The Hero Returns - Chapter 146

***

“Damn. That old man is so f*king slow.”

“He’s old. If we push him too much, like last time, he won’t give us anything at all. So just calm down, okay?”

“Why do we have to bend and scrape to such an old man? Huh? We’re the Hahoetal Guild!”

Two men stood in front of the gate and made a loud noise. One man, who had a small frame, was Song Kyung-taek of the Hahoetal Guild. He lit a cigarette.

“I don’t know why our guild master wants to let this old man make our equipment,” said Song Kyung-taek.

“Because he’s good at making weapons. You saw the stuff he made, didn’t you?”

“Yea, I saw it. But can’t we just get his weapons from auction houses or something?”

“Those were his mass-produced models.”

“So…?”

“So, those are mass-produced models. Not special ones.”

Song Kyung-taek opened his eyes wide as if he couldn’t believe what Ahn Min-ho just said. He asked again, not even thinking about putting the cigarette back to his mouth.

“Those were his mass-produced models? The simple stuff? Then, do you mean he can just churn stuff like that out?”

“He needs Ether stones, but if he has the materials, he can easily make those things quickly and without fail. No. Actually, I heard he regards those things in the auctions as failures,” Ahn Min-ho said.

“what the ....… Why does such a great smith live in this po-dunk small town then?”

Based on what Ahn Min-ho just said, Kim Dae-ho must be some kind of world-class smith. He was practically a national treasure. His presence would cause a global sensation.

“Now, do you get it? How important this job we have is?” Ahn Min-ho continued to say in a small voice, as he saw Kim Dae-ho walk out from the house. “We have to bring that old man to our guild. That’s our mission.”

“Go away! You bastards!” Kim Dae-ho shouted loudly all of a sudden, with no warning.

Kim Dae-ho saw the pattern of the Hahoetal Guild on the shoulders of the two men’s armor. As expected, they were the same guild that had come to bother him last time.

“How many times do I have to tell you guys? I don’t want to make a weapon for anyone, and I certainly don’t intend to give you the weapons that you asked for!”

“Hey, old man. Calm down and think again. This will be a great opportunity for you.”

“Yea. We’ll give you the celebrity treatment. We’ll buy every single sword that you’ve got just piled up in you warehouse They’re useless anyway, aren’t they? And our guild will give you a better workhouse than this dump…”

“I don’t work for anyone. And I don’t give my children to anyone else! If you don’t get it, just go already!”

At Kim Dae-ho’s loud voice, Song Kyung-taek, who tried to convince him, frowned. “Damn you’re seriously a dotard, huh?”

“What? Dotard?”

“Hey, hey. Let’s calm down. Hey, Song Kyung-taek. You spoke so harshly. We’re here to ask him to do us a favor,” Ahn Min-ho said.

“shit. Why’s he so stubborn about this dirty workshop anyway…?” Song Kyung-taek mumbled, but since he stood nearby, Kim Dae-ho could hear every word he said. Kim Dae-ho opened his eyes wide and stared at Song Kyung-taek.

“What? What? Dirty workshop? You crazy bastards!”

At Kim Dae-ho’s uproar, Song Kyung-taek grinned. He looked behind the gate.

“Oh, I see. So, you care about your workshop too much. Is that why you don’t accept our offer?”

“Song Kyung-taek!”

“Don’t stop me! supreme-ruler damn. I’ll tell our guild master that I couldn’t help it since he didn’t cooperate at all.” Song Kyung-taek started to walk forward as if he had already decided.

<<By Heavens!>> Ahn Min-ho frowned as he saw Song Kyung-taek’s confidence.

The problem was Song Kyung-taek’s personality. He wasn’t a person who would listen to other people. Especially as a B-Rank awakener, Ahn Min-ho didn’t have enough power to stop A-Rank awakener, Song Kyung-taek.

<<I shouldn’t have brought him in the first place. He’s too stubborn and loses his temper so easily. He might attack me if I try to stop him now.>>

“Then how about just taking his weapons from the workshop for now?” Ahn Min-ho asked.

“Sounds good.”

“Y-you bastards!”

“Sorry, old man. But we really need equipment urgently. We’ll compensate you for damage so don’t worry—”

Stomp, stomp—

At that moment, a person came out of the house. Song Kyung-taek stopped a moment at the appearance of an unexpected stranger.

<<Who’s he?>>

<<Is he an awakener, too?>>

There wasn’t much chance that a civilian would be in Kim Dae-ho’s workshop. Although Kim Dae-ho wasn’t that famous yet, somebody who heard about him by chance might have come to get some weapons.

“Hey, you,” Song Kyung-taek said, “I guess you came here to get a piece of equipment or something. But he promised us first so—”

“A promise is not a one-sided thing.”

At the stranger’s answer, Song Kyung-taek frowned a little.

At that time, Kim Dae-ho said, looking back Su-hyeun, “I told you to stay inside. Why did you come out?”

“These are unwelcome guests, aren’t they?” Su-hyeun asked, looking at Song Kyung-taek and Ahn Min-ho.

As Su-hyeun and Kim Dae-ho spoke, the people from the Hahoetal Guild glared at them.

<<Wait a second. Do they know each other?>>

<<Wait. That sword he’s wearing…it looks like the old man’s work.>>

Ahn Min-ho knew about the weapons that Kim Dae-ho made. Kim Dae-ho didn’t care much about design or appearance. So, every piece of equipment that he made looked similar.

Moreover, the sword that the stranger was wearing was inside of the scabbard that Kim Dae-ho had made. Ahn Min-ho, who had been relatively calm so far, also frowned.

“Hey, old man. Didn’t you say you don’t give your children to anyone else?”

“I did. But he’s not just anyone. He’s someone,” Kim Dae-ho answered like Ahn Min-ho had asked an obvious question.

But his answer made Song Kyung-taek and Ahn Min-ho more upset.

“Ha! I feel a little bad. Do you think Hahoetal Guild is garbage or something?” Song Kyung-taek started spreading his murderous spirit to Kim Dae-ho.

Ahn Min-ho was no longer willing to stop him. After he realized out Kim Dae-ho had given his weapon to somebody else, he was also offended.

“Hahoetal Guild?” At that moment, Su-hyeun walked in between Song Kyung-taek and Kim Dae-ho. “So, you’re Hahoetal Guild? Huh?”

“…What?”

“Don’t make me upset and just leave,” said Su-hyeun, “I’m tired now. And keep away from here from now on. If you listen to me well, I’ll just let you go.”

“What did you say? You crazy bastard?”

At Su-hyeun’s word, Song Kyung-taek looked puzzled.

<<Wait? Why is he still fine?>>

He had been letting out his murderous spirit, but this man looked perfectly calm. Song Kyung-taek had thought that he wouldn’t be a civilian, but he didn’t think he would be higher rank awakener than himself, someone who could counter his murderous spirit.

<<I guess he’s more than B-Rank awakener. He seems quite capable, but he met the wrong opponent today. I’m one of the top ten awakeners in the Hahoetal Guild!>>

He popped his knuckles and walked toward Su-hyeun. Meanwhile, Ahn Min-ho, who was standing behind Song Kyung-taek, shook his head anxiously.

<<He looks somewhat familiar…>>

Wham—!

Before Ahn Min-ho’s eyes, Song Kyung-taek’s body flew backward. His teeth scattered everywhere.

<<…Uh?>>

Thump—

Song Kyung-taek flew up and fell to the ground. He drooped. Ahn Min-ho was stared blankly, not understanding the situation, and looking at Song Kyung-taek.

“Is the guild master of the Hahoetal Guild Gwon Jae-hoon?” Su-hyeun asked.

Gwon Jae-hoon was one of the S-Rank awakeners of Korea. He was the guild master of Hahoetal Guild, which consisted of above B-Rank awakeners and above. The Hahoetal Guild was a large guild that counted among five fingers in Korea.

“Go tell him, if he touches this place again, he’d better resolve to have a war with me.”

“Y-you! Who are you?”

“I am Kim Su-hyeun.”

“Kim… Su-hyeun?” At that moment, Ahn Min-ho remembered the face that he briefly had seen from the TV. “R-really? Are you that Kim Su-hyeun? Aren’t you in San Francisco now?”

Wham—!

Ahn Min-ho flew up, just like Song Kyung-taek. Su-hyeun, who jammed his fist, shook his hands as Ahn Min-ho’s body fell.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Hey! Su-hyeun!”

Su-hyeun turned his head at Kim Dae-ho’s words.

“Don’t worry, mister. Even if a hundred of them come—”

“If you knocked both of them out, who’ll take them? You should have left one!”

“…Oh.”

At Kim Dae-ho’s point, Su-hyeun realized what he had done without thinking. Su-hyeun thought for a moment, looking at Song Kyung-taek and Ahn Min-ho, who were both passed out on the ground.

“Let’s just leave them like this, I guess.”

“Ugh. Yea. What’ll be the point in sending those bastards back home anyway?”

“Let go back in, mister.”

“Hey. Let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes?”

“Are you that famous? You just look like a sissy.”

“…”

“Well. You’re more useful than I thought. I’ll call you if those thugs come by again. People have started to bug me recently.”

Su-hyeun was at a loss for words.

<<Is that why he told me to stay inside before? Because he thought I wouldn’t be good at fighting?>>

But Su-hyeun remembered that Kim Dae-ho usually didn’t watch TV. The old-fashioned TV in the living room was nothing but a decoration. Kim Dae-ho turned the TV on about once a year. Kim Dae-ho got back his house, yawning really loud. Su-hyeun looked at him and sighed.

***

Bak Yun-gyu watched a group of people crossing over the viaduct. The man leading them was familiar. Some more familiar faces followed him.

“Damn. They came again.”

Kang Seung-cheol frowned and walked forward. Bak Yun-gyu reached his hand out and stopped Kang Seung-cheol.

“Calm down. Don’t fight here.”

“They’ve dissipated so many times already. But do you still just want me to leave them alone?”

“It is not good to make trouble with that dude.”

“shit…”

At Bak Yun-gyu’s firm answer, Kang Seung-cheol shook his head. Meanwhile, the crowds crossed the viaduct.

“You’re working hard to watch,” the man, who looked like a good-for-nothing, said in a rude tone.

Kang Seung-cheol frowned.

Bak Yun-gyu answered relatively calmly, “Please, go back.”

He always said the same thing to them. Bak Yun-gyu kept his back straight like a tree. He folded his hands behind his back as if he wouldn’t let them go further.

“I can’t go back. You know well, too. Our guild discovered this dungeon,” the man who crossed the viaduct said without a hint of unease. He had met Bak Yun-gyu a few times already.

“The dungeon was discovered by a civilian.”

“We were the group that came here fastest after that civilian’s report.”

“That doesn’t mean you can claim that you discovered it. The Authority manages dungeons discovered by civilians. That’s the rule. Guilds and awakeners to attack such dungeons are either supported by the Authority or selected separately. That’s the law.” Bak Yun-gyu’s voice was hard, as if he was reading a dictionary.

The man in front of Bak Yun-gyu frowned as if his patience was running out. “So, why don’t you just give charge to the Hahoetal Guild?”