Chapter 53 – Lee Se-min’s Day Off

After finishing the subjugation battle, Se-min was cooped up in Hyeon Jae-yeong’s house.

He did not even go on raids for a while and rolled around the room.

Hyeon Jae-yeong, who was now preparing for the Gold Mark promotion, looked at him and tilted his head, wondering if something had happened.

“Why aren’t you raiding?”

“It’s a hassle.”

“So you’ve earned enough money to just play around now?”

“Money…?”

Se-min began to laugh.

“What money…”

“You have a lot of money, Brother. You raided so much.”

“I don’t, you punk.”

He had a history of putting all his fortune into the Raider Bureau’s Social Contribution Department.

Although he had gathered money again through the allowances of the raids and subjugation battles he participated in afterward, it was a small amount compared to the past.

“I’ll rest for the time being, so you protect Earth in my place.”

“Can a Green Mark replace the position of a Black Mark?”

“If you do it with passion, there’s nothing you can’t do. I’m telling you, do it with passion.”

After sending Hyeon Jae-yeong out, Se-min boiled and ate cup ramen with a disheveled appearance.

“It doesn’t taste like the old days.”

He lay on the sofa and flicked through the channels to see if he would happen to appear on television.

Then, something caught his eye, and he put down the remote control.

The topic was that the US was groaning under the damage caused by magic beasts.

The US was one of the countries where responding to gates was difficult due to its vast territory, but it had overcome the problem through massive Raider manpower and advanced technology. However, recently, response to gates had been delayed, causing casualties to increase greatly.

“They should protect their own country well, what’s with the subjugation battle…”

Even as he said so, it was suspicious somewhere.

The US was a nation sensitive to security.

With their country in such danger, was the subjugation battle valuable enough to involve Unique Mark and Black Mark Raiders?

“Dragon Heart…”

Suddenly, his cell phone rang.

Se-min checked the message and stood up.

“Ah, has it already been this time?”

He got up and went into the shower room. Then, throwing on his Dragon Sukajan and carrying Lupus on his back, he left the house.

His motorcycle was waiting for Se-min.

Se-min rode at low speed in compliance with the speed limit, letting out a rough exhaust sound.

He headed to the hair salon.

The hairdresser—no, the hair stylist—welcomed him warmly. Not only she, but all the staff and customers in the hair salon focused their eyes on him.

The man who rose to the Black Mark at a young age and received the hottest attention in South Korea was now standing in front of them.

The hairdresser seated Se-min.

“You haven’t visited in a while, Se-min. When I said you were my customer, everyone wouldn’t believe me.”

“Haha, you should hang up a photo or something.”

“I should. How would you like your hair done?”

“The way I always cut it.”

He tidied up his hair as usual and took a proof shot with the hairdresser.

“Can I post this on my Outstagram?”

“Of course. For the tags, please use something like ‘handsome in real life’ and ‘man who popped out of a manhwa’.”

“Hahaha, I like that you’re shameless, Se-min.”

“I also like that you’re honest, hair stylist.”

Se-min left a signature behind and left the hair salon. His hair felt lighter, making him feel refreshed. He rode his motorcycle again toward his next destination.

This time, it was Taeseong Academy.

When the man wearing the Sukajan got off the motorcycle, the gazes of passersby pierced him. At first, they looked at the dragon embroidery with expressions of little interest, but when they reached his face, they doubted their eyes.

The hero who alone blocked the march of the Black Castle, and the rebel of the South Korean raid industry who rose to the Black Mark at a young age.

It was the Black Mark Raider, Lee Se-min.

Since this street was densely packed with private Raider training facilities, the interest in him was even higher. Raider aspirants passing by gathered to see him.

“It’s really Lee Se-min.”

“Should we go get an autograph?”

“I heard his fan service is so good that he even gives away his Sukajan on a whim?”

“They say he has dozens of them at home.”

Se-min waved his hand at them and entered Taeseong Academy.

It was to meet Hwang Jeong-hun, who could be called his mentor.

Since returning from the other world, he had only been thinking that he should visit once, and decided to do so while taking a rest. Hwang Jeong-hun welcomed him, telling him to come anytime.

“Instructor Hwang Jeong-hun is in class right now.”

Hearing the employee’s explanation, as he went to the training room to find him, Se-min somehow smelled a staged scene.

“No way…”

Se-min peeked inside through the window on the door. With his back to the door, Hwang Jeong-hun was shouting at the trainees, pointing out their postures. It seemed to be a class for handling weapons.

Only a few of the students noticed the visitor’s arrival and occasionally looked at the door.

Se-min sighed.

It is definitely staged.

Since it has come to this, do I have no choice but to play along?

Se-min activated his acting mode and opened the door wide.

“Teacher!”

When the door suddenly opened, all the trainees stared at him.

Their eyes, which were initially puzzled, turned to shock when they took in his Sukajan and face.

Hwang Jeong-hun opened his arms with a feigned look of surprise.

“Wait, Se-min. What brings you here so suddenly? Without even contacting me.”

Even though they had been exchanging messages until just now, he was pretending to know nothing.

Se-min approached him and opened his arms in return.

“Didn’t I rush over because I wanted to see you, Teacher? I hope I didn’t interrupt your class. You’ve been well, right?”

“Of course. I’ve been doing well. You received my teachings and even reached the Black Mark, Se-min, it seems you are doing well.”

“Hahaha, it seems like I just became one because I’m great, but let’s leave it at that for now. Hahaha.”

“Hohoho. You rascal, hohoho.”

Regardless of the content of the conversation, the sight of the two men hugging warmed the hearts of those watching.

The Black Mark man, Lee Se-min, a Raider envied by everyone, personally visited to ask after Hwang Jeong-hun who was teaching them.

The rumor that he was from Taeseong Academy was not a lie.

“The gift was heavy, so I left it in the staff room.”

“You rascal, I told you not to do that.”

Of course, there was no gift. It was just something he said in front of the students.

“Were you in the middle of weapon training?”

“Yes. Well…”

Hwang Jeong-hun grinned.

“Would you like to show them a demonstration?”

“Shall I?”

Se-min scratched his head. The gazes focused on him were hot. Somehow, it felt burdensome.

“I’ll show you just a simple move.”

Se-min thought deeply.

What is the most necessary skill for Raiders, especially for the newly promoted novice Blue Mark Raiders?

There was only one.

In a raid where lives were on the line, the ultimate practical combat technique that protects a Raider’s life!

“Lazy Donkey Roll!”

Se-min rolled on the ground.

When he stood up after getting plenty of dust from the floor on his body, the atmosphere was somehow freezing.

“Well…”

Hwang Jeong-hun cleared up the situation.

“Hahaha, applause everyone! Se-min’s sense of humor is like this!”

Only then did the trainees react one by one.

“Hahahahaha, as expected!”

“That’s funny, Raider!”

“Lee Se-min is cool!”

Se-min despaired while receiving applause. Even before reaching the Blue Mark, these novice kids were already treating the Lazy Donkey Roll as a ridiculous technique. The future of the raid industry was dark.

“Now, Se-min. Show us one more.”

Hwang Jeong-hun was shouting with his eyes.

Do something cool.

Se-min nodded.

He decided to just do something flashy.

He roused the Tai Chi Wisdom. When the white aura rose, the trainees cheered. The aura emitted from his body gradually expanded in size, forming the shape of a massive dragon at the tip of Se-min’s blade.

“Dragon Spire!”

Shouting the name of the technique he had just invented, he fired the aura toward the wall.

Because the aura was loosely woven to only take form, the dragon shattered upon reaching the wall. Then, the entire classroom was engulfed in white smoke, as if mist had risen.

When Se-min withdrew the aura, all of it was sucked back into Lupus in an instant.

In the eyes of the trainees, he must have looked like a god.

“If this were a real battle, my dragon Imuncazer would have bitten the enemy’s throat.”

Se-min invented an explanation of the technique by using his elder brother Imuncazer’s name.

The trainees all had believing faces. A round of applause poured out. After hugging Hwang Jeong-hun again, Se-min left the classroom.

After the class ended, he drank vending machine coffee with Hwang Jeong-hun and held a private conversation.

“Wasn’t it using me too much to call me in during class?”

“Hey, it’s hard these days because they introduced the lecture evaluation system. I have to do this once in a while.”

“Taeseong Academy is walking the right path.”

As they talked about various things, Hwang Jeong-hun asked abruptly.

“By the way, you’re getting along well with the Raider Bureau, right?”

“Of course.”

“Have you ever met the director?”

As he mentioned the director, Se-min’s expression became serious.

“Do you know about him?”

“That man…”

Hwang Jeong-hun let out a sigh.

“This is all I can tell you. Watch out for him.”

“How do you know him, Teacher?”

“He was a person who shared the same goals as Han Su-in. Since I also followed Han Su-in in the past, we got involved that way.”

The legend of Raid, Han Su-in, was a great person as a human being. So there were countless Raiders who followed him.

“After Han Su-in died, he changed a little. I left the raid industry after that, but he kept asking about you. I ignored it because I didn’t want to get involved anymore. He seems to be watching you.”

“Since I became a Black Mark, that’s only natural.”

“He is probably the one who failed you on the exam in the past.”

Se-min looked at Hwang Jeong-hun.

“Is that true?”

“It’s my guess, but it must be. You didn’t have grades that would fail you. No matter how much you messed up the essay.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know the reason either.”

In return for failing the Raider exam, he enlisted in the military and plunged into the other world. After suffering all kinds of hardships and barely surviving, he was finally able to return to Earth.

Hwang Jeong-hun was saying that all of those things happened because of the director of the Raider Bureau.

“…Yes.”

Se-min answered after taking a moment to settle his breath.

He didn’t want to express his emotions to Hwang Jeong-hun for no reason.

Now it was up to him.

“I should go to my next class now. Come visit sometimes. To raise my lecture score a bit.”

“Hahaha, I will report you to the director.”

Se-min rose from his seat.

Hwang Jeong-hun spoke to Se-min.

“Se-min.”

“Yes.”

“You did well.”

He did not state specifically what he did well. It was just a word that he did well. That was enough for Se-min.

“Thank you.”

If Se-min had not met Hwang Jeong-hun, and thus really considered himself trash and floundered in a deeper abyss than before, would he have met the Transcendent Network and changed like this?

There was no way to know.

Se-min bowed his head toward Hwang Jeong-hun.

“I’ll come again.”

“Yeah. Take care.”

He mounted the motorcycle parked in front of the academy again.

There was another person he had to meet.

***

“No, no, if a Black Mark Raider can’t even do this, my face, which went as far as hanging a placard, will be ruined!”

“Raiders are nothing special either, huh?”

“Without aura, he was just a weakling, a weakling.”

Self-Strengthening Gym.

In front of the members there, Se-min was performing squats.

Se-min gritted his teeth and exerted strength, but he could not stand up easily. He wanted to rouse the Tai Chi Wisdom, but he had already promised the members that he would not use aura.

“Arghhhhh!”

“Yeah, that’s it! A man never gives up! There is no tomorrow, no future, live in the present! Stand up!”

“Director, didn’t you just lift me from behind?”

“Haha, no. I didn’t lay a hand on you.”

“Ughhhhh!”

Se-min barely completed the squat.

And immediately after racking the barbell, he collapsed to the floor.

He burned out completely.

“He did it, but it seemed harder than expected?”

“The director boasted about you every day, so I’m disappointed.”

“Uh-huh, the quality of muscles is different. Practical muscles aren’t suited for lifting weights. As a former boxer, I know well.”

“Still, I feel a little bit disappointed.”

“Aren’t we better at weights than a Black Mark Raider?”

Rugged, muscular men surrounded Se-min.

He stopped by the Self-Strengthening Gym to greet Kim Deok-bae. All the members who wanted to meet him were gathered there.

Due to the members’ requests to see the skill of a Black Mark Raider, Se-min ultimately demonstrated the squats.

He almost died.

His body was made to face magic beasts and utilize aura. No matter how compressed his practical muscles were, it was difficult to lift as much weight as those muscular monsters. They were monsters whose waists and thighs were twice his size.

“But seeing him lift it, he does have grit.”

At the Self-Strengthening Gym, the before-and-after photos he had taken in the past were still hung.

A large placard stating that it was the place Black Mark Raider Lee Se-min used to attend was also hung.

Thanks to that, Kim Deok-bae’s face, who said he had dominated the fitness clubs in the area, gleamed.

Se-min smiled warmly.

“Then let’s take a commemorative photo.”

When Se-min suggested it, everyone gathered at the gym’s photo zone.

It was a photo of Lee Se-min’s training visit that Kim Deok-bae would reuse for a long time.

“Se-min, come visit again. Hahaha.”

“Yes. Brother Ryu Gwan-cheol continues to come here too, right?”

“Gwan-cheol is resting since his wife became pregnant.”

“Ah.”

He said Ryu Gwan-cheol lived nearby.

I should drop by the Iron Horse Company next time.

Meet Brother Ryu Gwan-cheol, and well, see if that friend Bang Yu-bi is there too.

“Then I’ll come again. Until then, let’s keep strengthening ourselves!”

Se-min said goodbye and left the Self-Strengthening Gym.

His day off was not over yet.

He mounted the motorcycle again.

The place Se-min arrived at was the Dragon BBQ restaurant.

The employee waiting for him guided him to a seat.

There were not many empty seats. Considering the price range here, business was doing very well. Se-min nodded contentedly and opened the menu.

The names of the dishes were long.

Koud T-bone steak marinated in jus de veau sauce.

Mallak tongue stew cooked in Mediterranean style with garlic and basil.

Drake tripe dish seasoned with spicy oyster sauce and flavored with herbs.

And so on.

The ingredients Se-min had found while wandering the other world had now been reborn as new dishes by the skill of a first-class chef. Feeling a strange sense of pride, he chose a menu item.

It was the dish that first introduced him to the taste of magic beasts: the Koud steak.

Since he did not feel hungry, he ordered only one.

“What would you like to drink?”

“I’ll go with your recommendation.”

“I will serve you red wine.”

Soon the dish was served, and the employee brought not only the Koud steak but also a small cake. On it, a dragon of the same design as the one on Se-min’s Sukajan was delicately drawn.

Under the cake, a chef’s note reading ‘A token of respect to the hero’ was scribbled.

“It is a small gift from us to the Representative. Please enjoy it as dessert.”

“Thank you.”

The employee bowed and went back.

Se-min looked down at the cake and grinned.

“I have lived properly.”

Se-min cut the Koud steak with a knife and put it in his mouth.

“Mmh.”

It was excellent.

It was an unexpected taste. To Se-min, Koud meat meant a wild flavor. The tough and rough texture was the very reason he loved Koud meat.

However, this steak was delicate and tender. Paired with the unique sauce, it created a completely new flavor. It was a new aspect of Koud meat that he had never felt before. Se-min took a sip of wine and put the steak in his mouth without stopping.

Soon, the plate was completely emptied.

“Please tell the chef that I enjoyed the meal.”

“Yes.”

He rose from his seat.

Before heading to the exit, Se-min turned around and looked at the panoramic view of Dragon BBQ for a moment.

The chandelier installed on the ceiling shattered light into countless angles, illuminating the interior of the restaurant.

The customers sitting at the tables smiled brightly as they talked about the kind of flavor they were experiencing for the first time. The texture of the dishes skewered on their forks shone under the soft lighting.

Although he had delegated it to John McKellan, it was a legacy half-created by him.

He felt good.

“Thank you for the meal.”

When he came outside, the sky was darkening.

Se-min checked his cell phone.

He still had an appointment left.

He rode his motorcycle and reached a cafe located on the Han River. The person he was meeting had not appeared yet. He sat in his seat, sipping a cafe mocha and waiting for the other party.

A familiar silhouette looked around the entrance, discovered Se-min, and approached.

“It’s been a while.”

“You too.”

Se-min leaned back and smiled.

Kim Ye-na boasted her usual beauty.

Although the waves in her hair had disappeared and her makeup was lighter, the simple appearance suited her better.

“I saw that you became a Black Mark, Brother. You’re a high-value person, is it okay to meet me so easily like this?”

She gestured around with her chin.

The gazes of people were felt.

“I don’t care.”

After stopping the Black Castle, there was almost no one in South Korea who did not know him. Wherever he went, gazes followed him. By tomorrow, a dating rumor about him might appear in the sports newspapers.

“You’re the same as always.”

Kim Ye-na smiled faintly and handed something to Se-min.

“I called you to give you this.”

It was a wedding invitation.

Se-min stared down at it, then gently opened it.

The content was that two people met by the grace of God and were getting married, so please come and bless them. There was not much time left before the date. Se-min folded it carefully and put it in his breast pocket.

“You’re doing it faster than expected?”

Considering her age, it was on the early side.

“I caught him because I felt he was the one. The groom also has some age.”

“Is he a Raider?”

“No. He is a person working at a securities company. I have no interest in Raiders anymore.”

It was a quick marriage after a breakup. A few hypotheses arose in Se-min’s head, but thinking it was impolite to jump to conclusions about someone’s heart, he dismissed the thoughts. Se-min just nodded.

“Congratulations. Be happy.”

“Simple indeed.”

Kim Ye-na laughed softly, went to the pickup counter, and brought back her drink. After sipping her Americano with a straw, she asked.

“Brother Jae-yeong is doing well, right?”

“He is.”

Because their spheres of life had changed lately, Se-min did not know his detailed current status well either. He only knew that Jae-yeong was preparing for the Gold Mark while conducting raids.

“Isn’t it strange that I’m giving you a wedding invitation when we’re not even that close?”

“A little bit. For someone like you, the husband-to-be must be rich too, so it wouldn’t be because of the congratulatory money.”

“It’s irritating because it’s true.”

“Looking at your expression, it doesn’t seem like you have thoughts of taking revenge on Jae-yeong either.”

“Not at all.”

Kim Ye-na smiled faintly and chose her words for a moment.

“Because you are… special, Brother.”

“Me?”

“As a person to another person. In a good way.”

“I hear that a lot.”

“You’re still obnoxious.”

“Should I host the wedding for you?”

“That would be the worst.”

Kim Ye-na made an expression of genuine dislike. Se-min was slightly hurt.

“You were a type of person I had never met before, so it was fascinating at first. Later, I thought, ‘So this is what a person who achieves things others can’t is like.’ You don’t know that Brother Jae-yeong respects you immensely, do you?”

“I know though?”

“Sigh, anyway, looking at you, my perspective on life or whatever you want to call it widened. In a way, thanks to you, I think I was fine even when I got dumped for a transfer by Brother Jae-yeong.”

“He said it wasn’t a transfer though…”

“It is, so don’t argue. Anyway, as the date approached, I just thought it would be nice if you came and watched. Well, there’s also some vanity in wondering how many people can invite a Black Mark Raider to their wedding.”

“Okay.”

Se-min nodded.

Her heart was not completely understandable.

It also felt like a mere whim.

However, Se-min coming to meet her today was also a whim that arose in his heart. He originally intended to reject this meeting. There was no reason to meet the ex-lover of a close younger brother. But somehow, he felt like coming, so he came. That was all.

“Congratulations on your marriage. See you at the wedding hall.”

“Thank you.”

“By any chance, a celebratory song…”

“Absolutely not needed.”

“Tch.”

There was nothing more to talk about.

The two fell silent for a moment, then rose from their seats.

“Thank you for coming. Goodbye.”

“Yeah.”

Se-min bidding farewell to Kim Ye-na, Se-min rode his motorcycle along the road.

The final destination was the street in front of Gaeguk University. He had a promise to have a drink with Park In-jae.

Se-min turned his motorcycle speed up and looked back at his own heart.

He had rested from the raids he conducted daily, and visited the connections he had postponed meeting.

He even received a wedding invitation from a person he thought he would never see again.

Somehow, he thought all of this was the guidance of the Tai Chi Wisdom. Just like a wind blowing in the empty air, the heart wanting to do this just arose.

The Tai Chi Wisdom went beyond the aura method and became a principle encompassing his heart. The vague premonitions suddenly flickering were connected to the Tai Chi Wisdom.

The Tai Chi Wisdom had pushed his back.

If so, what was the reason?

Was it a necessary process to advance to the next stage?

Or was it truly just a meaningless whim that blew in?

Se-min stopped the motorcycle. He saw Park In-jae fiddling with his cell phone on the roadside. The arm revealed under his short-sleeved T-shirt was just a little pale, no different from a normal arm.

Se-min stared at the arm for a moment, then called Park In-jae.

“In-jae.”

He raised his head.

Now he had the air of an adult. Although still thin, Park In-jae’s body had a thickness unlike before. The fragile boy of the past had disappeared, and a healthy young man stood in front of him.

“Brother!”

“It’s been a while. Should we have a drink?”

“Sounds good.”

“Wait. I’ll park and come back.”

Se-min soon blended into the crowd of Gaeguk University along with Park In-jae.

***

The next day, Se-min visited his parents for the first time in a while. The two treated Se-min, who had become a Black Mark, no differently from before.

They were both healthy. After sharing stories they hadn’t been able to tell, and eating a meal together, Se-min returned to Seoul.

When he returned to the company, Yoo Sang-heun was not in his seat.

“Where did the president go?”

“Ah, Se-min. The president went to a meeting of representatives.”

The representative meeting was a gathering where representatives of small and medium-sized raid companies met to discuss industry talk. It did not seem like a productive meeting, but Yoo Sang-heun was attending frequently lately.

“Uh, hello.”

New Raiders who came to receive work discovered Se-min and bowed their heads.

Se-min waved his hand.

“Don’t bow your heads like that. We’re fellow employees.”

“But still, you are a Black Mark…”

“It’s not the military, what’s with that.”

They laughed awkwardly and nodded.

“Yes. Then, good work.”

Soon, Yoo Sang-heun entered. His face was serious, unusual for him. Se-min sat next to him.

“I will go out on raids again starting tomorrow.”

Instead of answering, Yoo Sang-heun closed his eyes and touched his forehead. Se-min tilted his head.

“Why?”

“You said you donated all your wealth not long ago, right?”

At his sudden words, all the personnel in the office stared at Se-min. Se-min nodded.

“Yes, and?”

“Well… no. You don’t have anything to worry about. You’re a Black Mark, after all.”

“Did something happen?”

“Let’s go outside for a moment and talk.”

Yoo Sang-heun pulled Se-min along. At first, Se-min thought he meant to take a walk outside the company, but Yoo Sang-heun put Se-min in his car and headed somewhere.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to drink.”

Se-min stared at him.

Although Yoo Sang-heun acted like a playboy, it was the first time he suggested drinking in broad daylight.

He was confused if it was serious or a joke.

He spoke again.

“You’re close with the Raider Bureau, right?”

“I wouldn’t say close, but I know them.”

“Did you happen to know?”

He handed over a piece of paper.

It was an official document sent by the Raider Bureau.

A secret mark was stamped on the four corners of each page, and the words ‘Prohibited from external disclosure’ were printed faintly on the background. The amount was not large, but Se-min read it down meticulously.

Se-min’s gaze changed.

“Already…”

“So you knew.”

“I heard it when I met the director in the past, but I didn’t know it would be this fast.”

The news written in the document was something Se-min already knew through the director of the Raider Bureau.

Gates are disappearing.

The content was that those tedious gates, which had tormented humanity, were no longer forecast.

Whether it was temporary, long-term, or permanent was unknown even to the Raider Bureau. It was just explained that gates were no longer detected within their observable range.

All Raiders would enter an indefinite standby state in the future.

“From when is it?”

“One week from now. Even now, the gates have decreased tremendously. There is no work.”

Se-min chuckled.

“It’s an emergency.”

“Yeah. An emergency for the industry.”

From the standpoint of Raiders and the raid industry, it was a shocking matter.

However, to ordinary people, it was news like a blessing.

“I don’t know how long this will last, but…”

Se-min had experienced the other world.

Countless people had warned of the coming danger.

So he did not think the gates would just disappear like this.

However, he sincerely hoped so.

“That’s good.”

When Se-min smiled, genuinely pleased, Yoo Sang-heun also ended up laughing.

It was not good news for ordinary Raiders, but Se-min was by no means an ordinary fellow.

He glanced at Se-min through the rearview mirror. Se-min was opening the window to let in the outside air. He had a carefree face. At that expression, Yoo Sang-heun’s heart also grew lighter somehow.

Gates are disappearing. Not thinking about it complicatedly, it was truly a good thing.

“Let’s have a daytime drink among prospective unemployed people.”

“It’s a toast, right?”

“It was ambiguous, but it seems so.”

Yoo Sang-heun smiled.

Brushing back his hair fluttering in the wind, Se-min placed Lupus, which had been resting on his arm, in the back seat.