lost.
And it wasn't just a simple defeat.
He nearly died.
Soo-hyeok's low, gravelly voice carried no hint of a joke or exaggeration.
Naturally, it wasn't bravado either.
If he had meant to kill, he could have. For real.
Park Moogi wasn't so dense that he didn't realize that.
"I don't know why you came looking for me, but I'd rather not see you again.
By some twist of fate, I've had nothing but bad blood with your guild. You get what I'm saying?"
Soo-hyeok pulled his finger away from Park Moogi's chest and stepped back.
His retreat was just as ghost-like as his approach.
"What kind of ability is that? It's definitely physical-type…
But the versatility is insane.
It's fast, destructive, and even strange."
Park Moogi had never heard of a physical-type ability like this one.
"This is your last warning. If we cross paths again like this, I won't hold back. I might just kill you, no questions asked. I'm done here."
With cold eyes, Soo-hyeok threw the business card he'd been given onto the ground and walked away swiftly.
"Universal 8 is targeting you!"
Park Moogi shouted after him in desperation.
Soo-hyeok didn't respond.
"You don't actually think they're saints, do you?! No matter how strong you are, there's a limit to what you can do alone!"
The distance between them grew so far it was hard to make him out. Gritting his teeth, Park Moogi shouted once more:
"Join Imugi! I'll give you everything! Whatever you want!
Even the things you can't handle alone—I'll face them with you! I'll wait!"
Sighing, Park Moogi looked around the street Soo-hyeok had vanished from—a bit of a mess now.
'This close to the Association… people are gonna come running from all over.'
It was a problematic situation, but still manageable.
After all, he was one of only five platinum-ranked 12th-tier Awakened in South Korea—and the leader of one of the Big Three guilds.
Still, it was going to cost him a lot of money.
He had to take responsibility for the damages, after all.
Oddly, the fact that Soo-hyeok just disappeared like that made him feel even more annoyed.
A long sigh escaped his lips.
***
Meanwhile—
After putting some distance between himself and Park Moogi, Soo-hyeok ducked into a deserted alley.
"Urghh—!"
With a guttural sound, red blood gushed from his mouth onto the ground.
His guts felt like they were twisted and torn inside out. Had he slipped even slightly, he might've suffered inner demon backlash—a nightmare for any martial artist. In truth, if not for the stability of his Heaven-Earth Unification Technique and his excellent internal energy control, it would have happened.
'Maybe I pushed it too far at the end.
Damn it. I need to move the plan forward faster than I thought.'
The Hundred-Step Divine Fist was a secret technique from the famous Shaolin Temple—existing both on Earth and the fantasy continent, Hwan.
The first condition for mastering it was to completely internalize Paechul Fist Form, which Soo-hyeok had achieved during his fight with Manchettis earlier that day.
But there was still a second requirement he hadn't fulfilled:
He needed to reach the transcendent level of martial arts—"Super Zenith."
The problem was that to reach this stage, he needed at least one "gapja" (60 years) worth of internal energy.
And to accumulate that much, even using a third-rate technique, you'd have to train morning and night for 60 years straight.
His Heaven-Earth Unification Technique was a top-tier method, but not very efficient early on.
Because it split the energy into three separate dantians, the accumulation rate was about that of a first-rate technique. It would take around ten years to gather a single "gapja" of energy. However, once he amassed enough, the absorption rate grew exponentially.
Soo-hyeok had already planned a way to reach that state faster.
But unexpectedly, he'd met Park Moogi—and ended up fighting him.
He hadn't liked Park Moogi's overbearing tone and aggressive behavior.
Still, he didn't regret it.
Even though he'd be nursing minor internal injuries for a few days, it had been worth seeing that arrogant face twist in horror.
That moment where the guy realized he might actually die.
"Heh heh."
The memory made Soo-hyeok smile.
To be honest, the fight with Park Moogi had been way beyond Soo-hyeok's current level.
If it had been a head-on fight, he would've lost. No question.
The difference in mastery alone made it obvious.
Soo-hyeok was at Zenith, while Park Moogi was clearly Super Zenith.
It might sound like a small gap, but in reality, it's massive. The jump from third-rate to second-rate doesn't compare. Even the leap from first-rate to Zenith is nothing next to reaching Super Zenith.
Everything—internal energy, techniques, body refinement—evolves to a whole new tier.
That's how martial arts are.
Each wall you overcome brings tougher challenges, but also the rewards that make them worth it.
So how did Soo-hyeok, a Zenith, manage to dominate a Super Zenith like Park Moogi?
It wasn't just luck.
It was thanks to his sense for combat—and his experience.
Not to mention, the information gap was huge.
Park Moogi was one of five 12th-tiers in South Korea. He'd been around a long time. His psychic powers and fighting style were basically public knowledge.
If you still get caught off guard after knowing everything? That's just stupidity.
Of course, if you lack the ability, that's another story. But Soo-hyeok had just enough skill to dodge what he saw coming.
What he didn't have was time. If the fight dragged on, Park Moogi might've revealed hidden cards.
Soo-hyeok didn't have that kind of luxury. He had to press the advantage—hard and fast.
His grasp of battle, Park Moogi's overconfidence, and superior intel—these all came together to let Soo-hyeok gain the upper hand after the opening clash.
He'd even managed to close in to a kill range before Park Moogi could react.
It must've left a deep scar—both physically and mentally—on the man.
Whether it was a good thing or bad, from Soo-hyeok's perspective, getting a hit in on that unlucky bastard's face felt amazing.
As he stood up slowly, laughing to himself, he could feel his body gradually recovering.
Thanks to that, the Imugi Guild likely wouldn't be making any moves for a while.
Their guild leader had personally stepped in—only to get beaten down by a newly awakened rookie.
And not just any Awakened—a 12th-tier.
That part wasn't public knowledge. But it could become public.
Besides Park Moogi, Soo-hyeok was the only other person who knew the truth.
And Park Moogi likely thought the same thing: that if Soo-hyeok wanted to do it again, it wasn't out of reach.
He'd pushed him to the brink of death, even for just a moment, and carved fear into him. For the arrogant Park Moogi, that was an unbearable humiliation.
From now on, the image of Soo-hyeok in his mind would only grow—becoming more threatening by the day. And in truth, Soo-hyeok was getting stronger every day.
He'd originally planned to hold off, but now he intended to push forward—even if it meant forcing the pace.
***
'Universal 8.'
According to Park Moogi, they were on the move.
The eight who were said to be the strongest in the world.
Their strength was unquestionable. But apart from a few who craved the spotlight, most of them remained shrouded in mystery.
Unlike Park Moogi, they would be far harder to deal with. No half-measures or tricks would do. He had to grow strong enough to break through them head-on.
"Phew… Not even a moment of rest, huh."
Soo-hyeok spat out the last of the blood-tinged saliva and walked out of the alley.
Hard days were clearly ahead.
***
3.
Incheon International Airport.
A tall, handsome young white man stepped out of the arrivals gate, looking sharp in a snow-white suit after disembarking from a private jet.
"Welcome, Sir Andreyef Vladimir."
Greeting him was an elderly Asian gentleman in a black suit.
"Oh, Baek Chaemun. Been a while."
Vladimir gave Baek Chaemun a warm hug and beamed—a striking sight with his pale skin, golden hair, and model-like features. Just his smile was enough to make heads turn throughout the airport.
Someone murmured, "Is he an actor?" Others, hypnotized, pulled out their phones and began snapping photos.
Baek Chaemun gave a helpless chuckle as he glanced sideways at the growing crowd.
"If you'd just given advance notice, we could've avoided this mess…"
Vladimir, still leading the way, replied as he walked ahead:
"I didn't have time to call. Honestly, I didn't think I'd be moving this fast either."
"You could have at least messaged before departure."
"It's fine, it's fine."
More than anything, Vladimir enjoyed this attention.
"Who is he?"
"An actor?"
"No… I swear I've seen him before… Could it be…?"
Being the center of attention, the topic of whispers—it was something he enjoyed.
"Should I quiet them down a little?" Baek Chaemun offered subtly.
"Nah, no need," Vladimir shrugged with an amused smile.
He and Chaemun exited the terminal and approached a black Maybach waiting at the curb.
Chaemun opened the rear door, and Vladimir slid in with ease.
Only after seeing him comfortably seated did Chaemun close the door gently and enter through the passenger side.
The driver pulled away smoothly, and the curious eyes near the airport naturally followed the luxury car.
"You really should've called ahead…"
"Come on, that's enough. You're exactly the same as 50 years ago—always worrying. That's your problem, Baek Chaemun. Tsk."
At the mention of "50 years ago," a flicker of bittersweet nostalgia crossed Baek Chaemun's face.
Vladimir hadn't changed. Not in fifty years.
But his own reflection in the window showed just how much time had passed.
Almost without thinking, he touched the reflection with his index finger and let out a dry laugh.
'People who think superpowers began with the Awakened wouldn't know the truth.'
This world had always harbored ancient beings who possessed supernatural powers—long before the word "Awakened" even existed.
Vladimir was one of those.
And so was Baek Mu-hak, the current head of the Baek family whom Chaemun served—a relic of that same long lineage.
***
"By the way… That strange guy, No-Name or whatever—where the hell did he come from?"
The reason Vladimir had come all the way to Korea was Yang Soo-hyeok.
"Just a few months ago, he was in a coma. Registered as a victim of a portal impact incident. But the moment he woke up, he started moving fast—that's the anomaly."
"Hm… Is he young?"
"27 by Korean age."
"Young. A man, right?"
"Yes."
"Could be fun."
Vladimir gave a smirk as he leaned back comfortably in his seat.
"Any word on when Baek Mu-hak is coming out?"
"The latest message says… probably next spring at the earliest."
"So over another year in seclusion, huh? Damn training addict. Still hasn't changed."
The chauffeur's face twitched slightly at Vladimir's crude remark.