Chapter 271

Shhk!

The Iron Golem’s impossibly sturdy body was sliced apart like soft tofu.

Even steel imbued with mana couldn’t withstand Scorching Yang Qi.

Everywhere the spearhead cut and pierced, it carved a trail of fire, leaving molten metal dripping to the ground.

Ding. Ding.

System

• You defeated the Level 95 Iron Golem!
• You gained a considerable amount of EXP!
• You defeated the Level 95 Iron Golem!
• You gained a considerable amount of EXP…

“Why is it so weak?”

Even I was bewildered by what I’d just done.

Iron Golems were difficult monsters. No, extremely difficult. They couldn’t be killed without destroying their cores, and their destructive power and durability were both tremendous.

Regeneration that surpasses a Troll’s and destructive power that rivals an ogre’s.

On top of that, they had inexhaustible stamina and resistance to magic.

Their only flaw was that they were somewhat slow, but considering their countless advantages, could that really even be called a flaw?

There was a reason they were considered some of the strongest A-rank Golems. And yet…

Why is this so easy?

Whoooosh!

The pressure from the wind sent my hair flying. An Iron Golem’s fist came crashing down toward the crown of my head.

A scream erupted from among the rookie Guild members.

“Look out!”

That rookie needed some training. If a teammate looked like they were in danger, they should have picked up a rock lying nearby and at least tried to distract the enemy. What were they doing?

Well, he is a rookie.

I clicked my tongue and clenched my fist.

In the brief instant that remained after splitting a second in half, then splitting it again, decades of internal energy raced down my arm.

Scorching Yang Qi transformed into blue flames and gathered around my fist.

And then…

Claaang!

I drove my fist forward.

Fist against fist. Iron Fist against the Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist.

The ground caved in with a metallic clang, and compressed air exploded outward. Through the swirling wind, I saw the Iron Golem stagger backward.

Only seconds ago, its arm had been solid and gleaming. Now it melted and dripped away as if a fire dragon had swallowed it.

—Grill?

Iron Golems were magical puppets without emotions.

Yet at that moment, I could have sworn I sensed bewilderment from the creature.

“Yeah. Of course I’m grilling you.”

I kicked off the ground and shot upward.

The Iron Golem’s gleaming steel chest filled my vision. And then I sensed it.

Deep within its enormous body, which contained not a trace of qi, something pulsed and poured out mana.

The Golem’s core.

“This Hunter offers free grilling.”

I slammed my open palm into its chest. The cool metal was consumed by the heat of the Flame Divine Palm.

Hisssss!

Molten metal sprayed outward as a huge hole opened in the Golem’s chest. The core that had supplied it with mana shattered without resistance.

—Grrrrr…

Rumble!

Deprived of its core, the enormous body lost all strength, broke into pieces, and collapsed.

Just as a person couldn’t breathe with a ruptured heart, neither could an Iron Golem.

I landed lightly atop the heap of metal piled up like a small hill.

“All right. Next.”

—Griiiill!

With mechanical roars, waves of gleaming steel surged toward me from every direction.

If I kill all of these, I should level up at least once, right?

Anticipation rising, I swung my spear.

The Fire Dragon Divine Spear, now at the seventh stage, burned through air and sound alike, carving a path of fire.

Fwoooosh!

Rumble!

The final Iron Golem collapsed with a deafening crash.

It had taken only a few minutes to dispose of more than ten A-rank monsters.

When I looked around, everyone was staring at me in shock.

“This is insane…”

“Did you see that? Did you just see that?”

“Yes. I saw it.”

“Wow, he was playing with an A-rank monster. I couldn’t even see him move.”

“I told you I saw it.”

A voice rang out above the murmuring rookie Guild members.

“Is the raid over already? After combat, clean up the remains and keep watch over the surrounding area. Guild Master and Miss Song, please take charge.”

His words were polite, but his tone cracked like a whip.

Team Leader Choi landed lightly, and the rookies flinched before hurrying off to find something to do.

He really does have charisma sometimes.

Maybe it was that unique aura of his. You had to be born with something like that.

As I was thinking this, Team Leader Choi approached and spoke with a grave expression.

“Mr. Jin Taekyung. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but I can’t hold back any longer.”

“Yes.”

“Where did you buy that spear?”

“…”

Right. This was the kind of person he was. I’d forgotten for a moment.

Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, Team Leader Choi’s gaze remained fixed on the spear in my hand—White Flame.

“It’s like looking at a work of art. A classical yet beautiful Chinese-style design. Don’t tell me it’s made from Magic Gem?”

No. It’s made from Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.

Of course, telling him the truth would only cause trouble, so I gave him a vague answer.

“I’m not sure. I don’t know much about it myself.”

Team Leader Choi’s covetous gaze traveled up and down the spear.

“If you don’t mind my asking, would you consider selling it to me…?”

“No. It’s not for sale.”

Even if I wanted to sell it, I couldn’t. It was a bound Item that only I could use. The Item information said so, too.

Perhaps for that reason, it was the only object in my two separate inventories—the ones divided between Murim and the modern world—that could travel between the two worlds.

“Ah…”

Team Leader Choi smacked his lips in disappointment, then changed the subject.

“Regardless, I’m truly impressed. You just keep getting stronger.”

I answered half-jokingly and half-seriously.

“All it takes is training like hell for a year under a Supreme Peak master with dementia.”

“Dementia? What did you say?”

“A Supreme Peak master.”

“Isn’t that a term from wuxia¹ novels? Peak master, Supreme Peak master.”

“That’s right. I’m thinking of writing a novel as a hobby after I retire. Something like Login Murim.”

“That title isn’t very good. It won’t be a hit.”

“I’m not actually planning to write it.”

Team Leader Choi let out a short laugh before speaking.

“I know I’ve said this before, but sometimes, when I look at you, Mr. Jin Taekyung, a certain thought crosses my mind.”

“What thought?”

“Whether you and I are truly the same kind of person.”

His light brown eyes seemed to grow hot and reddish.

“A perennial F-rank Hunter becoming this powerful in only a few months? If I hadn’t seen you with my own eyes, I never would have believed it.”

It was a reasonable suspicion.

Second-awakened Hunters were uncommon, but not so few that they could be considered exceedingly rare.

In my case, however, I had reached a realm far beyond any ordinary second awakening.

What’s more, Team Leader Choi had watched my transformation from closer than anyone else.

I might fool everyone else, but not Team Leader Choi.

To him, I was no different from a second-, third-, or fourth-awakened Hunter.

I licked my dry lips.

This was a secret I had to take to my grave.

If it ever got out, I might be dragged off by the NIS²—or no, NASA—and spend the rest of my life as a test subject.

“Team Leader. I’m sorry, but that’s…”

Team Leader Choi shook his head slightly and cut me off.

“I know. I understand that you have secrets you can’t even tell me. In a way, I’m in a similar position, so I have no intention of pressing you.”

A similar position?

Before the question could fully form in my mind, he continued.

“An unprecedented second-awakened Hunter unlike anything the world has ever seen. That explanation should be enough, shouldn’t it? Butler Kim feels the same way I do.”

Song Song and Im Kkeokjeong had joined us later, but Butler Kim had been at Team Leader Choi’s side, watching me grow.

News articles were already pouring out under headlines like The F-Rank Hunter’s Rebellion and A Miracle. If the two of them kept their mouths shut, I could probably bring things to an end here.

I dipped my head.

“Thank you. I owe you one.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“But may I ask you one thing?”

“Anything.”

“Why are you going this far for me?”

“Oh, that?”

Team Leader Choi gave a breathy laugh.

“You just said it yourself. You owe me.”

“I did.”

“And I intend to collect that debt in full—with interest.”

“…?”

“That’s all you need to know. Well, then.”

Team Leader Choi turned to leave, then paused.

“That novel you mentioned earlier—if you ever write it, let me read it. I enjoy novels more than you might think.”

“Then you won’t be able to read mine.”

“Why not?”

Because if I ever write it, it won’t be a novel you’d enjoy. It’ll be an essay about my own experiences.

Team Leader Choi tilted his head at my silent smile.

The workshop—or rather, the raid—scheduled to last six nights and seven days ended after only three.

I had wandered around alone and beaten down every monster I saw, leaving nothing else to hunt.

“It was supposed to be a raid for team bonding, but somehow it turned out like this.”

I quietly avoided Song Song’s incredulous stare.

Wiping out all the Golems inside the Gate hadn’t been enough. I’d even soloed the boss monster.

That EXP was so sweet.

“Ahem.”

“The rookies need raid experience, too. Why are you so desperate to jump in every time you see a monster?”

“Come on, it all worked out. Let it go.”

“Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

“Now, now. Let’s just let it go, Miss Song.”

“And if I just can’t let it go?”

“I’ll punish you by confessing my feelings.”

“…”

Song Song pressed her lips shut and slowly backed away with a frightened expression.

I got what I wanted, so why do I feel like crying?

Hah. I loved you…

I trudged away like the tragic male lead of a romance.

The moment I exited the dungeon, the reporters camped outside the Gate set off a barrage of camera flashes.

I had spent an entire year in Murim, but only a few days had passed in the modern world.

It would take more time for all the interest and excitement surrounding me to die down.

“Please step back, reporters!”

“Only authorized personnel are allowed beyond this point!”

Only after the guards rushed in and held back the press did I escape the barrage of flashes.

Once the shutter sounds finally stopped, the rookie Guild members, their faces flushed with excitement, shouted loudly.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

Their eyes sparkled. Their gazes were filled with admiration and respect as they looked at us.

Though, of course, most of that attention was focused on me.

Feeling awkward, I turned toward the founding members. That was when I realized someone was missing.

“Where’s Uncle Kkeokjeong?”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, he isn’t here.”

Team Leader Choi answered.

“He told me privately on the way here, then slipped away. Apparently something came up.”

“What could be so urgent that he left without even changing out of his gear?”

“It must be urgent if he left like that.”

What was going on? Had something happened at home?

An uneasy feeling settled in the back of my mind.

Come to think of it, I didn’t get to talk with him much after returning.

I had spent most of the raid operating alone, so I hadn’t had many chances to talk with the others.

Looking back, Im Kkeokjeong’s expression had seemed a little dark. At the time, I’d assumed he was simply nervous, but…

Did something really serious happen?

Even after I changed out of my gear and everyone went their separate ways, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I debated for a long time whether to call him, but in the end, I sent a quick message to the number saved in my contacts. It simply said that we should grab a drink together soon.

He probably had his own problems to deal with, and sticking my nose in where it didn’t belong might be rude.

That should be enough.

I was staring at the stubborn number 1³ that refused to disappear when—

Bzzzzt.

My smartphone vibrated. A phone icon appeared on the screen, along with the saved name.

It was a name I had saved several months ago and completely forgotten about.

Garam Middle School Classmate Park Jihoon

I had run into him by chance on the day I went to buy a house, and he hadn’t contacted me once since.

What could he want?

Mildly curious, I answered the call.