SWNOVELXO Chapter 15
“Huh?”
He, floating in midair, was bounced out of the gate.
“Ugh!”
Before hitting the warehouse door, his secretary quickly caught him.
It seemed like the secretary had experienced something similar before.
“Are you okay?”
“Is something like this even possible…?”
“As you can see, the gate was not cleared; it was purified.”
Han Min-seong nodded.
He also saw it firsthand and understood it.
“The problem is not that.”
“Yes. The point is that the gate has an owner.”
“Do you believe this, Nam Secretary?”
“I couldn’t believe it either.”
Nam Secretary shook her head.
She was Han Min-seong’s right-hand woman and a B-class awakener.
Even someone with her extensive field experience had never encountered something like this before.
A gate with no monsters.
Purified magic in the air.
Just combining these two alone reveals who cleared Cheongho’s sanctuary.
But who could be the owner of the gate?
Could it be another monster, or perhaps an awakener?
Nam Secretary had pondered this dozens of times.
However, no clear conclusion emerged.
Awakeners had never been the owners of a gate.
“If this fact gets out, it’ll cause a commotion.”
“Rest assured, I’m the only one who knows.”
“That’s a relief. Have you tried looking for who did it?”
Allowing Oh Hyeong-jin to break through was understandable.
However, clearing the Green Zone gate was a different story.
No student from Murim Academy High School would be capable of clearing it.
The only ones with a higher chance were the members of Cheolhyeol Sword House, but even they would struggle alone.
This wasn’t an ordinary Green Zone gate.
The Green Zone gate was left in the school’s basement warehouse, and Oh Hyeong-jin was installed because of the boss monster.
The monster, Cheongho, inside was similar in level to Red grade.
Only elite members of a clan could break such a gate.
Deploying elite personnel just to break the Green Zone gate?
It was a waste of resources.
The rewards were meager.
Consider this: the Green Zone gate barely produced martial arts manuals.
From Blue Zone gates onward, martial arts manuals began to drop.
Therefore, clearing gates above Blue Zone was more beneficial for awakeners.
In conclusion, it didn’t make financial sense.
That’s why Cheongho’s sanctuary was sealed off by Oh Hyeong-jin.
The boss monster inside wouldn’t emerge unless provoked.
Yet, someone managed to break that gate.
“That’s…”
Nam Secretary hesitated.
“Tell me, which clan did you send?”
“It’s a student named Nak-Oh…”
“Who?”
Han Min-seong asked again.
He wondered if he had heard incorrectly.
Perhaps the secretary had mistaken someone.
“It’s Lee Jun, the second son of the Shiryukwon clan.”
“Hmmm…”
Han Min-seong let out a low hum.
His first impression of Lee Jun was ordinary.
However, when Lee Jun absorbed his aura, it was astonishing. By the end, it was frightening.
Seeing Lee Jun’s extraordinary talent left an impression.
“Are you sure about Lee Jun?”
“There is no one else in the CCTV except Lee Jun.”
“Maybe he just briefly stopped by? Even though it’s a Green Zone gate, students would know there’s a Red-grade boss monster inside.”
Even in the hearing room, Han Min-seong thought Lee Jun would struggle.
The potential displayed by Lee Jun was only that—potential. He still saw him as a D-class awakener.
“This is not a gate that students should be able to break.”
“But Lee Jun appeared again after the gate was cleared.”
The CCTV kept pointing towards Lee Jun.
Above all, the CCTV installed at the scene is not a standard surveillance camera.
It’s a high-tech camera designed for top-tier awakeners.
Crafted by the Shin-Ki Association, these cameras were built specifically to detect assassins and criminals skilled in stealth.
Lee Jun was captured on such a CCTV.
Even Nam Secretary, upon confirming this, was utterly stunned.
A hollow laugh escaped her lips.
“How do I even explain this?”
Han Min-seong muttered to himself.
If an important gate was cleared, a report must be sent to the Clan Federation.
Would they even believe his report?
Han Min-seong shook his head.
“I need to confirm first. Bring Lee Jun to my office.”
“Yes.”
Obeying Han Min-seong’s command, Nam Secretary ascended the stairs with heavy steps.
***
When Lee Jun returned to his room, he began making a home for Parangi.
“How’s this, Master?”
The spot Lee Jun chose for Parangi’s sanctuary was none other than under the desk.
[Disciple, have you never raised an animal before?]
“Yes, this is my first time.”
[Animals prefer secluded places. This place is too open. How about beside your bed?]
A space large enough to fit both fists.
Certainly, the sunlight barely reached there, and it felt isolated.
“Then, as you say, this will be good.”
Parangi’s sanctuary was decided.
“Kkkyuu.”
It seemed pleased as it made sounds and rubbed its body against the cushion.
Then, before long, it drifted off to sleep.
Lee Jun watched Parangi with a smile.
At that moment,
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A notification tone rang from the smartphone.
Afraid Parangi might wake up, Lee Jun hastily switched it to silent mode.
“Phew.”
Parangi stretched and returned to sleep.
“Who’s sending these messages?”
Had there ever been a time when the notifications went off before?
Certainly not.
He had always been alone.
Other than his only close friend, there was hardly anyone who would contact him.
When he picked up his phone to see who had sent the message, intending to stop whoever was disturbing Parangi’s sleep…
“Argh!”
He jumped in surprise and dropped the phone onto the bed.
“Kkkyuung.”
Parangi, who had been sleeping, slowly opened its eyes—not because of the notification sound, but because of his scream.
[Damn disciple. You woke Parangi up.]
“I-I’m sorry. Please go back to sleep.”
Lee Jun gently stroked Parangi’s head. Perhaps it mistook it for a mother’s touch.
“Kkkyung.”
It breathed softly for a moment before falling back into sleep.
Lee Jun then calmed his racing heart.
“Calm down, Jun-ah.”
Woong woong.
The persistent vibration from his smartphone was picked up by trembling hands.
Clicking the screen, the notification window appeared.
Eunbi → Jun-ah. You worked hard today.
Eunbi → You must be tired, so take some rest over the weekend.
It was a message from Eunbi, a classmate from the same class.
Other than his close friend Park Hyeok-jin, receiving a message from a girl was unprecedented for him.
What on earth was this?
Why was his heart racing like this?
It was truly exhilarating.
Slap!
Lee Jun slapped his cheek.
“Lee Jun. Get a grip. When did you start getting distracted?”
He had been abandoned by his clan and lived like garbage until he died.
Now, thanks to the great martial art Hoonwon Shingong and the aid of the legendary master Mu Geuk-ja, he could finally live like a human being.
While chastising himself for getting distracted, the voice of his master echoed in his mind.
[Disciple.]
“Yes, Master.”
[Do only one thing.]
“What do you mean?”
[Either keep disciplining yourself or put down the smartphone.]
Before he knew it, Lee Jun’s hand held the phone again.
Even typing a message on the chat.
His heart and actions were not aligned.
“This… I’ve never had this happen before…”
[It’s fine. If you have no popularity, your mind is bound to go astray. Though, as a master, I’ve always been popular with women, so I don’t fully understand your feelings. However, I am making an effort to understand a disciple’s heart.]
The master, Mu Geuk-ja, stabbed a dagger straight into his heart.
It was a tone that invited him to enjoy the attention he had received.
Yet, Lee Jun did not resent his master.
Instead, he felt gratitude for being understood.
A faint smile appeared on Lee Jun’s lips as he responded to the chat.
[You fool. Despite being in a situation that could easily darken your heart, you’re bright, and that’s a good thing.]
The circumstances around Lee Jun were enough to turn him into a revenge-seeking maniac.
Failure in bloodline inheritance.
Family abandonment.
Rejection by those around him.
These were the experiences Lee Jun had endured.
If he were reborn with power, he could easily turn into a revenge-obsessed individual, leading not only others but himself to ruin.
Yet, Lee Jun controlled his emotions.
Enduring and enduring some more.
He strived to maintain as bright a demeanor as possible.
Even in moments like this, when his mind wandered, he found it comforting.
At least he wouldn’t allow himself to be consumed by revenge.
[It’s better to avoid becoming like the first disciple.]
What if a genius, born with the talent for destruction, became consumed by revenge?
He would bring ruin upon the world.
Lee Jun, like the first disciple, was a genius.
However, he hoped never to follow the same path as the first disciple.
***
After sending the final message, Lee Jun had a refreshed expression.
“It’s done. Only the final task remains.”
He felt as light as if he could fly.
If his inner energy reservoir had once been like a small lake, it now felt like the Pacific Ocean.
The flow of his inner energy was seamless.
He could feel his strength growing without even needing to check the status window, though he was still curious about the changing numbers.
He lowered his hand to view the hologram.
“…”
[Disciple, why are you silent?]
“What… what is this!?”
Lee Jun’s eyes widened, as if about to pop out of his head.
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Was this truly correct?
[Basic Information]
Title: Youngest Disciple of the Recluse (External)
Name: Lee Jun
Age: 18
Potential: Beyond Grade
Unique Skill: Hoonwon Shingong (SSS)
General Skills:
Blood Sucking Devil Arts (A)
Heavenly King Protection (B)
Dominance (B)
Ten Steps Divine Fist (C)
Divine Dragon Martial Law (C)
Myriad Poison Suppression (C)
Seven Path Saber Slash (C)
Swirling Spear Technique (C)
Traits:
Path of the Ruthless World Weary Hoon (??)
Master of the Blue Fox Sanctuary (S)
∴Tech Tree Points: 2,400,000p
[Stats]
Health: 101/300
Body: 103/300
Strength: 145/300
Dexterity: 105/300
Special Items –
Inner Energy: 450/1000
Mental Strength: 300/300
Status –
Combat Power +10%
From what is known, the maximum stat limit for AA-grade awakeners was 300.
Even for the family heads of the Five Kings.
“I… have the same maximum stat as them.”
He checked his stats again, turning off and on his device, but the numbers remained the same.
“This is insane…”
[Why are you staring at the screen like that?]
“Master, this is a miracle. My stats match those of AA-grade awakeners!”
The implication was clear—his potential was at AA grade.
With effort, he could potentially reach the same level as the family heads of the Five Kings.
Despite Lee Jun’s excitement, Mu Geuk-ja remained indifferent. His tone was dismissive, as if to say, Why get worked up over something like this?
[As my disciple, it’s only natural. Now, focus on raising your Tech Tree.]
“I have the points!”
2,400,000p.
Investing in all of it could potentially elevate him from Grade C to Grade B in one step.
Just one step.
With only his strength, reaching the peak wouldn’t be far off.
Revenge against the family that abandoned him was merely a bonus.
‘I can do this.’
Once that moment arrived, he would act freely, without restraints.
With renewed determination, he opened the Martial Arts path.
-Path of the Ruthless World Weary Hoon (??)
Reclusive One (1) – Friend of Nature (0/250,000)
Martial Art (0) – Supreme Domination (0/650,000)
Stat (2) – Strength +15 (0/100,000)
∴Tech Tree Points: 2,400,000p
“Even with so many points, it’s still a tough decision. Hmm… maybe starting with Martial Art wouldn’t be bad?”
[With your current state, even if you learn Supreme Domination, your body will only be ruined. How about raising the Reclusive One and Stat sections first?]
Lee Jun’s curiosity grew even more at how insistent his master was in discouraging him.
Slowly, Lee Jun moved his hand toward the Martial Arts section.
[Gaaaah! Is this the disciple who doesn’t listen to his master?]
Without fail, Mu Geuk-ja’s loud voice echoed. Lee Jun, speaking in a timid tone, replied.
“That’s not it. I’m just curious about how amazing your martial art is, Master.”
[Hmph. Of course, it’s amazing. I created it in my later years while living in seclusion. By the way…]
Mu Geuk-ja was once again decorating his face with gold.
At that moment of vulnerability from his master!
Quickly, Lee Jun spammed the selection for Supreme Domination.
Faster than ever before, and faster than anyone else.