Geumo Group — Part 3
“Will you be alright?”
Seong Huiyeong looked at me.
Her worried gaze bore into me.
‘What if he loses? What if even he fails and we can’t secure a single proper win?’ Those emotions were written all over her face.
I nodded slowly.
“I can win.”
“Please, I’m counting on you.”
All eyes were on me.
Especially the first and second duelists—those department heads—who had previously been defeated.
They bowed their heads in gratitude.
I shrugged off the golf bag I’d been carrying.
I had selected only four items for this match:
The Black Tiger Sword, Mjolnir, Aegis, and my Magic Rifle.
The morning sun reflected off the magical equipment, scattering its light. The eldest brother frowned at the sight.
“Black Tiger Sword… Are you the Black Tiger Swordmaster?”
The second brother scowled.
“No matter how skilled the Black Tiger Swordmaster is, he can’t withstand Solar Flame. Hah, one more corpse to clean up. Brother, you’d better start preparing what you’ll say to that old tiger.”
“I’ll handle it.”
“Sure, sure. As if I’d expect anything less from you.”
The Superhumans on both the eldest and second brothers’ sides looked at me as if I were already dead.
The second brother’s reserve duelists, in particular, were muttering openly about how lucky they were not to have been selected for the match, as if being a reserve was their salvation.
Finally, I stood face-to-face with the mage warrior.
Crackle.
Electric sparks flickered at the corner of the mage warrior’s lips.
Beneath the steel mask—or rather, the entirely cybernetic lower face, including the jaw—the place where a faint smile might have formed instead emitted sparks.
“At last…”
The mechanical voice lacked emotion, but the mana waves pouring out of him betrayed his true feelings.
They were as deep and sinister as a cavern, yet burned fiercely like hellfire.
I stared him down and asked,
“Does Elder Jo know what you’ve become?”
“You bastard!”
The mage warrior snapped his head up.
Beneath the hood, his eyes glowed orange, like small fiery orbs.
“My master knows everything.”
“Really?”
“He knows everything. Everything.”
Something about his tone felt off.
Even without activating a sixth sense trait, a strange itch crept into my chest.
“Everything, you say? What do you mean by that?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
The mage warrior clamped his mouth shut.
But he couldn’t escape my [Insight].
His gaze briefly flicked to the eldest brother, who sat smugly in his chair, before returning to me.
‘Oh…’
There was something there.
[Sixth Sense] [Sensitivity] [Focus]
I honed in on the fleeting feeling that threatened to dissipate.
Elder Jo knows everything.
The mage warrior build must have been his creation.
He and the eldest brother likely had a longstanding relationship—either as collaborators or through an employment contract.
And there was another secret involving the eldest brother.
A hidden connection between Elder Jo, the mage warrior, and the eldest brother…
‘Could it be?’
A horrifying possibility came to mind.
The chairman’s sudden death.
What if these people were involved?
What if they escalated the dispute between the Sun Mage Tower’s Tower Master and the Geumo Group chairman into a matter of life and death?
What if they actively ensured the chairman wouldn’t be saved, preventing an SOS call to the Seven Great Churches that could have brought him back?
‘This explains a lot.’
It was speculation, yes.
But knowing these three—based on what I had seen in the game—it was a plausible scenario.
Elder Jo and the mage warrior, I could understand. But for the eldest brother to go this far?
This was nothing short of betrayal. A crime against his own blood.
“Enough talk. Let’s begin.”
Whirrr, clack.
The mage warrior raised his right hand.
It transformed into a massive cannon, with a large crystal embedded at the end instead of a muzzle.
The crystal was pitch-black, glowing faintly as though it housed an eclipse within.
Seong Huiyeong shot to her feet once more.
“Magical Pulse Cannon!”
“W-what? A Magical Pulse Cannon?”
“They even installed that?”
“Damn it!”
“It’s over! We’re done for!”
Groans erupted from Seong Huiyeong’s faction.
Some stared at the mage warrior in despair, while others simply gazed blankly at the sky.
The second brother’s faction wasn’t much different.
They glanced anxiously between the mage warrior and the eldest brother, their faces pale with shock.
The Magical Pulse Cannon.
Among enhancement cyborg components, it was one of the rarest and most powerful.
It unleashed all the mana stored within the body in a single, devastating attack. It reduced the user’s stamina to zero, but its instantaneous firepower was monstrous.
Coupled with Solar Flame, it could easily take down even a mediocre Level 6.
The eldest brother, speaking lazily but loud enough for everyone to hear, remarked,
“Tsk, I told him to save that for a Level 6 opponent…”
Three consecutive uses of Solar Flame, and he still had enough mana left for the Magical Pulse Cannon?
It was an outrageous boast, but one that carried weight.
Woooooong!
I didn’t respond. Instead, I unfolded the Aegis.
The invisible force field extended outward, completely enveloping me in a protective barrier.
The mage warrior’s glowing eyes narrowed.
“Aegis…”
“You know what that means, right? If I block this, I win.”
“I’ve heard about you from my master. You held off Solar Flame for 15 seconds, didn’t you? Fine, I’ll acknowledge that. Holding off Solar Flame for 15 seconds is impressive. But that’s all it is. Your Aegis won’t withstand my Solar Pulse Cannon. Turn to ash quietly—I’ll grant you that mercy in honor of the Black Tiger Sword.”
Mercy? Who does he think he is?
Without a word, I drew Mjolnir.
Against something like this, Mjolnir’s five-stacked traits would serve me better than the Black Tiger Sword, which was all brute strength.
The mage warrior aimed the Magical Pulse Cannon at me.
His heart whirred and thumped loudly.
The Solar Heart Furnace and Fusion Heart spun mana at their limits, making the very air around us grow frigid.
Everyone’s attention was on us—or more accurately, on him.
No one was looking at me.
They didn’t believe I could defend against this.
Feeling the icy atmosphere, I silently replaced my traits one by one.
[Magic Resistance], [Fire Resistance], [Black Flame]—these three were basic necessities.
[Sigurd Cultivation Technique], [Vajra Body], [Mana Shield]—I layered on additional protection.
It was still a bit lacking.
[Mana Soul], [Mana Core], [Close-Combat Mastery], [Defense], [Endurance], [Resolve]—there were plenty of excellent traits to choose from, but I could only equip six at a time.
Still, it didn’t matter.
I had Aegis and Mjolnir on my side.
Not to mention the protective gear crafted by Jo Chul, the Death Artisan, which activated its defensive traits.
“The duel will now begin.”
The facilitator raised their hand.
“3, 2, 1… Start!”
Bang!
Mana sparks flared from the mage warrior’s fingertips as the Solar Flame surged forward.
It was fast.
Faster than a warrior’s reflexes.
The Magical Pulse Cannon fired like a bolt of lightning, almost as if it had been pre-programmed.
KWAHHHH!
It poured down like a waterfall.
The orange flames descended like a river.
By the time the visual information registered in my brain, the Solar Flame—and now the Solar Pulse Cannon—had already spread in all directions.
There was no dodging, no deflecting.
The only option was to endure it head-on.
Wuuung.
A barrier formed over Aegis.
It was a semi-transparent shield forged entirely of mana, created by pouring all my mana into one powerful Mana Shield.
As it resonated with Aegis, the shield grew darker and more intense.
And then came Black Flame.
It surged from the center of the radiant barrier like flower petals, spreading outward and coloring the entire shield black.
The once translucent, shapeless barrier now glowed with a dark sheen, fully enveloping me as the Solar Pulse Cannon slammed into it.
FWOOSH!
It was hot.
It felt like stepping into the depths of hell.
The Solar Pulse Cannon split into two streams upon hitting the shield, completely blocked, and only the residual heat passed through—but even that was intense.
I narrowed my eyes, watching the shield closely.
‘I can handle this.’
It was definitely stronger than the Solar Flame I faced at the Sun Mage Tower.
Granted, back then, I was only Level 3, but even factoring that in, this was far more powerful.
But I, too, had grown stronger.
My stats had been significantly boosted thanks to reconstruction elixirs, and I now wielded higher-tier traits—not to mention Aegis and Mjolnir.
I gripped Mjolnir tightly.
Crackle, crackle.
Small arcs of lightning danced across its surface.
The Magical Pulse Cannon was all about overwhelming firepower at the cost of abysmal stamina.
It was already weakening.
Though it shook the three-dimensional magic array and melted the concrete beneath me, it hadn’t so much as singed a single strand of my hair.
I remained unscathed, with plenty of mana to spare.
“Huh?”
“W-what?”
“Is he… alive?”
“He survived that? A Level 5 warrior?”
“Guess Aegis and Mjolnir really are that good.”
They were wrong.
The reason I endured the Solar Pulse Cannon was my strength alone.
Beneath his hood, the mage warrior’s glowing eyes quivered violently.
He was clearly stunned.
“This can’t be… No—!”
The mage warrior faltered, his movements halting.
Mjolnir had transformed into a mass of lightning in my hand.
[Giant’s Strength], [Vajra Body], [Mana Soul].
[Sigurd Cultivation Technique], [Close-Combat Mastery], [Throw].
“I surre—”
He tried to surrender, but it was too late.
Mjolnir flew from my hand.
CRACK!
The lightning strike pierced the mage warrior.
It was blindingly fast.
The mage warrior build might excel in raw firepower, but it completely sacrificed speed and agility.
Mjolnir smashed into his face, pulverizing it.
BOOM!
And that was the end of it.
The explosion shattered his head, and flames from his magic core erupted toward the sky.
Sizzle, crackle.
The mage warrior stood there, headless, with sparks flying from severed wires.
Thanks to the intense modifications to his blood pressure system, no blood spurted from his veins—his blood only oozed out sluggishly.
The headless body stood upright for a moment before toppling over with a thud.
THUD!
The heavy, cybernetically enhanced body struck the ground with a dull impact.
Thwack!
Mjolnir returned to my hand just in time.
I caught it effortlessly, savoring the satisfying sensation of its handle wrapping around my palm.
The tension that had been weighing on my chest dissipated completely.
I glanced at the fallen body and let out a derisive snort.
“Hmph.”
For a moment, silence reigned.
Seong Huiyeong was the first to break it, practically bouncing in place.
“You did it! You were amazing! Absolutely amazing! You’re the best!”
The duelists from her faction stood up, joining in the cheer.
“You’re incredible!”
“As expected of the Black Tiger Swordmaster!”
“That was truly a phenomenal strike!”
“Not only did you block it, but you ended it with a single blow!”
The mood had shifted entirely.
Seong Huiyeong’s faction, which had been like a funeral moments ago, came alive like a phoenix reborn, while the eldest brother’s faction slumped in despair.
I sheathed Mjolnir and drew the Black Tiger Sword.
“Next.”
I mimicked the mage warrior’s taunts toward the second brother’s duelists earlier.
“Hahaha!”
“That was brilliant, absolutely brilliant!”
“Look at them! Just look at their faces!”
“Cheer up! Smile for once!”
The second brother’s duelists were clearly relishing the moment, mocking the eldest brother’s faction without restraint.
“Your smiles won’t last long!”
The second duelist stepped forward, scowling.
He was a fairly competent enhanced Superhuman, but he didn’t last more than a minute against me.
I deflected his bullets and dodged his explosives with ease, closing the distance to place my sword at his throat.
Gazing into his trembling eyes, I spoke calmly.
“Surrender.”
“I-I surrender! I surrender!”
“Well fought.”
Although he was technically my opponent, I had no personal grudge against him.
It was best to end things here without pushing too far.
The enhanced Superhuman rubbed his neck where the Black Tiger Sword had been, swallowing nervously.
“Thank you for sparing me.”
“No need to thank me. Let the next one know it’s their turn.”
“Y-yes! I’ll pass it along right away!”
With that, I had won three consecutive matches.
I had defeated the mage warrior and two Level 5 duelists in quick succession.
And aside from blocking the Solar Pulse Cannon in the first match, I had hardly used any mana.
[Undying], [Sigurd Cultivation Technique], [Mana Soul].
[Mana Recovery], [Mana Absorption], [Vigor].
I had even recovered the little mana I’d spent between matches.
That’s how I managed it.
When the eldest brother’s Level 6 R-rank enhanced fighter came out as the fourth duelist, I defeated him too—after over 30 minutes of fierce combat.
“I forfeit.”
Flame Horse stepped forward next but surrendered without hesitation.
He must have realized that if I showed my full hand, I’d still come out victorious.
There was no need to overdo it.
It was important to remember that this duel would inevitably make the news.
“Well done.”
Seong Huiyeong greeted me, her face flushed with excitement.
“It was manageable.”
“Four consecutive wins… I honestly didn’t expect that. I would’ve been happy with just one or two wins. I’ll be counting on you for the next duel as well.”
“Leave it to me.”
The five-round duel against the eldest brother’s faction ended decisively with Seong Huiyeong’s victory.
It was entirely thanks to my four consecutive wins.
Flame Horse was worn down by fighting two Level 5s and one Level 6 in succession, and the final duelist finished the job.
No one died.
Everyone stopped short of lethal damage, just like I had.
The mage warrior had been the exception, killing without hesitation—an anomaly in a contest where most participants knew each other well.
“Tsk!”
The eldest brother clicked his tongue as he glanced at the mage warrior’s corpse.
Then, he approached me and extended his hand for a handshake.
“Impressive work, Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
“You flatter me.”
“I don’t know what my sister has promised to pay you, but I can offer you truly unparalleled rewards. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to contact me.”
He handed me a gold-embossed business card.
This man had no sense of honor or loyalty.
He was bold enough to ignore Seong Huiyeong’s glare and the second brother’s derisive chuckle.
Suppressing a laugh of my own, I accepted the card.
“Of course. I’ll reach out if I’m interested.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Next up was the five-round duel against the second brother’s faction.
The second brother’s face was tense.
He had already guessed the outcome.
And he was right—there were no surprises.
It played out exactly the same way as the first duel.
I secured four consecutive wins, and then two Level 5s and one Level 6 wore down Cyborg until the final duelist finished him off.
The second brother gave a bitter smile.
“You’ve won, sister.”
“As they say, you don’t know who’s stronger until you measure.”
“You’ve done well, I’ll admit. But this won’t be enough. Little sister, the most important thing in our group is personal strength. We agreed to three battles, didn’t we? A 1-vs-1-vs-1 format. Who do you think has the advantage there?”
The answer was obvious: the winner of the individual matches.
In this brutal world, both power and wealth ultimately stemmed from personal combat ability.
Seong Huiyeong bit her lower lip.
“I told you, you don’t know until you try.”
“Ha, but there are things in this world where you don’t need to try to know. Who compares a stork to a sparrow? The outcome is obvious.”
“Are you saying you’re the stork?”
“Of course.”
“And you think that’s fair, when we’re both Level 6?”
“Hahaha. Just because we’re the same level doesn’t mean we have the same skills. Look at the Black Tiger Swordmaster you hired, for example.”
The second brother let his mana wave ripple out slightly.
It was wild and savage, as if a flock of crows had blocked out the sky.
Seong Huiyeong flinched for a moment, her shoulders trembling, but she quickly steadied herself and stood tall.
The second brother chuckled and patted her on the back.
“I’ll see you at the team match.”
Outwardly, it seemed like a friendly gesture.
But in reality, it was insidiously malicious.
He subtly directed his mana into Seong Huiyeong’s body—sharp and deadly enough that a non-Level 6 wouldn’t have been able to resist.
“Pah!”
Once the eldest and second brothers were gone, Seong Huiyeong spat harshly onto the ground.
Then, noticing my gaze, she straightened her clothes, regaining her composure.
“Apologies for showing you something unsightly. Please forget it.”
“I already have.”
“Thank you. It’s time to settle accounts, isn’t it? Black Tiger Swordmaster, you’ve overachieved on my request.”
Seong Huiyeong signaled to her secretary with a glance.
The secretary brought over a silver tray laden with items.
More than 100 gold bars.
A pistol.
A heap of Diamonds.
Two bottles of nectar.
And a pair of magical shoes shaped like golden crows.
It was practically a gift set.
–TL Notes–
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