Lee Jaeyeol — Part 2
Sincheon-dong, Songpa District.
The three towering skyscrapers still stood imposingly.
I got out of the taxi and gazed at the Superhuman Tower for a long moment.
‘I should head in.’
Suddenly, the golf bag I was carrying felt cumbersome.
Instead of tossing it aside, I opened the bag and pulled out my holy sword.
After running my hand over it a few times, I strapped it to my waist.
I hadn’t brought any firearms, so the golf bag was mostly empty, sagging a bit.
With the bag slung over my shoulder and the sword hanging down, I instantly became the center of attention.
“Mom, look at that man!”
“Shh! Don’t point!”
“Why’s that man carrying a sword?”
“I said be quiet.”
Eyes were glued to me, and I could feel their stares practically piercing through my face.
I took the magic gun from my right pocket and slid it into my belt.
That was the extent of my weapons.
As always, I wore the bloodsucking gloves. Park Daeyeop’s modified steel gloves had been too big for me, even though they had the same toughness-enhancing abilities. They were gloves for a brawler, and I couldn’t even properly hold a sword or gun with them. So, I sold them through Manager Choi.
Selling the bodies of Ebony, Viper, and the Vice Chairman had more than made up for the money I’d spent during the war. Now, I was worth several billions of won.
People murmured more and started distancing themselves from me.
Now, only two sets of eyes remained on me—those of the guards standing like statues in front of the Superhuman Tower.
“Ah!”
One of the guards exclaimed in recognition.
“Wait, aren’t you the guy who came here last month?”
“That’s right.”
“Hold on. If I remember correctly, you were a Level 1 back then. And now you’re Level 3?”
Publicly carrying weapons was a privilege reserved for superhumans Level 3 and above.
The guard’s jaw dropped for a moment before he nodded in understanding.
“Wow, the Old Father’s Cult is truly something. They took a newly awakened Level 1 superhuman and turned him into a Level 3 in just a month.”
To be precise, it had taken a little more than a month, but let’s not split hairs.
I slowly shook my head.
“No, I didn’t become a Holy Knight.”
“What? But your weapons…”
“If I’d been officially baptized, I’d be carrying a sacred symbol at the very least. And I wouldn’t be dressed like this.”
“Aha.”
The guard finally seemed to understand as he glanced at my outfit.
I was wearing a protective suit and a tracksuit.
If Manager Choi hadn’t thoughtfully stocked my wardrobe, I would’ve shown up in a worn-out shirt and jeans.
Had I become a Holy Knight of the Old Father’s Cult, I would’ve been clad in full plate armor or, at the very least, chainmail that had been consecrated.
After all, divine power reacts especially well with metal.
“Have a good day.”
I entered the Superhuman Tower.
The revolving door opened, revealing the vast interior that greeted me.
Even though it was my second time here, the sight still amazed me.
There wasn’t a single pillar in sight—magic alone held the structure up.
What lay before me was a giant square that could easily be mistaken for a football field.
‘Incredible.’
Maybe it was because I had reached Level 3, but this time, I could see something I hadn’t noticed before.
The flow of mana, gracefully interwoven like a mosaic painting.
The elegant, intricate, and beautiful rhythm of it.
It looked as though someone had drawn magic circles in the air, as if casually scribbling them there.
On top of that, the invisible magic circles resonated with my own mana circuits, producing an odd hum in response.
My mana naturally settled down, and I felt my body and mind relax.
What was even more remarkable was that the concentration of magic circles seemed to increase as you went higher up.
The second floor, the third floor… I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like at the very top.
I had no doubt that just sitting up there would bring a near-ecstatic sense of bliss.
“Wahaha!”
“Congrats! Congratulations!”
“You’re the first among our group!”
It was noisy inside.
A crowd of men in armor had gathered around a mana circuit measurement device.
They all wore the same outfit.
Black chainmail armor.
Their capes were also black, with gold lines running down the back.
These were the robes of the Black Gold Sect Crusaders.
No weapons were visible.
They were probably still Level 2, which meant they weren’t authorized to carry arms.
Only two people stood out.
One was a Crusader dressed in plate armor, being patted on the back and head by his companions as they congratulated him.
The armed Crusader smiled brightly.
“Thank you! Thank you, everyone! Today, drinks are on me!”
The Holy Knight standing nearby frowned in disapproval.
“Mr. Lee, didn’t you say you wanted to become a Holy Knight? To become a Holy Knight, you must forsake all worldly pleasures and devote your soul, mind, and body entirely to the Old Father. I understand you’re happy to reach Level 3, but you need to focus more.”
“Ah, Captain, can’t we at least celebrate today? I’ve been waiting for this day since middle school! Becoming a certified Level 3 is a big deal!”
“Hmm. Just today, then.”
The man had thick mutton chops and a full beard.
If he weren’t clearly Korean, I would’ve mistaken him for a half-European knight straight out of a medieval fantasy movie.
‘His face looks familiar.’
Where had I seen him before?
There was only one answer.
Arcane Seoul, the mobile game.
As I racked my brain, trying to remember more about the Holy Knight, he must have sensed my gaze because he turned and looked at me.
After a moment, he raised an eyebrow, as if surprised.
“Well, well. Aren’t you the one the Saintess baptized?”
The Holy Knight approached me without hesitation, extending his hand.
His steel gauntlet had a luxurious design, with a lion engraved on the back of his hand.
That’s when it hit me.
“My name is Oh Dusik.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Warrior Kim.”
That’s right—Oh Dusik, the Lion Knight.
In the game, he was a boss of the Level 5 dungeon.
But seeing him now, he looked a little different than his in-game counterpart.
He was slightly less flashy, less extravagantly dressed.
‘So he’s Level 4.’
By the standards of the Old Father’s Cult, that made him an upper-tier knight.
He wasn’t at the level of a knight commander yet.
But since he was here with the Crusaders, it seemed he was leading this squad.
“Captain?”
The only armed Crusader called out to Oh Dusik.
“Are you seriously chatting with an unbeliever? That’s not like you.”
“Just because someone’s an unbeliever doesn’t mean we need to ignore them.”
Oh Dusik’s eyes flicked to me again as he spoke.
His sharp gaze swept over the empty space around me, as if examining every detail of the area.
“Especially someone who declined the Old Father’s blessing just a month after being baptized.”
“What?”
“What does that mean…?”
Since drinking the nectar, I had kept my Black Flame trait active at all times.
But not anymore.
At Level 3, overcoming the fever was a given.
And that’s exactly what Oh Dusik had just pointed out.
“You’ve… overcome the fever?”
The armed Crusader murmured, his voice strained.
Then he glared at me, his eyes filled with hostility.
Deep in those eyes, I saw it.
Inferiority. Anger. Jealousy.
A storm of negative emotions swirled, making me uncomfortable.
What the hell was his problem?
“Mr. Lee, have you still not let go of your delusions?”
“S-sorry, sir.”
At Oh Dusik’s rebuke, the Crusader immediately lowered his head.
But I could still feel it—the distinct animosity directed at me.
Ah… could it be?
Was this Crusader forced into baptism and indoctrination, just like Seo Woojin?
That would explain a lot.
If he had been scraping from the bottom, trying to rise as a Crusader, while I was already overcoming the fever and moving up in the ranks, then it made sense.
Even though he was directing his frustration at the wrong person, it wasn’t surprising. After all, humans aren’t exactly the most rational creatures.
“Mr. Lee, let’s begin. It looks like this man is here for his superhuman certification, so we should make room for him.”
“Yes, Captain.”
The Crusader took a deep breath and stepped toward the certification device.
As soon as he placed his hand on it, a burst of light erupted.
Sparks flickered like fireflies, racing across the pillar of light in all directions.
Amid the waves of light, text began to take shape.
[Lee Jaeyeol]
[Male]
[25 years old]
[Warrior Class]
[Level 3]
[Dual Circuit]
The employee standing next to the device, Baek Sorin, beamed brightly.
“Congratulations, Mr. Lee Jaeyeol! You’re officially a true superhuman now! Would you like me to guide you to the lounge on the third floor?”
“Hmph. No need.”
Lee Jaeyeol turned away coldly.
Baek Sorin’s face twitched with a slight spasm, but she forced a smile and brushed it off.
“Oh! Lee Jaeyeol! Oh!”
“The genius Crusader, Lee Jaeyeol!”
“Even your father won’t be able to say anything now!”
“Go and declare it proudly! From today, you’re a Holy Knight of the Old Father’s Cult!”
“Yeah, yeah! Don’t let anyone take what’s yours! Seize it! Seize it!”
“Seize! Fight!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Crusaders fired loud celebratory shots into the air.
They had pulled black-gold rifles out of large bags and fired them into the sky.
The sound of the gunfire made it clear they were blanks, but it was still obnoxious.
Baek Sorin’s eyebrows twitched visibly, and even Oh Dusik clicked his tongue in disapproval, but the Crusaders didn’t care.
“Damn rowdy brats… I apologize. They’re noisy because they were spoiled growing up.”
“No worries. It’s understandable. It’s worth celebrating when someone reaches Level 3, after all.”
Oh Dusik… this guy was really something.
Then again, that’s how his character was in the game as well.
He was known as one of the few reasonable people in the Old Father’s Cult.
Except for one fatal flaw.
He was a fanatic.
In normal situations, he was calm and composed, the epitome of a proper Holy Knight, but when it came to anything involving the Old Father or the Saintess, his rationality flew out the window.
The Crusaders kept firing their rifles into the air.
Lee Jaeyeol, basking in their adulation, glanced over at me.
His face showed faint traces of superiority and triumph.
Was he really that proud of reaching Level 3? Of becoming a Holy Knight?
And yet, he had only a dual circuit. An N-tier, at best.
Warrior Kim was also an N-tier, but I was no longer the same.
I walked past the still-rowdy Crusaders and approached the mana circuit measurement device.
Baek Sorin, who had been standing next to it, recognized me.
“Oh? Aren’t you Warrior Kim?”
“You remember me?”
“Of course. You left quite an impression last time. But…”
Baek Sorin cautiously looked me over.
Her eyes widened when she saw the empty space around me, the holy sword at my waist, and the magic gun.
“Wait, don’t tell me… Did you level up to 3? You never got certified for Level 2!”
“It just happened that way.”
“My goodness, my goodness… That’s incredible! Overcoming the fever… That’s the stuff of legends! And it wasn’t just any priest or bishop who baptized you—Saintess herself did it!”
“Luck was on my side.”
“Luck? Don’t sell yourself short! At this rate, you might start your own nation one day! Remember how Yi Seong-gye was famous for overcoming the fever and becoming a superhuman? And wasn’t Lu Bu from The Three Kingdoms the same?”
Right. That’s how the lore went.
Overcoming the fever meant something that significant.
It was proof of transcendent will.
Whether by chance or divine favor, the result was the same.
History in this world had proven that any superhuman who overcame the fever inevitably became a high-level superhuman.
“The device is ready! Are you going to measure it now?”
“Yes. Please.”
“Go ahead.”
I reached out and touched the pillar of light.
The entire pillar hummed and shook, and just like with Lee Jaeyeol moments earlier, the same phenomenon occurred.
The light danced, and words formed before me.
[Warrior Kim]
[Male]
[22 years old]
[Warrior Class]
[Level 3]
[Sixfold Circuit]
As expected—Level 3.
I summoned my black flame as if to make a statement.
I spread it wide, like a peacock fanning its tail, then swept it around like a black dragon. The onlookers began murmuring.
Especially the Crusaders—their faces were a sight to behold.
Black flame was typically reserved for high-ranking clergy members of the Old Father’s Cult, usually those of bishop rank or higher.
Some knight commanders could imbue their swords with it, but almost no one could wield it as freely as I did.
Only Oh Dusik seemed impressed, his expression full of admiration.
“Truly remarkable. Have you reconsidered your decision? If you were to join our cult, I have no doubt you would rise to the rank of Grand Commander or even Apostle. Seeing that black flame, I am convinced the Old Father’s blessing already resides within you.”
Is this guy crazy?
There’s no way I’m joining that doomed cult, not even if it’s just for a few years.
My answer was always the same.
“I’m sorry, but I value my freedom.”
“I see…”
Oh Dusik looked genuinely disappointed.
In contrast, the Crusaders looked relieved.
Some of them subtly patted their chests in a gesture of relief, while others cast jealous, envious glares my way.
Oh Dusik offered me one last handshake.
“I must take my leave now. May the Old Father’s blessing and grace be with you, Superhuman.”
“Well… I’ll take that as a well-meaning gesture. Travel safely.”
Finally, the Crusaders began to leave.
Even as they exited the Superhuman Tower, Lee Jaeyeol kept glaring at me.
What’s with that guy? Why does he hate me so much?
But it didn’t bother me in the slightest.
I shrugged it off with a smirk, ready to forget the whole thing, when I noticed Baek Sorin’s worried expression.
“Superhuman, are you sure you’re alright?”
“Why?”
“It’s him…”
Baek Sorin glanced at Lee Jaeyeol, who was just passing through the revolving door.
“His father is the CEO of Seungcheon Security.”
I had heard it before.
This world’s Korea was dominated by four major forces: the military factions, the conglomerates, the Mage Towers, and the religious orders.
Within these factions, five conglomerates held power: Shinhwa, Geumo, Yuil, Myeongseong, and Seungcheon.
Seungcheon Group might be the smallest of the five, but they were still not to be taken lightly.
In this world, where wealth and power were so heavily concentrated, their influence was undeniable.
“Wow. So, he’s a golden spoon.”
“Yeah… As you know, Superhuman, it’s never good to get on the bad side of a conglomerate.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“But, Superhuman…”
“He’s just the son of a subsidiary CEO, not a true chaebol. I’m not weak enough to be afraid of some executive’s son.”
The CEO of Seungcheon Security? So what?
Judging from the Crusaders’ earlier conversation, there seemed to be some internal conflict within their ranks.
They had mentioned something about not letting a sibling take what was his.
Considering what happened with Seo Woojin, I could guess what was going on.
There was probably some sort of inheritance battle.
If I were the CEO of Seungcheon Security, I wouldn’t hand the business over to Lee Jaeyeol either. Why risk losing the family business?
Besides, Seungcheon Group’s headquarters might be able to pull some strings if it came to that.
“Haa.”
Baek Sorin sighed softly.
“Superhuman, I’m envious of you.”
“Of what?”
“Everything, really. I just wish I were as strong as you.”
Baek Sorin’s doe-like eyes had a hint of sadness in them, and for a moment, her expression overlapped with the version of her I remembered from the game.
The Baek Sorin from the screen always had a confident smile, with those [SSR] rainbow-colored letters floating above her.
Maybe that’s why, without thinking, I said what I did next.
“Baek Sorin, do you want to become a superhuman?”
“What? Of course I do! Who wouldn’t want to be a superhuman?”
“Then become my disciple.”
“Huh?”
“If you’re willing, I’ll help you become a superhuman.”
Baek Sorin stared at me, her expression one of clear disbelief.
But I knew.
In Arcane Seoul, Baek Sorin wasn’t even listed as a character when the game first launched.
I knew what episode she appeared in, what process she went through to awaken as an SSR-tier warrior superhuman.
I even knew how to trigger her awakening early.
It was like having a guaranteed SSR character pull.
Why wouldn’t I do it?
Baek Sorin’s eyes flickered with a storm of emotions.
Suspicion, doubt, and uncertainty swirled within, but amidst all that, there was also a faint glimmer of hope, a small flicker of anticipation, and a sliver of fragile trust.
I met her gaze with a calm expression.
There was no need for a long-winded explanation.
I just conveyed my sincerity through my eyes.
“Hoo!”
After a long silence, Baek Sorin exhaled softly.
“Alright. I’ll do it.”
And that was the moment Baek Sorin, one of the top three warriors, the Celestial Killer, came into my fold.
–TL Notes–
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