Black Tiger Sword — Part 1
His hands trembled.
His breathing was ragged.
It felt as though his heart might stop, overwhelmed by the utter depletion of his mana.
The flash still consumed an enormous amount of mana. Even now, at Level 4, just using it once left him drained.
Perhaps only at Level 5, once he had equipped a Mana Core, would he be able to wield it freely.
“You’re incredible!”
Koo Hyungwon exclaimed with admiration.
“Are you really just Level 4? No wonder the Legion Commander has taken a keen interest in you.”
Koo Hyungwon extended his hand for a handshake without hesitation.
I clasped his hand firmly.
Koo Hyungwon grinned broadly, and then tightened his grip.
This guy?
I responded by adding force to my own hand.
Muscles twitched and surged as we subtly engaged in a test of strength.
To be honest, I was slightly outmatched.
Even though I had used [Giant’s Strength], [Mighty Strength], and [Toughness], it wasn’t enough against a Level 7 superhuman.
If Koo Hyungwon had been serious, he could have easily crushed my hand.
But instead of breaking my hand, he patted me lightly on the shoulder in a friendly manner.
“You’re really something! For a Level 4, your potential is incredible. I can’t wait to see how strong you’ll become at higher levels! Catch your breath and follow me.”
“To the Tiger’s Palace?”
“That’s right. There’s someone who wants to meet you. Refusal is not an option.”
It was probably the Legion Commander.
I glanced down at the Hunter Association President’s corpse.
The monstrous, deformed body still lay there.
A walking treasure trove.
The mask on his face, the red silk attire, the boots engraved with magical runes, the enchanted ring, and the necklace—I carefully gathered them all.
‘Is there anything I can actually use?’
While the Lion Knight’s equipment was bound to the Old Father’s Cult, the Hunter Association President’s gear had no such restrictions.
I stuffed all the magical items into a golf bag.
Director Kang approached me with a beaming smile.
“Warrior Kim! You’re truly extraordinary! I knew you were strong, but I never imagined you were this strong!”
“You flatter me.”
His tone changed again?
Director Kang glanced nervously at the frozen officials of the Association.
“What do you plan to do with them?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
Whatever terms I set, they wouldn’t be able to refuse.
Even if I demanded their lives, they’d have no choice but to comply.
“Director, why don’t you handle it?”
“Me? Is that really okay?”
“You know the Hunter Association better than I do. I have no interest in getting involved in its operations.”
“To be honest, I was hoping to use them to nominate you as the next President of the Hunter Association, Warrior Kim.”
“I refuse.”
“Pardon? Why not? Despite the mess we’ve shown you, the Hunter Association is still a group with considerable influence.”
“It would take up too much of my time. I’d prefer to only rely on the Hunter Association’s help when hunting monsters occasionally.”
Director Kang gave me a peculiar look, as though he were assessing me.
I just shrugged in response.
Becoming the head of the Hunter Association?
Are you insane?
If I had that kind of time, I’d rather spend it hunting for new traits.
“What would you do in my position?”
“Me? It’s simple.”
I raised a thumb and drew it across my throat in a slicing motion.
The nearby managers stared at me with blank faces.
Director Kang’s expression wasn’t much different.
“Even so, killing them outright is a bit…”
“Which is why I’m leaving it to you, Director. Kill the ones who deserve it, spare those you think can be useful. Personally, if I feel there’s even a hint of a threat, I kill them without hesitation. But you’re different, aren’t you?”
It was certainly an extreme approach.
But it was the survival method I had adapted to in this brutal world.
And just like that, I dumped the bothersome task onto Director Kang.
I slung the golf bag over my shoulder and nodded at Koo Hyungwon, who then turned and started walking.
“Follow me. Oh, and as for the hunters, let them give their requests to my adjutant.”
“Yes, Division Commander.”
Koo Hyungwon walked confidently.
Behind City Hall.
A skyscraper towering over all of Cheorwon State, like the Demon King’s tower.
It was commonly known as the Tiger’s Palace.
Whirr.
The elevator shot upward at high speed.
Koo Hyungwon gave me a word of warning.
“When you meet the Legion Commander, show the utmost respect. Although the Commander himself is a modest man, neither I nor my uncles are as forgiving. The same goes for the adjutants and aides. Even the slightest offense, and you’ll leave Cheorwon State in pieces.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Come to think of it, Koo Hyungwon was the youngest grandson of the Legion Commander.
Over forty years old, and still referred to as the youngest.
It reminded me just how old the Legion Commander must be.
Over a hundred years, if I recalled correctly.
Ding!
The elevator stopped.
The top floor of the Tiger’s Palace.
The entire floor was taken up by the Legion Commander’s office.
Aides with stern faces approached and inspected both me and Koo Hyungwon.
Then, they spoke into a microphone.
“This is Koo Hyungwon, 4th Division Commander of the Tiger Division, arriving with Warrior Kim, a Level 4 superhuman from the Hunter Association.”
[Let them in.]
A low, commanding voice.
The door opened.
The iron doors, weighing several tons, were pushed open purely by the strength of the aides, revealing the interior.
Bright and radiant.
Sunlight streamed through panoramic windows that replaced the walls.
It looked more like an observation deck than an office.
At the far end was a desk.
A man sat behind it.
His hair was completely white, but his face was devoid of wrinkles, with a healthy flush that made him appear no older than his late forties.
In reality, he was over a hundred years old.
His frame was bear-like in size, and his sharp eyes gleamed like those of a tiger.
Behind him hung a black sword, prominently displayed.
Other superhumans with solid builds were lined up, seated before him, but the only one that drew my attention was the man himself.
That’s the Legion Commander…
No trace of mana emanated from him.
This meant his control was absolute.
Instead, the sheer presence of the man weighed down on me like a hammer.
Koo Hyungwon stepped forward and bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle.
“Legion Commander, I’ve brought him.”
“Well done.”
The Legion Commander fixed his gaze on me.
I, too, bowed politely—respectful, but not subservient.
“It’s an honor to meet you. My name is Warrior Kim.”
“Hmm. I watched your duel. Who is your master? For someone to train a warrior like you, I might know them.”
“I don’t have a master.”
“No master?”
“Yes.”
“Surely someone taught you the basics of swordsmanship?”
“Oh, the basics of swordsmanship were taught to me by Seo Woojin, the Director of Jaelboan.”
“Seo Woojin?”
The Legion Commander repeated the name, intrigued.
Koo Hyungwon answered on my behalf.
“You remember when the heirs of Jaegumun and Ilgeomun married to form Jaelboan?”
“Of course. It caused quite the uproar for a while, merging two rival families.”
“The child born of their union is Seo Woojin. He recently turned 20. He caused quite a stir after being certified as Level 5 on his first evaluation.”
“Ha! So, those youngsters not only got married, but they had a child who’s now over 20? I remember hearing about him from my aide. So, he’s the one who taught you the basics of swordsmanship?”
“Yes, Legion Commander.”
“And you truly have no master? Your movements seemed far more experienced than that.”
“I picked up a lot on my own to survive.”
“So, you’re self-taught?”
“That’s correct.”
The Legion Commander stared at me like a tiger sizing up a deer.
The other superhumans seated in the room smirked bitterly.
Some shot disapproving glances my way, making the back of my neck itch.
“Your movements did seem rather crude. Your swordsmanship is at a basic level, and your technique linkage was awkward. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“That’s true.”
“It lacked the polish of a noble family’s training.”
“With proper guidance, I could be much stronger.”
“Your natural talent and mana control are impressive, but that’s all.”
“I have potential, but my swordsmanship is no better than a back-alley thug’s.”
“Well observed.”
The Legion Commander stared at me, his gaze piercing through.
An intangible aura probed me, inspecting everything: the fibers of my muscles, the structure of my bones, the thickness of my blood vessels, and the distribution of my mana circuits.
Is this what it’s like to be under the scrutiny of a Level 8 superhuman?
It was impossible not to feel tense.
Though I hadn’t shown my Trait Swap in front of the Sun Mage Tower Master, the Legion Commander might have witnessed it during the battle.
‘No, he couldn’t know about my Trait Swap.’
He was a warrior, after all.
He wouldn’t possess traits like [Insight] or [Detection].
“So, I have a proposal for you.”
The other superhumans in the room collectively displayed expressions of exhaustion.
All of them seemed to silently groan, ‘Not this again?’
I was beginning to catch on.
After all, in the game, the Eastern Army’s Legion Commander always said the same thing.
“Warrior Kim, would you consider becoming my disciple?”
Disciple.
The idea of becoming a disciple hadn’t really mattered in the game.
Accepting the offer would make you a member of the Eastern Army, allowing you to grow quickly. For warrior-class superhumans, it was an excellent way to learn the Legion Commander’s martial arts and battle the monsters near the Demilitarized Zone, guaranteeing rapid advancement.
And if you refused?
There were no significant penalties.
The game world was overflowing with hunting grounds anyway.
Sure, it was disappointing to miss out on the Legion Commander’s martial arts, but plenty of other swordsmanship and mana cultivation techniques could rival it.
‘What should I do?’
After a brief moment of deliberation, I came to a decision.
It was, without a doubt, a good offer.
Perhaps even the fastest route to becoming Level 9.
But…
If I truly wanted to achieve my ultimate goal, I couldn’t take the easy way out.
I had to choose the hard path. The path so grueling that others would question my sanity.
“I’m sorry. It’s a great honor, and I’m deeply grateful, but I wish to follow my own path.”
“Hm, I see. Then you should perform the formal disciple bow… Wait, what did you just say?”
The Legion Commander, who had been nodding his head as if already expecting my answer, suddenly widened his eyes in shock.
Clearly, he hadn’t anticipated my refusal.
I spoke again, this time with even more conviction.
“My apologies, Legion Commander. I wish to follow my own path.”
“Wait a moment. Are you saying… you’re declining my offer? You’re refusing to become my disciple?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
I stood up from my seat and bowed deeply.
The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the incredulous stares being cast in my direction.
It wasn’t just the Legion Commander.
The superhumans seated around us all had their mouths agape, staring at me as if I had gone completely insane.
“Has he lost his mind?”
“How dare he!”
“Does he even realize what kind of opportunity this is?!”
“We need to teach him a lesson!”
“That brat!”
Some of them even rolled up their sleeves and began rising from their seats.
The room grew chaotic, and the murmurs of discontent swelled—until the Legion Commander’s voice roared out like thunder.
“QUIET!”
The room froze instantly.
With his sharp, tiger-like eyes fixed on me, the Legion Commander asked,
“Why? Do you not understand what it means to become my disciple? Do you not realize that there are countless people in Korea—no, the entire world—who would sell their very souls for such a chance? And yet, you’re rejecting it? Why?”
I carefully chose my words.
“I have a dream.”
“A dream?”
“Yes. To become Level 9.”
Level 9.
At present, only four people in the world had reached that pinnacle—the realm of the Constellations.
In the late stages of the game, Level 9 superhumans would become more common, but for now, they were practically mythical.
“Hm.”
The Legion Commander let out a short chuckle.
“To reach Level 9, you need a proper teacher, don’t you? Without guidance, relying solely on your physical talent, you’ll inevitably lose your way. You’re a warrior, not a reinforced soldier. For a warrior to grow stronger, advanced swordsmanship, mana cultivation techniques, and enlightenment are absolutely essential. With your crude swordsmanship and clumsy movements, you’ll never reach Level 9. In fact, you won’t even reach Level 8—or even Level 7. Right now, you may be on a winning streak, but those bad habits of yours will eventually drag you down.”
He spoke gently, as though addressing a young grandson.
For a moment, I felt a lump in my throat.
No one had ever spoken to me like this before.
Except for my father, who had already passed away, and my mother, whose face I could no longer remember.
But instead of changing my answer, I straightened my back.
“I’ve already found my path. Whether it’s the right one or not, I intend to see it through to the end.”
“Hm. And do you believe that path leads to Level 9? To the Constellation realm?”
“I do.”
The Legion Commander’s gaze bore into me.
The superhumans around us twisted their faces in frustration.
To them, it was disrespectful for someone like me to stand tall before a figure as towering as the Legion Commander.
“Look at this brat, acting like a big shot…”
“How dare he!”
“These youngsters today are absolutely reckless.”
“Someone ought to teach him a lesson…”
But they all fell silent soon enough.
Killing intent surged through the room.
There was no mana emission.
It was pure, unadulterated willpower pressing down on me like a crushing wave.
The Legion Commander was the only thing I could see.
His blazing eyes filled my entire vision.
The overwhelming killing intent materialized into a tangible blade, stabbing into every part of my body.
It felt as though my skin was being pierced, my mind was fracturing, and my brain was being skewered by an invisible sword.
But I endured.
I called upon:
[Giant’s Strength], [Vajra Body], [Undying]
[Resolve], [Fortitude], [Fighting Spirit]
The classic trinity build.
On top of that, I activated traits that bolstered mental defense.
I didn’t rely on magical equipment.
I withstood it with nothing but my own strength.
Locking eyes with the Legion Commander, I held my ground.
It felt like facing a tiger larger than a mountain.
Though my mind felt like it was unraveling thread by thread, I refused to fall.
I bit my tongue, clenched my bleeding lips, and dug my nails into my palms until blood flowed freely.
The Legion Commander, known for breaking men with just his gaze, couldn’t bring me to my knees.
Nor could he make me bow my head.
“Hm.”
Finally, he let out a brief chuckle and withdrew his killing intent.
I immediately rose and bowed deeply.
“I apologize for my insolence.”
“You know it’s insolence, you little brat?”
Though I had rejected him to his face, the Legion Commander seemed unexpectedly pleased.
“Here.”
He reached behind him with Spatial Manipulation and pulled the black sword from its mount, still in its sheath, before tossing it to me.
Startled, I caught it, and he grinned widely.
“It’s yours now.”
…
What?
What did he just say?
Did he just give me that?
Did he just hand me the SSR-grade sword, Black Tiger Sword?
The room went silent.
And then, chaos erupted. Screams, shouts, and furious protests filled the air.
–TL Notes–
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