Chapter 301: Old-School Swimming Pool Party
‘Well, this isn’t too bad.’
Jinhyuk nodded as he looked at himself in the mirror.
Sunglasses, a white T-shirt, and denim shorts.
These were the simple clothes he had picked up while shopping before coming here.
“Wow, Master. You look amazing!”
“You should dress up like that more often.”
Undine and Sylphid exclaimed in small exclamations of admiration.
When the department store staff kept praising him, he thought it was just lip service.
But seeing the spirits’ reactions, it seemed it wasn’t entirely a sales pitch.
The main reason is probably because of his activity level.
No matter how much exercise he combined, the years as a BJ (broadcast jockey) had left a bit of flab.
Since the Tower of Trials became a reality, he was able to maintain a perfect physique.
The visible lean muscles and his waxed hair certainly contributed.
At that moment.
People in various swimsuits started appearing one by one at the pool.
The first to emerge were Wolyoung and Chun Yoosung.
“Master. I feel uneasy in this unarmed outfit. Isn’t it difficult to protect you in case of any emergency?”
Wolyoung, wearing only trunk-style swim shorts, revealed his slender body entirely.
He seemed quite anxious about not being able to carry his sword.
On the other hand, Chun Yoosung leisurely took out a beer from an icebox and claimed a sunbed.
“Hmm. Well, something like this isn’t bad once in a while.”
It’s not like he’s shooting a celebrity photo shoot.
His appearance, which looked like a sculpted statue, remained unchanged.
Even just lying down and drinking beer created a picturesque scene.
Next came Alice, Teresa, and Andrea.
“Wow! Is this what a swimming pool is, Jinhyuk?”
“In Europe, there are more cloudy days, but the weather in Korea seems much better. It’s not even cold despite the snow.”
Andrea wore a white bikini that matched her white hair, and Teresa wore a blue bikini that matched her blonde hair.
Wow.
Both are amazing in various ways.
Especially Andrea, who was in full fox form with ears and nine tails, seemed to be getting used to her gumiho abilities. [1]
Finally, Alice, in a black swimsuit, stared intently at Teresa and Andrea.
“……”
Alice poked Jinhyuk’s shoulder.
“Turn me back to my original form.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
“No. It consumes a lot of magic. Just stay like this.”
Smack!
“Ouch?”
A clear handprint appeared on Jinhyuk’s back.
Why is this girl acting so cranky for no reason on such a nice day?
‘Honestly, she’s such a kid.’
Jinhyuk shook his head and clicked his tongue.
Thus began the official water play.
“Tweat! Tweeeaaat!”
Goguma wagged her tail on an inflatable tube.
“Yes! Yes! Here comes another wave, a bit bigger this time!”
Undine enthusiastically created waves in the water.
At just the right height for fun.
However.
“Do you think that’s fun? If you want waves, let me create them.”
The Black Emperor, standing in the middle of the pool, began to gather his inner energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a huge wave rose from the end of the pool.
This needs to be stopped immediately.
If left unchecked, the entire villa could disappear before they could enjoy their vacation.
“Master.”
Jinhyuk calmly spoke.
“Why do you call me?”
“I heard that your martial arts are the best in the martial world. As expected, you’re unparalleled.”
“Hmph! Well, that’s not incorrect.”
“So, how about a light bet with me?”
“Huh? You want to bet with me?”
The Black Emperor’s eyebrows furrowed into an upside-down V.
A face mixed with half interest and half curiosity.
“Of course, just to liven things up. I couldn’t win against you seriously anyway.”
“Good. In a fun place like this, that’s necessary. So, what will the event be?”
“I’ve heard that absolute masters can move things without touching them.”
“You mean [Air Grasp]. Naturally, I can do it too.”
“As expected. Your martial arts are unparalleled. I can only be amazed once again today.”
Jinhyuk made a face as if he were about to cry with emotion.
He even pinched his thigh with his fingernail to shed a tear.
“Hmph! Hmph! My disciple knows something. It’s hard to find a master like me in the entire martial world.”
Alright.
The prey was caught neatly in the box.
“Then, let’s see who can lift it higher.”
“Watch carefully. I will show you the peak of inner energy.”
The Black Emperor’s eyes turned to the side.
He seemed to be looking for something suitable.
“I’ve decided.”
“Tweat?”
Goguma’s body slowly floated into the sky. It reached nearly 10 meters.
Lifting something as heavy as Goguma over 10 meters. That’s impressive.
I can’t even estimate how deep his inner energy runs.
“The penalty will be to train in seclusion with me for 10 years. There’s a mountain of things to teach you.”
The Black Emperor smiled confidently.
As if to ask if he could still continue.
But.
Jinhyuk’s smile was even deeper.
“Now it’s my turn.”
[Unique Ability ‘Triple Magic’ is activated.]
[Levitation magic has been selected.]
“Tweat!”
Goguma gently soared into the sky, riding the wind.
It went well over 50 meters.
“W-wait a minute!”
The Black Emperor yelled, panicking.
“This is unfair! You have to lift it with inner energy. Using other abilities is…!”
“I never said I would use inner energy, did I?”
“Uh?”
“I just said the one who lifts it higher wins.”
Why bother using inner energy?
There’s a wonderful and convenient method called magic.
“T-that…”
“Oh, I forgot the garlic to eat with the meat. Could you go get some along the road?”
If possible, please have a head-on collision with a ten-ton truck on the way. It would be even better if you could rest in Bukmang Mountain for a few days.[2]
＊＊＊
How many hours passed?
After playing for a while, the noisy day began to wind down.
Of course, the vacation wasn’t over.
It had just started.
Sizzle.
The sound of meat grilling and the delicious aroma filled the air.
The highlight of the villa stay is the mukbang.
In other words, how deliciously you can eat the meat, vegetables, and drinks.
“…….”
“…….”
Their gazes crossed.
Their breathing turned cold, and sparks flew in their predatory eyes.
At that moment.
A piece of meat reached the perfect stage of being crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
The atmosphere changed dramatically.
Everyone instinctively knew it. That piece of meat was the most delicious right now.
Snap…
Snap!
Snap!
Chopsticks flew through the air.
To get the first bite.
And to snatch away what others had secured.
Everyone’s unique abilities activated.
Shadow Extinguishing Chopsticks vanished in an instant and snatched the meat.
“The first piece is dedicated to the Master!”
However.
The ‘Soul Sword’ used Soul Stealth to snatch the meat from Wolyoung’s chopsticks.
“Huh?”
“Hmph! That’s the level of the Demonic Cult’s skills.”
Not to be outdone, the Black Emperor summoned the [Black Sky Demon Art].
A heavy aura exploded along with the wooden chopsticks.
“How dare you touch the Demonic Cult’s food?”
Boom!
Both the chopsticks and the meat turned to powder.
“What are you doing? So unrefined!”
“Rather destroy it than let the orthodox factions have it. Especially sneaky ones like you.”
“Oh my. There’s a law outside the tower that says people who treat precious food lightly should have chopsticks stuck in their foreheads.”
“Interesting. Talking about the rules of the world outside the tower, too. Let’s see if you can do it.”
Crack!
The Black Emperor’s muscles swelled to bursting.
But the Soul Stealth didn’t back down, meeting his force head-on.
Is this a fight between a posh lady from Gangnam and a drunk neighborhood uncle?
Hmm.
‘I’d rather be fighting a black goat.’
Jinhyuk pressed his temples with his index finger.
At least Teresa had used the [Blessing of the Stars] to protect the remaining meat.
Otherwise, dinner might have turned into some unidentified protein molecules.
At that moment.
“Jinhyuk! Eat this. I made it, hehe!”
Andrea wrapped a piece of meat in a lettuce leaf with a bright smile.
She must have worked hard learning from Teresa because it looked quite decent.
“In Korea, it’s traditional to make wraps for family or friends. Especially for people you like, you fill it with meat, garlic, rice, kimchi, and so on.”
Teresa read enthusiastically from the green search portal.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it, Andrea.”
Even in this chaos, there are still people doing lovely things.
Jinhyuk happily accepted the wrap and put it in his mouth.
“Wow, it’s delicious!”
The proportions were just right. There were even two pieces of meat.
Andrea, pleased with the compliment, clapped her hands together with a happy face.
If you only saw her like this, who would think she was a boss of one of the floors?
She looked like a pure, innocent girl.
“My wrap is unique. I made it Western style.”
Teresa also handed over a wrap.
Oh. This one had sausage and mustard instead of pork belly.
Eating it with rice and a fried egg naturally made him exclaim.
But then.
“A wrap… The outside world has some interesting customs.”
“For my beloved disciple, I will make a special one.”
A strange tension flared up again.
“Young Master. Open your mouth. Ahhh~.”
“M-master, please, some decorum…”
“Are you refusing what your master gives you? I feel… so… sad…”
“……Understood.”
Chun Yoosung sighed softly as he accepted the wrap with three pieces of meat.
‘Seeing that leech with such a master… I almost feel sorry for him.’
Jinhyuk looked at Chun Yoosung with pity.
“Ha! Young lad. Orthodox factions are always so hesitant.”
The Black Emperor filled a wrap with as much meat as he could. The extra black kimchi was a bonus.
“As a man, never take two bites. Take it.”
Forget what I said about feeling sorry.
There’s a greater monster here.
Moreover.
“Since there’s affection… as much as possible… I won’t lose… Mm!”
Alice, muttering to herself, kept moving her small fingers.
Then she handed over something the size of a basketball.
“Eat it.”
“Huh?”
“Eat it.”
“This?”
“Yes. Don’t leave a single bite. You can’t leave any. Got it?”
“……”
Just looking at it, it seemed as tall as the ten-story pagoda at Bulguksa Temple.
Even the lettuce alone seemed to be 30 leaves, with all the rice in the rice cooker inside.
This isn’t giving a wrap; it’s an assassination attempt.
‘I want to go to the middle floors soon.’
I need to escape this hell as quickly as possible.
***
Footnotes:
[1] Gumiho: A gumiho (구미호) is a mythical creature from Korean folklore, typically depicted as a nine-tailed fox. Gumiho are known for their ability to transform into beautiful women and often feature in stories where they interact with humans. They possess supernatural abilities and are often portrayed with both benevolent and malevolent traits.
[2] Bukmang Mountain (북망산) is a fictional or symbolic place often referred to in Korean culture as a remote or final resting place, similar to how Western cultures might reference “sending someone to Siberia.” In this context, it suggests that the speaker wants the other person to be out of the way for a while, adding to the humor through exaggeration.