Chapter 285

“I just paid back what was done to me. Consider this the principal. You can discuss the remaining compound interest with our guild’s leadership.”

“…You bastard.”

“I’ll take that as an agreement.”

“Today’s events… I won’t forget them.”

This was the conversation that had taken place just a few minutes ago.

Lee Jung-ryong, leaving behind those words dripping with murderous intent, had departed.

Even though he had administered emergency treatment with the potion he carried, the injuries Park Ji-hoon sustained were far too severe to be healed by a potion alone. With his disciple in such a state, it was only natural that he was in a hurry.

“Phew.”

As Lee Jung-ryong’s presence finally faded into the distance, a sigh of relief escaped me.

“Damn, that was exhausting.”

When I finally let go of the tension that had kept me on edge, all the strength drained out of me.

I was tired. Although the clash with Lee Jung-ryong had left me with minor internal injuries, the mental fatigue was far greater.

‘I’ve really stirred up a hornet’s nest.’

Today, I had turned an S-rank hunter recognized worldwide and a massive guild into my enemies.

It was like walking a tightrope across a dizzying precipice.

Lee Jung-ryong and I had met in the middle of that tightrope, and in the end, it was he who stepped back.

‘He had no choice. I struck at precisely the right spot.’

Those with much to lose are often the ones most afraid of risk.

If Lee Jung-ryong, the tiger representing the Ares Guild, were to fall, the honor the lord of the mountain had once held would be shattered, and the carcass would become a feast for the animals of the forest—his competitors.

‘Of course, the cleanest solution would have been to silence me for good…’

But Lee Jung-ryong knew that I wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

Although he had confirmed his superiority in our brief clash, it was enough for him to realize that the wolf before him was a significant threat.

As I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, I reflected.

‘Three steps.’

Today, I had taken three steps back against Lee Jung-ryong.

But those three steps will soon become two, and before long, two will narrow to one.

And after that…

‘I will surpass you.’

The documentary I mentioned to Lee Jung-ryong, where a wolf defeats a tiger, doesn’t actually exist.

But I have the potential to grow endlessly, like my moniker, *Sleeping Dragon* (잠룡).

‘By the time that happens, both I and our guild will be far stronger than you anticipated.’

What I achieved today wasn’t just avenging Lim Geok-jung; I also gained an excellent opportunity to strengthen Peace Guild.

Had I cowered and retreated from the initial Black Hunter attack, Peace Guild would have remained a mediocre mid-tier guild. But because I fought back, I secured both revenge and compensation, leaving the rest in Captain Choi’s capable hands.

‘He’ll handle it well.’

I recalled the conversation I had with Captain Choi a few hours ago.

‘What are you planning to do?’

‘Well… if my hunch is correct, things could get out of hand quickly.’

‘Are you thinking of storming Myeongdong Guild?’

‘I can’t say I’m not considering it.’

Song-soong thought I was crazy, and Kim butler just stared at me silently.

But Captain Choi was different.

His response was something I hadn’t expected.

‘Then go ahead.’

‘What?’

‘Myeongdong Guild. Go and wreak havoc. Just don’t go tearing down buildings in the middle of Seoul or killing people. Otherwise, you’ll be trading your guild house for a prison cell.’

‘…I thought you would try to stop me.’

‘I would have, if it were anyone but you, Jin Tae-kyung. I would have racked my brain to find another way.’

‘So why…’

‘Because Jin Tae-kyung, you may seem reckless at first glance, but you’re someone who always considers the worst-case scenario. And you always deliver the best results.’

‘Are you sure this is okay?’

‘I intend to make Peace Guild the best in the world. If we retreat after one of our members is attacked, we’ll never achieve that goal.’

‘Then you’re really…’

‘Go ahead. Whatever the outcome, I’ll take responsibility.’

Captain Choi’s final words echoed vividly in my ears.

‘I trust you, Jin Tae-kyung. Maybe even more than I trust myself.’

I repaid the boundless trust he placed in me.

I gave back to Park Ji-hoon far more than what Lim Geok-jung had suffered, and I secured an implicit promise of an apology and compensation from enemies once considered untouchable.

‘The best guild in the world.’

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I recalled Captain Choi’s bold ambition.

I took out my phone and dialed a number.

The moment the signal went through, someone answered.

– Yes, this is Choi Min-woo.

It was Captain Choi himself.

“I have a lot to tell you. Where should I meet you?”

– Jin Tae-kyung! You’re alive!

– I thought you were dead. Is this really you, Jin Tae-kyung?

You said you trusted me more than yourself, you bastard…

—

“Ji-hoon, snap out of it!”

The desperate cry of a master toward his young disciple, accompanied by hurried footsteps.

Myeongdong Guild Leader Park Tae-seop followed closely behind Lee Jung-ryong, staring at his back in astonishment.

‘I didn’t know Lee Jung-ryong had this side to him.’

He had observed Lee Jung-ryong for many years.

During the Great Cataclysm, he had always seemed like someone difficult to approach.

But after the war, when Ares Guild was established and Lee Jung-ryong took control, his true nature became apparent.

He was as unyielding as steel, as secretive as a snake, and carried out actions that made others shudder without hesitation.

That was the man Lee Jung-ryong was from Park Tae-seop’s perspective. Someone you’d rather not face, either as an enemy or an ally.

‘So he was human, after all.’

But the strange feeling Park Tae-seop experienced vanished without a trace as soon as he entered the long corridor alone.

“You’ve arrived.”

A middle-aged man was waiting. He moved with the precision of a soldier, his body so well-trained that even the black suit he wore couldn’t conceal it.

The twenty men and women standing like iron towers behind him were no different. Emblazoned on their chests was the emblem of the Ares Guild.

‘I couldn’t even sense their presence.’

But that wasn’t the only shock for Park Tae-seop.

Beyond the shoulder of the middle-aged man, he spotted over a hundred Myeongdong Guild members lying unconscious, and his eyes widened.

“What the hell…?”

The middle-aged man responded in a dry tone.

“They’re just under a sleep spell. For now.”

For now.

It was a loaded statement. It meant that while they were currently under a spell, they could be put to sleep permanently if necessary.

Just as Park Tae-seop, filled with rage, was about to shout, a voice interrupted him.

“Is there a problem?”

Lee Jung-ryong slowly turned around. And as Park Tae-seop met his gaze, he realized he had made a grave mistake.

‘It was all an act.’

The calm, emotionless face, the deep, cold eyes. There was no trace of the urgency or the heartfelt concern for his disciple that he had shown just moments ago.

A chill crept up Park Tae-seop’s spine.

“Listen, Guild Leader Park.”

There was a hidden blade in Lee Jung-ryong’s soft voice. It was like venom dripping from a snake’s tongue with every word.

“Was it about twenty years ago? You came to me one day and knelt before me out of the blue.”

“…Yes, I remember.”

Park Tae-seop gritted his teeth.

How could he not remember? Even though it had been almost twenty years, the desperation he felt back then remained etched deep in his bones.

After a series of massive business failures, enormous debts, and the contemptuous gazes of others… it was a living hell far worse than the Great Cataclysm for Park Tae-seop.

After being rejected by everyone around him, the person he turned to was Lee Jung-ryong.

He had looked at Park Tae-seop, kneeling before him, and asked one question.

‘If I help you, what can you do for me?’

There had been no hesitation in Park Tae-seop’s answer.

‘I’ll do anything.’

‘I like that answer.’

What if he hadn’t said those words?

He had asked himself that question countless times over the past twenty years, but it was meaningless. He had already come too far to turn back.

There had been no such thing as a favor without a price, and he had been forced to commit all sorts of crimes for Lee Jung-ryong.

When he finally came to his senses, he found himself being led around by the leash tied around his neck.

“Lately, when I look at you, Guild Leader Park, I can’t help but feel that all those things you said to me back then were just empty promises.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh, but it is.”

“Humans are inherently ungrateful creatures. Even if they’ve been saved from freezing to death, their thoughts change once they warm themselves by the fire. Ha ha.”

Despite the upward curl of his lips, Lee Jung-ryong’s eyes were as cold as ice.

When Park Tae-seop

lowered his head, his expression hardened, and Lee Jung-ryong’s voice softened once more.

“I’m saying this as a way of encouraging you to continue doing well. You don’t need to worry about your guild members. Isn’t that right, Team Leader Seok?”

The middle-aged man, Seok, who was in charge of Lee Jung-ryong’s security, responded in a monotone voice.

“Of course.”

“Well then, I must be going. See you around.”

*Pat, pat.*

Park Tae-seop stood rigidly as Lee Jung-ryong patted him on the shoulder and walked away.

As they descended in the elevator, Team Leader Seok spoke up.

“Should we take care of him?”

“Who? Ah, Park Tae-seop.”

“Yes. His expression is… unsettling.”

“That guy wears his heart on his sleeve. He used to be obedient for the first few years, but once he got comfortable, his thoughts started wandering.”

“He knows too much. His carelessness in handling this situation caused trouble for you, Vice Guild Leader.”

For the first time, Seok’s voice carried a hint of emotion—anger.

Lee Jung-ryong, who was reassured by Seok’s unwavering loyalty, smiled faintly.

“For now, leave him be. I’ve only just started testing the waters; of course, it’s bland.”

“What?”

At that moment, the elevator door opened with a ding.

As he stepped out, Lee Jung-ryong continued speaking.

“I was just probing him. I was curious to see how he’d respond.”

“Then…?”

“Sometimes you underestimate me, Seok. If I had really been serious, would I have entrusted this task to such halfwits?”

Seok let out a low exclamation.

“So you anticipated all of this.”

“I’ve only just taken the first bite. If it doesn’t taste right, I’ll add salt and pepper.”

“Of course, Vice Guild Leader.”

The admiration in Seok’s eyes made Lee Jung-ryong smile gently.

But his thoughts were different. There was something he hadn’t disclosed, even to his right-hand man, Seok.

‘Jin Tae-kyung, you’re no ordinary guy.’

Initially, it wasn’t Jin Tae-kyung who had caught Lee Jung-ryong’s attention, but the Peace Guild.

Even if he had stepped in personally, there was no guarantee that things would have gone smoothly. He wasn’t one to use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken.

It was an efficient approach, but if something unexpected happened, the plan could go awry.

‘There was a wolf hiding among the chickens.’

Lee Jung-ryong rubbed his tingling wrist.

In that brief moment, he had felt an immense heat and power from Jin Tae-kyung. It was too strong to be dismissed as the playful antics of a young pup.

‘He knows how to handle mana properly. A guy who was just an F-rank until recently… where did he learn that? Though I have my suspicions.’

Having finished his thoughts, Lee Jung-ryong spoke to Seok.

“Keep a close eye on Jin Tae-kyung.”

“Don’t worry. If he becomes a nuisance, I’ll deal with him personally.”

Seok had always been reliable. A natural-born fighter, he was the best among the disciples Lee Jung-ryong had personally trained. Even Park Tae-seop, a top-ranked hunter, couldn’t match him.

But Lee Jung-ryong suddenly had doubts.

Could Seok truly surpass Jin Tae-kyung?

“Team Leader Seok. No, Go Joon-ah.”

He changed the way he addressed him, from title to name.

Seok wasn’t someone who would miss the significance of that shift. If he had been that dense, he wouldn’t have become Lee Jung-ryong’s top disciple.

“Yes, Master.”

“Hmm, it’s nothing. I just had a fleeting, nonsensical thought.”

Clicking his tongue, Lee Jung-ryong exited through the main entrance.

At the building’s entrance, five men and women dressed in robes adorned with intricate patterns and holding staffs were waiting.

“Greetings, Vice Guild Leader.”

“Your outfits are a bit flashy, don’t you think? Can’t you be more discreet?”

“We look normal to most people.”

They were A-rank mages directly under Lee Jung-ryong’s command.

As the oldest-looking mage had said, among the hundreds of people bustling down the sidewalk, no one paid them any attention.

They weren’t even aware that a massive battle had almost brought down the skyscraper above their heads.

“That’s what makes magic so convenient.”

They had crudely covered a radius of 200 meters with an illusion spell. It was something only A-rank mages of the Ares Guild, the best of the best, could do.

The illusion spell would be maintained until all traces of the fight were erased.

“Alright, take care of this so there’s no fallout. If anyone seems like a threat, use mind magic to tweak their memories.”

“Understood. But that guy looks pretty banged up.”

“Him?”

Glancing briefly at Park Ji-hoon, who was slung over the shoulder of one of the security team members, Lee Jung-ryong casually said,

“Patch him up enough to keep him alive and stash him somewhere.”

If he died, so be it. Even if he recovered, he wouldn’t be able to use even half of his previous strength.

Lee Jung-ryong had no interest in collecting drained batteries. He already had plenty and could replace them as needed.

‘At least he served a purpose in the end.’

Through Park Ji-hoon, Lee Jung-ryong had confirmed Jin Tae-kyung’s deadly intent.

If he had drawn blood, he should have killed. That’s what Lee Jung-ryong would have done.

‘You hesitated at that final step.’

Cutting off both arms and mutilating his body meant nothing if the enemy was left breathing. It was mere venting, not true vengeance.

‘That lack of resolve will come back to bite him later.’

Lee Jung-ryong chuckled softly as he settled into the waiting car.