Chapter Content
Chapter 002. Predation
"Have you been well during this time?"
Woo Seo-gwang, who had entered Dam Jeok-san's quarters, asked.
It was a voice filled with sarcasm.
"Thanks to Senior Brother's concern, I have been quite well."
However, Dam Jeok-san deflected the provocation with a calm voice.
He stared at Woo Seo-gwang with sunken eyes.
A tall stature reaching almost 7 cheok.
Large features and eyes like burning flames.
In addition, the intense air peculiar to those trained in supreme martial arts could be felt, but a lot of flab could also be seen in every corner of his body.
Woo Seo-gwang was from the Iron Blood Woo Clan, one of the Five Great Families of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
When he first became a disciple of the Castle Lord, he was a talent in the spotlight with a natural martial bone and talent that did not lag behind.
However, stuck between the First Young Master, who was called a genius of the century, and Dam Jeok-san, he could not properly spread his wings.
‘To be more precise, he attached himself to the First Young Master early on.’
Dam Jeok-san thought with a sneer.
Woo Seo-gwang was a scoundrel who drove all sorts of dirty rumors around.
But even those rumors were merely what was revealed on the surface.
As far as Dam Jeok-san knew, he and his clan often committed unspeakable acts in the shadows.
However, Dam Jeok-san, having lost his dantian, could do absolutely nothing against such a Woo Seo-gwang.
It was truly a miserable time.
‘There is no need for that now.’
He had received an order to go to the Northern Branch. It was a situation no different from a death sentence.
"Senior Brother also seems to have been living comfortably. Since you have gained more grease on your belly……."
Wouldn't he think that since it was time to die, Dam Jeok-san had become blind to fear even if he spoke somewhat rudely?
"Wh, what did you say!"
"This foolish junior brother dares to give you a piece of advice. Do not let yourself go too much like that."
"Shut that mouth!"
At Dam Jeok-san's sly words, Woo Seo-gwang's face turned red and blue.
CRASH!
He struck the wall with a fist imbued with internal energy.
The wall caved in from Woo Seo-gwang's punch, and a roar echoed through the area.
Whether he had picked up and eaten some spiritual medicine, his internal energy seemed more profound than before.
Seeing that sight, Gyeong-won flinched and placed his hand on his sword.
However, Dam Jeok-san still had a nonchalant expression.
"Do you think the Eldest Senior Brother will let you live even after I am gone? You must find your own way to live."
"……."
At Dam Jeok-san's calm shout, Woo Seo-gwang's eyes shook violently.
However, Woo Seo-gwang also had years of experience as a disciple of the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
He quickly composed his expression and opened his mouth.
"You are trying to drive a wedge between me and the Eldest Senior Brother with that wicked tongue. Fine, you want to die by my sword before going to the North, don't you?"
"Would you be able to kill me?"
But Dam Jeok-san retorted without blinking an eye.
This is the middle of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
Although the Castle Lord implicitly ignores the fights between successors, committing murder in broad daylight is a different matter.
"Even if I cannot kill you, I can break an arm or a leg."
The moment Woo Seo-gwang muttered that, terrifying killing intent rose from Gyeong-won's body.
It was a spirit that seemed willing to die together if Woo Seo-gwang attacked Dam Jeok-san.
Woo Seo-gwang did not want to be so conscious of Gyeong-won, a mere escort.
However, Gyeong-won was an expert comparable to the first-class warriors of the Martial Sovereign Castle. He could not just be ignored.
At that moment, Dam Jeok-san stood up and approached Woo Seo-gwang.
"Senior Brother."
He said, placing his hand on Woo Seo-gwang's shoulder without a shred of hesitation.
Woo Seo-gwang tried to avoid the hand, but his body momentarily stiffened due to some unknown pressure.
A feeling like becoming prey in front of a predator.
It was a spirit qualitatively different from the killing intent Gyeong-won emitted.
‘What……!’
Woo Seo-gwang hid his stunned expression and glared at Dam Jeok-san.
‘Is he using some evil art?’
It might be so.
Since monsters appeared in the Central Plains, the level of sorcerers had visibly increased. It wouldn't be strange if Dam Jeok-san, who lost his dantian, touched such things.
Woo Seo-gwang, who came to a conclusion on his own, looked down at Dam Jeok-san with a contemptuous expression.
"Do you have no shred of pride as a disciple of the Martial Sovereign!"
"Senior Brother, please stop saying frustrating things."
But Dam Jeok-san said, letting Woo Seo-gwang's shout flow in one ear and out the other.
"I am going to the North this time, but you are next."
"……."
Dam Jeok-san shouted with a glint flashing in his eyes.
Meeting Dam Jeok-san's sneering eyes, Woo Seo-gwang felt a terrifying fear.
Although it was only for an instant, it overlapped with the Monster King he had seen from a very far distance.
‘That cannot be.’
However, Woo Seo-gwang quickly denied his conjecture.
The Monster Kings are mysterious phenomena that look down on even the absolute masters of the Murim world.
There is no way Dam Jeok-san, who lost his dantian which can be called the life of a martial artist, could exude such a spirit.
But even with that denial, Woo Seo-gwang's fingertips were trembling pitifully.
It took nearly half a quarter of an hour for Woo Seo-gwang's trembling to subside.
"Ha……! Since it is the last time, I intended to leave at least a greeting. That arrogance is still the same."
Woo Seo-gwang, who barely recovered, looked at Dam Jeok-san and spoke as if chewing on his words.
An appearance that clearly showed he was forcing away his fear.
Dam Jeok-san twisted the corners of his mouth and sneered at such a Woo Seo-gwang.
Woo Seo-gwang left Dam Jeok-san's quarters in a hurry as if chased by something. Like a person running away.
And Dam Jeok-san bit his lip as if chewing on it while watching Woo Seo-gwang's retreating figure.
"This is driving me crazy."
Because from some moment, his appetite had been boiling.
[Ability List
1. Predation (1-star)
Can absorb essence to heal injuries and accumulate internal energy.
*Efficiency is extremely low due to low achievement. Efficiency increases according to level.]
Dam Jeok-san took a deep breath and looked at the translucent window in front of his eyes.
As he breathed according to the principles of the Prajna Heart Technique, he felt the impulse subside a little.
The place his gaze was fixed on was the part about being able to heal injuries and accumulate internal energy through Predation.
According to Seo Woo-joo's memories, the efficacy of that injury healing is truly close to omnipotent.
It means healing a shattered dantian is not impossible either.
His body realized that fact instinctively and was desiring Predation.
To be precise, it wanted to restore the dantian through Predation.
‘But I cannot just pick up and eat anything.’
What yields the highest efficiency when performing Predation is a monster.
Or an object or creature that harbors the byproducts of a monster.
The main castle of the Martial Sovereign Castle is a place surrounded by strict security. One cannot find a living monster here right now.
However, in the case of byproducts, the story was different.
"Gyeong-won, let us go to Grand Martial Hall."
Dam Jeok-san said as he rose from his seat.
"Pardon? By Grand Martial Hall, do you mean the place where the Black Panther Spear is serving as the Head?"
At that, Gyeong-won asked back in a somewhat bewildered voice.
"Yes."
But Dam Jeok-san continued calmly.
It wasn't that he couldn't understand Gyeong-won's reaction.
After being injured, Dam Jeok-san had only devoted himself to training alone and had never met with his former subordinates who had left him.
That was because he had no face to see them.
Dam Jeok-san, who lost his dantian, did not even have the qualification to hold onto those who were leaving.
But it is different now.
Because there is hope.
Dam Jeok-san began to move his steps thinking so.
* * *
Grand Martial Hall is a place that stores the glorious history of the Martial Sovereign Castle, which defended the Central Plains against monsters.
In other words…….
"It is a trivial position for polishing and oiling outdated relics."
"……."
At Dam Jeok-san's words, Gyeong-won just lowered his head.
Grand Martial Hall is a place where those pushed out of the internal power struggles of the Martial Sovereign Castle are relegated to.
The Head of Grand Martial Hall is called a warehouse keeper within the castle and is mocked.
And the current Head of Grand Martial Hall, Black Panther Spear Jang Woo-ryang, was a figure who was once Dam Jeok-san's close aide.
He was a promising master, but because he stayed by Dam Jeok-san's side until the end and left late, he was pushed out to this place.
Going to Grand Martial Hall was partly to see him, but also because it was a warehouse storing outdated relics.
During the time when the Martial Sovereign Castle struggled with everything on the line in the North, food, weapons, and everything were scarce.
So they chewed on the flesh of monsters and drank their blood.
They ground the bones of monsters to forge swords and trim spears.
That means parts of monster bodies still remain.
Dam Jeok-san grinned and followed Gyeong-won.
"We have arrived."
Turning his head at Gyeong-won's voice, he saw a signboard that must have been magnificent at one time.
The two characters for Gwangmu (广武) were still engraved vigorously, but the gold leaf had peeled off, so it was hard to call it grand anymore.
An example that plainly showed how neglected this place was.
Even the main gate under the signboard had one side blown off, failing to perform its function.
Dam Jeok-san nonchalantly crossed the gate and entered inside Grand Martial Hall.
What welcomed him was a manor where old and shabby weapons were hanging in clusters.
A scenery where it seemed more appropriate to call it a warehouse rather than a manor.
If one came here, they would immediately understand why the Head of Grand Martial Hall was called a warehouse keeper.
As Dam Jeok-san smacked his lips and looked around at the weapons, someone walked towards him.
A middle-aged man with a strong impression carrying a huge black spear on his back.
He was the master of this Grand Martial Hall.
"Black Panther Spear."
Dam Jeok-san called the Head of Grand Martial Hall with a very soft voice.
"……How is the Third Young Master here?"
The Black Panther Spear could not hide his bewildered look as he answered.
Guilt, questions, and unknown emotions swirled intricately in his eyes.
"Have you perhaps heard the news?"
"Pardon?"
"I am going to the Northern Branch. It is the Castle Lord's order."
"……!!"
At those words, the Black Panther Spear looked at Dam Jeok-san with an astonished expression.
"Why do you look at me like that? Anyone would think you saw a living corpse."
"Th, that is not it."
Is he feeling guilt only now?
Dam Jeok-san looked at the Black Panther Spear with a faint smile.
Unlike his tough appearance, he is a person with quite a lot of compassion.
That must be why he couldn't easily leave his side even when he fell.
As a result, he was relegated to this warehouse.
But despite that, the Black Panther Spear left.
So their relationship was just that.
But it is different from now on.
Because he made up his mind. To change everything.
"I know what you are thinking. But I have no intention of dying."
Dam Jeok-san said as he strode across Grand Martial Hall.
"I came here just to take a sword."
"Why Grand Martial Hall of all places……?"
The Black Panther Spear asked with a perplexed look. However, his attitude was extremely cautious. An appearance that had not yet completely abandoned his awe for Dam Jeok-san.
"There are no swords here that can be called famous swords. They are all just weapons used by those who died fighting monsters in the wilderness. Nameless swords of swordsmen who could not leave their names."
Dam Jeok-san continued speaking while looking at such a Black Panther Spear.
"……."
"It seemed not too different from my situation. So my heart goes out to them."
At those words, uncontrollable ripples arose in the Black Panther Spear's eyes.
But Dam Jeok-san began to rummage through the weapons as if he had no interest in such a Black Panther Spear.
[Damage is excessively high.]
[Predation impossible]
"Tsk."
Dam Jeok-san, seeing the text appearing before his eyes, clicked his tongue as if he didn't like it.
Then the Black Panther Spear's body trembled along with it. As if he had been scolded.
Although Dam Jeok-san grasped his state, he still focused on examining the weapons.
Such an attitude of Dam Jeok-san did not seem like that of a person going to die at all.
An attitude as if he believed there was a tomorrow.
Doubt filled the eyes of the Black Panther Spear watching that appearance.
‘How can he be like that?’
But the doubt slowly disappeared from the eyes of the Black Panther Spear watching Dam Jeok-san.
In fact, Dam Jeok-san was originally like that. When his dantian was shattered, and even now when he was driven to a death trap.
He always believed he could accomplish anything.
And moved forward with that belief.
How pathetic of a human am I to have abandoned such a liege just to live.
As the Black Panther Spear was thinking that.
[Damage is excessively high.]
[Predation impossible]
"……."
Dam Jeok-san was still examining the weapons.
In the midst of that, a sword worn out to the extreme caught Dam Jeok-san's eye.
It is a sword whose blade is completely worn down and can no longer function as a weapon.
If it were just that, it wouldn't have been able to catch Dam Jeok-san's eye.
Since the majority of swords existing in Grand Martial Hall are in that state.
A very faint but red energy was circulating on the blade of that sword.
The blood color lingering on the bone is due to thick demonic energy.
It is a phenomenon proving that a monster has reached a certain rank.
Actually, that was a red light that could not be confirmed with ordinary naked eyes.
However, that demonic energy was clearly visible to Dam Jeok-san's eyes.
[Congratulations. You have opened the Predator's Eye through repeated searching.]
[The Karma of the ability ‘Predation’ increases.]
[Predation 1-star → 1-star]
[Karma required for growth is insufficient.]
Dam Jeok-san grabbed the sword while looking at that spear.
[Damage is excessively high…….]
However, the text decorating Dam Jeok-san's eyes betrayed his expectations.
A situation where even the mighty Dam Jeok-san had no choice but to lose strength.
But.
[Rank of the body is high. Residual energy confirmed.]
[Efficiency of Predation becomes extremely low due to high damage.]
[Will you predate?]
At the following text, the look in Dam Jeok-san's eyes completely changed.