Chapter 91
“So you’re saying none of your abilities worked on him?”
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Jaekyung knelt before Johan as if she were a criminal.
Johan’s gaze toward her was ice-cold.
The type he hated most was the incompetent.
Knowing that anyone who fell out of his favor would quickly be discarded in Dongdaemun, Kim Jaekyung trembled.
“What did it feel like?”
“His mental barrier was extremely solid.”
“Solid?”
“I couldn’t find any opening at all. When I tried to brainwash him, the backlash hit me instead.”
“Hmm.”
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Jaekyung lowered her head again.
After staring at her for a moment, Johan turned his body and spoke.
“Leave.”
“Yes!”
She answered and carefully exited.
Left alone, Johan gazed coldly over Dongdaemun.
“He’s more impressive than I expected. It’s not that Jaekyung was lacking—it’s that he’s exceptional. Then again… he’s the one who erased Goran without a trace.”
The reason Dongdaemun hadn’t entered Sinchon until now was because Goran had been firmly holding them back.
Even if Johan wanted to spread his influence, Goran had been a wall that prevented his followers from entering Sinchon.
That was why Johan saw Goran’s disappearance as the perfect opportunity.
Before anyone else could covet Sinchon, he had hurriedly sent Kim Jaekyung—and failed.
Now Zeon would be even more wary of him.
“Perhaps I should have tried persuasion instead…”
“You were certainly a bit hasty this time, Johan.”
At that moment, a voice came from behind him.
Johan’s expression hardened.
He hadn’t sensed the presence at all until the voice spoke.
When he turned, he saw a man in a suit.
Not a single strand of hair was out of place—perfectly groomed.
Johan recognized him instantly.
“Tajik?”
“It’s been a while, Johan.”
“What brings Xiaolun’s dog here? Did he send you?”
“Of course not. Lord Xiaolun is busy enough handling matters within Neo Seoul. He’s not so idle as to take interest in a slum like this.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
Johan’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Anyone else would have been intimidated—but not Tajik.
He simply shrugged.
“I understand your doubt. But what I said is true.”
“Then why are you here? If Xiaolun has no interest in slums, there’s no reason for his right-hand man to come here.”
“I have personal business.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Does that business happen to be Zeon?”
“As expected of you, Johan. You figured it out from just that.”
At Tajik’s answer, Johan frowned.
“Why?”
“Just a personal interest.”
“I’m asking why you have a personal interest.”
“Perhaps for the same reason as you.”
Tajik smiled, showing his white teeth.
Johan’s face grew even more rigid.
“So?”
“I’d like you to postpone your move on Sinchon for a while.”
“Is that Xiaolun’s will as well?”
“It’s my will—for now. But you may consider it his as well.”
“And if I refuse?”
“I’ve heard you’ve planted quite a few followers across Neo Seoul. Among them… within the unit led by Seden in the eastern district—”
“Enough!”
Johan cut him off.
His face was filled with fury.
Seden Price—the ruler of the eastern district.
A mage who wielded dark-element magic.
Dark magic was extremely rare, and its power increased dramatically at night.
Among its users, Seden was considered the strongest.
Johan had secretly planted followers within Seden’s ranks and had been receiving valuable intelligence from them.
How did he find out…?
Johan’s cheeks trembled.
Though both rulers of parts of Seoul, Seden and Xiaolun were completely different.
If Xiaolun was a cunning old fox, Seden was a cold strategist.
Both were difficult to deal with—but to Johan, Seden was the more troublesome opponent.
Their compatibility simply worked against him.
The eastern district, led by Seden, was largely composed of white and black people.
They were descendants of U.S. soldiers stationed in Korea and foreign students.
All of them were specialists in combat, combining magic with tactical weaponry.
In essence, every one of Seden’s subordinates could be considered a soldier.
Dongdaemun was strong—but it couldn’t compare to the eastern district under Seden.
That was why Xiaolun had also planted spies there to monitor their movements.
Tajik spoke again.
“I’m not asking you to completely withdraw from Zeon.”
“Then?”
“Just give it a little time.”
“How long?”
“About two weeks?”
“Fine. That much is acceptable…”
“Thank you, Johan. I knew you’d understand.”
Tajik smiled brightly at him.
Johan also smiled back.
Someday, I’ll throw you to the monsters as feed.
＊＊＊
To the south of the slums, there was a fairly large open space.
The wide area known as the Hunter’s Square was, in truth, nothing special.
Just a broad empty ground with a shabby shade structure to block the sun.
Yet this place was one of the most important locations in the slums.
It was where Awakeners heading out to hunt gathered—to check their gear and exchange information.
There were many factions in the slums, including Dongdaemun and Sinchon.
Those factions fought fiercely, both openly and behind the scenes.
They never left any unclaimed territory alone.
Even places already in someone else’s hands would be seized if possible.
The only reason this square remained untouched was because of the balance between those factions.
It was, in essence, a neutral zone.
The moment any faction tried to take control of it, they would become a common enemy and be attacked by all.
Because of that, Hunter’s Square remained almost empty—except when Awakeners gathered for hunts.
Today, from early morning, quite a number of people had gathered there.
They were the Awakeners assembled to raid a dungeon.
There was the expedition team called by Tajik, another formed by Yoo Sehui, and others who had joined voluntarily.
The voluntary participants looked at Tajik’s team with awe.
“Inazuma…”
“No way… Inazuma?”
The team Tajik had brought was none other than Inazuma—
a well-known expedition group even in Neo Seoul.
Their leader was Koji.
Of Japanese descent, he had awakened as a martial artist—specifically, a swordsman.
His rank wasn’t publicly known, but based on his track record, most believed he was at least C-rank, possibly B-rank.
Under Koji were Yuri, Bairun, Shuhan, and Komain—four elite Awakeners.
All of them were known to follow Koji’s commands without hesitation.
Koji stood with his signature katana held calmly at his side, while the others positioned themselves around him, radiating a powerful presence.
Watching them, some felt their fighting spirit ignite.
Those were the Awakeners dispatched from the Goblin Market.
Their leader was a man named Jack.
Around him stood Do Suyeol and the so-called Explosive Brothers, Declan and Kerner.
All of them were seasoned Awakeners who had risen through the ranks in the Goblin Market.
Do Suyeol frowned as he spoke to Jack.
“So those Inazuma guys are really that good at clearing dungeons?”
“They’re a well-organized team. The core of it is Koji and Shuhan.”
“Koji, sure—but Shuhan? Isn’t he that old man? He doesn’t look like much.”
The old man Jack pointed to—Shuhan—wore ragged clothes and even leaned on a cane.
At a glance, he didn’t look like an Awakener at all.
But Jack’s gaze toward him was cautious.
“He’s an exceptional guide. I hear he can detect danger with uncanny accuracy.”
“By smell? That’s basically a dog or a wolf, isn’t it?”
Do Suyeol’s expression changed.
If someone could detect danger in advance, dungeon raids would become far easier.
Do Suyeol was a martial-type archer.
Normally, he provided ranged support, but depending on the situation, he often took the front line.
That was because one of his skills was Tracking.
Using that skill, he could find paths and gather information.
But even he couldn’t sense danger in advance.
At that moment, the dwarf Kerner suddenly joined the conversation.
“No need to get scared already. At the end of the day, they’re just greenhouse flowers. Without Xiaolun’s support, they wouldn’t have cleared that many dungeons. If things go south, my brother and I will wipe them out.”
“That’s right. We’ll wipe them out.”
Declan, his younger brother, pounded his chest as he agreed.
Declan was a giant nearly three meters tall, while Kerner, his older brother, was a dwarf barely 120 centimeters tall.
Usually, Declan carried Kerner on his shoulders.
Jack spoke calmly.
“I know how strong you two are. But don’t underestimate them. They’re recognized elites even in Neo Seoul.”
“Hmph! What’s there to fear from people who hide behind walls?”
Kerner refused to acknowledge Inazuma until the end.
Jack watched him with unease.
Please don’t cause trouble…
Kerner was powerful—and indispensable to the team.
But his short temper often led to problems.
And cleaning up those problems always fell to Jack.
Kerner suddenly asked,
“By the way, who’s the extra Awakener the Guild Master said she’s sending? Does she think we’re not enough?”
His face was full of dissatisfaction.
The others felt the same.
Yoo Sehui, the Guild Master of the Goblin Market, had told them someone else would be joining the team.
It made them feel like she didn’t trust them.
They wanted to refuse the reinforcement—but they couldn’t.
Her word was absolute in the Goblin Market.
And this mission was too important to risk any mistakes.
So they had no choice but to accept it.
Do Suyeol asked Jack,
“Do you know who’s joining?”
“I do.”
“Who is it?”
“When he joins, you’d better watch your mouth. Keep talking like you are now, and you might end up dead.”
“Come on, seriously?”
“He’s the one who took down Goran.”
At Jack’s words, Do Suyeol and the Explosive Brothers froze.
“Goran? So the rumors were true?”
“They are.”
“…!”
Do Suyeol let out a low groan.
Everyone connected to Sinchon and the Goblin Market knew.
Goran had been erased by someone.
Nicknamed a terrorist, Goran was someone even Yoo Sehui and Johan found unsettling.
The fact that someone like him had been wiped out without a trace was a huge shock.
Just then—
“He’s here.”
“That’s him.”
Inazuma murmured as they spotted someone.
Naturally, Do Suyeol and the others followed their gaze.
A man was walking toward them.
With his hood pulled low and both hands in his pockets—
It was Zeon.
The moment he appeared, the expressions of both Inazuma and Jack’s team changed.
That’s… Zeon?