Chapter 65
It was like—
A divine punishment cleaving through the silence before a storm.
“……?!”
It happened in an instant.
As the vision of Black Night’s elite, AA-rank awakener Choi Dong-ho, turned black—
Crack!
His shoulder bone was crushed in one blow.
“Gahhh…!”
Before he could even scream, a shadow like lightning snatched him up.
And in that fleeting moment, Choi Dong-ho remembered.
The <Watcher’s Dungeon>, in the depths of despair—
“Scatter, everyone!!”
That thunderous shout, followed by a rain of lasers, when a single sword strike saved them all.
But now, that saving hand had turned into a cold grip of destruction, crushing down upon him.
“Gghhk! Khhh, urgh…!”
Choked within Do-yoon’s grip, Choi Dong-ho wheezed out muffled words.
When Do-yoon loosened his hand just slightly, a cracked voice managed to leak out.
“I… I never wanted to meet again like this. That time when you saved us… I truly was grateful!”
“The life I spared—surely you won’t complain if I take it back now.”
Choi Dong-ho’s face turned ashen.
“F-Forgive me…! It was orders…! Please, spare me!”
“That depends on your answer.”
Swish!
Do-yoon’s body shot upward, stepping off his Thunder Sword and leaping to the rooftop.
Still dangling Choi Dong-ho by the neck, he sprinted across the rooftops between buildings, his chilling telepathic voice striking home.
—Why is Black Night targeting DY?
The wind slapped Choi Dong-ho’s cheek raw. Terrified, he stammered out:
“A-a while ago, you went on the news and… you openly criticized us!”
—That was a criticism?
Do-yoon sneered.
—Did I mention Black Night by name? Did I bring up the Uijeongbu Dungeon? At most, I called out the greed of top guilds.
“Y-you’re right, absolutely right! But…”
—The Divine Sword Guild and the Extinction Society stayed quiet. Why are you the only ones making a fuss?
“Urk!”
Do-yoon’s grip tightened, forcing Dong-ho’s tongue to wag.
“O-our guild master isn’t the kind to laugh things off. And with the Uijeongbu incident too…”
—So he’s holding a grudge about losing that boss kill?
“H-how did you know…? That’s only been spoken of among the executives…”
That’s just like Yu Ji-hoon.
And yet—not like him at all.
Yu Ji-hoon was the epitome of “smiling with a blade hidden inside.”
A man whose blade only left its sheath once he was absolutely sure.
—I don’t buy it. Ji-hoon wouldn’t play such a reckless hand himself.
“T-that’s the thing… the Guild Master judged that now was the perfect time.”
—……?
“Because DY’s core members, for now at least, are NPCs. Apart from you, Sir Do-yoon.”
His voice shrank to a whisper.
“He said, if we frame it as a preemptive response to unidentified entities who refuse to follow the ‘Awakener Verification Procedure’… it would be justifiable.”
The Awakener Verification Procedure.
An unspoken rule that first-time awakeners must confirm each other’s identity via the <Earth Channel>.
Refusal meant you could be treated as an NPC.
Even though the New NPC Society had declared cooperation with humanity—
distrust still lingered toward NPCs, many of whom had committed crimes.
Black Night was exploiting that weak link.
—So, he was gambling on the new NPCs refusing to cooperate, and if it blew up, he’d brush it off as a misunderstanding?
“Y-yes…”
It wasn’t exactly a shallow move.
But Yu Ji-hoon wouldn’t act on just that much calculation.
And more importantly—
Cha Si-woo wasn’t even an NPC.
Do-yoon’s sprint came to a halt.
What entered his blazing vision—
Open gates, piles of monster corpses.
Cha Si-woo, downed and surrounded by Black Night guild members.
And yet—still resisting with everything he had left.
[Activating Critical Point (A)]
Cha Si-woo marked a weak point on the chest of a Black Night member, then squeezed out every last drop of strength.
[Activating Mana Shock (C)]
“Watch out!”
A comrade quickly threw up a barrier.
Clang!
Thanks to it, the guild member only got away with a shallow scratch.
“A mere C-rank, and still thrashing about.”
The sneering contempt was followed by—
The heavy stomp of a boot crushing down on Cha Si-woo’s right arm.
Crunch!
A hideous tearing sound.
Si-woo screamed in agony.
Something inside Do-yoon snapped with a sharp crack.
For thousands of years, the Three Guardian Gods of Korea had developed a unique method of classifying descendants:
Great Evil – Lesser Evil – Necessary Evil – Lesser Righteousness – Great Righteousness
But this classification was always based on outcomes.
Through countless cycles, they realized—
good and evil could flip at the drop of a hat.
With each scenario, each small twist of fate, each cruel joke of destiny—
a man of Lesser Righteousness could fall to Great Evil,
and a Great Evil could be reborn into Great Righteousness.
That was why Do-yoon began exploring the “critical branching points” that sparked butterfly effects.
And eventually, the Guardian Gods also turned their eyes toward “essence.”
-
What was the descendant’s nature?
-
What were they most likely to do?
-
Where did their will point?
From then on, descendants were judged by two axes: outcome and essence.
Seo Hye-jin and Han Yeon-ha—both consistently aligned with Great Righteousness.
Ji Eun-seok—sometimes remained Lesser Righteousness, sometimes fell to Lesser Evil or worse, but his essence leaned toward Lesser Righteousness, so he was saved.
And Cha Si-woo?
He was the outlier who defied these standards.
Rarely showing justice, never swayed by sentiment,
even cold enough to cut ties with allies if it meant efficiency.
By essence, he could never be called “Great Righteousness.”
And yet—
His relentless obsession with “the optimal strategy”
ironically made him the decisive variable in saving Korea, every single time.
No matter his motives, his outcomes always converged toward Great Righteousness.
Was he a hero made by circumstance?
No.
After long deliberation, the Guardian Gods defined him thus:
“A man born with the fate of Great Righteousness.”
Every efficient choice he made turned him into Korea’s strongest shield—
even in timelines where he had not regressed.
Such a being—
such a contributor to the nation’s fate—
How dare—
“Black Night dares to lay a hand on him…!!”
With that lion’s roar, what erupted from Do-yoon was not just fury—
but divine wrath.
“W-what?!”
Choi Dong-ho’s eyes widened.
Do-yoon’s figure had vanished into thin air.
No—simply erased from his sight in an instant.
“Ghhhk!”
The guild member crushing Si-woo’s arm was blasted in the chest, his body launched like a shell into a building wall.
“W-what the hell?!”
Before the others could react—
a lightning-fast blur tore through them.
Thud! Crack! Crunch!
No time to scream.
Bones shattered, joints twisted, organs ruptured.
Only grotesque sounds filled the air.
[Emergency Divine Mission Completed.]
[Mission: ‘Broken Boundary 1’, ‘Broken Boundary 2’]
[Rewards Granted:]
-
30,000 SP
-
New Divine Blessing Acquired
[Iron Fist of Retribution (A)]: To those who invade your domain, only retribution awaits.
-
Greatly increases the power of your people’s first skill against external forces.
-
Within your domain, your oppressive aura intensifies, inflicting psychological pressure on enemies.
Even with the message floating before him, Do-yoon’s twisted expression did not ease.
The reward meant nothing.
His gaze was fixed on one thing only.
Cha Si-woo—panting, barely clinging to consciousness.
“Do-yoon… sir…”
Si-woo managed to lift his head, blurred vision locking onto Do-yoon’s burning eyes.
Twin infernos flared within them.
“Looks like a monster chewed you up and spat you out.”
“Heh… that’s exactly how it feels.”
Si-woo forced a crooked smile, swallowing bloody coughs.
His arm mangled, body slashed open.
Do-yoon crouched, carefully examining each wound—
then lifted him as if cradling the most fragile treasure.
Hospital, Emergency Room.
Cha Si-woo lay drowsy with medication, his right arm wrapped in thick bandages.
“Incredible.”
The doctor’s eyes darted between Han Yeon-ha and the medical chart.
“Look here. It’s like time itself was reversed—his bones are perfectly set. Normally, recovery would take over six months. But with one skill, it’s completely healed.”
Listening to the doctor’s awe, Yeon-ha sighed in relief.
But when her gaze found Do-yoon standing by the window at the end of the hall, her relief swelled into unease.
That was the first time I’ve ever seen Do-yoon so furious.
Hesitantly, she approached him.
“The doctor says he could even be discharged tomorrow.”
“……”
“Even today, technically—but to be safe, he suggested one more day of observation.”
“……”
“Still… I’m just glad no one was seriously hurt.”
At those words, Do-yoon turned his head.
His gaze was icy.
“Who said it’s over?”
“…What?”
“If Cha Si-woo is safe…”
A short silence.
Do-yoon’s eyes froze like glaciers.
“…then it’s Black Night’s turn to suffer.”
Yongsan District, Black Night Guild Headquarters.
KABOOM!
Reinforced glass shattered with an explosion.
The guards at the front entrance were hurled in all directions.
From the shards and dust emerged—Do-yoon.
“W-who goes there?!”
“State your name and affiliation!”
Do-yoon didn’t even bother replying.
He simply waved his hand lightly.
“Ghhhhhhaaaa!”
“Ughhhhkk!”
A burst of energy slammed the entire lobby squad against the walls.
“Calm yourself, Strange Hunter.”
A relaxed voice came from the second-floor balcony.
Guild Master Yu Ji-hoon.
At his side stood Seo Dong-chul of the Extinction Society—and several unfamiliar figures.
Do-yoon immediately triggered his memory net.
Yes—these were leaders of Korea’s top guilds.
“It seems our guild members made a slight mistake.”
Ji-hoon didn’t even glance at Do-yoon, speaking instead to the other guild masters.
“Since their identities couldn’t be verified, they acted accordingly. Many of our people were injured too. To see such an overreaction over such a small matter… it’s baffling.”
“Don’t spew nonsense. A DY awakener was attacked as well.”
“Ah, I heard there was a minor dispute over a gate clear. Is that friend all right?”
“A minor dispute?”
“Come now. On TV you played the noble role so well. Claiming DY isn’t about power struggles, that you’re different.”
Ji-hoon’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
“Well, everyone, now that you see it firsthand—what do you think? No different at all, are they? Same underneath the pretty wrapping.”
“Now, now, let’s not get heated.”
Seo Dong-chul stepped forward.
“I understand Hunter Hyun Do-yoon’s anger. But Guild Master Ji-hoon’s explanation also makes sense. What say you?”
The others nodded.
“Yes, Black Night erred, but storming in like this is reckless.”
“Repaying one mistake tenfold is excessive.”
“Let’s all calm down and arrange a formal—”
“Sorry to interrupt.”
Do-yoon cut them off cold.
“You’re all misunderstanding something.”
“……?”
“DY isn’t some naïve, idealistic group you can bury with politics. If you thought you could cover this up, you were wrong.”
“W-we never—!”
“Since everyone’s gathered here, remember this well.”
Do-yoon exhaled slowly.
“DY’s standards for who to save and what to protect are clear. If you harm my people…”
His voice sliced through the lobby.
“…you’ll pay the price, Yu Ji-hoon.”
Flash!
Before his words even ended—
Do-yoon launched diagonally toward Ji-hoon.
Come on then!
Ji-hoon was AAA-rank.
Calmly, he spread his skill, cloaking himself in a black shield.
But—
Crackle!
The Thunder Sword carved deep cracks through it.
Ji-hoon staggered back, forced on the defensive.
The gap in strength was plain to see.
Yet Ji-hoon smiled.
Not fear—but anticipation, brimming confidence.
“Impressive indeed, Strange Hunter.”
Far from flustered, he looked as though this was what he had been waiting for.
“Of course, I alone cannot match you. Which is why—allow me to introduce Black Night’s new face!”
Boom.
The building trembled faintly with the weight.
Boom, thud…!
Heavy footsteps approached from the far corridor.
Everyone’s breath caught as they turned to look.
Clench.
A massive fist flexed, warping the air.
A body built solely for combat.
Breaking the silence, a giant of muscle stepped into view.
One of Korea’s representative S-rank awakeners.
Yu Ji-hoon declared solemnly:
“…Behold— the Fist King, Jung Min-tae.”
