Morning light filtered through the wooden lattice of the window, casting a geometric pattern of gold across the room.
Jin Tae Yun opened his eyes, but he didn't feel the usual grogginess of a man who had just woken up. His body felt light—almost weightless. There was no stiffness in his neck, no dull ache in his lower back from years of hunching over an office desk. It was a stark contrast to the worn-out vessel he had inhabited in his previous life.
He sat up and slowly clenched his fist. Strength flowed through his forearm with the precision of a finely tuned machine.
This body… it's already been refined by the system, he realized. Every impurity has been purged.
Ensuring he was alone, he opened the status window
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[STATUS WINDOW]
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Name: Jin Tae Yun
Class: Swordsman | Magic Warrior | Martial Artist (New)
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Tae Yun's eyes lingered on the final entry.
So the system has already analyzed and categorized the laws of this world. Martial Artist.
Qi and Mana. In most games, they were distinct, often conflicting energies. But here, he stood at the crossroads of both. His expression hardened.
I must not reveal the full extent of this strength recklessly. In a world governed by hidden sects and ancient lineages, power without understanding is nothing more than a death sentence.
After washing up and donning his midnight-blue travel attire, Tae Yun headed downstairs.
The inn's common room was a hive of activity. The thick, savory aroma of beef broth and toasted grains hung in the air as merchants and travelers traded the city's most valuable currency: gossip.
Tae Yun took a secluded seat in the corner, nursing a cup of tea as he let his ears wander.
Merchants were talking
-"Did you hear? The City Lord increased the night patrols again,"
-"It's because of the eastern road,"
the other replied, shaking his head.
-"Three caravans vanished last week. Some say it's bandits; others say it's something worse."
A man with a scarred face and a heavy saber leaning against the table snorted.
"Bandits? Hmph. Those fools won't last an hour if they try to squeeze Azure Gate Town. This city is a nest of tigers."
Tae Yun absorbed the information in silence.
A shadow fell over his table as Lady Hwa approached with a steaming porcelain pot.
-"Sleep well, Traveler?"
she asked, her voice a practiced blend of hospitality and curiosity.
-"Better than I have in years,"
Tae Yun replied.
Lady Hwa leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.
-"Azure Gate isn't like the border towns you might be used to. It's a place where the air itself is heavy with ambition. Most martial artists here are ranked—Third Rate, Second Rate, First Rate and Peak Masters. It's a simple ladder for simple men."
She paused, her eyes flashing with a hidden warning.
-"But above them... are the ones whose names are never spoken in a place like this. The hidden experts of the Great Sects. Be careful whose shadow you tread on."
Hidden experts, Tae Yun thought as she walked away. The real players of this world.
After finishing his meal, Tae Yun stepped out into the bustling streets of Azure Gate.
The town was a vibrant tapestry of pre-modern life. Stone-paved roads echoed with the clatter of carriage wheels, and the air was filled with the rhythmic shouting of street vendors. He walked slowly, activating [Wise Man's Eye] discreetly.
The world turned into a stream of data. He glanced at a stall selling "Spirit Herbs."
[Low-Grade Earth Root: Purity 12%]
[Crude Steel Saber: Durability 40/100]
Everything here is crude by my standards, he noted. But to these people, these items represent a lifetime of savings.
As he turned a corner toward the merchant district, a familiar, high-pitched voice cut through the noise.
-"Mister Jin!"
Tae Yun stopped. Han Soo-bin was standing near a cluster of storefronts, his youthful face clouded with a look of intense frustration.
Behind him, the four guards from the Flying Crane Merchant Union stood in a tense, defensive formation.
Opposing them was a group of men wearing aggressive crimson robes embroidered with a golden crow.
-"Young Master Han,"
Tae Yun greeted him, stepping closer.
-"You look like you're having a difficult morning."
Soo-bin gritted his teeth, his small hands trembling.
-"My father sent me here to manage this branch... to prove I can handle the responsibility of a scion. But the Golden Crow Union is trying to choke us out before I can even open the doors."
He gestured to the street.
-"They're threatening our tenants and surrounding the stalls. They want to force a monopoly."
A middle-aged man with a thin mustache and an arrogant sneer stood at the center of the Golden Crow group. He looked at Soo-bin with pure disdain.
-"Listen, brat,"
the attendant barked.
-"This street has changed hands. Remove your stall from here or sell them to us in half price."
-"These shops are legally registered under the Flying Crane Union!"
Soo-bin shouted, stepping forward bravely.
The attendant let out a harsh, mocking laugh.
-"A child? I don't negotiate with children.
Tae Yun stepped forward, his hands held out in a placating gesture. His voice was calm, projecting the steady aura of a man who had navigated a thousand corporate boardrooms.
-"There's no need for force,"
Tae Yun said, locking eyes with the Golden Crow attendant.
-"This matter can be resolved peacefully. If there is a dispute over territory, surely there are documents, or perhaps a neutral mediator from the City Lord's office could settle this. Why resort to violence in broad daylight?"
The attendant blinked, surprised by the stranger's sudden interference. He looked Tae Yun up and down, taking in the fine fabric of his clothes and his unshakable gaze. For a moment, he hesitated.
-"And who are you to interfere?"
the attendant sneered, his arrogance quickly returning.
- "A mediator? You look more like a gigolo in fancy silk. This is business in Azure Gate. Strength is the mediation."
-"I am merely a traveler who dislikes seeing a lopsided fight,"
Tae Yun replied smoothly.
-"Think about it. If you cause a scene here, the City Lord's guards will have to intervene. It's bad for your reputation and your coin. Why not just walk away?"
The attendant let out a harsh, mocking laugh. -"Walk away? Because a pretty-faced stranger asked me nicely? You've got a lot of nerve."
He waved a dismissive hand toward two of his thugs.
-"Knock him out. He's just a meddling stranger who talks too much."
The two guards lunged forward, their faces twisted in cruel grins.
Tae Yun didn't draw his sword. He didn't even drop his hands from his sides.
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Ring of Absolute Guard: Activated
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BOOM!!!
The moment the attackers crossed within two meters of Tae Yun, the air itself seemed to solidify and explode outward. A shockwave of pure, invisible force erupted with the sound of a thunderclap.
The two thugs didn't even have time to blink. They were hurled backward as if struck by a battering ram, flying ten feet through the air before slamming into the stone pavement. They didn't get up; they were out before they hit the ground.
Silence—absolute and heavy—fell over the street.
Soo-bin stared at the fallen men, then up at Tae Yun, his jaw hanging open. The Golden Crow attendant staggered back, his face turning a sickly shade of white.
No movement... no strike... not even a flicker of intent... the attendant thought, his legs turning to jelly. A formless Qi release? No, it felt like the world itself rejected them.
-"P-Peak Level Master!"
the man stammered, his arrogance evaporating. He didn't wait for a second strike. He turned on his heel and fled, abandoning his unconscious subordinates in his haste to escape the "monster" standing in the middle of the street.
Tae Yun looked down at his hand, then casually adjusted his sleeve.
-"I prefer not to move if I don't have to,"
he said simply.
Soo-bin exhaled a breath he seemed to have been holding for a lifetime. He let out a shaky, relieved laugh.
-"Mister Jin... I knew you were strong, but that was... that was something else."
The boy straightened his clothes, his eyes shining with a new kind of resolve.
-"I'm even more glad we're friends now. But this isn't over. The Golden Crow won't stop at this."
He looked at Tae Yun with a serious expression that looked out of place on such a young face.
-"Please, visit our branch tonight. I have something important to discuss—a formal proposal."
Tae Yun nodded, sensing the weight of the moment.
-"I'll be there."
As they parted, Tae Yun looked around the bustling town one last time. Behind the smiles of the vendors and the clinking of coins, he could feel the dark gears of power turning.
This city will test me, he thought, his gaze lingering on the distant City Lord's manor.
And I intend to pass with flying colors