CHAPTER 195: SWORD OF JUSTICE (1)

A week had passed since the gate incident where monsters went berserk in San Fruttuoso. Kwon Oh-Jin, Song Ha-Eun, and Isabella had relocated to the Colgrande Family’s main estate in Rome.

Word quickly spread because the incident had been so large. Despite scrambling to manage the fallout, Isabella had clearly drawn the line. The Colgrande Family would handle the matter, and she would take care of it herself. As a result, Kwon Oh-Jin and Song Ha-Eun had nothing to do in the massive mansion.

“Haaa,” Song Ha-Eun yawned while curled up in a ball on Kwon Oh-Jin’s bed.

She rolled herself into the blanket, squirming and wriggling under the covers like a cocoon in metamorphosis. Not long after, as if tired of rolling around in bed all day, she kicked the blanket off and sat up.

“Ugh! How long are we supposed to stay like this?”

Kwon Oh-Jin walked over and picked up the blanket. “We’ll have to stay like this until the situation calms down a bit.”

“Can’t we just go home and come back later? There’s a Sanctum in Rome. Getting back wouldn’t take long anyway.”

“That’s true, but...”

Even if they used the Sanctum to travel, each one had immigration checkpoints for foreign Awakeners. It took more time than expected.

“I’m planning to stay here until I find the culprit,” he said.

“Culprit?”

“The one who tampered with the Dragon Vein.”

“Ah...”

Song Ha-Eun nodded.

To be honest, they didn’t lack anything in the Colgrande mansion.

The rooms were big enough to play a basketball game in, and the luxurious meals made one wonder if such food ever existed. And the baths? When Song Ha-Eun first stepped into the mansion’s bath, she thought she had entered a palace straight out of Greek or Roman mythology. Everything was absurdly extravagant, dazzling, and elegant.

“I still can’t fucking get used to all this.”

She deeply sighed and flopped back onto the bed.

Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled. “Same.”

For two people who once lived at rock bottom, the lavish life at the Colgrande mansion felt more suffocating than luxurious. It felt like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.

“It’d be better if we were staying at our own house,” she said.

It felt like visiting a friend’s place, only for the friend to suddenly leave because of something urgent. Of course, it would feel awkward being in that house alone.

“Just hang in there. You were the one who said Isabella seemed vulnerable, remember?”

Song Ha-Eun sighed again. “Yeah, I did, but...”

It would’ve been one thing if Kwon Oh-Jin spent this time in the estate drawing Isabella to their side. However, she was so busy that she hadn’t even shown her face once. It made everything feel pointless.

“If you’re that bored, wanna spar with me?”

“Spar?”

Kwon Oh-Jin nodded.

After absorbing the Dragon Vein and reaching eight stars, he hadn’t fully adjusted to his new strength.

I’m kinda curious just how strong I’ve gotten.

Truthfully, Kwon Oh-Jin didn’t know his current strength. Most Awakeners could estimate their power based on their Stigma’s strength and how many stars they were.

I’m different.

He possessed the Black Heaven and one of the strongest Stigmas. Even Vega, a North Star Celestial, had been shocked by his talent. Kwon Oh-Jin knew better than anyone just how different he was.

Vega, perched on Kwon Oh-Jin’s shoulder, nodded as she nibbled on fruit like a squirrel. “A spar with Ha-Eun, huh... It is certainly worth trying.”

Song Ha-Eun’s eyes sparkled as if intrigued, and she sat up on the bed. “Oh? You think you can take me on when you’re only eight stars?”

She playfully jabbed at Kwon Oh-Jin’s side with a mischievous smile, but knew full well that defeating Kwon Oh-Jin wouldn’t be easy even after undergoing body reconstruction as a high-ranking Awakener. Deep down, she wasn’t sure if it was possible at all.

Riarc, who had been sitting on the large carpet, stood and walked over. “This is something I’d like to see as well.”

“Alright then. Let’s head to the garden.” Kwon Oh-Jin led them outside.

***

Technically, they called it a garden. What lay outside the Colgrande estate was far too vast to be called that.

“What kind of house has a fucking lake and a mountain in its backyard?” Song Ha-Eun said in disbelief as they wandered the seemingly endless garden.

It was capitalism at its finest.

“Man, this makes me want to start a revolution,” she said.

“A revolution, really?” Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled as he scouted for a good place to spar. “This spot looks good.”

It seemed like a training ground for bodyguards. The wide space of land was about the size of an elementary school soccer field, equipped with training gear specifically for Awakeners.

Song Ha-Eun clenched her fists tightly and took a fighting stance. “Shall we get started then?”

“Hold on a moment.” Vega fluttered into the air and raised her hand. A curtain of blue lightning spread around the surroundings like a barrier.

Crackle!

“Wait, did you just create a Sacred Ground?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

“No need to worry. I haven’t created a Sacred Ground. It’s just a type of barrier to contain the impact and noise.”

“It won’t strain your divinity, right?”

“Haha. You worry too much, child. Do you think I can’t manage something this simple?”

She had a point. There was no reason to damage her divinity just for a sparring match.

“Sweet! So that means I can go all out?” Song Ha-Eun asked.

“It’s not that sturdy of a barrier, so control yourself.”

“Okay, okay. Got it.”

Song Ha-Eun nodded and thought of a good idea. She snapped her fingers. “Oh-Jin, just sparring sounds boring. Wanna make a bet?”

“A bet?”

“Yeah. The loser grants the winner a wish.”

He had no idea what kind of wish she would make.

“Sure.”

“Hehe! You promised, okay?”

She smiled and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. Then, she took out a cigarette and held it between her fingers.

“Oh, fire.”

She imagined a blazing fire that burned fiercely like a dragon’s breath.

“Burn like hell.”

Fwoosh!

Massive flames rushed toward Kwon Oh-Jin like a wave.

“Ugh!”

Even without touching the fire, the radiating heat alone turned his skin red.

If I get hit by that thing directly, I’ll probably end up as a charred piece of meat. She definitely has me beat in terms of firepower.

To use an analogy from old games, she was like a siege tank. Her movements were slow, but she possessed a long range and devastating attacks.

But...

Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes sharpened.

He couldn’t match her in sheer firepower unless he used Lightning Form. However, he felt confident that he could overwhelm her in every other area.

“Exceed.”

Crackle!

Blue lightning enveloped Kwon Oh-Jin. With a powerful jump, he shot into the air.

“Not so fast!”

Song Ha-Eun raised the cigarette in her fingers toward him. Like a conductor waving a baton, her motion guided the flames as they twisted and charged up.

Crackle!

Kwon Oh-Jin dodged the flames with Lightning Steps and quickly descended like a meteor.

Lightning Strike.

A bolt of lightning struck down from the sky directly at Song Ha-Eun.

Crackle!

She stomped both feet on the ground. “Hyah!”

An explosion of flames launched her back like a missile.

Thudududud!

After landing on the ground, Kwon Oh-Jin used the momentum to charge toward her. He swung his jet-black spear and dragged it low across the ground in a sweeping motion.

“Eek!”

She hopped up to avoid the spear and thrust her right arm forward, flicking the cigarette between her fingers at him.

Fwoosh!

A curtain of fire burst out, about to engulf Kwon Oh-Jin.

There’s no way to dodge this one.

Sizzle.

The wave of intense heat began to sear his skin.

“Ha! Got you now, sucker!” Song Ha-Eun shouted confidently.

Kwon Oh-Jin lowered his stance and stared at the curtain of fire rushing toward him.

No. It’s not like I can’t do anything.

“Explosive Lightning.”

Boom!

He focused lightning at the tip of his spear and made it explode. He wasn’t aiming for the curtain of fire but the ground beneath it.

Fire is bound to rise.

The Explosive Lightning left a crater around three meters wide. He dove into the pit to dodge the flames.

Song Ha-Eun stepped back, visibly flustered.

“Uh, w-what?”

He didn’t miss this opening and charged straight at her. He held his spear backwards and jabbed the shaft into her stomach.

It looked like she would take the hit while stumbling back.

“Did you think I would go down that easily?”

Her panicked face twisted into a smirk, and she swiftly twisted to the side. She caught the incoming spear shaft with one hand and made a fist with the other. Intense flames burst out from her clenched fist.

Fwoosh!

“Hyaaah!” she shouted.

Kwon Oh-Jin took a straight-on hit to the face and violently flew back.

Thwack!

“Hehe! How’s that? You took a real one this time, didn’t you?!” Song Ha-Eun excitedly shouted.

As he tumbled helplessly back, Kwon Oh-Jin crossed his arms. Six wires shot up from the crater left by the Explosive Lightning, wrapping around Song Ha-Eun.

Whoosh!

“Ugh!”

This time, a genuine look of surprise crossed her face.

She could easily burn through the wires, but it began to retract rapidly back toward the shooter.

Screech!

She quickly planted her feet into the ground to hold her balance. However, Kwon Oh-Jin flung toward her like a bullet instead.

Blue lightning sparked wildly around his black spear.

Crackle!

“Shit!”

Realizing she couldn’t dodge, she took out six cigarettes from her pack.

“Oh, fire!”

Fwoosh!

Six crimson Fire Dragons erupted from the cigarette tips and coiled around her.

“Burn like fucking hell!”

Kwon Oh-Jin and Song Ha-Eun collided.

Boom!

An earth-shaking explosion erupted, followed by a violent wind that swept through the area. Fortunately, the blue lightning barrier around the training ground contained the gust loaded with debris.

As the dust settled like fog, Kwon Oh-Jin appeared with one knee on the ground.

“Cough!”

“Huh? D-Did I win?” Song Ha-Eun asked, looking around with wide eyes in disbelief.

Compared to Kwon Oh-Jin, whose clothes were tattered and scorched, she looked almost untouched.

“Ugh. Yeah. You win, Ha-Eun.” Kwon Oh-Jin lightly chuckled and shook his head like he couldn’t keep up with her.

She jumped up and down. “Yesss! I won! I totally won!”

He smiled in satisfaction as he watched her bounce with pure joy.

“A wish! You have to grant me a wish now!”

“Yeah. What’s your wish?”

“Umm... W-Wait a sec! I’ll think of something right now, so stay put!”

She clearly hadn’t expected to win as she flailed and clutched her head in a panic.

While she was deep in thought, Riarc quietly approached Kwon Oh-Jin.

With a displeased look, he asked, “Kid, why did you let her win?”

Kwon Oh-Jin couldn’t fool Riarc’s eyes. He chuckled and shrugged without saying a word. Then, he walked toward Song Ha-Eun.

Riarc watched with narrowed eyes as Kwon Oh-Jin walked away.

There’s no way I’m mistaken. That kid could have easily beaten the lizard woman.

In the final moment, Kwon Oh-Jin had deliberately let himself go. Purposely losing a sparring match wasn’t hard, but to do it so naturally that the opponent didn’t even notice was something else entirely.

Riarc stared at Kwon Oh-Jin with trembling eyes.

What a monster.

Only a little over a year had passed since he received the Stigma of Lyra. Even if Song Ha-Eun’s Stigma ranked lower than his, holding back a higher nine-star Awakener who had undergone body reconstruction was insane.

When that kid reaches nine stars... just how much more terrifying will he become?

A chill ran down Riarc’s spine. Fear pressed down on him like staring up at a cloudy night sky that was brewing a storm.

But I’m...

He shut his eyes tightly and shook his head.

“Ah! I’ve thought of a wish!”

Song Ha-Eun grinned and raised her hand. She lightly hugged Kwon Oh-Jin’s arm with a playful smile.

“My wish is—”