<The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family, Chapter 116>
“Mi… America??
“Yeah, America.”
As soon as I entered the representative office, I was abruptly told to go to America.
I had some doubts, but I set them aside for now. First, I sat down neatly in front of Mom.
The atmosphere was tense. She seemed extremely angry…
Tapping her fingers on the armrest, Mom looked fully in business mode. It meant if I messed up, I’d be utterly annihilated.
Her sharp business gaze pierced through me from behind her glasses.
“Park Ki-hyuk.”
“Yes!”
“What did I tell you before?”
“…”
I stammered, unable to answer.
Because she had said so much…
“Mom said this: don’t cause trouble. And if something seems about to happen, call her beforehand, didn’t she?”
“…I did.”
“Then why, if you remember it, don’t your actions change at all?”
“…”
“Look at what happened this time. Do you think you’re some kind of knight of justice? Why do you always try to solve everything on your own? Why? Do you want to be a star? Are you trying to become some kind of celeb like the kids you see on SNS these days? Just say so, and I’ll make it happen right away.”
“No… no, Mom.”
“Hah… if you had just told me earlier, look. We wouldn’t have had to make awkward apologies to the police commissioner, we could have negotiated directly with the executive department, we may have coordinated more delicately with the Miracle Agent, you get it? Look. How many opportunities have you already missed?”
“…”
“You only cause unnecessary commotions… If I had taken action from the start, this whole matter wouldn’t have become such a mess…”
“That’s… Mom, it was urgent.”
“Why? Were you worried you’d miss your chance if you hesitated? Ah, look at you. Don’t you trust me?”
“Absolutely not! I trust you. I trust you completely. If I can’t trust you, who else can I trust?”
“Hmm, but it doesn’t look like our son trusts me…”
“No.”
“…”
“…”
Heavy silence hung in the air.
Mom stared at me intensely while I meekly avoided her gaze.
“Ki-hyuk.”
“Yes.”
“Did you make a mistake? Or not?”
“I made a mistake.”
“If something like this happens again next time, will it be different?”
“Different…”
Sigh.
I stopped answering instinctively.
Even if it happens next time… I will probably step in again. No, I will definitely step in. That’s just the kind of person I am.
I couldn’t bring myself to lie in front of Mom, so I faltered. Mom seemed amused by this, letting out a soft laugh and shaking her head with a sigh, “Oh my, what shall I do with you?”
“Well, your dad’s bl**d can’t just disappear, can it?… But at least I appreciate that you’re not lying.”
“…”
“Ki-hyuk.”
“Yes.”
“To be honest, Mom would’ve been disappointed if you hadn’t caused any trouble. I know you can’t always follow that, and I don’t expect it either.”
There will be accidents.
As long as the bl**d of a ‘Sword Master’ runs through me, battles will never cease.
That’s how it was with Park Geon, Park Su-hyeok, and Park Min-ji.
It’s the fate of this lineage of ‘Sword Masters.’
“However, what I meant was to contact me. Make a call. It’s not ‘act first, report later.’ Instead, it should be ‘Mom, something’s about to go wrong’—that’s the order of things. Surely, you can manage that?”
“Yes….”
“Answer properly.”
“Yes!”
“Right. Sit up straight. It’s not good for a man to be all deflated because he made a mistake.”
I guess it helped that Mom let off some steam. She visibly relaxed, her fierce gaze softening. Seizing the moment, I asked about something that had been on my mind.
“Mom, about suddenly going to America…”
“It’s a punishment. If you make a mistake, you have to face the consequences, right? If you’ve kept Mom busy, then now it’s your turn to help me with my things.”
She handed me a piece of paper from her bag.
At first glance, the top of the paper bore the emblem of ‘Star Hero.’
“Star Hero? Isn’t this the same as Optimum?”
“That’s right. One of the five major agents. One of the Five Sisters.”
Star Hero, traditionally on good terms with Optimum, has often collaborated in various ways. We’ve conducted a lot of joint business deals too.
Mom wants me to help with this collaborative business.
“Do you know what your dad and older brother did a few years back? During that deployment.”
“Vaguely. Didn’t they set up a forward base at a Gate?”
“That’s right, but that Gate has now become problematic due to ‘collapse phenomena,’ making the forward base unsafe too. So, can you go and help with that?”
“Understood. But Mom, what about the Academy?”
“I’ve already discussed it with them, and they think it’s fine. They happen to need someone to go to America anyway, so sending you works.”
“…eh?”
Wait a moment.
The unpleasant face of William suddenly flashed in my mind. What had he said? Something about going to America together, right?
My expression soured, prompting a sharp remark from Mom.
“Even if you didn’t say it outright, I know the domestic situation has been chaotic recently. The Executive Department has been keeping an eye on you. Spend about three months away from Korea. Things will calm down by then.”
“Yes….”
“Just in case, remember, this is your punishment. Treat it as a period of probation and be careful. Got it?”
“I’ll call you before anything happens.”
“If you don’t… well, stand up. Let’s go grab some food.”
That’s how I unexpectedly decided to go to America.
A few days later. At the airport gate.
The private terminal was relatively quiet. I thought it wouldn’t matter much if Spring cried, but…
“Dad, take care.”
Why isn’t she crying?
I had even prepared a handkerchief assuming she would cry, but Spring was beaming happily, waving her hand.
Spring’s composed behavior felt strange.
“R, right. Spring, brush your teeth well, and go to kindergarten.”
“Be nice to friends, don’t eat too much chocolate, do your homework, and never follow strangers!”
“Wow, Spring is amazing.”
“Spring is growing up!”
Ahem! Spring was glowing with pride.
True, it’s better that she’s laughing instead of crying. I also returned the smile and hugged her warmly.
“If anything happens, contact Dad immediately.”
“Yes! And if something happens to you, contact Spring.”
“Right. Are you reliable?”
“Hehe.”
“And…”
Holding Spring close, I leaned in and whispered.
“Did you bring the Captain Tiger stuffed toy Dad gave you?”
“Yes, it’s in my pocket!”
“If, let’s say, if something happens, take it out and show it. Got it?”
“Yes! Don’t worry! Spring can do it too.”
“Oh my, who raised such a dependable daughter?”
“Gwaaaahh!!”
Puffing out her cheeks, I initiated the fatal cheek-rubbing maneuver, much to our daughter’s delight.
After pinching her cheeks, I kissed her and gently patted her head… I was soaking in every moment knowing I wouldn’t see her for a while.
Then came a voice from behind.
“Ugh.”
That was Han Jun-woo.
“Ki-hyuk, keep it appropriate.”
That was Merhem.
“Cold-hearted guys.”
“It’s only for a short while.”
“That’s right. You’ll be back soon.”
“It’s not the duration that matters. It’s the separation, right? Isn’t that so, Jin Yu-ri?”
“Huh? …Yes…”
Jin Yu-ri, rarely showing a low energy, replied softly.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Thatnyaang…”
“…”
“…Well, Spring, take care for me.”
“Worry… kuhp.”
Jin Yu-ri abruptly covered her mouth mid-sentence, struggling to continue. Then, she suddenly scrunched her face.
“Mmm? Sniff, sniff….”
Her eyes blinked, her nose twitched. Her tightly shut lips began to tremble, and her eyes were already red.
Anyone could tell Jin Yu-ri was holding back her tears. With just a little nudge, she might break down completely.
“Strawberry sister might cry.”
“That’s right.”
“Spring doesn’t cry anymore.”
“Exactly.”
Spring, who said, “Let me down,” approached Jin Yu-ri and hugged her, patting her back.
“It’s okay, Strawberry sister. Dad says it’s normal for people to cry.”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Jin Yu-ri hugged Spring tightly and burst into tears.
A grown 20-year-old holding a child who barely reaches her waist, crying so passionately…
“Hmm.”
While it was bizarre, it was also very Jin Yu-ri-like, and it made me feel relieved.
I waved and turned away.
“I’ll be back.”
“Dad, come back!”
“Take care.”
“Goodbye, Ki-hyuk.”
“Sniff, Ki-hyukaaa!!”
And so, I boarded the flight to America as usual, receiving farewells from everyone.
Then, when I arrived in America and saw a familiar face.
“What are you doing here?”
“…Because of you, I’m here again.”
Christopher William. My new… no, friend.
Friend. That’s right, a friend.
America.
A country located on the North American continent.
Blessed with abundant resources, a large population, and strong industrial capabilities, America experienced remarkable growth, once becoming the hub for economics, welfare, culture, and various other sectors, setting the world’s direction.
However, with light comes shadow.
Behind this brilliant growth, numerous problems piled up:
Racial discrimination, immigrant disputes, terrorism, drugs… and g*n violence.
From mafia to gangsters, all sorts of illegal organizations ran rampant, causing crime rates to soar in alignment with economic growth.
The standard of living increased, but the security of its citizens was left wanting.
Despite being the birthplace of cutting-edge science and technology, parts of the country still suffered from severe illiteracy rates.
Many immigrants came dreaming of the “American Dream,” but others suffered from a stark imbalance, with several people falling victim to g*n violence each day.
The explosion of these imbalances resulted in one of the most infamous events in modern world history: the East-West Civil War.
While many think of this war as merely a battle between the East’s ‘Red Dragon’ and the West’s ‘Gigant,’ two guardian spirits, it was, in fact, the eruption of accumulated grievances from these imbalances.
After the East-West Civil War, America’s meteoric rise waned. Not just economically, but even its global standing as the world’s police was shaken.
Nevertheless, amidst all this turbulence, America, a superpower, maintained its status—a testament to the adage that even the riches take three generations to dissipate.
After the East-West War, America proposed a solution to resolve this imbalance:
An appointed superhuman with both investigatory powers and the authority to execute punishments swiftly.
The Hero.
Modern-day American heroes were born out of this system.
…
The world’s financial hub, New York.
Among the densely packed skyscrapers of New York stood one particularly towering and imposing structure.
Commonly known as T.O.S.
Tower of Star.
It was the headquarters of Star Hero, one of the five major organizations, the Five Sisters.
“Everyone Hem, the son of Miss Smart has departed, right?”
A cowboy-dressed man, with his legs propped up on his desk, questioned. The immaculately dressed gentleman in front of him replied after checking the schedule.
“In approximately 9 hours, JFK Airport.”
“Haha. For someone of the Sword Master’s lineage, he’s also said to be proficient in magic, wasn’t he? W, what was his first name?”
“Park Su-hyeok.”
“Yes. Park Su-hyeok. Unlike his older brother, Park Su-hyeok, this one might resemble Miss Smart more than Mr. Tiger.”
“Data verification.”
The gentleman opened his notebook and swiftly flipped through it.
At an almost incomprehensible speed, he flipped through the pages as if it were child’s play until he reached the last page.
“Independent construction of a magical system. Codename ‘Apocalypse.’ Confirmed usage of the four major elements and various other kinds of magic. Notable point: expertise in the summoning field. Known to use Skeletons that don’t look like regular Skeletons…”
The gentleman spoke as mechanically as his tight demeanor suggested, while the cowboy lazily swung his propped-up leg, digesting the information.
“…End. Conclusion: Top-tier key figure.”
“Youhoo, is that all? It’s been a while. You haven’t given such high praise in a long time. Park Su-hyeok wasn’t this impressive, was he?”
“Park Su-hyeok is a traditional swordsman. Incompatible with Star Hero’s style. Same with Mr. Tiger, Park Geon.”
“Yes, exactly. We have our own sto-ry, you know.”
Pulling out a cigar from his front pocket and biting down on it, the cowboy lit it with a g*n.
After inhaling deeply—enough to burst his lungs—he exhaled a puff of smoke, which surprisingly wafted out from his ears, nose, and mouth.
“All right, I’ve decided. I’ll go meet him. If someone is highly regarded by Everyone Hem, they’re worth the time.”
“In about 9 hours, JFK Airport.”
“Reserve a restaurant then. The steak place we went to last time. The Texas seasoning was quite good, wasn’t it?”
“Texaco, make a reservation.”
“Then, how about I take a walk? Later, ha!”
The casual cowboy walking away is none other than
John C. Tyler.
His title always preceded with the adjective “G.O.A.T.”
The Greatest Of All Time.
The strongest hero in U.S. history, the living legend.
‘The Outlaw’ John C. Tyler.
*
Meanwhile, at the same time, in a derelict building on the other side of the continent, a suspicious deal was taking place.
Rows of ‘corpse’ bodies lay sprawled across the decrepit building floor, and soul-like entities floated inside bottles.
All these were ‘ritual components’ used in black magic.
“Excuse me, what did you say? That you can’t secure the quantity? Isn’t that a breach of contract? Does the Triad conduct business like this?”
“Uh, I apologize.”
“What’s going on here?”
“…The main supplier has been cut off. We’re trying our best to secure the quantity, but it doesn’t look like it will be enough at this rate.”
“Ha… will this continue to fall short?”
“Seems so…”
“In that case, what if we offer extra compensation?”
“…”
“There’s no need to drag your feet. If you want, we’ll increase the payment. We absolutely must secure the quantity.”
“…How much exactly?”
“If you secure the original amount, we’ll increase the payment by 20%. And…”
The robed man glanced around, then whispered.
“If you exceed the requested quantity, I’ll personally see that you’re compensated further. Consider it a personal gift.”
He handed over a thick pouch.
“Ahem, understood. I’ll do my best.”
“Thanks for your cooperation.”
The robed man smirked broadly.
The gleam of white teeth visible under the fluttering robe. And dangling from his earlobe, glittered an inverted cross earring…
