Chapter 33

Chapter 32: The Black Raven Guild (1)

After a grueling torture session that lasted about three hours, it finally came to an end.

In the end.

[...hic. Cough. I really feel like I’m going to die...]

Ellis sobbed softly.

Her once proud nose had been broken.

With the 720-degree spin accelerated and an offbeat counter-rotation added...

The inside of the ring must have been a hell comparable to the gravity training of astronauts.

Hmm.

‘Was I a bit too harsh?’

She had been the head of a family, after all, and I might have stripped her soul too thoroughly.

However, the sympathy didn’t last long.

Whether she was a family head or not,

She was now just a mosquito trapped inside the ring.

“Stop crying and come out.”

Jinhyuk infused magic power into Brahman’s ring.

Then.

Whirr!

The trapped Ellis burst out.

“Huh?”

Ellis, surprised by the sudden freedom, let out a gasp.

Finally, finally... it’s time for revenge!

It was time to repay the humiliation she had endured.

She intended to return at least a thousandfold what she had suffered.

However.

“Huh?”

...Why is my vision so low?

No, it’s too low.

She had to lift her head completely just to see the other person.

‘Why is this happening?’

Ellis tilted her head and examined her body.

Only then did she realize why her vision had changed.

Her tall, slender figure was gone, and her height had shrunk to 30 cm.

Even her powerful magic had long since disappeared.

Her red pupils trembled violently.

“What, what is this?”

What do you mean, what?

“It’s a partial materialization while the seal is still active.”

“Partial...?”

“Yes, just a very small part.”

To be precise, it was like a mini version of Ellis.

The power she could exert was less than 1% of her original strength.

Of course, even with these restrictions, she was still stronger than an ordinary vampire.

But not strong enough to defeat him.

If she acted up, she would be destroyed.

“There’s no way...”

Ellis slumped to the ground.

Her face looked like she was about to cry.

Compared to her initial stern impression, her transformation was unimaginable.

The corners of Jinhyuk’s mouth turned upward.

‘It’s time to offer the carrot.’

Since he had used the whip enough, even a withered carrot would feel sweet.

Jinhyuk took a seat next to Ellis.

“Stop crying and listen.”

And he began to speak.

“...?”

“What I said in the ruins, I didn’t just say it off the cuff.”

In the ruins, Jinhyuk had made a promise.

To grant freedom to Ellis and the bloodline she led.

“I wanted freedom, but not this kind of freedom.”

“I know. Who would call this freedom?”

Jinhyuk waved his hand, looking exasperated.

“Not just physical freedom. I’ll help you regain the true freedom you truly desire.”

“What... do you mean by that?”

Ellis’s voice trembled subtly.

She already had an idea of what he was saying but seemed to want confirmation.

And Jinhyuk.

Intended to meet that expectation.

“Ellis von Ataraxia. If you help me... I will eliminate those who betrayed you and restore your position as the head of the Ataraxia family.”

***

[A new video has been uploaded to the Hall of Fame.]

A 10-minute video was uploaded to the top of the [Tower of Trials] community.

Considering the difficult raid in the ruins, it was an excessively short video.

Even so, it was a highlight reel of only the battle scenes.

However, the viewers who saw it had to admit that the length of time was irrelevant.

The raid that was thought to have failed.

But the situation completely reversed with the appearance of the masked player.

-MochiMochi: Even after knowing the outcome, I’m still on the edge of my seat.

-TtangLatte: Yeah, when he stood alone in front of the vampires, I was scared for him.

The noble vampires, who could use both magic and physical force, were trampled like insects.

Scenes that lacked realism unfolded one after another.

-KimPajun: It’s insane. I thought I was watching John Wick after his dog was killed and his car was stolen.

-BunnyGongDew: He did do something that would get him killed.

-AiPakson: Don’t kill the dog of a retired killer.

-KoreanJoker: But the movements and combos are really on a different level.

-BBQVampireMild: Yeah, he doesn’t even know what counters what. Magic, sword skills, he’s completely versatile.

Praise poured in.

There was really nothing to say other than admiration and amazement.

To that extent, the player in the video overwhelmingly crushed the vampires.

Then.

-OldSchoolDiscriminator: I knew it. This guy is the one who used the Mangrove and the top 10 weapon to get into the Hall of Fame!

-TtangLatte: I was wondering why he wasn’t seen in the third floor strategy. He went to the ruins?

-SideNote: By the way, I heard he’s the one who made Song Cheon-hwa’s hair.

-TtangLatte: Haha, I thought baldness was the academic consensus for the world’s strongest.

-SideNote: In this world, it’s just a taco that can’t be eaten. Haha.

-BBQVampireMild: If the Saint of Amsterdam recognizes him, everyone should bow and recognize him.

-KimPajun: Manager! Add a bowl of national pride here!

***

While the world’s attention was on the video,

Jinhyuk had arrived in front of a high-rise building.

It was the headquarters in Seongbuk District, purchased by the Black Raven Guild.

“The guilds are sitting on a pile of money... It seems to be true.”

A 35-story building with a view of the Han River, how much would it cost?

Even at the lowest estimate, the price would fluctuate in the billions.

The skyscrapers visible beyond the mask were a world apart from the one-room village where Jinhyuk had lived.

But why?

Despite the overwhelming capital, he didn’t feel envious.

Because the owner of this building was about to face the worst moment of his life.

-It was Shin Geonsu! He ordered it!

He mulled over the words Park Hahjin had said in the ruins.

With an insider’s confession, no other evidence was needed.

‘He... tried to kill me, didn’t he?’

He could tolerate everything else.

Even if large guilds competed for dominance or committed crimes.

But just one thing. Touching me is an exception.

[Due to the characteristic of the Cold Heart, his humanity dries up.]

Perhaps the reason for his increasingly cold personality was due to this characteristic granted as a special ability.

Jinhyuk infused magic power into his legs.

And he kicked the glass door.

Crash!

With a loud noise, the 5 cm thick reinforced glass shattered.

“What? Why is the glass...?”

“Did a dump truck ram into it?”

The interior quickly became chaotic.

Jinhyuk slowly drew his dagger.

“I’ll say this once and for all. Bring Shin Geonsu here and make him kneel. Otherwise, I’ll make a funeral of you today.”

The people inside naturally spewed curses.

“What did you just say, you bastard?”

“Do you know which guild this place belongs to before starting a fight?”

Of course, he knew.

“Is this a place that sells grilled black raven meat?”

Trying to stab people in the back.

A company that doesn’t care if third parties die for their goals.

Thanks to this, an angry customer had made the long journey.

To see the representative’s face.

“You’re really out of your mind.”

“Hey, call all the security team. Let’s have a proper brawl today.”

Men in black suits spat on their palms.

Since he had illegally entered...

Breaking a few limbs would be considered self-defense.

Clang! Clang!

Men in black suits surrounded Jinhyuk, holding steel pipes.

Most were ordinary people, but some were players who could use magic.

“Ha...! Look at this guy? He’s following the old school concept from the video.”

The man with a short, spiky haircut pointed at Jinhyuk.

A sigh of disbelief was an added bonus.

“Those Marvel guys have ruined the kids. How many have ended up in the emergency room trying to climb walls like Spider-Man?”

“None of that matters. Let’s just fight. You don’t have the money to pay for the window, right? This is expensive, so one punch per 10,000 won.”

The conversation ended there.

A steel pipe struck Jinhyuk’s side accurately.

Clang!

It hit.

But the sound wasn’t the dull thud of bone.

It was the sharp, ear-piercing sound of metal being cut.

The steel pipe, split in half, fell to the ground.

Didn’t he say one punch per 10,000 won?

“This dagger can’t be bought with money. It’s dirty with metal shavings?”

As a special favor.

“I’ll give you one punch per 100,000 won.”

Jinhyuk, smiling, swung his fist.

“Guh!”

As the fist buried itself in the face, the nose collapsed, and red blood spurted out.

Thud! Thud!

The next attacks sent the man in the black suit flying like a fish.

“300,000 won. 400,000 won. This one must have hurt, so I’ll count it as 1,000,000 won. The total is 1,700,000 won.”

After four punches, the man’s body crumpled.

It was a merciless beating without a hint of mercy.

“Kwanghyuk was knocked out with a few punches?”

“He’s never been outmatched in terms of toughness...”

Only then did the faces of the men in black suits lose their composure.

They realized the situation was not normal.

“So I said, if you don’t want a funeral, bring Shin Geonsu.”

“That’s impossible. The guild leader is too busy to deal with scum like you.”

This time, a man in his late 30s stepped forward.

Unlike the others, he handled magic naturally.

Is he the one leading the security team?

Jinhyuk scanned the man from head to toe.

“Hmm... You might withstand a few hits.”

“What?”

“You’re a bit tougher than the others, so you won’t pass out after one or two hits.”

This was a judgment based on his muscles and magic.

“What a damn brat...”

The man’s face twisted nastily.

As the head of the security team for a mid-sized guild, he had never been ignored.

A position always treated with respect.

So this humiliation was a first.

“I’ll kill you!”

Swish!

The katana at his waist was drawn.

A sword at least 1.7 meters long, exuding a sharp aura.

Wow.

This is unexpected.

“Were you sent by ‘Samurai’?”

Jinhyuk sneered.

One of the world’s seven major guilds.

‘Samurai’ from Japan.

That sword was their symbolic weapon.

“Do you know about it?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Then you should know how foolish your provocation is.”

“I wonder... Should I count a fool who can’t join the main attack team and is only sent to other countries as part of your guild?”

Isn’t he just being rented out because he lacks the skills?

If he’s upset, he should join the main attack team.

“Ugh!”

Finally, the man exploded.

With quick steps, he closed the distance in one breath.

The sword aimed for Jinhyuk’s head.

Clang!

But it didn’t cut through the flesh.

The sword stopped about 1 cm from his forehead.

Despite putting all his strength into it, it didn’t budge.

With a toy-like dagger...

No, more surprisingly, with one hand?

This is ridiculous.

Maybe he’s a tank?

Or could it be...

His mind was in chaos from the various assumptions.

Right then.

“Bite down hard on your teeth. You’ll bite your tongue.”

Jinhyuk’s voice was low and steady.