Autonomous Judgment
Creeeak.
The door began to open again with a harsh discord of grinding metal.
The eyes of everyone inside turned toward it.
It was a mechanical door made of ridiculously thick iron.
No human strength could hope to open or close something that heavy, so why was it opening now?
"Damn, this door's stuck tighter than a nun's habit."
A white-haired man entered, brushing the rust from his hands.
Even after stepping inside the container, the people couldn't bring themselves to speak easily.
And the reason was simple.
It was absurd.
Sunglasses you'd see at a resort, a Hawaiian shirt, and white shorts to top it off.
No matter that this was by the sea, the outfit didn't match the place at all.
"If someone's come, shouldn't you at least say something? I heard this is the land of propriety in the East."
"Ha."
The people exchanged glances and let out hollow laughs.
Geum Sara, standing closest, furrowed her brow.
"Who?"
"The rat's tagalong."
Geum Sara, who had been looking around, raised an eyebrow.
"You mean me?"
"Who else? You've been tailed since the old town."
The atmosphere sank in an instant.
This wasn't some lost wanderer on a stroll.
It meant he'd been following her from the old town, where Jo Kang-tae and the Runner had clashed.
One of the men at the back stepped forward.
"You know what this place is, kid?"
"Kid, huh. Even if I'm not your great-great-great-grandma's age, I figure I'm close."
The immortal Dark Castro glanced around the two-story container.
At least thirty people.
They were packed in tight in this cramped space, he thought.
"Enough chit-chat. Dinner's coming up soon anyway. First off, rat. You lot, what're you..."
Bang!
A gunshot rang out inside the container.
The bullet pierced cleanly through Dark's forehead.
Dark toppled backward.
Geum Sara, who had pulled the trigger, flashed a venomous smile.
"You gotta know your place and the company you keep when it comes to arrogance, huh? Some nobody mouthing off without a care."
"Geum Sara. You should've at least asked who sent him before killing him."
"Sorry. He was so full of himself, I just couldn't help it."
Geum Sara shrugged and turned away.
And a moment later, a question mark formed on her face.
For some reason, her comrades' faces were twisting in horror.
"Don't worry. He ain't dead yet."
"!!!"
Geum Sara's eyes shook violently.
She barely managed to turn her stiff neck and look back.
The bullet had clearly gone through his head, so how?
Dark rose as if nothing had happened, pointing a finger at Geum Sara.
"For starters, you're dead."
Jinhyeok had said it.
How to handle enemies was up to autonomous judgment.
But he didn't want to stray too far from his master's usual decisions, so he made up his mind.
Just like Jinhyeok always did: kill only those who'd harmed his side.
"You're done. Now, the rest of you. Who the hell are..."
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!
The gang members pulled out their weapons and unleashed a barrage.
Even Geum Sara kept squeezing the trigger on her pistol without pause.
In an instant, the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the warehouse.
Click. Click. Click.
The gang members stopped firing only after emptying their magazines.
Geum Sara lowered her pistol.
Blood sprayed everywhere in crimson arcs.
It was enough to kill a man outright, but one question lingered.
Would a body riddled with at least a few hundred rounds hold its shape like that?
"Okay."
Everyone's faces drained of color at the eerie voice.
Dark rose nonchalantly once more, brushing himself off.
"That hit the spot. Truth be told, I prefer it this way myself."
With no knowledge of this world, pressing for more details felt pointless.
It was easier to just kill them all.
"Wait, hold up. That guy's the one who took down Jo Kang-tae at Dongdaemun..."
Slash!
The words never finished.
The man's head flew into the air.
As everyone's gaze snapped to it, a bone-chilling dread seeped into their skin.
And then.
"!?"
By the time they looked back, Dark was gone.
Crash! Shatter! Crunch!
He rampaged with impossible speed, swinging his chains wildly.
Wherever the chains touched, bodies cleaved like tofu.
But no blood sprayed.
It froze solid the moment it tried to spill.
A full minute had passed since Dark began moving.
A short time, but enough for ice to blanket the container.
Shiver, shiver, shiver.
Geum Sara trembled like a leaf in the wind.
She couldn't tell if it was from the cold or sheer terror.
But one thing she realized for certain.
Out of nearly thirty people, she was the only one still breathing.
Step.
Dark approached, dragging his blood-soaked chains.
"P... pl... ease..."
She wanted to beg for a moment, but her frozen lips wouldn't move.
Whether she did or not, Dark was already there, casually reaching out.
The instant his finger touched her forehead.
Crack-crack-crack!!
A sheath of razor-sharp ice enveloped Geum Sara's body.
"You should've done it back then."
Dark muttered under his breath as he headed for the container's entrance.
He stretched languidly, yawning.
Was it because he'd just witnessed his master's battle firsthand?
It had been ridiculously mundane and boring.
'Not everyone can fight like that, huh.'
Jinhyeok, soaring between steel beams with his chains in combat.
"Heh!"
Just one day.
Even if he'd acquired chain combat through his ability, every situation shifted in real time during actual battle.
Whether he could use it there or not was another matter entirely.
And yet, Jinhyeok's movements held no hesitation or excess.
How could a teacher not laugh at that?
'He's a natural.'
He sensed it wouldn't be long now.
The day when he could fight all out without worrying about his master dying.
At Cheon Seyeon's house.
"Then I'll visit again tomorrow."
"Thanks for the treatment and taking such good care of everything. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow!"
Jinhyeok and Seyeon waved until the elevator doors closed on Jin Yunho and Min Yukyung.
They returned to the table.
"Jinhyeok-ssi, you're a really good cook."
"I've been living alone for a while now."
Honestly, he hadn't planned on cooking on the first day visiting someone else's home.
Grrrowl.
When the sound came from Min Yukyung's stomach, Seyeon had brought out the kimchi jjigae and fresh rice packs she'd prepared.
And the moment Jinhyeok took his first bite, he made a decision.
Even if one hand was injured, he'd have to cook for Yukyung's sake, since he'd treated her.
"I always just order delivery or buy ready-made stuff. I'm such a terrible cook. But I figured I should try, you know? This, though."
Seyeon shrugged, and Jinhyeok swallowed dryly.
Normally, out of politeness, he'd say something like, "No way, it was delicious!"
But he couldn't bring himself to.
'What even was that?'
It wasn't sweet, salty, sour, or spicy—just an indescribably horrific... no, that was too harsh. An oddly peculiar taste.
Jin Yunho and Min Yukyung, probably heading home now, must have felt the same.
They hadn't touched the kimchi jjigae even once after that first spoonful.
"Hmm."
Seyeon eyed Jinhyeok with narrowed eyes.
"What? That face like you're subtly convinced I'm hopeless in the kitchen."
"Misunderstanding. This is just my usual expression. All done eating? Shall I clear up?"
Seyeon smiled faintly and nodded.
"Let's do it together. But I'm sorry. You made so much delicious food, and we barely ate half."
Seyeon scratched her cheek, glancing at the leftovers on the table.
Even her one attempt at steamed eggs had filled a whole bowl like that, so Jinhyeok basically cooked in large portions by nature.
"It's fine. I'll eat it all."
"Yes...? You just ate."
"My days and nights are flipped, so I'm a night owl. I'll snack on it bit by bit. Oh, by the way, mind if I use some more ingredients from the fridge?"
"You're going to make more?"
"You never know with stomachs."
"Of course. Help yourself. The veggies would probably prefer being used by you over me. They want to become proper dishes."
"Haha... I'll make good use of them."
"Not even denying it stings a bit."
Seyeon clicked her tongue as she cleared the plates.
"I got to eat good food, so I'll handle the dishes. Rest up. Your hand's hurt, after all."
"Oh, sure. Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
Jinhyeok bowed his head slightly and headed to the sofa.
Seyeon, washing dishes without a second thought, suddenly widened her eyes.
The situation had felt so natural that realization hit her late.
'Wait a second.'
No matter how big the place or how many rooms, a man and woman alone under one roof.
Faced with a situation she'd never experienced, Seyeon awkwardly glanced back.
Jinhyeok sat on the sofa, chuckling at something amusing on his phone.
'Why's he adapting so fast? And why hasn't he read my KakaoTalk yet if he's glued to his phone like that.'
If they were outside, or in normal times, she'd have joked, "Read my KakaoTalk too, why don't you?"
But strangely, the words wouldn't come.
"Oh, Seyeon-ssi."
"Y-Yes? Yes!!"
"Thanks for the treatment. It feels so much better already. I could swing it around right now."
"It's not fully healed yet, so be careful. Don't want it reopening."
"Yep. I'll be careful!"
Seyeon barely hid her expression and dove back into the dishes.
She should probably finish up quick and head to bed.
An hour after Seyeon went to her room.
Jinhyeok crept quietly into the darkened living room and opened the fridge to pull out the side dishes he'd made earlier.
He thoroughly heated some fresh rice packs too, then returned to his room.
Seira, Kancho, and Momo, who'd been waiting, looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
"Today's menu is home cooking. Dig in."
The moment he set it down, the three launched into a ferocious feast.
"I thought I was gonna starve to death!"
"Me too. Toughest day lately."
"Delicious!"
Rustle.
Not long after, Dark materialized, stretching.
"I'm starving. Master, the rat's caught, at least. Didn't figure out what they were about, though."
"Good work, Dark. Hang on a sec."
Jinhyeok went to the kitchen and grabbed some rice packs and utensils.
His eyes caught on Seyeon's kimchi jjigae left alone in the fridge, making him pause briefly, but he shook his head and headed back.
It wasn't fit to feed to a comrade who'd worked hard.
Dark joined the eating frenzy once handed his utensils.
"Dark, you get shot?"
His body was fine, but the Hawaiian shirt he'd worn out was in tatters.
"Roughly a few hundred rounds."
"O... I'll buy you a new one tomorrow."
"Every color, please."
"I'll get a full set."
Dark grinned and took a big bite of the rolled omelet.
Jinhyeok, watching the feast with a warm smile, checked the time.
He'd been told to rest absolutely, but he couldn't skip climbing the tower.
For upgrading the Yodel Compass: Mythical Tower 1st floor, the first lava section on the 31st floor.
Right after the meal, he'd dive in.
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T/N:
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