Seeing people gathered, it looks like this is the DMZ.

 

Or maybe not.

 

"Urrrgh. Ugh."

 

"Damn it, where did all the guys with healing abilities go?"

 

The situation in the DMZ was a total mess.

 

It was hard to tell if this place was a testing ground or a field hospital.

 

I shook my head and looked around.

 

Those who were unharmed were staring at me as if I were some sort of monster.

 

"He broke through Paju all by himself."

 

"They say he devoured a dozen evil spirits on his way here."

 

"A monster, do we really have to compete with such a monster?"

 

Who are they calling a monster?

 

To me, you guys look more like monsters.

 

"Of course, he wasn't the culprit. I've known since the Pyeon Station that you are extraordinary."

 

There were also those who burned with a fighting spirit upon seeing me. 

 

Damn, this kind of attention is troublesome. 

 

I have no intention of building friendships through fistfights with superpowered beings, like in a shonen manga.

 

"Peep peep!"

 

Just then, a familiar chirping sound reached my ears. Turning my head, I saw Jinari, a shaman girl with pink hair, also known as 'Chick'.

 

"Ah, no. Sometimes I speak before I think. So, this is kind of an unavoidable instinct, I guess. I'm a human, not a chick."

 

Embarrassed by her chirping,

 

Her face turned as red as a tomato. She is the Chick.

 

"I know, okay."

 

Still, in my eyes, she's just a pink-haired shaman girl. Those who can see ghosts might see something else, but I couldn't.

 

"Cough, ahem. Oh, right. Let me introduce you. This gentleman here is Mr. Park Jongcheol, the commander of our family alliance. Uncle Jongcheol, this is Yoo Hajin, who helped me during the first exam."

 

"Nice to meet you. I'm Park Jongcheol, in charge of this operation. You helped Miss Jinari, didn't you? I sincerely thank you."

 

Park Jongcheol, huh. Quite the spirited name.

 

I looked at the man.

 

The man introduced by Chick was a robust middle-aged man with bulging muscles, living up to his vigorous name. He looked like he could give me a good match if he knew martial arts.

 

Dressed in a khaki coat and holding something that resembled a blackboard, he had the air of a high-ranking military officer. 

 

Well, as the commander of the family alliance, I guess he technically was.

 

The family alliance, after all, is one of Korea's leading military factions.

 

Anyway, there he was, the commander of such a prestigious alliance, bowing deeply at a 90-degree angle to me.

 

"Ahaha. It's embarrassing for me when such a high-ranking person bows his head. Please, don’t do this."

 

Saying this, I also bowed my head.

 

While bowing, I glanced at the blackboard.

 

This must be it, right? 

 

That black board. Superpowered individuals have some outlandish ways to extract information from others, but the information written on this black board is said to be impenetrable. That's why the most crucial secrets are communicated through it.

 

But I could see everything.

 

With my head still bowed, I quickly read the information on the blackboard.

 

Oh, I see.

 

Lots of interesting information here.

 

So this is how the family alliance plans to act in the DMZ. Taking care of the silver-spoon elites born with golden spoons in their mouths. They plan to keep the martial arts clans in check like this. And these are the people of interest.

 

There was a familiar name among those people of interest.

 

===

 

Yoo Ha-jin (Top Priority Subject of Interest)

 

Find out why he approached Miss Jinari. 

 

Monitor with the White Response Technique of Baekga. A technique not easily detected. Be ready to respond if necessary, keeping the Jin family's secret technique, Red Bow White Arrow, at the ready.

 

===

 

Hmm, why am I a top priority subject of interest? I'm not sure what Red Bow White Arrow is, but it doesn't sound pleasant. 

 

From the information, it seems like some sort of arrow, and as an ordinary person, even one arrow can be life-threatening for me.

 

How can I neutralize this threat?

 

In situations like this, bluffing is the only way.

 

As I lifted my head, Mr. Park Jongcheol also raised his. Smiling at him, I said,

 

"I would like to be on friendly terms with the family alliance. If not friends, at least not enemies."

 

"We feel the same. You are a benefactor to Miss Jinari, which makes you a benefactor to our alliance as well."

 

Hearing that, I spoke seriously.

 

"Does the family alliance usually monitor their benefactors with spells?"

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"Hmm, I see."

 

Pretending to sense something, I said,

 

"A technique of Baekga, then. If it's a surveillance spell, it must be the White Response Technique."

 

"···!"

 

The man who seemed like he would never be startled took a step back in shock and looked at me with disbelief.

 

In truth, I had no idea about Baekga or the White Response Technique. I heard about them for the first time today.

 

I continued to act.

 

Surely, in the Manhua, the masters always sense killing intent.

 

"The faint killing intent I feel... that's it, isn't it? Jin family's Red Bow White Arrow. Planning to use it on me if things go south, huh?"

 

"No, no way. The Red Bow White Arrow is a treasured weapon of our family. We would never use it on a benefactor like you."

 

Chick shouted in panic, but Park Jongcheol's expression revealed that my bluff was working.

Looking at his face, I said,

 

"So, am I lying, then? Huh?"

 

"I apologize. Respected one."

 

Suddenly, Park Jongcheol prostrated himself before me.

 

His swift action left me a bit flustered.

 

"Please, take out your anger on just me and my subordinates. Spare the noble-blooded young masters and mistresses, I beg of you."

 

I didn't expect him to react like this.

 

Everyone around was looking at us.

 

Not just the people from the family alliance, but also the young masters from the orthodox and unorthodox factions were all staring at the middle-aged man prostrating himself. 

 

Me, I'm not into that kind of thing. I don’t enjoy watching middle-aged men grovel!!!

 

"Ahem, let's not have this kind of situation again."

 

After saying that, I quickly left the scene.

 

Then Chick annoyingly followed me, trotting along.

 

"Eek, I'm sorry. I never imagined the family alliance would go this far."

 

"Don't you have any shame? Why are you following me?"

 

"Because of, of Chick's instinct!"

 

Chick has an instinct to follow men around?

 

I can’t see ghosts, but this is just ridiculous.

 

So, I walked away quickly to shake her off, but Chick just waddled along behind me.

 

 

People were astounded. It was unbelievable to see Park Jongcheol, the stalwart of the family alliance, bowing respectfully to such a young man, even begging for the lives of the family's young masters and mistresses.

 

This meant that the man possessed a level of strength capable of annihilating the family alliance's combatants and threatening the lives of the young heirs. The participants who had passed the first exam consequently raised their estimation of Yoo Hajin.

 

"Sure, but they're just the creepy folks from the family alliance. Making a slave of such a sect bow doesn't mean much to the real deal like us."

 

Not everyone was impressed, though. One such person was Park Je-cheon, the leading disciple of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect and the grandson of the sect leader.

 

"That's right, brother."

 

"Hehe, who could possibly stand against the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect?"

 

Park Je-cheon aspired to make his father the next leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect and to succeed him. His ambition was so intense that he wouldn't hesitate to kill for it.

 

'Ilwol-Oakmoon sect is like an old conglomerate with its own army. They control various businesses through shares and manipulate the media with their money. But unlike those conglomerates, they possess actual force.'

 

The core strength of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect lay in its martial power. The elders, senior members, and disciples of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect were comparable to a nation's force.

 

Becoming the heir of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect was akin to being a crown prince. Park Je-cheon wanted to be that prince, to enjoy all the privileges of a king.

 

'To achieve this, I need to be acknowledged by the sect leader.'

 

His own grandfather, whom he had seldom seen,

 

Park Il, the leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect.

 

He needed his recognition.

 

'He’s not someone who gets close to even relatives, let alone friends, but if I show him my worth, perhaps he'll dote on me as a grandson. Just like the youngest son of a wealthy family.'

 

The sect leader, as cold and strict as the opposite of the sun.

 

If he could gain his approval, he would do anything.

 

Even if it meant resorting to cowardly methods.

 

Park Je-cheon's gaze began to settle on Yoo Hajin.

 

Unaware, Yoo Hajin continued talking to his neighbor.

 

"Uncle, how is Jamsuni doing?"

 

"Sojin, you mean? She's terrifyingly efficient."

 

"Haha." Yoo Hajin chuckled and then bowed his head.

 

"Please be kind to her. If you do, I’ll concede that I lost the last game of chess to you."

 

"You teased me for losing twenty rounds and winning one, but this works out. Don't forget what you said."

 

Yoo Hajin really doesn't want to concede.

 

But he has no choice.

 

"Ah, right."

 

"And about the Cheonji exam, there are Ilwol-Oakmoon kids, right? With their reinforcements."

 

"Should be."

 

Yoo Hajin had seen the personal details of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect participants on Park Jongcheol's blackboard. They were all supposedly in the DMZ.

 

"Get to know those kids and establish discipline. As the next leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, you need to assert ranking."

 

"Uncle, you're talking nonsense again. I'm hanging up."

 

As Yoo Hajin ended the call,

 

Someone descended from the sky.

 

"A lot of people died today too."

 

It was the Guardian of Cheonji, the celestial and notorious drunkard, Gamlo.

 

"Still, let's kick off the exam with energy."