After they left the gate, KangWoo walked toward the parking slot.
Seol-ah and Echidna followed him.
"Then I'll contact Dragon Sword tomorrow. Hahaha. You're going to have a hard time from tomorrow onwards."
"I'll be waiting for it."
"To think that the day I'd teach martial arts to the Sacrum would come."
Cheon MooJin looked expectantly at Kim ShiHoon.
The Sacrum…
The highest talent that a martial artist could have.
To think he'd be able to raise a genius with such talent!
'If I train him correctly, I may be able to get SooYeon a good boyfriend.'
Cheon SooYeon always said she wasn't interested in anyone weaker than him.
To prove that, she not only hadn't dated anyone yet, but he'd also never seen her talking with a man.
She had rejected all men that had approached her.
Among those men, there had been quite a few who had bright futures.
'I want to see her get married before I die.'
He had thought highly of her at first when he had seen her reject guys that looked like bums.
But Cheon SooYeon had recently turned 27 years old, and he was starting to get anxious.
It seemed like she really wasn't interested in anyone stronger than him.
'If there isn't anyone who can fit that criteria, I'll have to train someone who does.'
Cheon MooJin clenched his fists.
He thought that if it were Dragon Sword, who had the highest talent a martial artist could have and had the martial god's soul inside him, he'd be able to surpass him one day.
"Then I'll go first. Oh, I'll go and see how you train ShiHoon, so give me the location as well.
"Okay."
Cheon MooJin looked at KangWoo as he left.
'Just who is that guy?'
After hearing that he'd restrained Nam GoongJin and his underlings in just a few seconds, he'd investigated Oh KangWoo before going to Korea.
But the only information he could get was that he was a rookie supported by the Red Rose Guild who had become a player only three months prior.
'There's no way that's true.'
There was no need to think too deeply.
It made no sense that a player who had awakened three months before had been able to defeat Nam GoongJin.
Restraining him instantly would be impossible if the other person wasn't at least a ranker.
"Interesting."
A deep smile appeared on Cheon MooJin's face.
A player whose identity couldn't be uncovered, even with the Thousand Sword Gate's information network… and someone who didn't flinch in front of him.
He boiled in excitement.
Of course, he didn't think that player Oh KangWoo was at his level.
He was Cheon MooJin, the Sword King, one of the eight world rankers.
That meant he was one of the strongest players in the world.
He wasn't weak enough to lose against an unknown player.
"Father, what do you think about that Oh KangWoo person?"
At that moment, Cheon SooYeon, who had gotten closer to him, spoke in a subtle voice. Her expression was full of excitement.
"I'm not sure. Although he seems to be an interesting fellow."
"Fufu. Right? I've never seen someone display such an attitude in front of you."
"Hahaha. I guess that's probably because he doesn't know much about me."
Cheon MooJin laughed.
He doesn't know…
Oh KangWoo didn't know who he was and what he was capable of.
If he knew, there was no way he would have that attitude in front of him.
"Hmm. I wonder if that's true?" Cheon SooYeon asked while licking her lips.
Cheon MooJin frowned a bit.
"What do you mean?"
"I talked with him for a bit… But he said he was confident he could win against you."
"Oh."
Cheon MooJin's eyes shone with interest.
"How about that? Don't you wanna know what the source of his confidence is?" Cheon SooYeon asked him while cutely grabbing his arm.
"Hmm… It seems like you're interested in that young man."
He had never seen Cheon SooYeon interested in a man.
'This will mess with my plans…'
He felt that his plan of training Dragon Sword to make her connect with him was getting ruined.
After thinking for a while, Cheon MooJin nodded.
'I guess it doesn't matter.'
He knew very well about Cheon SooYeon's character.
Once the young man, Oh KangWoo, lost against him, she'd lose interest in him.
'I'm sorry for that confident young man, but Dragon Sword is a better partner for SooYeon.
What he expected from both was on a whole different level.
Sacrum, the highest talent a martial artist could have…. And on top of that, being the successor of the martial god.
Although Oh KangWoo may be stronger than ShiHoon at the moment, in the near future, Dragon Sword was probably going to overtake him.
For the future heir of the Thousand Sword Gate, choosing the Sacrum was the right decision.
'He also looks good.'
Dragon Sword's perfect appearance had also contributed to him preferring him.
It didn't matter how many times he thought about it, Dragon Sword was a better match for Cheon SooYeon.
"Fufu. I'm a bit interested. After all, there aren't many people who can be like that in front of father."
"Well, that's true."
"How about it? Don't you want to check it out?"
"Hmm…"
Cheon MooJin took a deep breath.
It seemed like, to make Cheon SooYeon lose interest, he would have to use his strength.
'Although I really liked his attitude…'
Once KangWoo learned his real strength, he probably wouldn't be able to maintain that attitude in front of him anymore.
It was too bad, but for the future of the Thousand Sword Gate, there was nothing he could do about it.
"Okay, let's do that."
* * *
"Fufu. I love you, father."
Cheon SooYeon hugged Cheon MooJin's strong arms. Her eyes shone with excitement.
'Although father is probably going to win…'
She was hoping for KangWoo to be strong enough to be able to satisfy her excitement even a little bit.
She thought about the girl who had grabbed her clothes—it was clear to whom the girl's feelings were directed.
The smile on her face deepened.
'It's going to be fun.'
She licked and smacked her lips.
There was nothing that looked more delicious than what another person had.
* * *
After returning to his house, KangWoo had dinner and then went to his room.
"The Sword King…"
The face of the thin man crossed his mind.
It was an appearance that didn't suit the title ‘Sword King’.
But the energy that came out from him clearly showed he was one of the eight world rankers.
'Could I win against him?'
He wasn't sure.
He was confident he wouldn’t lose, but he couldn't guarantee he would win against him.
'I wonder who would win.'
KangWoo raised his hand; the demonic energy that was inside the demonic energy stone flowed to his hand.
After obtaining a new strength called the demonic energy stone, he hadn't been able to put it to the test.
Even before he had formed the demonic energy stone, no one in Korea could face him.
He had tested its strength alone, but it still couldn't compare to fighting against a real opponent.
'I wish I could put it to the test.'
KangWoo's current situation was as if he’d bought the best items after much effort but didn't hunt with them.
The demonic energy stone was something he hadn’t had when he had ruled over the Hell of Nine Skies.
This meant that every time he leveled up, he obtained a new strength just like he gained a new attribute.
So it was understandable that he wondered about the power of the demonic energy stone.
KangWoo concentrated on the energy of the demonic energy stone in his hand.
As he kept concentrating, he felt something flowing out.
"Hmm?"
A small demonic energy stone the size of a nail appeared in the palm of his hands.
'So I can take it out and use it like this.'
He devoured it with the Authority of Predation. As expected, he still needed more information about demonic energy stones.
"I'll think about it tomorrow…"
It was already late.
KangWoo lay down on the bed.
Creak-
At that moment, Echidna entered the room. She was hugging the pillow.
"What's happening?"
"I want to sleep with KangWoo tonight."
"Hmm…"
It was a troublesome proposal.
But before he could say anything, Echidna went to his bed.
He felt confused by her sudden change of attitude.
"Did something happen?"
"Not really…"
While placing her head on top of KangWoo's arms, she bent like a shrimp.
Just like always, she was grabbing KangWoo's clothes.
—But something seemed off.
"It's okay. Just say it."
"Aren't you going to get angry?"
"No."
"At first, I was satisfied enough with just being by KangWoo's aid," Echidna carefully said.
"…"
"I wasn't alone anymore in a big nest. I was happy enough with not being lonely anymore."
Echidna grabbed his clothes even tighter.
"But today, a weird woman looked at KangWoo with lust in her eyes."
"Are you talking about Cheon SooYeon…?"
"Yes. That person smacked her lips while looking at KangWoo."
"…"
He hadn't noticed that because he didn't think about things like that too much.
"When I saw that, I began feeling anxious. I've been okay with staying by your side… But now, it isn't enough."
Echidna dug into KangWoo's arms.
"I’m becoming greedy."
Her small hands pulled on KangWoo's clothes.
Echidna's breathing got more intense; she extended head while licking her lips.
KangWoo and Echidna's lips got closer.
Knock knock-
"Mr. KangWoo, have you seen Echidna?"
She opened the door after knocking.
Seol-ah saw both of them in a compromising position.
"Huh?!"
She was lost for words.
Echidna, who was stuck to KangWoo, got up.
Echidna looked at Seol-ah while she got immersed in her thoughts.
There was a heavy silence.
Only the sound of breathing could be heard.
Echidna raised her head.
She walked toward Han Seol-ah and grabbed her clothes.
"I'm okay with Seol-ah."
"Yes? What is okay?"
"Seol-ah, let's do it together."
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
Han Seol-ah couldn't properly talk, and it was as if she were a broken machine. Echidna tilted her head and opened her mouth.
"I'm talking about mati—"
"KYAAHH!"
A scream spread through the house.
Han Seol-ah covered Echidna's mouth. She glared at KangWoo while blushing and breathing heavily.
"E-Echidna! Come here for a moment!"
"Uubhh."
Echidna was dragged out of the room, and the door closed.
"…"
He felt as if a storm had gone through the room.
He remembered the first time he’d Echidna.
She’d looked like a baby cat that had been abandoned.
She had looked like a girl trying to fill the empty place left by her dad, who had abandoned her.
Until then, KangWoo had been a fatherly figure to Echidna.
But that had changed. To be more precise, Echidna had changed.
'Our girl has changed.'
KangWoo, who was left alone in the room, was so surprised that he couldn’t even close his mouth.
