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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Drip.
As the sound of a water droplet echoed, a dark red energy began to seep from Kim Ji-young’s lower abdomen.
It was the Qi that had been absorbed haphazardly and then ran rampant, the very energy that had been eating away at her body. As before, it started as a tiny droplet.
But as one minute, three minutes, five minutes passed, it grew into a sphere the size of a man’s fist.
‘Now…!’
Lee Seong-joon swiftly extended his left arm, releasing his blood Qi.
-Whirl!
The blood Qi flowing from his arm slowly enveloped the dark red energy. The dark red energy spasmed, trying to escape, but it couldn’t penetrate the barrier of blood Qi.
Once the dark red energy was completely enveloped, Lee Seong-joon clenched his left fist without hesitation.
‘It’s over.’
-Crack!
With a crushing sound, the sphere, encased in blood Qi, was pulverized and vanished into thin air.
A bright smile spread across Lee Seong-joon’s face as he lifted his hand from Kim Ji-young’s back.
-Woong!
A blinding light emanated from Kim Ji-young’s body. The power of the Spirit’s Tears had cleansed her body. The Mana Syndrome, the shackles she’d carried her entire life, was gone.
“Can you try moving?”
Kim Ji-young carefully sat up, speechless.
“…My body feels light.”
The constant pressure that had weighed her down was gone. She felt as light as a feather. Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt the dramatic change in her body.
“Thank you… thank you.”
She’d hidden her suffering, not wanting to burden her family, but she’d been fighting excruciating pain almost daily. But now, she no longer had to endure it alone.
Her body was filled with vitality, and her vision, which had always been blurry, was now clear.
Her family’s eyes widened as they saw her vibrant and energetic state.
“Are you really cured?”
“…Is the treatment already over?”
It was a natural reaction. Even with mana specialists, treatment could take anywhere from 10 to 20 hours. But Lee Seong-joon had finished in just over ten minutes.
“Yes, the martial arts I’ve learned specialize in this sort of thing.”
It was hard to believe, but the reality before their eyes was undeniable.
“Huh…”
Lee Soo-hyeok was stunned. Lee Seong-joon smiled and declared,
“This is just the beginning. I’ll earn more money and find a better house so our family can live happily without any worries.”
Normally, they would have dismissed it as a son’s ambitious declaration. But having witnessed his abilities firsthand, it didn’t sound empty. He was resolute, walking a clearly defined path.
‘…He’s truly become an adult.’
It wasn’t just his demeanor. Unlike in the past, when he only dreamed, he now possessed the ability to shape his own future. Lee Soo-hyeok smiled brightly at his dependable son.
“Thank you for growing up so well…”
He truly was exceptional. But Lee Seong-joon didn’t consider it solely his own achievement.
‘I wouldn’t have been able to do it if I wasn’t Father’s son.’
Lee Soo-hyeok was a brilliant man. He possessed sharp intuition, even though he hadn’t been given the opportunity to fully utilize it.
Thanks to his resourcefulness, the family had managed to survive difficult times without falling apart. Lee Seong-joon, having inherited his father’s genes, could grasp situations intuitively.
He assessed situations calmly, identified his options, and took action. He wouldn’t have become the Blood Demon with just talent in martial arts. He was always grateful for his parents.
“It’s all thanks to you and Mother.”
“I appreciate your words.”
Lee Soo-hyeok smiled sheepishly and nodded. Then, Lee Seo-yoon’s cheerful voice echoed,
“Mom, you really don’t feel any pain! Let’s have a celebration! A celebration!”
Having finished her conversation with Lee Seo-yoon, Kim Ji-young nodded in agreement.
“Should we all go grocery shopping together?”
“Yes, we can’t let such a wonderful day pass by like this.”
Seeing Lee Soo-hyeok readily agree, Lee Seo-yoon turned to her brother.
“You’re coming too, right, Oppa?”
There was no reason to hesitate. The joy after hardship was always sweeter.
“Of course.”
Lee Seong-joon smiled brightly and nodded, getting ready to go out.
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That night, at Incheon Port.
Park Sung-hoon, an A-rank hunter and legal advisor to Chairman Kim Seok-hoon of the Myung-hye Group, unlocked a large container.
-Creak!
The metal doors opened, revealing the contents within: a living being, a human. But he didn’t look like an ordinary person.
Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair like a beast’s mane, countless scars covering his body like he’d been mauled. Park Sung-hoon nodded as he looked at the beast-like man.
“Jo Se-hyuk, 28 years old, formerly the most promising hunter of the Grim Reaper Guild, and…”
He paused, looking into Jo Se-hyuk’s vacant eyes, then continued,
“…SS-rank villain, the Rookie Slayer.”
The title wasn’t given without reason. Jo Se-hyuk was a madman who targeted hunters, specifically rookies, the future of Korea. He was so notorious that the Blue House had once mobilized all its forces to capture him.
But one day, he vanished. Rumors circulated that he’d either taken his own life, unable to control his madness, or been killed by another villain hired by guilds who’d lost rookies to him.
But in reality, he’d escaped to China with the help of the Myung-hye Group and Park Sung-hoon.
They hadn’t helped him without reason.
‘A blade for the Myung-hye Group.’
The Rookie Slayer, Jo Se-hyuk. A villain with a twisted mind, a double-edged sword that could cut its wielder.
‘…I didn’t want to use him if I could avoid it.’
Whether intentional or not, Lee Seong-joon had caused significant damage to not only the young masters but also the chairman.
‘…If I ignore this…’
The Myung-hye Group’s reputation would plummet. Fools who didn’t know their place would start causing trouble. To prevent that…
‘Retaliation is necessary.’
So, Park Sung-hoon had smuggled Jo Se-hyuk back into Korea.
“A new rookie has appeared in Korea.”
“…Who?”
As Jo Se-hyuk’s vacant eyes focused, Park Sung-hoon spoke,
“Baekho’s Lee Seong-joon. The one who defeated Song Seung-jun, whom you couldn’t hunt because of Yoon Min-soo, took first place, and is now hailed as a super rookie.”
Park Sung-hoon smirked and handed Jo Se-hyuk a document containing Lee Seong-joon’s photo and a brief profile.
“Lee Seong-joon… super rookie.”
Jo Se-hyuk’s eyes stopped scanning the document, turning bloodshot as a murderous intent emanated from him.
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The celebratory party was a sudden event, but no one complained. It was what they all wanted. Spending time with his family and creating memories was the reason he’d returned to Earth. He’d experienced more happiness in these few days than ever before.
The next morning…
“Hmm…”
Lee Seong-joon, who should have been hunting in a gate, sat at the dining table, lost in thought.
’35 billion won.’
His current cash assets, a combination of his previous 25 billion and the 10 billion reward from the Baekho Guild, along with the payment for the Spirit’s Tears.
It was a satisfying amount, but he couldn’t just sit and stare at it.
‘Just holding onto cash is a loss.’
While he wasn’t materialistic, he needed more money to achieve his goals. He had to think carefully.
‘Where should I invest…?’
There was a reason for the saying “money makes money.” With proper investments, he could quickly increase his wealth.
‘The safest investment is…’
real estate.
A truly undefeated investment. While the market had crashed once due to rising interest rates and declining population in the US, for humanity, now losing land to monsters, it was the ultimate asset.
Property values in Seoul, especially in the central districts of Mapo, Dongjak, Seongdong, and Jung-gu, were skyrocketing. The problem was that he wasn’t the only one who knew this.
‘Everyone knows.’
It was common knowledge, even for those unfamiliar with investments. So, property owners rarely sold unless they were desperate. He had to consider other options.
‘Besides real estate… what’s a safe and profitable investment?’
Lee Seong-joon closed his eyes and pondered. It would normally take time to find an answer, but he’d been thinking about this for a while.
‘There’s only one option.’
A safe and profitable investment: himself. In this world, strength was money. High-ranking hunters earned hundreds of billions, even trillions, of won annually.
While leveling up was a way to get stronger, there was no reason to reject methods that could accelerate his growth. And the method was simple and clear:
‘Consuming elixirs.’
Elixirs like ten-thousand-year mountain ginseng, thousand-year snow ginseng, and azure sky oil were incredibly expensive, beyond his current budget.
But he might be able to find quasi-elixirs with comparable effects.
‘No, there’s no need to speculate.’
Having made his decision, Lee Seong-joon got up and dressed. His destination: Dongmyo.
The area, formerly a wholesale market, had transformed into a marketplace for otherworldly merchants after the Great Cataclysm.
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