“Did you say something?” asked the man as he jumped out of his seat.
Shin Sung-Hyun momentarily paused what he was doing. He had been signing documents to approve them, and the man’s question interrupted him.
Shin Sung-Hyun glanced at the man and replied, “...No, I didn’t. More importantly, didn’t I ask you not to interrupt me until I’m done approving these documents?”
“I’m sorry. I must have heard wrongly,” said the man as he quietly sat back down.
Shin Sung-Hyun sighed. The man—Sword Saint Kim Woo-Joong—whom Shin Sung-Hyun considered his rival visited him out of nowhere a few hours ago.
‘And what did he say to me?’
"I will swing my sword, and I want you to stop it."
Shin Sung-Hyun shook his head. He could still recall how shocked he was upon hearing that. Shin Sung-Hyun wanted to ask Kim Woo-Joong what the latter meant by what he said.
‘But now is not the time...’
Shin Sung-Hyun was the Guild Master of one of the Big Five Guilds, so he always had mountains of documents to process on his desk, and his time throughout the day was even divided and managed into minutes.
‘If I manage to finish these remaining documents in eighteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds, skip dinner, and skip pilates today. I might be able to squeeze some time to deal with him.’
When Shin Sung-Hyun finally put down his fountain pen, Kim Woo-Joong jumped up like a meerkat. “Are you done working?”
“...”
Shin Sung-Hyun wanted to tell Kim Woo-Joong that his work was never-ending, but he didn’t say that. Instead, he turned to look at the latter with a tired look and said, “Yes, but it doesn’t mean that I have time to deal with you. I have my own life, you know.”
“...I can’t really say anything because I visited you without an appointment.”
‘At least he knows that much...’
Shin Sung-Hyun sat on the couch directly opposite Kim Woo-Joong and said, “Well then. How about you explain to me what’s going on first? I don’t really understand what’s going on.”
“All right.” Kim Woo-Joong then explained everything with a serious face. Shin Sung-Hyun’s head started aching when Kim Woo-Joong was finally done with his exposition.
“To sum it all up…you fought a True Vampire on the 6th Floor, and he was very strong?”
Kim Woo-Joong nodded.
“You swung your sword as hard as you could, but your opponent directly froze your sword using space?”
Kim Woo-Joong nodded again.
“Therefore, you came to me because you thought I would be a good training partner because my ability is similar to that True Vampire. Is that right?”
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Kim Woo-Joong clapped.
“That’s an excellent summary. You definitely deserve to be the Guild Master of the Goblin Guild.”
“...Hmph.”
‘He’s clueless most of the time, but at least he knows flattery.’
Shin Sung-Hyun checked the time.
He was about to open his mouth, but someone knocked on the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Who is it?”
“It’s Ju-Ha.”
Gong Ju-Ha stuck her head from behind the slightly ajar door, and her eyes widened at the sight as she asked, “Huh? Why is the Sword Saint here?”
“I’m waiting for him to finish signing those documents there,” replied Kim Woo-Joong.
“Yes, but why?” Gong Ju-Ha entered the room and took a seat.
Shin Sung-Hyun spoke to Gong Ju-Ha. “Team Leader Gong.”
“Yes, Master.”
“What brings you here?”
“Let me explain.”
Gong Ju-Ha started explaining with a grim look.
When Gong Ju-Ha was finally done with her exposition, Shin Sung-Hyun covered his face with both hands.
“To sum it all up…you fought a True Vampire on the 6th Floor, and he was very strong?”
Gong Ju-Ha nodded.
“You used the strongest flames you can use, but your opponent swallowed your flames and even sent them back to you?”
Gong Ju-Ha nodded again.
“Therefore, you came to me because you thought that I may be capable of doing the same thing as what your opponent had done because our abilities are similar. Is that right?”
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Gong Ju-Ha clapped.
“As expected! You’re really quick on the uptake, Master!”
“He’s also really good at making summaries,” Kim Woo-Joong added from the side.
“...” Shin Sung-Hyun felt a strong urge to kick the two of them out of the room.
Shin Sung-Hyun rubbed his temples and asked, “Who do you think I am?”
“The Conductor of Space,” Kim Woo-Joong answered.
“You’re great at manipulating space,” Gong Ju-Ha replied.
‘Should I just tell them to piss off?’
“Help me train,” said Kim Woo-Joong.
“When should we start?” asked Gong Ju-Ha.
Shin Sung-Hyun felt like smacking the two in the head when he saw how brazen they were to ask him to help him train as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Sigh…” Shin Sung-Hyun exhaled deeply.
He then tapped on his Vita and called Jang Kyung-Hoon.
- Yes, Master. How may I help you?
“Empty my schedule.”
- Your afternoon schedule?
“No. All of them. I have no idea when I’ll return.”
- What?! No, you can’t do that, Master! The Guild will be paralyzed without you, and—
“That’s actually weird…” In the end, Shin Sung-Hyun was a Player. He became a Player to eradicate monsters and protect the people. “I didn’t become a Player just to scribble on some documents in a room with a nice view.”
- Then, what should I do with the piled-up documents?
“I think it’s time for me to start going out there and do something. You should look for a professional assistant, or you can even do it yourself.”
With that, Shin Sung-Hyun ended the call. He then got up from his seat and removed his tie, which was starting to make him feel suffocated for some reason.
“Follow me, unwelcome guests. I will show you the terrors of space.”
***
“...Huh?” Rahmadat opened his eyes.
Mone was fanning him using a big leaf.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh, umm…” Rahmadat repeatedly blinked. When he tried to raise his upper body, a terrible headache struck him.
Smack! Smack!
He slapped his head a few times before asking, “What am I doing here?”
“My father hit you once, and you passed out.”
“...”
Hearing that, Rahmadat finally remembered what happened. He could have never imagined that requesting to see a werewolf’s emancipation was the same as asking them for a duel.
‘I followed him because he told me that he would show me his emancipation, and I did see it.’
Rahmadat felt a shiver down his spine upon recalling the terrible energy that Arnold had emitted back then.
“Does he get even stronger than that at night?” Rahmadat asked.
“Yes—especially during a full moon,” Mone answered.
“So you weren’t lying…”
It seemed that Mone’s remark about how Arnold was stronger than True Vampire Ghost beneath the moonlight was true. Rahmadat didn’t believe her in the beginning, but now, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.
‘He’s definitely a strong man.’
Arnold was incredibly strong.
“Hehe…”
“...Are you alright? Is your head okay?”
Mone was concerned to see Rahmadat laughing for no reason.
“I’m perfectly fine. Actually, I’d like to ask for some guidance.”
“Guidance? Oh, do you want me to give you a tour of this place?”
“No.” Rahmadat grinned. “I want to fight Arnold again.”
***
“...It is courageous to challenge a being you can overcome.”
However, it was impudence to challenge an insurmountable being without any preparations.
Arnold frowned at Rahmadat. In Arnold’s eyes, the latter definitely looked like he hadn’t prepared anything at all.
“Go back. I think highly of your resiliency, but you are not ready just yet.”
“Hey, it’s not too late to judge me after we have properly confronted each other.”
“That’s funny. Are you trying to tell me that our previous duel wasn’t a proper confrontation?”
“This sounds a bit petty, but yes—I simply let my guard down.”
“That’s more than a bit petty,” Arnold smirked. He was currently training with the other werewolves. “Then prove yourself. Show me why I should confront you again.”
Arnold glanced at someone else, and a man strode out.
Rahmadat didn’t even spare the man a glance as he said to Arnold, “I already fought you once, so I already know how strong you are. I’m planning on fighting you with all my might this time, so you might get a bit hurt in the fight. Will that be fine?”
“Hahahaha!” Arnold boisterously laughed. “He’s looking down on you, Ballack.”
“...The taste of my toenails will bring that arrogant bastard to his senses. For the wolves!”
Thump! Thump!
Ballack thumped his own chest twice and glared at Rahmadat.
Rahmadat turned to look at Ballack and asked, “The energy you’re using is definitely not magic. What is it?”
“You’re arrogant enough to fight a werewolf without knowing what Lunar Force is?”
“Oh, so it’s the power of the moon?”
‘Interesting…’ Rahmadat repositioned and turned to Arnold. “You showed me something interesting earlier, so I’ll show you something good as well in return.”
“Look at me, you idiot,” Ballack said derisively, “How dare you look the other way when there’s a werewolf in front of you!”
With that being said, Ballack rushed at Rahmadat.
‘It’s over.’
Humans couldn’t possibly react to Ballack’s speed.
‘Was he nothing but an ordinary human—an all bark but no bite type of human? I thought I felt something burning inside of him, even though he’s just a human.’
Arnold was about to sigh in disappointment.
However, his train of thought was interrupted by a loud bang.
“...Tandav.”
Boom!
Ballack flew and was buried into the stone wall on the other side of the training hall. He had flown three times faster than the speed he used to rush at Rahmadat.
“...”
Arnold’s expression stiffened as silence descended on the training hall. ‘I’m in human form right now, but that doesn’t explain how my eyes lost him for a moment…’’
Rahmadat’s brief disappearance meant that he had momentarily become light itself.
“Hmm. That was refreshing.” Steam could be seen rising from Rahmadat’s torn flesh as they regenerated. Rahmadat stood up and turned his head a few times. He looked satisfied as if he found it refreshing to have his cells restored after dying.
“So? Was that enough proof?” Rahmadat asked.
“What was your name again?”
“Rahmadat Khali.”
“All right, Rahmadat. You have proven your brilliance.” Arnold glanced at the other werewolves. “Enough training for today, and everyone should leave the training hall right now.”
“Yes, Chief!”
The werewolves carried Ballack away and disappeared.
Once the other werewolves were gone, Arnold finally muttered, “Emancipation.”
Fwooosh!
A formidable force flowed out of Arnold as he was quickly enveloped in gray fur.
‘This is my second time seeing it, but it still looks so cool…’
The presence of someone more powerful than him made Rahmadat’s skin tingle.
Arnold stared at Rahamdat.
“Rahmadat. What is it that you want to gain from challenging me?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I want to learn that emancipation or something to become stronger.”
“I’m sure there aren’t any humans out there who can match your prowess, so why do you want to become even stronger? Just what are you chasing?”
“What do you mean, what I’m chasing? Of course, I’m chasing strength to defeat that True Vampire and—” Rahmadat abruptly stopped speaking. Defeating that True Vampire was a short-term goal. Arnold’s question was deeper than that.
‘What… what was the reason I wanted to keep getting stronger?’
Rahmadat had never really thought about it before.
‘A Gate opened one day. My family, friends, and neighbors were killed.’
Rahmadat’s instinct was to protect them.
What he had done contained neither sublime nor heroic meanings behind them.
‘Isn’t protecting others something that anyone would do? The strong should protect the weak and reach out to those who are in need. Isn’t that how the world should be?’
“...Wolf. Thank you for that good question.” Rahmadat’s eyes turned clear, and his thoughts had become firmer than ever. “I’m stupid, so I can’t really think deeply, but I will get stronger to beat the stronger and worse bastards out there…”
"For me, it’s really fun to beat evil bastards.”
“Is that so?” Arnold answered in a cold voice and slowly closed his eyes.
‘Did he not like my answer?’ Rahmadat gulped.
Arnold smiled.
‘This vibration and heartbeat…’
They could only be made by hearts that spoke only the truth, without even a tinge of falsehood.
‘Has there ever been someone else with such a heart among humans?’
“Oh, and if I need to give another reason, I do have one more,” Rahmadat said.
“What is it?”
“What you said about how there aren’t any humans out there who can match me is wrong.” Rahmadat only blinked once, but that friend of his was suddenly well ahead of them. “I’m a bit sad chasing after my friend’s back. I… want to walk side by side with him. I want to walk side by side with them.”
“Ah, excellent!” Arnold grinned, seemingly overwhelmed with joy. He could feel a true warrior’s passion and zeal from Rahmadat.
‘Rahmadat. You do not have the blood of the wolves, but you’re a beast of a man with a wolf’s heart.’
“It seems that I won’t be bored for a while,” Arnold muttered.
It was always fun to teach someone.
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