Chapter 62: Don’t Regret it, Because it’s no use praying now

“Let’s meet and talk. Where are you? I’ll come to you right now. Try to kill me if you can.”

As Choi Juwon spoke in a cold voice, Song Minchul laughed derisively.

“Do you think you sound intimidating? I don’t know what a mere A-rank mage thinks he’s doing, being so arrogant.”

Song Minchul was unaware that Choi Juwon was the Masked Instructor. To him, Choi Juwon was just an instructor who had been falsely accused and expelled from Helmunt Academy. An A-rank in magic abilities and an S-rank in magic comprehension. This was Choi Juwon’s publicly known profile, which Song Minchul believed to be true.

That’s why Song Minchul acted arrogantly. A mere A-rank mage was no match for the W, one of the top-tier guilds. Although not as powerful as Baal, W was still one of the high-ranking guilds, certainly not a group that would lose to a single individual.

Choi Juwon scoffed.

“I’ve never seen anyone who boasts about their own abilities and isn’t weak. Why do you keep running your mouth when you don’t know your place? You’re not actually relying on your pathetic little guild, are you?”

Song Minchul burst into laughter.

“Pathetic? You think the W is pathetic? You really should know your limits. We are a recognized high-ranking guild. How dare a lowly academy instructor speak such nonsense.”

Choi Juwon replied,

“Stop talking
and let’s meet. I think we need to have a face-to-face conversation.”

“Ha, do you think you can do anything by meeting me? You’re digging your own grave. Fine by me. We were going to come after you anyway, so if you’re offering yourself up, I won’t stop you. I’ll send you the location. Come there. I expect you won’t be cowardly enough to run.”

“Yeah, wait for me. I’ll definitely be there.”

-Click

Song Minchul hung up and texted Choi Juwon the location.

‘There’s a B-rank gate nearby?’

When he searched the address Song Minchul sent, it was right in front of a B-rank gate. He immediately grasped Song Minchul’s intention.

‘He’s planning to take me inside the gate and dispose of me.’

Naturally, there were no CCTVs, recording artifacts, or witnesses inside a gate. It would be easy to get rid of someone without leaving any evidence.

Choosing a location right in front of a dungeon suggested that they planned to either force him inside or lure him in and then deal with him there.

‘What an idiot.’

Song Minchul’s actions were laughable. It was like a moth flying into a bright light. In fact, the lack of evidence only made things better for him.

‘He said it was W.’

W. He knew that name. One of the high-ranking mage guilds. Their power was not to be underestimated. But they were far inferior to Baal.

‘Even Choi Seunghyun, the leader of Baal, had to back down from me. What makes this W think they can act so tough?’

‘Oh, did Song Mina not tell him I’m the Masked Instructor?’

He had naturally assumed that Song Mina would have told Song Minchul everything about him. Since Song Mina knew he was the Masked Instructor, he thought Song Minchul would know as well. But judging by Song Minchul’s careless behavior, he clearly didn’t know he was dealing with the S-rank Masked Instructor.

‘He wouldn’t be acting like this if he knew.’

He was certain. Song Minchul didn’t know he was the Masked Instructor.

‘But why is he doing this to me?’

He suddenly realized he didn’t understand why Song Minchul was acting so hostile. He had asked if he knew Song Mina, then started ranting about some warning.

‘Did Song Mina ask him to take revenge for her?’

Many questions arose, but it didn’t matter. He would find out soon enough.

‘Just in case, I should prepare everything I can.’

He took out the Hellhound’s Fang.

[Legendary][Bound]
Name: Hellhound’s Fang
Effect: Absorbs some of the enemy’s stats upon killing them, allowing the sword to continuously grow. Suppresses the healing effects on the struck target. ※Some abilities are sealed. Unlocked upon growth.
Unlocked Abilities
▶Mana Absorption: Inflicting damage on an enemy absorbs a certain amount of their Mana.
▶Battle Frenzy: As the battle prolongs, the damage dealt increases.

‘Quite a few abilities have been unlocked?’

Previously, he had used the Hellhound’s Fang to kill the monster Dertod that appeared in the Black Gate, as well as Shim Jihyuk, who was enhanced by a dark Artifact. As a growth-type Artifact, it seemed to have gained considerable experience from those kills.

After taking it out for the first time in a while, the Hellhound’s Fang had two unlocked abilities.

‘Just how much stronger will this get?’

Even the Mana Absorption ability alone was incredibly overpowered. If there were enough enemies, he wouldn’t need to bother using [Absorption].

‘It would be even more overpowered if used in conjunction with Absorption.’

He felt a pang of regret looking at the sword. He couldn’t use [Aura], so he couldn’t utilize the sword to its maximum potential.

The pinnacle of swordsmanship, [Aura], was similar to the Mana used by mages.

[Aura] could be used to enhance weapons or the body, and depending on the Aura’s attribute, additional abilities like paralysis or freezing could be used. However, since he wasn’t an Aura user, there were limits to how he could use the sword.

‘A shame.’

Just then, he remembered a forgotten item.

[Death Knight’s Thought Orb]
▶A Thought Orb containing an ominous energy. Upon use, you can gradually acquire the swordsmanship possessed by the Death Knight in life.

‘Oh, right. I still haven’t used this.’

He had obtained this item after defeating the Death Knight that appeared during his solo run of the A-rank dungeon when he was competing with President Baek Jooseok. He decided to use it now.

-Thud

As he placed his hand on it, a bright light flickered, and the Thought Orb was absorbed into his body.

-Ding!

-You have absorbed the Death Knight’s Thought Orb.

-[Sword Saint] You gradually acquire the swordsmanship possessed by the Death Knight.

-[Beginner] You have acquired swordsmanship.

-Swordsmanship proficiency will gradually increase, ultimately reaching [Sword Saint]. Swordsmanship proficiency increases faster with more sword use.

‘
.’

He couldn’t help but curse. It was only at the ‘Beginner’ level now, but the mention of [Sword Saint] meant he could eventually reach that level.

‘So I can use Aura too.’

He couldn’t use Aura yet, but as his swordsmanship level increased, he would be able to. And ultimately, he could become a Sword Saint. If that happened, he would become the world’s only Magic Swordsman.

‘Haa… Well, this should be enough for now.’

Since he was heading to a location called by a high-ranking guild, he had no idea what traps might be set or how many people might be there. In the worst-case scenario, they could have mobilized all their allied guilds, and he could be facing thousands of people.

That’s why he had used the Death Knight’s Thought Orb, which he had been putting off. This much preparation should be sufficient. There wasn’t much else he could prepare anyway.

-Swoosh

He sheathed the Hellhound’s Fang behind his back and headed to the address Song Minchul had given him.

-Thud Thud Thud

Arriving at the location, he found himself in a desolate wasteland. The only thing here was a gate.

“You’re here early?”

Song Minchul greeted him with a smile. Song Mina was standing beside him. She was crying, unable to meet his eyes.

“See that gate over there? Go inside.”

As Song Minchul gestured, he shouted in annoyance,

“Why should I do what you say?”

-Whoosh!

Then, Song Minchul summoned all the hidden forces he had prepared.

-Fwoosh

Hundreds of mages, who had been concealing themselves with magic, deactivated their invisibility spells in response to the whistle.

They all aimed at him.

Song Minchul demanded again,

“Go in while I’m being nice. If you don’t comply, I’ll kill you right now.”

Seeing Song Minchul acting so high and mighty, he let out a hollow laugh.

“So confident. Is this all you brought?”

Then, he started walking towards the dungeon, saying,

“Come in right away. And don’t even think about running.”

-Hoong

Entering the gate, he saw the dungeon. The interior was a dense jungle.

He looked around.

‘No CCTVs, no magic recording orbs, nothing.’

Naturally, there were no potential witnesses inside the dungeon.

“What are you looking around for? Scared?”

Song Minchul, who had followed him in, mocked him.

Behind him were hundreds of mages. Song Mina was also there, but she just stood with her head bowed, her expression hidden.

‘What is she thinking right now?’

He didn’t know. But he didn’t care.

Song Minchul said,

“You’re going to die today. You should have been more careful about who you mess with.”

Song Minchul looked at him and stretched out his leg, demanding,

“Lick my foot. If you do, I might spare your life. Oh, but maybe your pride won’t let you?”

Seeing him taunting and jeering, he felt a surge of anger. He told Song Minchul,

“Stop it. Don’t test my patience. If you kneel and apologize now, I’ll forgive you.”

He offered Song Minchul one last act of mercy. But Song Minchul firmly rejected it.

-Thud

Song Minchul raised his middle finger and said with a smile,

“You should be the one to kneel.”

-Thud

He instantly touched the ground and absorbed the Mana.

-Hooooooong

The moment enough Mana was absorbed into his body, he spoke to Song Minchul,

“Don’t regret it. It’ll be too late to beg then.”