the strength to change clothes, so he ignored it for the time being.
Then he began indulging in hopeful fantasies.
What kind of monster would he eat to gain power if he really was the Red Wolf?
A werewolf?
There was no way he would eat one.
There was no doubt that werewolves were powerful monsters, but they were still at a level that an intermediate hero could defeat with a little effort.
The Red Wolf, who had gained mid-boss-level strength by eating such a monster, had certainly been an extraordinary person. Even after becoming stronger through Evil Gluttony, he hadn't stopped working hard, relying on his viciousness, determination, and the malice that lay beneath them.
‘Well, that's how he managed to become a mid-boss despite being born with such an insignificant talent.’
But what if he had known about his trait, Evil Gluttony, in advance?
Would he have ended up as nothing more than the Red Wolf?
Absolutely not.
He would undoubtedly have struggled to hunt and eat monsters far more powerful than werewolves.
Just as Park Sang-woo was doing now.
“Ugh, I can smell my happiness circuit burning.”
He muttered quietly and stood up.
After thinking about various things, some of his strength had returned.
Park Sang-woo took off his clothes and washed himself in warm water.
The fatigue that had accumulated from the pain seemed to melt away. Warm water. The happiness brought by this blessing of science, which could be enjoyed with nothing more than a boiler and the cost of kerosene or gas, was overwhelming.
He hadn't been able to enjoy this blessing often at Blue Orphanage. Even after putting the warden in the basement storage room, things hadn't changed.
That was because the warden wasn't the kind of person who kept money on hand.
After leisurely finishing his bath, Park Sang-woo put his tracksuit, sheets, and pillow into the washing machine and turned it on.
When he looked outside the window, it was still bright.
After briefly wondering what to do, Park Sang-woo turned on the computer provided in his room.
Then he searched for information about the kinds of monsters that existed.
There was still about a day before he could confirm his trait, but he began running his happiness circuit again after having worked it so hard already.
Monsters that used various kinds of magic based on immense magical power.
Monsters that possessed overwhelmingly powerful physical abilities.
Monsters that used techniques so strange that they were beyond simply being mysterious.
There were countless kinds of them.
‘But what would happen if I ate something huge?’
While looking at a snake-shaped monster with such an enormous body that passenger cars looked like toys beside it, Park Sang-woo briefly wondered about something.
The force generated by that monster's muscles must be truly tremendous.
‘Can Evil Gluttony give me all the power that monster possesses?’
Or would it only grant him the strength produced by muscles of the same volume as his own?
The ‘setting’ regarding this was unclear.
After thinking for a moment, Park Sang-woo took a notebook from his drawer. He had used it to write down things that occasionally came to mind.
He opened it and found the section where he had written about Evil Gluttony.
Evil Gluttony.
A bizarre trait that allows its owner to inherit the abilities of a monster whose blood and flesh they have consumed.
The content itself was simple.
The problem was that it was so simple that there was no room for any other interpretation.
More importantly, he couldn't be certain that the ability really worked exactly as described.
‘It's been too long since I read it.’
Park Sang-woo sighed, placed a hand on his forehead, and tried to recall his memories, but nothing new came to mind.
‘I never read it again after it was completed.’
Three years had passed since his friend's Black Sage was completed.
Ten years had passed since he died in an accident and was reborn.
That meant approximately thirteen years had passed.
No matter how much he had enjoyed reading it or how many times he had read it, was it really possible for him to remember the details properly?
‘I don't have the memory of a genius computer.’
Park Sang-woo scratched his head.
The one fortunate thing was that when he realized this reality was identical to the novel his friend had written, he had revived his memories and recorded at least some of the novel's contents little by little.
Everything he remembered about Black Sage.
Even if it was only what he could recall.
The problem was that while making those efforts, he had lost control because of the warden and charged straight ahead without looking back.
Park Sang-woo scratched his head again.
‘Even if I'm the owner of Evil Gluttony, it's also a problem that I have no opportunity to test what kind of ability it is.’
Park Sang-woo closed the notebook and decided to assume the worst.
If he only indulged in pleasant fantasies and then encountered the worst-case scenario, he might fall into despair rather than mere disappointment.
He realized something anew.
‘I'm not strong.’
Honestly, the reason he had been able to continue physical modification was because of the warden.
If he hadn't been blinded by resentment back then, he would have surrendered to the pain and given up, regardless of whether he had any means of becoming stronger.
Likewise, even if he obtained the power of a monster through Evil Gluttony, just like the Red Wolf in Black Sage, he wouldn't be able to continue making insane efforts.
Wouldn't he become lazy after gaining powerful strength, merely pretending to work hard for a while?
Just like almost everyone else.
With a small sigh, Park Sang-woo shook his head to dispel his negative thoughts and turned his attention back to the monitor.
Fortunately, he had plenty of time to grow and prepare in the future.
He diligently ran his happiness circuit while considering which monster's power would suit him.
As a result, several powerful monsters remained saved in his bookmarks.
The washing machine stopped.
Park Sang-woo put on a large headset connected to the new model of mobile phone made by Hanseong Group.
Although it was clearly a new model, it wasn't a smartphone.
The history of his previous life and this world had diverged because an event known as the Great Cataclysm occurred shortly after the Korean War broke out.
Perhaps because of that, the areas of development were subtly different as well.
In any case, these items were part of a sponsorship program carried out by companies for indirect advertising and to attract new customers through those who would become heroes in the future.
Naturally, they were free.
Park Sang-woo called Blue Orphanage. Then he opened the washing machine, took out the laundry, and hung it on the drying rack that he had previously used but never folded away.
‘What should I do about the sheets?’
Normally, the school collected the sheets and washed them. This was because drying them indoors was difficult, but since the sheets were covered in blood, he had to deal with them himself.
After thinking for a moment, he tossed the washed sheets into a corner.
He had roughly removed the bloodstains, so he could either throw them away separately or put them together with the sheets he used later, allowing him to conceal the fact that he had vomited blood.
Just then, the ringing stopped.
“This is Blue Orphanage.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Park Sang-woo immediately stated his purpose.
“Call Sae-bom noona.”
“S-Sang-woo?”
“Sae-bom noona.”
“Ah, okay! I'll call her right away!”
When he heard hurried footsteps running away, Park Sang-woo took a new sheet from the closet and spread it over the bed.
Fortunately, the mattress hadn't been stained with blood, so he finished quickly.
Just as he was rolling up an unopened tracksuit to use as a temporary pillow, he heard hurried footsteps approaching again.
“I've got the phone, Sang-woo.”
“Is there anything worth discussing separately?”
“No. The money hasn't come in yet, so we just have to keep watching. Oh, and I'll reduce the side jobs, so our income will decrease.”
“That doesn't matter.”
Park Sang-woo nodded and sat down in front of the computer again.
“More importantly, from what you've seen, are there any people who seem somewhat useful?”
“They're all kids you already know.”
“Are there any who started moving around once I was gone after spending all this time watching your reactions?”
“It's been less than a month since you left.”
That meant there weren't any.
“Hmm.”
“Oh, now that I think about it, it might not be a bad idea to pay attention to Ja-seong.”
“Ja-seong? Kim Ja-seong?”
It was a name he remembered.
The bastard who had encountered him just as he began the revenge he had been planning for so long, then immediately fainted. Even afterward, despite being put in charge of managing the basement storage room with the warden, he had never opened his mouth.
Perhaps because of his timid personality, he had grown increasingly thin, though.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“He's quick to read the situation.”
Park Sang-woo tilted his head.
“Was there anyone at the orphanage who wasn't?”
In truth, there had been children who were slow to notice things.
But when the previous warden disappeared and the new warden had just begun reorganizing the orphanage, those children either disappeared or suffered permanent disabilities through ‘accidents,’ having the ability to read the situation forcibly instilled in them.
And although it wasn't widely known, the pimp connected to the previous warden had also disappeared.
He had been located very close to the orphanage.
Lee Sae-bom answered.
“Of course there isn't. I didn't explain it properly. Ja-seong is quick to read the situation, and he's also quick to act.”
“Explain in detail.”
“Actually, after you left for the elementary school, things were a little chaotic. I suppose it's because the absolute authority everyone used to be wary of, the warden, had disappeared. But when we were trying to settle things down, Ja-seong was the first one to step forward.”
“What about the warden?”
“That man doesn't have the initiative to take care of things on his own in advance. But he does whatever he's told very thoroughly.”
Those weren't words that a fifteen-year-old girl living in an orphanage should have been able to say. Yet neither she nor the ten-year-old listening to her found anything strange about them.
“That's why I left him alive.”
Park Sang-woo scratched his chin.
“I understand what you mean. Then give him a few tasks yourself. Keep a close eye on how that Ja-seong guy handles them.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and from now on, we should avoid discussing things like this over the phone. This is the elementary school, so we need to be even more careful.”
“What if something happens?”
“We'll have to find some other way to communicate. I'll come during the vacation, so take good care of things until then.”
“Okay. Still, if something happens, I'll call this number.”
“Alright. I'll hang up now.”
“Become stronger.”
“I'm working on it, so you should focus on studying hard, too.”
“I am working hard, too.”
After saying that, Park Sang-woo ended the call. When he looked outside, the sun was beginning to set.
“I haven't even reached the starting point yet.”
Park Sang-woo muttered quietly as he looked at his reflection in the window.
Right now, he was utterly insignificant. He had swallowed the orphanage through violence and manipulation after obtaining a small amount of power, but even that had been insignificant in truth.
After all, the reason the warden had been able to live a life of tyranny was that no one had paid any attention to him.
Therefore, Park Sang-woo had no choice but to look toward the future.
If he focused only on the present, his spirit would break. If he fell, he would never be able to stand again. He would simply give up.
His desperate desire to take on the role of the mid-boss, which might be nothing more than a futile hope, was an extension of the same mindset.
He was looking forward to tomorrow, but he was also afraid.
‘What if it's not me?’
What if the character known as the Red Wolf in the novel existed separately?
‘Would I really be able to accomplish it through effort?’
Even with the power of physical modification.
Park Sang-woo couldn't be certain.
---
He confirmed it.
‘There's no one.’
He was the only orphan from the same elementary school as Bae Jong-hyeok, the reincarnated person and protagonist, who had the name ‘Sang-woo.’
That meant there wasn't another ‘Sang-woo’ who would feel inferior to Bae Jong-hyeok as soon as classes began, struggle desperately to work hard, and suffer setbacks because of the protagonist's exceptional abilities.
There was only one conclusion.
‘I'm that Red Wolf.’
The sole possessor of a unique trait.
The owner of Evil Gluttony.
According to the setting, ‘Sang-woo’ attended the same school as the protagonist Bae Jong-hyeok continuously, from elementary school all the way to the military academy. His friend had said that this was a ‘setting’ intended to make him jealous of and resent the protagonist from a young age.
The moment he believed he had escaped the gutter and become someone special, that belief would be denied.
Everything about the progression seemed malicious toward ‘Sang-woo.’
Park Sang-woo thought of a small question.
‘Would I be jealous of Bae Jong-hyeok?’
The moment he considered it, he nodded.
He would.
In fact, he thought he might be even more jealous than the ‘Sang-woo’ in the novel. He knew how convenient Bae Jong-hyeok's existence was.
Bae Jong-hyeok was an unreasonable existence.
Less than a hundred years had passed since mana appeared in this world, so people were still in the process of accumulating relevant knowledge.
Yet in such a world, Bae Jong-hyeok used the results of thousands of years of cultivation from his previous life, based on his memories.
Life energy, a supernatural ability superior to qi cultivation.
It was like someone flying alone while the entire world was still unable to walk.
How could anyone not be jealous of someone like that?
On top of that, Bae Jong-hyeok already knew the secret technique of the powerful villain who would appear in Japan in the future: physical modification.
But he didn't use it.
Even without enduring such pain, he had already achieved the same effect through the life energy he had learned.
He was a complete being.
That was the position Bae Jong-hyeok had occupied from the moment he was born.
Park Sang-woo burst out laughing.
‘The protagonist really is the protagonist.’
He was the embodiment of unfair advantages.
Most protagonists in genre novels were like that.
They possessed overwhelming talent.
They knew the future because they had regressed.
They had the kind of luck that allowed them to find gold even when they stumbled.
No matter how much they complained about being poor and having an unhappy life, the moment they were the protagonist, they received unreasonable advantages. And yet they complained about unfairness while looking at people who possessed more than they did.
Even though they stood at the peak of unfairness themselves.
They would even calmly smile while completely wiping out the forces of villains, despite the fact that not everyone belonging to those forces was evil.
Like sociopaths.
‘Come to think of it, I'm the same.’
Park Sang-woo scratched his head despite not feeling itchy and chuckled.
Since he had entered a novel he had read all the way to its conclusion, he was no different from someone who had regressed.
He knew roughly how the future would unfold, had discovered the secret technique known as physical modification, and was even searching for the best way to utilize Evil Gluttony, a trait whose nature could never be known until it was used.
So, when he thought about it, he was just as unreasonable an existence as Bae Jong-hyeok.
No.
If he could obtain the blood and flesh of monsters that would require dozens of top-class heroes to fight, he could become an even more unreasonable existence than Bae Jong-hyeok.
‘Though that's only a possibility.’
But wasn't having even such a possibility something to be grateful for?
Whenever life became exhausting and difficult, he understood why people immersed themselves in media that offered vicarious satisfaction.
Being special.
The fact that one was special compared to someone else could provide an incredible sense of pleasure.
Even when crawling along the bottom, one could feel as though they were soaring through the sky.