Chapter 164
“This place is dirtier and uglier than the rumors.”
The members of Guardian studied the perimeter walls of the Kang family’s estate in disdain, unaware that the worst of the garbage and graffiti had been cleared earlier by the protesters themselves, under Roh Jun-Yeop’s cold watch.
In truth, this was the cleanest the estate had been in the last eight years. Nevertheless, stains and the smell of rotting garbage lingered. In the eyes of the Guardian Guild members, the place was strikingly filthy.
“Kang family, come receive your guests!”
One of the guild members shouted through the gate, disdaining to touch the yellowed, grimy doorbell.
As members of Guardian—one of the five major guilds of South Korea, the shield of the country—they naturally carried themselves with the appropriate dignity and authority matching their stations. Their having come to such a dingy place was already lowering themselves. The sooner they could finish their business here and leave, the better.
After a moment of no reply, a senior guild member lost patience. He pulled back his shouting junior and infused mana into his voice.
“Come. Here.”
The two words resonated far and wide. It reached the ears of Jae-Hyeok’s group gathered at the smithy in the backyard of the mansion.
“Guardian...?” Hae-Rin whispered in a daze.
Her reaction garnered stares and questions from the others.
“Guardian? Could it be that the Guardian Guild has come to visit?”
“Why would one of the five major guilds appear in a place like this? Ah! Did they come to pick you up?”
Hae-Rin shook her head. “No. They don’t even know I’m here.”
“Really? If it isn’t because of you, then why...”
The five major guilds were a force comparable to the aristocratic families. What business could they possibly have with the fallen Kang family? The students grew quiet, nervous as the situation dawned on them. Whatever Guardian wanted, their intentions likely weren’t good.
The students watched Jae-Hyeok with worry.
Elder Song was also quiet.
Did they discover that I’m here?
Despite knowing that his Song family had cooperated with the Kang family for generations, the major guilds had attempted to recruit him at every opportunity, pestering him to no end.
The guild’s efforts had led them into several altercations with the Yaksha. Nonetheless, fear ran as deep as greed; even if a few were swatted like flies, they still returned buzzing about.
A craftsman-level blacksmith[1] was simply too tempting. Contracting one Elder Song was the same as outfitting entire squadrons of men—a qualitative change in any organization's strength. Moreover, Elder Song was no ordinary blacksmith. He was a true master; from the high rating of his works to the speed of his repairs and the accuracy of his appraisals—no ordinary craftsman could match Elder Song.
The more powerful the organization, the more they would dare to covet and do anything within their means to acquire a craftsman-level blacksmith like him.
“......”
Elder Song’s silence was conspicuous; the longer it went, the more pairs of eyes turned from Jae-Hyeok to Elder Song in understanding.
Indeed, what else would bring members of Guardian all this way if not Elder Song?
Well, it’s a welcome thing for Elder Song.
Blacksmiths had to work tirelessly to raise their Skill levels and improve their techniques, not to mention a master blacksmith like Elder Song; his needs would be even greater. Given the Kang family’s current state, without question, it lacked the economic power needed to supply the materials for Elder Song’s progress.
Ignoring the issue of money, the only members of the Kang family were Jae-Hyeok, a student, and Butler Hwang, an ordinary person. Even if they were willing, which of them had the time, ability, and access to constantly travel to and fro, gathering materials from gates?
All said, the Kang family really wasn’t a good place for Elder Song to work.
No matter how deep the bond between the Kang- and Song families, it was reasonable for Elder Song to seek a new partner.
“Hmm...”
Kang Jae-Hyeok glanced at Elder Song before peering from the window in the direction of the front gate, slim brows furrowing as he caressed his new sword.
Roh Jun-Yeop saw the look on Jae-Hyeok’s face and immediately shivered. “Jae-Hyeok, don’t be hasty. You can’t seriously be thinking of resisting one of the five major guilds, right... Right?”
Roh Jun-Yeop knew Jae-Hyeok’s personality well. He couldn’t help imagining this guy holding Elder Song hostage, swinging his sword threateningly at dozens of Guardian members and telling them to back away slowly.
The other students were the same.
“T-that’s right! Elder should be able to choose his own future. This isn’t something that can be solved using force.” Da-Hee smiled nervously, hoping to calm Jae-Hyeok down.
Jang Yeon-Ju shoved a lollipop into Jae-Hyeok’s mouth and said, “Try to relax. The five major guilds are on a different level from the rest. These aren’t people you can deal with.”
...This has to be freshly opened, right? Jae-Hyeok took the lollipop from his mouth and shook his head.
“I don’t think they know Elder Song is here.”
“Really? But how could they not know?
Until just this morning, protesters had been camping around the Kang estate’s gates, and it wouldn’t be strange if some were guild informants. The Guardian guild must’ve witnessed Elder Song, an unfamiliar old man, coming and going from the mansion.
Jae-Hyeok shrugged.
“Butler Hwang is a certified make-up artist.”
“......?”
He’s certified in what now?
Everyone looked at Butler Hwang, baffled. What else could this old man do?... Except cook, that is.
Butler Hwang chuckled at the children’s reactions and explained with some satisfaction. “This old one has indeed learned a few tricks over the years. Before bringing Elder Song to the mansion, I disguised him as myself. Then, he came in through the gate, while I climbed over the far wall to avoid notice. It was simple, really.”
“Are you sure that worked? The two of you have different physiques,” Jang Yeon-Ju said.
Butler Hwang waved his hand, “Nothing a little make-up couldn’t fix.”
“?”
Was this a joke, or was he serious?
The students stared hard at Butler Hwang’s honest, smiling eyes, looking for clues. Meanwhile, Jae-Hyeok pushed open the thick smithy doors and stepped outside.
It was dark already. The pale light of the moon was dim, veiled by grey clouds that drifted slowly, riding a cool, earth-scented breeze.
It’s going to rain. I should finish this before I get wet.
Jae-Hyeok turned and considered everyone in the room before announcing, “Guardian is here for me.”
“Ah! I see!”
Jae-Hyeok’s friends’ faces turned red with excitement.
Do-Jin pumped his fist.“The Guardian Guild must’ve recognized Jae-Hyeok’s outstanding performance during the duel evaluations!”
“His training performance is also top-tier. He might’ve failed his final exam, but that was because he was in the hospital during the exam period,” added Da-Hee, cheeks flushed with excitement.
Roh Jun-Yeop looked uncertain, but eventually his brows relaxed and he nodded. “Hmph... I don’t know about the rest, but I acknowledge his skills.”
A first-year student being scouted by one of the five major guilds? This unprecedented news filled them with impatient enthusiasm.
Seeing his friends smiling, Jae-Hyeok, too, smiled, though it never reached his eyes.
***
“Kang Jae-Hyeok... right?”
The men standing on the other side of the gate studied Jae-Hyeok’s face.
In the pitch of night, that man’s questioning tone and the watchful silence of his compatriots immediately caused a strange tension to settle between the two groups.
The Guardian member who’d spoken narrowed his eyes behind Jae-Hyeok, and a brow arched.
“Who are all these other kids? I heard there’s only a butler left in the Kang family.”
The other Guardian members also shared questioning glances. Most surprising was that the children with Jae-Hyeok were all wearing Lion’s Castle student uniforms.
He enrolled a month late and has already built up such a faction?
I heard he beat our young master like a dog. I guess he really isn’t an ordinary person.
So many? Hmph. But this time, you’ve crossed the line, boy.You’re about to realize how scary the world is.
One of the guild members strode toward the gate.
He leaned forward slightly and whispered through the bars to Jae-Hyeok, who canted his head with his hands behind his back.
“You’ve seen our badges”—the man gestured to the large golden-shield insignia on his clothes, the symbol of the Guardian Guild—“You know who we are, yet you still act arrogant.” His voice grew louder. “Good, very good, boy. Today, you will pay for daring to beat up the successor of the Guardian Guild and stealing the successor’s property.”
The man made sure everyone by Jae-Hyeok’s side heard his words. He wanted them to know of Jae-Hyeok’s crazy deeds, intent on isolating him.
Sure enough, there was a commotion among the students.
“What? You assaulted Guardian’s successor and even ripped her off?”
“Kang Jae-Hyeok! I knew you were crazy, but isn’t this going too far?”
The students’ voices were full of emotion. Embarrassment, anger, disgust—their disappointment in Jae-Hyeok was palpable.
That went... even better than I expected?
Even the man who’d announced Jae-Hyeok’s deeds was taken aback.
“Bad person!” In the end, Da-Hee fiercely criticized Jae-Hyeok.
“How can you steal your friend’s property?” Do-Jin also added his own criticism.
“So the reason Park Hae-Rin is always in a daze is because Jae-Hyeok ripped her off... ”
Friend? Park Hae-Rin? Gasp!
The Guardian Guild members had been watching through the gate bars in satisfaction, only for their expressions to suddenly freeze. Woodenly, one of the guild members pointed to a girl in the back of Jae-Hyeok’s group.
Why... why is the young lady over here?
Has that bastard been dragging her around ever since he took her from the young master?
The Guardian Guild’s anger soared as they imagined many things, only to become speechless.
“—When did I beat my friend?”
Jae-Hyeok’s eyes were wide and he blinked repeatedly. He looked at once confused and hurt, the picture of innocence.
Da-Hee, Do-Jin, and the others immediately felt bad.
Come to think of it, hadn’t Jae-Hyeok beaten them all up? But that was with the purpose of training.
“Come to think of it, these guys might’ve really misunderstood.”
“T-that’s right. It is true that Kang Jae-Hyeok hit Hae-Rin, but he didn’t do it with bad intentions. Even if he took her money, how much could he have taken? At most, he would’ve told her to buy him some bread or something. So let’s clear up the misunderstandings.”
“......”
Were they gaslighted as a group?
The rapidly changing atmosphere baffled the members of Guardian.
In the first place, the successor they had been referring to wasn’t Hae-Rin but the sub-master’s son, Jeong Ru-Han. Externally, Park Hae-Rin may be known as Guardian’s successor, but the guild members knew different. The true master of Guardian was the sub-master.
“Don’t waste your time with useless words. Kang Jae-Hyeok, you have to come with us. And the young lady as well... ”
The members of Guardian drew their weapons.
They’d already been informed of Jae-Hyeok defeating Jeong Ru-Han’s bodyguards, so they intended to handle him seriously from the start. They’d even brought along one A-class and four B-class players all to capture this kid. If they still failed in their mission, then they may as well retire from the industry.
“The situation is unusual.”
The students belatedly realized this wasn’t a joke and grew tense.
The Cheon Hye-Ji trio and Yoo-Jin took a step back to watch the situation, while Roh Jun-Yeop and Jang Yeon-Ju hesitated as they clutched their new weapons.
Da-Hee and Do-Jin moved in front of Jae-Hyeok protectively
“P-Put down your sword.”
“What type of adult picks a fight with a kid? Do you lose your age up your ass?”
Hae-Rin joined them.
“Young Lady? Are you possessed by his smooth face? How ugly. How disgusting. You actually abandoned the fiancé you grew up with for another man!”
“I’ve never been engaged to Jeong Ru-Han,” Hae-Rin replied.
“It was only a matter of time. You’ve always been with him, but now......! Forget it. Catch Kang Jae-Hyeok! I don’t care if you have to cut off a limb!”
“Yes!”
To players, a gate was little more than decoration. All five Guardian members leaped, clearing the top of the gate.
As it happened, that was the moment Jae-Hyeok had been waiting for. Immediately, he sank into a low stance and gripped the long hilt of his new hwando by the very end.
“You committed the crime of breaking and entering. No one will say anything even if you are stabbed to death.”
Slash!
Thanks to the added leverage and range afforded by his low grip, Jae-Hyeok’s swing produced a sword light that was noticeably larger and traveled farther.
The broad arc of sword energy carried far enough to reach the guild members, who’d just cleared the gate and were on their way down.
Only the A-class player managed to raise his sword. The other four B-class players were struck in the chest or waist before they could react, tumbling through the air and showering blood.
“In the end, I still got wet.”
Jae-Hyeok clicked his tongue as he broke through the rain of blood to chase the A-class player, who’d just landed unsteadily and was stumbling back.
“Wait...”
The A-class player was still recovering from Jae-Hyeok’s last attack. Blocking that sword light had left his arms shaking and his wrists aching.
“Fuck waiting.”
Do-Jin’s distant comment matched Jae-Hyeok’s feelings exactly.
Jae-Hyeok kicked the A-class player hard, sending him crashing into the gate with his eyes rolled back.
“W... w-what...”
The Cheon Hye-Ji trio and Yoo-Jin were largely unaware of Jae-Hyeok’s past achievements, so they were at a loss for words for what they had just witnessed.
However, there was someone even more surprised than them.
Isn’t he only sixteen years old?
Elder Song was watching the situation from the rear and was stunned by what he’d seen.
No, of course. There’s a reason that boy was chosen by Iyarugt!
And here he’d even chosen Jang Yeon-Ju as his next inspiration; Elder Song shook his head, but his smile only deepened. At the time, he had hesitated, nearly choosing Jae-Hyeok as his next inspiration before deciding on the granddaughter of the Bow Saint.
He recalled what the Yaksha had once said.
-My other children’s talents might seem dazzling right now, but I have the highest expectations for my youngest.He is a genius of hard work.Maybe decades later, he will surpass even me.
Dae-Guk, you are wrong.He won’t need decades. That child is far more than you could imagine...
Elder Song’s blood heated as he unknowingly clenched his fists.
The Kang family will definitely resurge.
1. Craftsman-level blacksmith refers to a specific realm of smithing or crafting that’s beyond even the master-level. ☜