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Chapter 5
Clack.
The sound of a teacup being set down echoed through the uppermost floor of the grand Andong Kim clan estate in Hanseong.
Seated in a traditional reception room, Kim Hyunwoo let out a long sigh as he recalled what had just happened.
“Phew…”
A discarded heir, deemed worthless after being labeled incompetent.
Because of that, he’d only meant to show just a hint of power, just enough to remind the other of his place.
But that bastard… he neither flinched nor bowed his head.
Instead, he had let his guard down, rattled by that snake-tongued brat and losing his composure like a fool. Just thinking about it made his face burn with shame.
And to make matters worse, he’d disgraced himself not just in front of anyone, but right in front of his father.
‘Kim Chang-woon… Was he always like that?’
After the initial wave of anger subsided, a natural suspicion crept in.
The Kim Chang-woon that Kim Hyunwoo knew was a pitiful creature, writhing in his own inferiority complex.
A pathetic idiot who kept making laughable attempts to win Father’s favor.
A fool desperate for the clan’s recognition, always trying, but always failing.
Yet now, that same fool had turned into a wild dog off its leash, provoking the rightful heir, scratching at his nerves with every word.
It was like he had become an entirely different person overnight.
‘But more than that… it was what he said that’s bugging me.’
Frowning deeply, Kim Hyunwoo recalled the words Kim Chang-woon had thrown at him.
-“Isn’t it strange?”
-“When I look at you… it really feels like you’re the one playing clan head of the Andong Kim family.”
That line.
So precise, so sharp, like he had seen straight into his very mind.
‘Could he… know something?’
For a moment, the thought made him nervous, but he quickly shook his head.
No way.
His “plan” was known only to a very select few among his most trusted aides.
There was no chance an illegitimate mutt he’d barely exchanged a dozen words with could know anything.
Still…
‘Letting him act however he wants… That won’t end well.’
Having come to a decision, Kim Hyunwoo made a simple hand gesture.
In response, a warrior approached, his entire body encased in machinery.
Artificial limbs that glowed faintly red in places. Power cores embedded in the joints.
A first-grade artificial body, one strictly banned from civilian use.
“Ho-chul. What do you think?”
“Leaving Young Master Chang-woon unchecked… could prove dangerous.”
“But what choice do we have? Father told us not to act rashly.”
“I understand. However…”
“There are ways,” said Ho-chul, trailing off as he leaned in and lowered his voice.
“……Ho.”
As Ho-chul whispered directly into his ear, Kim Hyunwoo’s scowl, drawn tight with humiliation, began to slowly soften.
“He’s going down to the lower city to hire a bodyguard?”
“Yes. But that place is teeming with criminals and wandering mercenaries… It’s no place for a noble’s son to walk around unguarded.”
“If he enters such a place without proper escort… an unfortunate ‘accident’ is highly likely, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. And if such an ‘accident’ were to happen…”
The red light from Ho-chul’s visor narrowed slightly, flickering.
“Lord Kim Junghun would be absolutely devastated.”
“Ha! Hahaha! Hahahaha—!”
He couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Ho-chul’s crude little joke.
Chang-woon, dead? His father grieving?
That cold-blooded man?
Scoffing inwardly, Kim Hyunwoo nodded, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips.
“Put out a call. Hire someone useful—skilled in their work, tight-lipped, and dangerous enough that their death wouldn’t even raise eyebrows.”
“As you command.”
Ho-chul gave a small bow and disappeared.
Optical camouflage activated—his figure fading out of sight.
Once his personal bodyguard had left to take care of things…
“So he really is out looking to recruit his own bodyguard.”
Watching over the people gathering around Kim Chang-woon, Kim Hyunwoo tilted his teacup, a deeper smile forming on his lips.
“And just like he said… his protection is sorely lacking.”
* * *
“Hmph. Ahem.”
I’ll say it again, just to make it clear…
I like money.
Because in this damned land of Joseon, there’s nothing money can’t buy.
What? You’re telling me there are things in this world that money can’t buy?
That the human spirit and emotions are sacred, too precious to be reduced to currency?
No. That’s a lie.
Everyone who acts all high and mighty, saying that crap, not a single one of them hates money.
“That’s why…”
A week had passed since that mess with Kim Hyunwoo.
We were now on an elevated highway, heading down into the lower levels of Hanseong.
Hearing my explanation, Taewoong looked at me, his face a picture of disbelief.
“So you’re telling me all that chaos yesterday… was just for this money?”
“Tsk, it’s not just any money.”
I couldn’t help but smile as the numbers flashed in the corner of my augmented vision.
“This isn’t from some clan-wide account. It’s money wired straight to my personal account. No clan surveillance, no restrictions, just clean, usable seed capital I can spend however I damn well please. Do you have any idea how important that is?”
“Y-yes…”
Whether he truly understood or not, I couldn’t say.
As we spoke, the scenery outside the car window began to change.
The sleek, modern buildings typical of the uppermost layer began to fade away, replaced by tangled webs of old concrete and electric wires.
Sunlight hadn’t touched this part of the city in years.
What lit the streets now were mismatched streetlamps and neon signs in every imaginable color.
This was Joseon’s largest industrial zone, a chaotic stew of every social class, and the beating heart of the capital.
Welcome to the Central District of Hanseong—also known as the Communal Living Zone.
“Taewoong.”
About 30 minutes remained until we reached our destination.
Watching the gradually decaying cityscape outside, I spoke again in a casual tone.
“I was born from an affair with a commoner, and the only thing the clan ever expected from someone like me… was my status power.”
Of course, what I just said wasn’t something you could simply brush off.
Taewoong stiffened at my sudden confession and turned toward me.
“Young Master… that’s…”
“The Andong Kim clan—Joseon’s most powerful family of aura users. I inherited that bloodline. Naturally, they assumed I’d possess power worthy of that name.”
“……”
“But now it’s been confirmed…I’m powerless. What do you think that means?”
“That is…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence. Watching him struggle, I gave a dry chuckle.
“It means I’ve lost the last bit of value I had as part of the ruling class.”
I kept going, my voice steady.
“From now on, the clan won’t expect anything from me. Every privilege I enjoyed as a noble? Gone. The elders, who already looked down on me, will try even harder to erase me from the family records.”
“……”
“And Father… no, Lord Kim Junghun, won’t lift a finger to stop it.”
Taewoong remained silent.
Probably because there was nothing appropriate to say.
But I didn’t care.
There was a question I’d been keeping bottled up for a long time.
“In this situation, continuing to be my bodyguard won’t do anything for your career. You know that, don’t you?”
In fact, it would do the opposite.
The sooner he cut ties with me, the better off his life would be.
And yet…
“So why… why are you still here?”
“Young Master…”
I was nothing more than a cast-off heir, barely clinging to relevance. Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to just walk away?
When I asked that, Taewoong shook his head slowly.
“From the day you were born, my mission has been to protect you, Young Master.”
“Even though the clan that gave you that mission doesn’t want me anymore?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
A body covered in scars, wounds layered with cybernetic armor.
That machine-laced frame shimmered faintly under the dim lights as Taewoong spoke in a voice filled with conviction.
“To me, you are someone I’ve vowed to serve with my life. Abandoning you just because of internal clan politics—
That’s something I could never do.”
“…Hah.”
I let out a hollow laugh, unsure whether to be touched or exasperated.
My loyal bodyguard, Seo Taewoong.
As expected… he hadn’t changed one bit.
-‘No tutor today? That means more free time for you, Young Master. Congratulations.’
-‘The cooks quit? It’s been a while since we’ve eaten out then. I know a good place—come with me.’
-‘A new school? Then you’ll need new clothes. I’ll come with you, Young Master. Making new friends means… there’s a lot to prepare.’
He was the one who stuck by me even when I’d hit rock bottom—
Out of nothing more than old affection built up over the years.
A powerless outcast.
A walking shame to the clan.
And yet, he still stood by my side.
The one who nursed me from the moment they started calling me that.
Who clumsily tried his hand at being a father figure, doing everything he could despite having no clue how.
And in the end…
“Stay strong… You must live, Young Master.”
“Survive. If you can just survive, then someday… you’ll have a chance too…”
Like a son who passed away too early.
Just for that single, pathetic reason, he couldn’t even voice out loud,
That idiot threw away his own life like a worthless rag.
That man was my bodyguard, Seo Taewoong.
“…Fine. I get it. In that case—”
What a hopeless idiot.
With that thought, I reached out and grabbed the bundle beside me.
“Then let’s try surviving this time, shall we?”
“What?”
The very next second—
A missile came crashing down on the roof of the car Taewoong and I were riding in.
KWA-KRAAAANG!
With an earth-shaking blast, fire and smoke swallowed the view in every direction.
The vehicle we rode in was custom-built for noble families, armored with top-tier blast-resistant specs.
Layered defense plating prevented a direct explosion from tearing us apart, but the sheer force of impact sent the car flipping and tumbling across the ground.
“Young Master!”
The moment the missile hit, Taewoong had already wrapped himself around me—
And now pushed his artificial body to full power.
Military-grade artificial limbs burst into glowing red light.
KWA-BOOOOM!
Then, with another explosion, one entire side of the car was ripped open.
He had punched through the composite armor plate, designed to block direct missile strikes, with his bare hands.
The moment we escaped through the hole he had made…
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Three more missiles rained down in quick succession, turning the car into a pile of burning scrap.
“Are you hurt!?”
“Above!”
I shouted back without a trace of panic, and Taewoong instantly turned his gaze upward.
And there it was.
A fully mechanized figure descending from above, sword swinging straight down.
CLAAANG!
Crossing his arms in defense, Taewoong blocked the strike head-on.
“Tch—!”
The attacker’s strength, amplified by artificial limbs, was overwhelming.
But Taewoong didn’t back down.
He twisted his arm and hurled the assailant away.
KWAANG!
Another thunderous impact as the attacker went flying.
One of the mechanical arms used in the assault was now dangling in tatters, but the guy just shrugged it off.
Then, casually—
“Well, there goes a whole set right at the start. That’s gonna be a loss, huh?”
“Don’t worry. They said everything’ll be reimbursed if we succeed.”
“Oho~ Big clients really are the best, aren’t they?”
Clack. Clack.
From a drone hovering behind him, he detached the damaged arm and swapped in a replacement.
That guy was just the start.
One by one, more unidentified figures began to surround the burning wreck.
“Grade-3 artificial limbs. Military supply drones. This isn’t just some gang of muggers. And…”
Taewoong narrowed his eyes as he got a clearer look at their faces.
Four attackers in total.
And every single one of them wore black Hahoe* masks made of carbon fiber.
In this country of Joseon, people wearing those kinds of masks…
“Don’t tell me… Hahoe?”
“……”
Even hearing the name made your skin crawl.
Hahoe.
A terrorist group infamous for assassinating members of noble families and sabotaging their affiliated corporations.
An execution-level criminal organization—Priority Target No. 0—for murdering countless aura users of the ruling class.
“Kim Chang-woon! The vile seed of the Sedo clans rotting this country from the inside!”
“Face the wrath of the people! Right here, right now—we’ll grind you into mincemeat!”
A cookie-cutter ambush.
A paint-by-numbers setup.
And those cliché one-liners, too, shouting their lines as they pointed guns at me.
Watching them, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
‘I knew it.’
Hahoe? Yeah, right.
These guys weren’t that terrifying.
The real Hahoe started targeting me only after I’d become a well-known figure of the Sedo political elite.
But right now, I was just a 15-year-old brat.
The real Hahoe probably didn’t even know I existed yet.
And most telling of all?
That mess of mismatched equipment, their juvenile behavior, the sloppiness of it all,
These punks weren’t some grand terrorist group.
They were just mercenaries pretending to be something bigger.
‘In my previous life, I didn’t have time to think, so it was just a guess—but now it’s confirmed.’
They were nothing but fakes borrowing the name of the terrorist group Hahoe.
In truth, they were assassins dispatched by my own clan to eliminate me.
“I’ll buy you some time. You must get back to the main house, no matter what.”
Clearly unaware of that possibility, Taewoong approached me with urgency in his voice.
“I’ve already sent a distress signal to the main house. If you follow the road, you should run into their bodyguards—”
“No.”
They won’t come.
I cut him off sharply and swept my gaze around the surroundings.
“A vehicle belonging to the Andong Kim clan was struck by a missile, rolled across the road, and exploded. Before any distress signal even goes through, the stationed Five Army Commands should trigger an emergency alert. And before that, the clan’s rapid-response protocol should already be in motion.”
But right now?
There wasn’t even the sound of a single siren.
When I pointed that out, Taewoong’s eyes widened.
“Then this means…!”
“Exactly what you’re thinking.”
Hearing my words, Taewoong grit his teeth.
He’d realized it too now.
This wasn’t an attack by Hahoe.
This was an assassination, ordered by the Sedo aristocracy.
No matter how many distress signals we sent, no help was coming.
‘Kim Hyunwoo… Looks like provoking that psycho actually worked.’
A masked assailant in a Hahoe mask.
A burning vehicle.
And Taewoong standing protectively in front of me.
It was exactly the same as the scene seared into my memory.
Originally, this attack wasn’t supposed to happen for another five years.
And in that future attack—
‘I lost him. My only ally—my bodyguard, Seo Taewoong.’
“There’s no way I can take all of them alone! Please, run!”
Just as I was about to get lost in thought again…
Taewoong turned to me and shouted in desperation.
“At least I will tell you where the safe house is—!”
“Hey. Old man.”
But in the instant Taewoong turned his head toward me—
“You’re supposed to be playing with me. What are you doing spacing out?”
The assassin didn’t miss that opening.
He closed the distance in a blink, stretching his arm out toward Taewoong.
“Tch—!”
Clack—!
The attacker’s mechanical arm split apart, revealing a blade gleaming with a cold, blue light.
A high-pitched screech sliced through the air.
A monomolecular cutter, flying in with deadly speed.
‘Fast!’
Sensing it was too late to dodge, Taewoong raised one arm to block it—
KANG!
Sparks exploded as the incoming blade twisted in mid-air, its trajectory thrown off.
“?!”
Startled by the unexpected interference, the assassin retreated a few steps.
What had diverted the blade’s path—
Was a single arrow.
It didn’t pierce through the attacker’s armored body, but that wasn’t the point.
Creak. Creak-creeeak.
The arrow was embedded precisely inside the inner joint of the opened mechanical arm—
Right in the power unit that activated the monomolecular cutter.
“What the hell…?”
“They hit the inside of the arm mid-swing… with an arrow? Not even a gun?”
A shot so precise that even guided targeting systems would struggle to pull it off.
Stunned, the assassin’s gaze turned, not to Taewoong, but to me, standing behind him.
In my hands was a compound bow, its ornate carvings gleaming faintly in the streetlight.
The same bow that Taewoong had promised to recover for me before we left.
“Phew.”
The look of sheer surprise on the bastard’s face filled me with a strange sense of satisfaction.
Powerless. Trash. Dead weight.
That’s what they’d always called me.
But look at me now—
I wasn’t completely talentless.
“Nice bow.”
I said with satisfaction, then nocked another arrow to the string.
The assassin stared at me.
Taewoong, still shielding me, looked back at me too.
Eyes wide with disbelief.
“Y-Young Master…?”
“Of course, you can’t handle all of them alone. But here’s the thing—”
I pulled the bowstring back, aiming at the bastards circling in from behind.
My body wasn’t even trained, and drawing this military-grade bow made my arms feel like they were about to pop out of their sockets.
The fingers holding the string tore open, blood spilling freely.
And still—
I felt amazing.
“There’s two of us.”
Because this time… I had a weapon in my hand.
This time, unlike before…
I wouldn’t run away, leaving my bodyguard behind to die.
[TL: Hahoe – It’s actually a traditional Korean mask. You can look it up on Google to see what it looks like.]
---The End Of The Chapter---
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