41: Incheon (16)
•••
Pacheon Jo walked toward Yujae Seon, his steps heavy and deliberate. He stopped just a few inches away and looked straight into Yujae's eyes. The air around them suddenly shifted—dark, dense, and suffocating, as if gravity itself had increased.
"Do you know what you're saying, Yujae Seon?" His voice was deep, commanding, filled with restrained fury.
"This isn't my saying, Absolute Master…" Yujae Seon replied calmly, his tone composed and unwavering. Then, he raised his hand slowly and pointed his finger toward the sky.
"…This is saying. He ordered that."
Pacheon Jo's expression changed instantly. His eyes widened slightly, the muscles in his face twitching as realization hit.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his tone lowering, heavy with disbelief.
"Of course, I am…" Yujae answered, a faint sense of pride rising in his voice.
Pacheon Jo exhaled deeply, his broad chest rising and falling once before he sighed. Then, he placed one hand over his skull, tilting his head slightly toward Daniel. A faint smile crept across his lips.
"Daniel Park… we ought to meet again, right?" he said in a dangerous, almost playful tone.
Daniel didn't respond. His eyes stayed locked on Pacheon Jo, his breath steady but heavy.
Pacheon Jo turned, his long strides echoing faintly as he began to walk away. As he passed Yujae, Yujae turned as well, following beside him. But then, leaning slightly closer to Jaegyeon's ear, Yujae whispered with a faint smirk,
"Since I have fulfilled your wish, our score is settled, right?"
And then, he too began to walk away.
When Pacheon Jo and Yujae Seon finally left, everyone in the area exhaled in relief—everyone except Jaegyeon Na. His eyes stayed sharp, unreadable. After a moment, the rest began to move, heading back toward their base.
---
"So, this is all that happened…" Samuel said, exhaling smoke as he lit another cigarette.
"So, Daniel…" Vasco turned his head toward him, eyes wide with disbelief. "You fought Pacheon Jo?"
Daniel nodded silently.
But then, another voice cut through the air. "Everything happened… but no support came for you all?"
It was Zack Lee. His fists were clenched tight, veins bulging along his forearms.
"Actually, support came. The Kings of the surrounding regions came, but…" Jaegyeon Na said, his gaze dropping toward the ground.
"But?" Zack asked sharply.
"But… they were busy taking care of Dark Crocodile's fodders. But now, they've been defeated."
"Defeated? By whom?" Zack asked, his voice hardening.
"The main force was defeated by Kitae Kim and the others," Jaegyeon replied, his tone low but steady. "And the weaker ones were defeated by the Squad Leaders of Dark Crocodile." His eyes glinted sharply.
"Weak ones?" Zack said, frowning. "I thought the Regional Kings were the strongest fighters in their regions." His tone carried both confusion and disbelief.
Jaegyeon looked directly into Zack's eyes. Then, slowly, he stood up, straightening his back. His fingers ran through his hair as he spoke, his voice carrying quiet authority.
"In the whole of South Korea, there are mainly six Kings who can actually be called strong.
King of Busan: Jinrang.
Deceased King of Cheongju: Seong Ji Yuk.
Your Master: Gongseop Ji.
King of Ansan: Taesoo Ma.
King of Suwon.
Ex-King of Seoul: Jichang Kwak."
Zack's eyes widened. The entire system of Regional Kings felt suddenly unstable—broken and unclear.
But before anyone could speak further, a loud, firm voice cut across the room.
"Just when are we going to strike them!?"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
It was Vasco.
His eyes burned with determination.
---
This is rushed and short, pls don't mind it. Next Chapter will we 1500+ words.