Stockholm Grand Palace — Part 1
February in Seoul was bitterly cold.
There was no snow.
The sky was eerily clear, and the sun, like an iceberg floating in the sky, cast a piercingly bright light.
The light trickled down and reflected off the glass.
The blue-gray glass exterior covering the building shimmered.
The dazzling glare scratched at my eyes like a blade.
Yet, my heart felt warm.
“Here it is.”
A gentleman in a suit, wearing a jeweled tie and enchanted glasses, stood before me.
“The former Division Commander has decided to transfer this building to you, Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
I silently looked up at the building.
A 15-story structure.
It also reportedly had six underground levels.
The first floor housed a franchise café and a convenience store, while the second and above were tightly packed with various Superhuman organizations’ offices.
In the real world, the most sought-after real estate would be medical buildings, but in this world, it was properties tied to Superhuman industries that held the highest preference.
“Wow… Wowww!”
Baek Sorin gaped in amazement.
“Teacher, are you becoming a landlord? How much does a building like this cost?”
The lawyer in the suit proudly answered her.
“Exactly a year ago, the former Division Commander purchased it for 110 billion won. The current market value has risen slightly, so it’s worth about 120 billion won now.”
“120 billion!”
Baek Sorin’s eyes widened.
Janet looked like she was about to faint.
Only Kali Kurat, with her silver-spoon background, nodded indifferently as though the building was merely “decent.”
“How about the acquisition tax?”
Among us, only Manager Choi remained composed.
The lawyer grinned.
“The former Division Commander has agreed to cover that as well. Black Tiger Swordmaster, you only need to stamp your seal.”
“What a generous man!”
“Haha, the former Division Commander is indeed like that. After all, he is the eldest son of the Legion Commander.”
If he was going to give it away, he might as well do it grandly.
There was, however, one small regret.
In the real world, a building like this wouldn’t cost 120 billion but somewhere around 50 or 60 billion.
Still, considering the dense population and high real estate value in this world, I should be satisfied.
‘One day…’
I glanced southward toward the main road, where skyscrapers were clustered.
This was no 15-story or 20-story building.
Hundred-story, even two-hundred-story skyscrapers formed an urban forest.
Buildings so valuable that even with more than a trillion Won, there was no one willing to sell.
One day, I wanted to own one of those skyscrapers.
The thought made me chuckle softly.
From someone whose only possession had been a deposit for a 2-pyeong gosiwon, to someone who now had a house, a mansion, and even a building—it felt surreal.
And yet…
‘I don’t want to go back.’
The stronger I grew, and the more I acquired, the less I felt inclined to return to my original world.
Was there really a need to go back?
If I became strong enough to dismantle the apocalyptic scenarios of the future, and if I completely conquered this world, all the problems would be solved.
It was something to think about.
At the very least, it was worth keeping as a Plan B.
“Hmm? That person…”
“It’s Black Tiger Swordmaster! Black Tiger Swordmaster is here!”
“What? The Black Tiger Swordmaster?”
The location of my building was right in the heart of Gangnam Avenue.
Near Sinsa Station, to be precise.
Naturally, the area was teeming with foot traffic.
Gangnam Avenue in this world was twice as wide as the one in the real world, yet it was still crowded.
People started recognizing me and began to approach.
Manager Choi quickly gestured.
“Let’s head inside.”
The place I was led to was the 15th-floor penthouse.
A private penthouse reserved for the building owner.
It had both work and living spaces, perfectly equipped.
All the furniture was top-tier.
No, it was magical luxury.
Even the engraved magic circles were immaculate, and a gentle, refined mana flowed like a fragrance from the mana circuits.
“Excuse me, is all of this included?”
“Haha, of course. It’s all yours.”
“Wowww!”
I was the one receiving it, yet Baek Sorin seemed more excited than me.
However, after taking a quick look around the penthouse, I lost interest.
Because it didn’t have a training room.
I spend most of my day in a training room; without one, I wouldn’t be able to live here.
Moreover, my current mansion was equipped with a magical spirit computer, various facilities, and security systems. I couldn’t give all that up to move here.
“It’s a decent place for occasional work.”
“Hmm? Oh, haha, I see. That’s understandable, Black Tiger Swordmaster. In fact, the former Division Commander rarely used it himself. His property manager mainly handled it. After all, the former Division Commander owns several other buildings around Gangnam, so there’s plenty to manage.”
“Ah… There’s no training room here.”
“We could build one if necessary.”
“That would compromise security.”
“Indeed, it would.”
It seemed better to follow in the footsteps of the former Division Commander and hire someone to manage the penthouse for me.
With that in mind…
I called Manager Choi, who was still busy marveling at the penthouse.
“Manager Choi.”
“Yes?”
“Would you be interested in managing this building for me?”
Gulp. Manager Choi audibly swallowed.
“M-me? Are you serious?”
“Yes. I don’t know anyone else I can trust. Plus, with so many Superhuman organizations here, it would benefit your business too. Don’t you think?”
“Well, I suppose that’s true, but…”
“I’m not asking you to shut down your business. I’ll give you 10% of this building’s rental income as a management fee. Just make sure you handle everything properly.”
How much rental income does a Gangnam building generate?
It varies from building to building, but the ratio is similar to that of the real world: about 1% to 2%.
That means this building would yield about 1.2 billion to 2.4 billion Won annually.
In other words, sitting back would earn me 100 to 200 million Won per month.
If giving away 10% means I don’t have to worry about a thing, it’s worth the investment.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster…”
Manager Choi’s eyes glistened with tears.
“You’re the one who saved my life, so I can’t possibly take a commission. Besides, you’ve even allowed me to keep my business going. It would be my honor to serve you wholeheartedly.”
“No, Manager Choi. Do you think I’ll stop at owning just this one building?”
“Uh…”
“I guarantee that in the near future, I’ll own several more buildings like this one. I might even end up with a trillion-won skyscraper someday. Will you work for free then too?”
“Well… That’s…”
“It’s better to be clear about these things. Take the commission. Instead, think of it as your own responsibility and work hard.”
Trying to save a million or two by skipping the commission would be a foolish move.
It’s much better to offer a small share and have someone work diligently.
The harder Manager Choi works, the better off I’ll be.
After a moment of hesitation, Manager Choi bowed deeply, bending at a 90-degree angle.
“I’ll give it my all, sir!”
“Haha. Let’s do great work together.”
I shook hands with Manager Choi.
The lawyer sent by the former Division Commander looked at us with envy.
Right now, it’s just a common property management role.
But, as I said, it’s certain that I’ll soon be soaring.
“Shall we move on to stamping the contract?”
“Let’s do it.”
“We also need to renew some lease contracts. Shall I call the tenants in now? I’ve already contacted them.”
“The Black Tiger Swordmaster is busy. I’ll handle the lease renewals as his representative.”
“Well… That works too.”
“Sir, what would you like me to do? Should I try to negotiate a bit?”
Manager Choi’s enthusiasm was evident. His eyes gleamed like a hungry hyena’s—clearly planning to jack up the rent.
In a world without the Three Lease Laws, landlords were kings.
Even in the real world, landlords held all the power, but here, they were practically demigods.
After a brief moment of thought, I answered.
“No need to go overboard. Let’s stick to the current contracts for about two years. If my circumstances aren’t bad in two years, we can either freeze the rent or raise it slightly.”
“Huh.”
“The Black Tiger Swordmaster is incredibly generous.”
“Well, that’s our teacher for you!”
I felt a bit embarrassed.
The truth was, I didn’t want to deal with the hassle, so I opted for a rent freeze, but their reaction was overly enthusiastic.
Apparently, it was common practice to raise rent by at least 10%, sometimes even 20%, when a building changes owners.
This world, in many ways, starkly contrasted with the real one.
‘Did I just think Hell Joseon seems like a paradise? How absurd.’
If Hell Joseon was a nightmare, then this world must be hellfire difficulty.
After spending a bit more time at the building, I decided to leave.
“The rest is up to you, Manager Choi. Unless it’s something really serious, just handle it on your own.”
“Yes! You can count on me! I’ll work like my life depends on it!”
“Wow, you really hit the jackpot, huh, mister?”
“Hahaha. I guess I did. It’s all thanks to the Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
“Well then, see you later.”
I got into the car and returned home.
After sparring lightly with my disciples, I locked myself in the training room.
It’s already been two weeks since I reached Level 6.
But I still hadn’t fully adapted to my body.
“Hoo… This is tough.”
A soft complaint escaped my lips.
My disciples’ rate of growth was terrifying.
Baek Sorin had already reached the mid-point of Level 5, and Janet was on the brink of breaking into Level 5 herself.
In a month or two, I might be able to give them Nectar.
And Kali?
She was progressing just as well. By the time Janet hit Level 5, Kali would likely achieve Level 4.
‘I can’t fall behind.’
I gripped my sword.
Closing my eyes, I summoned a memory from my mind.
A memory stored deep within my brain—of the Legion Commander wielding the Black Tiger Sword.
The Legion Commander’s movements were ferocious.
With each swing, sword energy surged, and sword force was born, slicing the world apart.
I quietly followed along, reciting the technique names he had murmured.
‘Black Tiger Sprout, Black Tiger Thunderclap, Black Tiger Severing Heaven, Black Tiger Shadow, Black Tiger Sword Radiance, Black Tiger Descends.’
In order: Sword Qi, Sword Flash, Crescent Slash, Sword Barrier, Sword and Spirit as One, and Sword Force.
The Black Tiger Invincible Sword Art was a true manual.
Starting from Sword Qi, mastering its techniques, and ultimately reaching the peak of Sword Force.
The frightening part was that this was only the first half.
The second half involved the Mind Sword.
And that led to a question.
‘Can I even do this?’
In the game, the Mind Sword was exclusive to the SSR Sword God character.
A late-game character from a China-based update.
Even the Legion Commander couldn’t use the Mind Sword.
After all, the Mind Sword belonged to Level 9, the Realm of Celestial Star.
‘It’s definitely not a unique trait, though…’
The real problem was that I didn’t even know how to acquire it.
The only way was to summon the Sword God character through paid gacha and have them pass it on.
It was an ability that, despite being powerful, was overshadowed by the Three Overlords.
As a warrior’s trait, its activation time was slower than grand spells, it consumed an absurd amount of mana, and it wasn’t even an area attack—just a single-target skill.
‘I’ll shelve that for now.’
For now, even manifesting Sword Force was a daunting challenge.
“Hup!”
Boooom!
I thrust my sword forward.
A strike meticulously following the mana control method of Black Tiger Shadow.
[Black Tiger Invincible Sword Art] [Swordsmanship Expert] [Sword Qi]
[Sigurd Cultivation Technique] [Focus] [Training]
A barrier sprang up in response.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
Drones I had set up fired submachine guns at me.
The incomplete Sword Barrier deflected most of the bullets.
But it wasn’t perfect.
At least half the bullets slipped through the gaps in the barrier and struck me.
Yet, the pain wasn’t as bad as I expected.
I sighed as I touched the bruised skin on my arm.
“Too weak.”
The problem was that I had become too strong.
Should I set up a light machine gun and let it fire away?
No, that would be overkill.
The best approach would be to increase firepower just a little—use rifles, imbue them with moderate magic, and create a combination of physical and magical attacks.
I sighed inwardly.
‘Where on earth is the Dasan Rifle?’
Manager Choi had been diligently searching for it but still hadn’t found it.
It had been incredibly rare in the game, so this was no surprise.
‘Should I just force mana into it?’
That was another option.
I could forego Sword Qi and Focus and rely entirely on a Mana Shield and Domain Shield instead.
I decided to give it a try since I was already thinking about it.
Mana drained from my body like the tide pulling away, but I managed to implement a similar effect.
However, it was horrendously inefficient.
‘I can’t use this in real combat.’
I had already felt it when I used Mars Swordsmanship against the former Division Commander—my mana reserves were painfully insufficient.
But there were limited ways to increase mana in this world.
The highest-tier mana traits existed, but they were exclusively for Mages.
For Warriors, Mana Core was the limit.
There was only one solution.
“Thor Cultivation Technique…”
It was a technique I had been considering for a long time.
I sheathed my sword and spread my arms wide.
I activated one of the new traits I had acquired.
[Hellfire]
Fwoooosh!
Flames erupted.
Crimson fire shot out like a flamethrower, engulfing the vast training room with ease.
The walls began to scorch rapidly.
Magic circles inscribed on the walls activated in defense, but they were too weak.
Even the mana embedded within the circles began to melt away under the flames.
“Grrgh!”
But I couldn’t sustain it for long and extinguished the flames quickly.
[Mana Core] [Mana Soul] [Sigurd Cultivation Technique]
[Mana Recovery] [Mana Absorption] [Deep Breath]
Even with all these mana-focused traits equipped, I could barely last ten seconds.
[Hellfire] consumed an absurd amount of mana. While it didn’t belong to any specific element, its enormous mana cost was a major drawback.
That’s why Fire Mages usually carried traits like Flame Proficiency or Flame Specialization, much like Kim Mabeob.
‘It’s hard to use as a main weapon.’
However, it could work as a surprise attack.
But only under one condition.
I needed to solve the mana consumption issue.
‘I’ll have to go to Stockholm.’
The thought made me a little tense.
Instinctively, I pulled down the zipper of my tracksuit slightly.
Even though I hadn’t zipped it up all the way, my neck felt tight.
Would it be okay?
The reason for my concern was simple.
The Thor Cultivation Technique, along with the Odin Cultivation Technique and the Tyr Cultivation Technique, were top-tier techniques derived directly from gods.
Acquiring them required receiving them directly from the gods.
In other words, I would have to face a god.
At Level 6.
When I wasn’t yet qualified.
‘It’s not like there’s no way.’
I remembered something that had been mentioned before.
Anyone below Level 7 who faced a god would die instantly upon sight.
Even to merely glimpse a god’s face, you needed to be at least Level 7.
This was an issue tied to the level of one’s soul, so even stacking high-tier traits wouldn’t resolve it.
But, as always, there were exceptions.
You could use invincibility frames.
Whether through potions, magic chips, or any other means, it was possible to glimpse a god as long as you activated invincibility.
Of course, if you relied solely on invincibility and acted recklessly, you’d be annihilated in an instant.
‘Forget paid items—I have an invincibility skill.’
Conveniently, the invincibility artifact I needed was also located in Stockholm Grand Palace.
I climbed aboard the Red Cougar.
The Thor Cultivation Technique was waiting for me.
–TL Notes–
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