Chapter 28 …
“What does martial study mean to you?”
At the old man’s question, the boy shook his head. It seemed like he didn’t know. The old man asked again.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
The boy answered calmly.
“Then?”
“I’m not interested.”
It was a bold answer. Hearing it, the old man let out a small chuckle.
“Not interested, you say. How can someone walking the path of martial study speak like that?”
“I’ve never really walked such a path to begin with… and more than anything—”
The boy’s obsidian-black eyes swept over the old man. At that gaze, the old man froze for a moment.
“Martial study is nothing more than breaking and crushing things. I don’t see why something like lofty beliefs need to be stuffed into it.”
“Oh?”
It was firm and clear.
“Isn’t martial study just another word for violence?”
Breaking with fists.
Crushing with feet.
That was all martial arts and martial study were to the boy.
“That’s an interesting way to put it.”
“Interesting?”
What was interesting about that? The boy genuinely couldn’t understand.
“Is that what martial study is to you?”
“I don’t know. To call it a ‘study’—I don’t really think that deeply about it.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
The old man nodded.
“Whatever it is you wish to see, if that is your meaning, then pursue it.”
“…Pursue it.”
“Yes. If you see it as nothing more than violence, then that too is your martial study. Carry it out.”
“And what if you end up beating innocent people?”
“Then what?”
The old man replied with a faint grin.
“You’d just become a bad guy’s martial artist.”
“……”
Such a simple answer. Hearing it, the boy shook his head.
“Still—”
* * *
“…You must be living pretty comfortably.”
Huh?
“…Eh?”
I muttered and squinted my eyes.
What did I just say? It felt like I’d spoken in my sleep. But I couldn’t remember what I said—or even the dream I’d just had.
I was sure I’d dreamed something, though…
“…I can’t really remember… ngh!”
Mid-sentence, I curled up in pain.
Damn it.
“What the hell?”
Why does it hurt like this again? My body trembled. My fingertips, my shoulders—everything was shaking.
[■ Aftereffects from recoil remain.]
[■ Pain persists.]
“….”
The system explained it.
Ah. Right.
“That must be it…”
The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword. It was probably because I used that.
“Ghn…”
Ignoring the throbbing in my head, I looked around.
Where am I this time?
“It looks like a hospital room.”
A familiar one. Probably the same place as before.
“…Hospitalized again?”
Every time something happens, I end up admitted. I sighed.
Just then—
Knock, knock, knock.
There was a knock on the door.
“Yes?”
—Awakened One Lee Jinwoo. It seems you’re awake. May we come in?
“Ah, yes. Please come in.”
At my permission, someone entered. A doctor, and Jeon Yuseon.
“Excuse us for a moment. How are you feeling?”
“…My body… I’m fine.”
“According to detailed examinations, there’s no problem, but the bodies of Awakened Ones still aren’t fully understood…”
Things that would be clear in ordinary people often couldn’t be properly diagnosed in Awakened Ones.
“It’s fine. I don’t feel particularly strange.”
It hurt because of skill recoil, but there was no point mentioning that.
Clink.
I felt something as I moved my hand. The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword was hanging from my arm.
[■ Heavenly Demon Divine Sword (SS)]
[■ Skills are granted to the user according to the sword’s abilities.]
[■ Heavenly Demon Divine Art (SS)]
[■ Heavenly Demon Divine Sword (天魔神劍)]
[■ Heavenly Demon Pseudo-Fang Severance (天魔擬牙絶)]
[■ Effect sealed.]
[■ Effect sealed.]
[■ Effect sealed.]
[■ Effect sealed.]
“….”
Gulp. I swallowed.
“It’s SS-rank.”
I thought it would stay an A-rank weapon to help hide my identity, but it suddenly evolved.
An SS-rank relic.
The same grade as the Orb of Corka’s Phantom I’d obtained before.
“…It feels like things I really shouldn’t have are gathering around me.”
If you looked at what I possessed now, it wouldn’t be strange for entire nations to start moving.
“At least it evolved after the rank assessment…”
If it had happened earlier, I might’ve been labeled SS-rank.
Though… maybe that wouldn’t have been so bad?
“Better than A-rank…”
For a moment, I thought so.
“No.”
I shook my head immediately.
“It’s clear now.”
I was still weak to call myself EX-rank. But calling myself SS-rank or even S-rank would be just as wrong.
“Just because the rank is high doesn’t mean I can act recklessly.”
Until my synchronization rate increased and I truly grew stronger, I couldn’t afford to stand out.
Hide my identity. It was as if this weapon itself had been given to me for that purpose.
“Awakened One Lee Jinwoo.”
“Ah.”
Jeon Yuseon spoke.
Only then did I realize I hadn’t been paying attention.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. You just woke up. Shall I repeat myself?”
“…Yes. Please.”
“First, two days have passed since the incident.”
So I’d been asleep for two whole days.
“…As expected, this also appears to have been the work of terrorists.”
“….”
I recalled the masked figure. My brow tightened instantly.
“Terrorists.”
Just thinking about it made my fists clench.
“Th-then, the Association President…?”
“He only suffered minor bruises, so his treatment ended that same day. Fortunately, there were no other casualties.”
“No casualties?”
“Yes. The reporters nearby and those inside the Association merely lost consciousness. There don’t seem to have been any major issues.”
“…Then, the terrorist…?”
“He escaped.”
“…!”
“As for further details… it would probably be better to discuss them directly with the President…”
Jeon Yuseon glanced at the doctor.
“Is he fit to move?”
“Yes. There are no abnormalities, and if the patient himself feels fine, there should be no issue.”
“Will you be alright?”
At Jeon Yuseon’s words, I nodded.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
It seemed like I needed to see this through first.
* * *
Scrrrrk. Scrrrrk.
An unpleasant sound echoed repeatedly. It was the sound of fingernails scraping against a desk.
Listening to it, Baek Hyunho let out a sigh.
“Irene.”
At his voice, the sound stopped.
“?”
Her expressionless gaze and curt response were familiar, but Baek Hyunho knew she was deeply irritated.
“Please calm yourself.”
“…Calm…? I am calm…”
Most people would say the opposite.
Baek Hyunho swallowed the words that almost escaped him.
“Missing him wasn’t your fault.”
“…I know. I’m just… annoyed.”
“….”
Communication wasn’t going well. Baek Hyunho sighed quietly.
Hearing it, Irene leaned deeply back into the sofa.
“…We missed him.”
She stated it flatly.
“…I missed him.”
The masked Awakened One from before.
She let him escape.
“…He should’ve been weak. But he got away.”
Objectively speaking, he was S-rank. Possibly even weaker than Baek Hyunho.
And yet, he escaped.
Was her magic too slow? No.
She hadn’t hesitated. She hadn’t even intended to capture him for interrogation—she planned to erase him on the spot.
But—
“Something popped out…”
She recalled the moment.
—
Damn it.
—
From the giant’s body as it was struck by light, energy spread.
Green energy.
It formed like a thin membrane and blocked Irene’s magic.
No—
“Blocked” wasn’t quite right.
“Absorbed.”
It absorbed her magic. And not just that—
“It vanished.”
The membrane shrank, swallowing the giant whole.
“Hm.”
Irene tilted her head slightly.
She couldn’t understand what had happened.
Which meant she, of all people, couldn’t comprehend it.
That frustrated her to no end.
She thought it would be easy. But they had more hidden cards than expected.
Of course they did.
“…So.”
If she’d caught him even for a moment—
Whether it was an item or another skill, she’d been trapped in another space for an instant.
“…What was it like while you were trapped?”
“Nothing.”
“Pardon?”
“I felt nothing at all…”
Whether she was standing or lying down.
Whether she was breathing.
She felt none of it.
She didn’t know if it was illusion magic or a binding spell. It was unfamiliar, and breaking free took time.
Normally, she would’ve torn through it instantly.
But it took five whole minutes.
It hurt her pride.
“Tch.”
Irene clicked her tongue.
“…Are you alright?”
“You mean on our end?”
“…Yes. You’re selling me out.”
“…Haha…”
Baek Hyunho laughed awkwardly. She wasn’t wrong.
[Terrorist invades Association headquarters—cracks begin to form in an era of peace.]
[Terrorist expresses dissatisfaction with the formation of a new Knight Order, issues threats—but thanks to the actions of Hail Irene and Awakened One Lee Jinwoo…]
[A long-planned terror attack. But once again, the world’s strongest prove different.]
These were the headlines flooding the internet.
“…It’s fine. I expected it…”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“Don’t cross the line.”
A cold warning brushed past.
“Understood.”
Baek Hyunho smiled and nodded.
Then—
Knock, knock.
—President. We’ve brought Awakened One Lee Jinwoo.
“Send him in.”
The door opened, and Lee Jinwoo entered. Irene glanced at him sideways.
“How’s your condition?”
“I’m fine.”
“…Mm. You look it.”
She nodded. Lee Jinwoo took an empty seat.
“Awakened One Lee Jinwoo.”
“Yes.”
Baek Hyunho spoke to him.
“You were a great help once again. Thank you.”
“N-no, not at all…”
“Are you truly feeling alright?”
“…Yes.”
He’d answered that question several times already. Lee Jinwoo smiled awkwardly.
“Ah, that’s a relief. If you feel any issues, please inform us immediately.”
“…Understood.”
“Normally, we would host you in a more suitable space, but as you know, the president’s office is under renovation.”
He said it jokingly, but the smile was bitter. More than half of it had been destroyed—along with much of the headquarters building.
“And.”
The president wiped the smile from his face.
“Judging from the incident two days ago, it seems they don’t view the formation of the Knight Order favorably—enough to act so recklessly.”
“That’s not it.”
Irene spoke while looking at Lee Jinwoo.
“They just don’t like him.”
“….”
Lee Jinwoo fell silent. He already knew—the giant’s target had been him.
“You’re not backing out of the Knight Order, are you?”
Irene asked.
After all this, would they still proceed?
“No. We will establish the new Knight Order. Especially now that we’re facing this situation.”
Baek Hyunho’s eyes were firm.
“Alright.”
Irene responded as if she didn’t care either way.
“…Then what should we do next? It feels like there’s something else.”
At that, Lee Jinwoo remembered—Baek Hyunho had seemed like he wanted to say more.
“…Ah.”
Baek Hyunho spoke as if he’d just recalled it.
“It’s not only the issue of unregistered Awakened Ones acting this way… as I mentioned before, there’s another important task we intend to assign to this Knight Order.”
Irene’s expression turned curious.
“A request?”
“Yes. An important one. Preferably… something to be handled in strict secrecy.”
“…What is it?”
“In a way, you could see it as an extension of this incident. Beyond the terrorist, there is another risk factor we must identify.”
“A risk factor?”
“Yes. There is an unregistered Awakened One whom the Association currently considers the most dangerous.”
Unregistered Awakened Ones—mostly criminals. The president continued.
“The Martial God.”
“Huh?”
At that—
“This Knight Order will be tasked with handling terrorists and locating the new unregistered Awakened One deemed a high-risk individual… the Martial God.”
Lee Jinwoo’s expression went completely blank.
