Chapter 372: A Sword (3)

“Human, they’re coming!”

“Yes.”

Cale looked down indifferently at the people entering the building.

Do whatever you want.

The crown prince had handed everything over to him—completely.

He was too busy handling the matters of the Roan Kingdom.

The RMPAG, and on top of that, the tangled mess of Roan’s political landscape.

In truth, the crown prince was resisting collapse by sacrificing sleep just to keep things from falling apart.

“Human, our Eden Miru’s recovery rate has already reached 80%! Don’t you think it’ll hatch within a week?!”

Cale ignored Raon’s excited words and simply continued waiting for the people who were coming to see him.

This is annoying, so...

I’ll just take it easy.

He leaned back slightly, letting himself relax as the situation unfolded.

* * *

㈜Transparent.

Although he still held the title of lead researcher, Kim Se-hyun was someone just waiting for his resignation to be processed.

He kept fidgeting with the collar of his tie, as if the shirt—something he hadn’t worn in a long time—was strangling him.

Damn it…

Click. Click.

His gaze shifted forward.

…Vice President.

Vice President Lee Mi-jeong stood ahead of him, her posture upright, her presence imposing.

‘You’d better handle this properly today.’

She had given a clear, sharp warning to both Kim Se-hyun and Park Jeong-gyu from the operations team when she brought them here—secretly.

‘Rosalyn said we’d be meeting the person at the center of everything today.’

Gulp.

Kim Se-hyun’s eyes scanned the surroundings.

The Tae Yang Building—also known as the Sun Building.

Despite its majestic architecture and location on prime land, it was rumored that no official company operated within its walls.

‘But wasn’t it said that this building belonged to ㈜Tae Yang?’

㈜Tae Yang—also known as Sun Corporation.

Kim Se-hyun, who had only scratched the surface through his investigation, didn’t know much about the company. In truth, he didn’t know anything.

‘Wait… does the Vice President have connections with ㈜Tae Yang?’

But Park Jeong-gyu was different.

‘This might actually be worth a shot.’

That was how Park Jeong-gyu, his companion, viewed ㈜Tae Yang.

‘I don’t know the full details either, but…’

Apparently, people who were “well-informed” had only heard of the company because one of their investment-savvy friends had mentioned it in passing.

‘They say it’s an endless gold mine.’

Rumors said money flowed like a river. When Kim Se-hyun asked if it was known for being some kind of investment giant—

‘A big investor? Ah, yes… I guess you could describe it that way.’

But Park Jeong-gyu had shaken his head, wearing a strange expression.

‘Though… it’s a bit too ambiguous to call it just that.’

‘Why?’

‘It’s not a big investor by the standards of people like us—ordinary citizens—but it’s considered a big investor even by corporate standards. And even more so by the standards of large conglomerates.’

‘Then—'

‘If ㈜Tae Yang decided to pull out the funds it has loaned across various sectors… or if it chose to exercise its voting rights in key investments—don’t you think that would cause serious trouble?’

When he heard that, Kim Se-hyun couldn’t help but express doubt.

‘Why hasn’t this company become famous until now?’

‘Hahaha… well, because it’s not something the average person would ever look into. Didn’t you know that, boss?’

‘…That’s true.’

At that moment, Vice President Lee Mi-jeong came to a stop.

“Welcome.”

“Nice to meet you, Director Choi.”

Standing before them was Choi Seon-hee—the director of ㈜Tae Yang.

As Lee Mi-jeong greeted her with professional warmth, Kim Se-hyun quickly followed Park Jeong-gyu’s lead and bowed in greeting.

“Nice to meet you both.”

Choi Seon-hee, having greeted the two men politely one by one, stepped forward and pressed the elevator button.

“I will guide you.”

At those words, Kim Se-hyun saw Park Jeong-gyu visibly marvel—and honestly, he felt the same.

…Does this mean the person we’re meeting is someone the director herself must personally escort?

It was common knowledge: when Choi Seon-hee visited a company, at the very least, a vice president would step forward to receive her.

Even though Vice President Lee Mi-jeong had come with them, the fact that Choi Seon-hee was personally guiding them now—

This is insane.

Thump, thump.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Kim Se-hyun looked down at the bag he held tightly in one hand.

Inside it was a tablet.

And inside that tablet—was everything.

All of his and his research team’s progress on the topic:

“1. Connecting the Black Castle portal.”

Theoretically—

The simulations had confirmed it.

It was possible.

However—

Mana.

They still hadn’t fully grasped the nature of that entity from another dimension.

This… I need to coordinate with Rosalyn on this.

Still—

I’ve brought what I’ve accomplished.

The elevator doors closed with a soft chime, and they began ascending.

Kim Se-hyun instinctively swallowed hard as he watched the floor numbers climb higher and higher.

Beside him, Park Jeong-gyu did the same.

This is insane.

The discarded card of the operations team.

That’s what Park Jeong-gyu had become.

His position was even more precarious than Kim Se-hyun’s.

But this—this was an opportunity.

He, too, had a part to play.

‘Hold onto the operations team no matter what. And uncover any clues.’

That was the instruction Vice President Lee Mi-jeong had given him.

‘I don’t expect you to uncover anything fatal to ㈜Transparent. Even small clues—just enough to cause a little damage—are enough.’

That was the instruction Park Jeong-gyu had been given.

He was just one cog in the vast network of operations teams working under the “New World” initiative.

All this time, he had been gathering information—pretending to be busy, when in truth, he was always watching.

I’ve already reported everything to Rosalyn.

Technically, he was supposed to report directly to Lee Mi-jeong.

But—

I’ll take care of everything.

Those words from Rosalyn had drained the strength from Lee Mi-jeong.

Just hearing them made one thing crystal clear.

Rosalyn is already one of the most powerful people in play.

No—there’s someone even greater.

The one they were about to meet at ㈜Tae Yang.

Huu…

A deep breath escaped him.

He hadn’t meant for it to be so loud, but no one paid attention.

Still feeling the tension, Park Jeong-gyu turned his head slightly—and stopped when he met Lee Mi-jeong’s gaze.

Her eyes were deep, cold, sharp.

Definitely…

Right now, Lee Mi-jeong was someone who felt like she was sharpening a blade.

Definitely…

Either I stay with ㈜Transparent.

Or… I build the foundation to surpass it.

She had already accepted Rosalyn’s proposal—to conduct business that crossed dimensions.

Lee Mi-jeong couldn’t back down now.

Because she had already betrayed ㈜Transparent.

Not that it mattered much.

㈜Transparent had always planned to abandon me anyway.

Han Taek-su, the honorary president.

That man trusted no one but himself.

He would even abandon his own son… even the current president.

Lee Mi-jeong, who had started at the company as just another ordinary employee and climbed her way up to the position of vice president, let her shoulders relax ever so slightly.

A subtle gesture.

But one filled with resolve.

Ding!

The elevator had reached its destination.

“……”

Without a word, Vice President Lee Mi-jeong began to move, slowly following behind Director Choi Seon-hee.

Click, click.

Choi Seon-hee made no effort to hide her presence.

They stepped into a vast, open space that spanned the entire floor.

A space where everything was laid bare beneath towering bay windows.

At the center—only a desk, a sofa, and a few other sparse furnishings.

That person—

And the moment her eyes met the man seated on the main sofa, calmly looking in their direction—

“…!”

Lee Mi-jeong stopped in her tracks.

She inhaled sharply, without even realizing it.

It was instinct.

Her body was reminding her to breathe—because in that moment, she nearly forgot how.

“!”¨

“!”

It wasn’t just her.

Kim Se-hyun and Park Jeong-gyu had also stopped in their tracks.

They couldn’t move.

What’s going on? Why am I like this?

Kim Se-hyun found himself staring at the red-haired man with dark brown eyes—the man whose gaze now rested on him.

And under that gaze…

He couldn’t move a single step.

…What is this?

He couldn’t understand what was happening.

He had researched the power users—the ones who began to appear after the monsters emerged.

He had met more than a few of them himself, while working on the New World project.

He had seen strength.

He had felt presence before.

But this…

This was something else entirely.

How—

How can this—

I don’t know!

What am I even experiencing right now?

That red-haired man, seated far away on the sofa—

It felt like something was pressing down on Kim Se-hyun's entire body. Squeezing him. Not metaphorically—but physically.

It’s not just a feeling.

No… this wasn’t some vague sense of awe or intimidation.

It was real. Tangible.

Is this—

Is this even possible?

Kim Se-hyun, who had already experienced countless strange and extraordinary phenomena—

Through his talks with Rosalyn, the mage from another dimension, and encounters with entities from the Black Castle—

Even he had never felt something quite like this.

That was why Kim Se-hyun could believe in the New World.

Why he could believe in the possibility of a true, complete transformation—and why he had continued his investigations without rest.

But—

Ah…

At this very moment, Kim Se-hyun felt it.

It was as if he had come face-to-face with something not of this world.

Something from another dimension.

This wasn’t normal.

An overwhelming presence—so powerful that even his aura alone seemed to bend reality.

The power of ㈜Tae Yang isn’t its wealth.

It’s him.

No… is he even human?

I don’t know.

But what Kim Se-hyun did know was this:

As long as that existence remained at the center, ㈜Tae Yang would never fall.

Damn!

Park Jeong-gyu, meanwhile, was only cursing inside his head.

And yet—

I grabbed the right rope!

He was in awe.

But even as they processed it in their own way, both Kim Se-hyun and Park Jeong-gyu felt it—

That undeniable emotion clawing its way up from their core.

Fear.

They felt as if even their breathing was being subtly controlled by that man—without understanding how or why.

And more than that… a primitive fear had begun to settle inside them.

The kind of fear that came from encountering something completely unknown.

It crept in gradually, starting from the tips of their feet and crawling upward.

Subtle.

Silent.

But it was there.

Yet, despite that fear, they—and Vice President Lee Mi-jeong—reacted in slightly different ways.

Ecstasy.

A strange, intoxicating exhilaration passed through their eyes.

Then, a calm voice echoed through the wide room.

“I have brought them.”

Secretary Choi.

“Thank you, Secretary Choi.”

Lee Mi-jeong’s eyes flickered—her expression shifting the moment she heard how he addressed the director.

Secretary Choi.

Not Director.

Her gaze sharpened instantly.

“Then, I’ll head down.”

With that, Secretary Choi exited the room.

Cale rose slowly from his seat and extended his hand toward the three guests.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Cale Henituse.”

A gentle smile rested on his face.

“Ah…”

Kim Se-hyun felt a sudden wave of weakness pass through his body.

His tense breathing finally relaxed.

And the same thing happened to the other two as well.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Mi-jeong.”

They shook hands in order, starting with Lee Mi-jeong, and at Cale’s light gesture, the three quietly took their seats.

–Good job with the suppression.

Cale ignored Super Rock’s comment.

He had released just a trace of his Dominating Aura—and with only that, all the tedious formalities had crumbled away.

Well, with that out of the way…

“Kim Se-hyun?”

“Y-Yes!”

“They say you’ve found a way to connect the Black Castle portal?”

“Yes!”

Kim Se-hyun quickly opened his bag and handed over the tablet.

“I’ve recorded all the data here. If we follow the simulation results step by step, we should be successful. But I believe we’ll need to perform a live test first.”

“I see.”

Cale didn’t even turn on the tablet.

He simply placed it down on the table in front of him.

Hmm…

The moment Kim Se-hyun noticed that, his hands hesitated slightly, and a cloud passed over his expression.

But then—

“It’s right to trust the work of those who are good at what they do.”

At those words, Kim Se-hyun turned to look at him.

He raised his gaze toward Cale, drawn in by the weight of his words.

“I don’t know much about this field,” Cale said, his tone calm, his posture relaxed. “That’s why I’ve decided to trust Rosalyn and Kim Se-hyun.”

His expression was composed—completely at ease.

“Feel free to run your experiments. Let me know whatever you need. And if it becomes difficult to stay at Transparent… leave, along with your research team. I’ll establish a lab for you.”

…Wow.

Kim Se-hyun froze for a moment, caught off guard.

“We’ll offer you a deal that won’t fall short of what Transparent provides. And one day—”

Cale’s gaze shifted to Lee Mi-jeong.

“New World, Transparent… Ownership can change. Or a bigger company can rise.”

Snick.

Cale smiled as he spoke.

“Isn’t that right, Lee Mi-jeong?”

He had already noted the way Lee Mi-jeong had reacted differently to his aura just moments ago.

And so, before she could respond, he asked her one more question.

“Vice President.”

Lee Mi-jeong, who hadn’t been able to respond right away, continued to look at him.

In her eyes—an unmistakable flicker of interest.

“What did you see in me, just now?”

“!”

Lee Mi-jeong flinched. She hadn’t expected that question.

But after a brief pause, she smiled.

“Have you met Honorary President Han Taek-su?”

“No.”

Cale shook his head.

Beside him, Kim Se-hyun and Park Jeong-gyu exchanged confused glances, unsure of where this was going.

But Lee Mi-jeong paid them no mind.

Her voice remained indifferent—quiet, but clear.

“…Honorary President Han Taek-su—”

She made up her mind.

Although she had already begun thinking about carving out her own path after meeting Rosalyn and Choi Seon-hee, in this moment—she felt it.

She had found the right support.

I need to show one of the cards I’ve kept hidden.

Only then would she be acknowledged.

She began to speak, slowly and clearly.

Honorary President Han Taek-su.

“…That man.”

That.

The way she spoke his name—that—wasn't just a word. It carried weight. Disdain. Fear.

Lee Mi-jeong, who had once been a low-ranking employee, finally revealed the secret she had held close for all those years.

“He’s not human.”

Han Taek-su is not human.

“…!”

Cale’s eyes widened—for the first time since they’d met.

“I’ve heard there’s an investigation underway into ㈜Transparent’s corruption. The information Chief Park Jeong-gyu uncovered will definitely be useful, but—”

Park Jeong-gyu turned toward her.

His eyes filled with disbelief.

She had just pointed directly at him.

And yet Lee Mi-jeong continued, as if she hadn’t noticed the confusion in his gaze.

Kim Se-hyun felt the same way.

But regardless of their reactions, Lee Mi-jeong turned back to Cale and continued speaking.

“I don’t have solid information—only suspicion. Because I saw something. Of course, it could have been an illusion. I haven’t found any evidence in over ten years.”

To be precise, she had only seen a shadow.

Honorary President Han Taek-su.

She had seen his shadow once.

But it wasn’t the shadow of a human being.

It had clearly been a monster—something twisted that had slowly taken on human form.

And ever since that day, Lee Mi-jeong had kept it to herself. She never spoke of it. Because there was no proof.

Aura—

Han Taek-su.

The aura that had radiated from that shadow had been overwhelming—so suffocating that Lee Mi-jeong could barely breathe.

She had encountered a similar aura once before.

That terrifying force that stirred a primitive fear within her.

But—

This one is stronger.

Today, she had felt something even greater.

An aura that surpassed that monstrous shadow from a decade ago.

It wasn’t an illusion.

What she experienced back then—what she saw—was real.

And if that’s true… then this moment, right now, was a true opportunity.

“That… is a monster.”

Monster.

The word used to describe the beings that had once invaded Earth.

Creatures from beyond—unnatural, violent, and feared.

Most of them had already been exterminated.

Kim Se-hyun, Park Jeong-gyu, and even Cale knew that much.

But now, Vice President Lee Mi-jeong said it aloud—clearly, calmly, and with certainty.

“An unidentified monster—something not yet confirmed—that has taken human form. Or perhaps a demon. Or even… a god. That is my opinion.”

Ding!

At that moment, the sound of the elevator arriving echoed through the open space.

Cale opened his mouth, his tone casual—almost amused.

“Originally, today’s plan was to start spreading rumors about ㈜Transparent’s corruption… crash the stock price, buy it from our side while it’s low, push the stock back up, gather the shareholders, and use our voting rights to take control.”

Cale let out a low chuckle and looked toward the elevator door as it opened.

Secretary Choi stepped out and gave Cale a respectful bow.

“I have brought them.”

Them?

Who else is here?

Lee Mi-jeong, caught off guard, turned her head quickly toward the elevator.

And there—she saw someone.

Hmm…

She wasn’t pleased.

That man—an existence it would be a shame to call Earth’s “hero.”
The so-called best specialist in monster extermination.

“What a funny story you’re telling.”

President Ahn Roh Man.

The same man expected to step down in the next election was now standing before them.

“And I’ve brought a rather interesting story of my own.”

He had previously told Alberu, Cale, and Rosalyn that he was conducting an investigation—one tied directly to the possible corruption within ㈜Transparent.

‘Once every two months, people are sent into Transparent’s lab in masses… and not a single one ever comes back out.’

And it seemed Alberu had found concrete evidence related to that.

He had passed it on to Cale.

Huh!
Ha!

Kim Se-hyun and Park Jeong-gyu involuntarily flinched, their breath catching as they realized just how deep this situation ran.

Cale, on the other hand, greeted Ahn Roh Man with visible joy.

“That is an interesting story. Transparent Inc. is being acquired… and we also have to deal with Honorary President Han Taek-su.”

A slow smile curved at the corner of Ahn Roh Man’s lips.

“Truly, a story full of excitement.”

* * *

That night, Lee Mi-jeong made a call to one of her people.

“…Spread the rumor that our company is kidnapping people to experiment on them.”

“…Excuse me?”

“In the financial sector—no, start with the loan sector. Let it spread naturally.”

“…Vice President?”

The subordinate froze at the shocking order.

Eyes wide, she could barely hide her disbelief.

Lee Mi-jeong closed her eyes tightly.

We’re spreading rumors… that our own company is killing people to perform human experiments?

A chill ran down her spine.

But orders were orders.

* * *

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Ahn Roh Man was in quiet conversation with his assistant, Mary.

“You’ve obtained both money and power.”

“That’s right.”

“The funds from ㈜Tae Yang… and the traitors from ㈜Transparent.”

He gave a small nod.

“It’s worth making a move.”

Mary, the assistant, spoke just before leaving Ahn Roh Man’s office.

“I’m also going to leak the information we’ve collected to the media.”

“Start with gossip.”

“Yes. I’ll begin at the bottom—avoid the major outlets for now.”

Click.

The door closed behind her.

Left alone in the dimly lit office, Ahn Roh Man stared quietly at the lamplight on his desk.

“…Could he be a monster—”

He had met Honorary President Han Taek-su in person.

And even now, the memory sent a chill down his spine.

There was something about him that defied logic.

His eyes darkened with the weight of what he could no longer dismiss.

If he really is a monster—

Then I have to catch him.

No one heard the words he whispered into the quiet room.

No one, except himself.

* * *

“Young Master, you cleared all the preliminary rounds with ease! Truly incredible! Tomorrow is finally the final round! I’m so proud of you, Young Master! Hahaha!”

The Heavenly Demon smiled in satisfaction at Cale’s bright, energetic tone and replied with calm confidence.

“This is nothing”.

Alberu, standing beside them, added softly with a smile.

“You really are something else, Young Master.”

“Hah.”

The Heavenly Demon gave a casual shrug.

A warm breeze passed between Cale, Alberu, and the Heavenly Demon—peaceful, for just a moment.

The three preliminary rounds, which had unfolded over the past several days, were now complete.

And tomorrow—
The real stage would begin.

The final round.

Only 64 participants remained.

“Number 44! I like that number!”

Kim Hae-il’s number was 44.

And starting tomorrow…

Queen Tamahi of the Kingdom of Lan would begin attending the matches in person.

The true stage was about to begin.

 -----

T/L: When your aura alone can crush megacorps and expose monsters—yeah, you're built different.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]