Chapter 142. Old Memories

After wrapping up the guild discussion with Son Chang-Il, Kim Do-Joon decided to take on a C-rank dungeon as well. The guild name was quite simple and literal: Family. Kim Do-Joon wasn’t planning to recruit others or expand much, and the only members would be Jecheon Seong and Siwelin.

“With three S-ranks on board, isn’t that name too cute? How about something grand, like Infinity or Heavenly Blade?” suggested Son Chang-Il with a grin.

“

Ooh

, I like that,” Jecheon Seong chimed in, stroking his chin thoughtfully with gleaming eyes.

—I don’t like it.

That one sentence from Siwelin made Jecheon Seong slowly lower his hand from his chin. In their house, if Siwelin objected, that was the end of it. She pretty much ran everything at home, after all.

Kim Do-Joon was often out exploring dungeons or labyrinths, while Jecheon Seong spent most of his days either reading or training. Meanwhile, Siwelin took care of Kim So-Eun, managed all the housework, and even handled the shop.

Well, we did close the shop, though.

Although Kim Do-Joon had put it up for sale, planning to close it for good, that didn’t diminish her contributions.

“Alright, alright. We’ll stick with the original name,” Son Chang-Il conceded.

The man clearly saw the dynamics of power in Kim Do-Joon’s household and adapted quickly. With that, the conversation ended, and the four of them stepped outside. Son Chang-Il even escorted them to the building’s entrance. As they made their way out, they were suddenly greeted by a commotion.

“Take the shot!”

“It’s a guild with three S-rankers!”

“What’s the guild’s name?”

A swarm of reporters had somehow gotten wind of the situation. Understandable, because issuing S-rank Hunter licenses or founding a guild couldn’t stay secret for long—especially one with three S-rankers, which was a first in Korea.

“I figured this might happen, so I had a car prepared. Let’s go,” said Son Chang-Il.

“Thank you,” Kim Do-Joon replied as he and his party slipped into the black sedan.

The car’s windows were heavily tinted, ensuring complete privacy. Once they arrived home, Kim Do-Joon told Jecheon Seong and Siwelin to rest, then headed back out alone. He had plans to check out the C-rank dungeon he had picked earlier.

It was a 20-minute drive to the "Wolf’s Den," the C-rank dungeon. A security guard stationed at the entrance initially stopped Kim Do-Joon, but immediately stepped aside after hearing his name. A C-rank dungeon would be a breeze for an S-rank Hunter.

It’s quite humid here...

That was Kim Do-Joon’s first impression as he stepped inside. The air was damp and heavy. The dungeon itself resembled a forest, albeit less dense than the ones he had encountered before. He could sense the presence of wolves lurking among the trees, their eyes glinting in the darkness.

He could easily wipe out every monster in this dungeon within seconds if he wanted to, but today was not about that.

Ring of Dominance.

Then, he summoned a portal in the air, and three distinct doors materialized, each connected to different locations: Catacomb, Elemental Island, and Middle Orc Kingdom.

Soon, monsters poured out from the doors. The Orcs had been prepared in advance, and they emerged in full force. Skeletons from the Catacomb followed, swarming together as they usually did. One appeared first, and soon after, a whole group of them clattered out.

From the Elemental Island, only a single snake appeared.

It’s fine, snakes are tricky to use, anyway.

Though snakes weren’t disobedient, their solitary nature made them less useful. Besides, this skill seemed more suited for quantity over quality.

Now leading a squad of Orcs, Skeletons, and a single Elemental Snake, Kim Do-Joon began to navigate the dungeon.

Growl! Snarl!

“

Rarrgh!

”

“

Krrr!

”

The wolves, much like his own forces, hunted in packs. However, his side had the numbers advantage. The Orcs swung their glaives, slicing through the wolves with ease, while the Skeletons held their ground. Two Skeletons working together were enough to bring down a wolf with little resistance.

Meanwhile, the snake slithered quietly, striking when least expected, eliminating its targets with deadly precision. The battle resembled a small-scale war, with groups clashing head-on. Kim Do-Joon observed everything like a hawk. After a few rounds of combat, one thought kept nagging at him.

Why are they so strong?

The monsters summoned by the Ring of Dominance were far stronger than he remembered. Even the Skeletons, which he could defeat easily, now fought toe-to-toe with the C-rank Wolves.

As he watched in confusion, the answer soon became clear.

Is that... mana?

The monsters were covered in a thin, invisible aura. Yet, Kim Do-Joon recognized it immediately—it was the Heart of Flame’s energy, the same energy he’d used when activating the Ring of Dominance.

So, it doesn’t just give me control.

Kim Do-Joon quickly discovered another feature of the ring. Not only did it bind these creatures to his will, but it also strengthened them. This was a welcome revelation. While it probably wasn’t enough to turn them into boss-slaying machines, they would be quite useful for dealing with regular monsters, and maybe some other mundane tasks.

Nice.

Without that strengthening effect, Skeletons would have been far too weak. This discovery was more beneficial than he had anticipated. Feeling a surge of motivation, Kim Do-Joon picked up the pace, tearing through the dungeon at an incredible rate. He had learned what he needed to and decided to clear the dungeon as quickly as possible.

Eventually, he encountered the dungeon’s boss monster—a Giant Wolf.

“Take it down,” Kim Do-Joon commanded.

Without hesitation, the squad of Orcs and Skeletons rushed forward, overwhelming the massive beast. Its howls echoed in the air, pitiful and desperate. Then, an Orc swung its glaive at the wolf, about to deliver the finishing blow. Wasn’t that the first Orc he’d summoned?

Crack.

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The single, powerful blow broke the wolf's neck with a sickening sound, and it collapsed lifelessly to the ground. With that, the dungeon was cleared. By tomorrow, this place would disappear entirely, along with the twisted roots growing outside.

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon opened the portal once again. He couldn’t take the monster army to the outside world, so it was time to send them back.

“Alright, time to return...

huh

?”

Before he could issue a command, he noticed something strange with the Orc that had slain the wolf.

“What’s wrong with you?” Kim Do-Joon asked, puzzled.

Normally, the creature would respond immediately, but this time, it stood frozen, quaking silently.

Fwoosh!

Suddenly, dark flames erupted from the Orc, burning intensely. The fire consumed its form, gathering on its chest. When the flames finally coalesced, something changed.

The Orc’s skin darkened, and a fiery emblem appeared on its left chest. Its eyes seemed deeper, more intense, and its aura had also grown significantly stronger.

It became more powerful,

Kim Do-Joon thought in disbelief.

The Heart of Flame’s energy surrounding the Orc was far greater than before. Staring in shock, Kim Do-Joon came to a startling realization.

Could it be that they gain experience points from defeating monsters too?

The Ring of Dominance had a third function.

***

Two weeks passed, so it was almost time for Kim Do-Joon to head to China. During that time, he made sure to wrap everything up. First on the list was selling the shop.

“Are you sure about this price?” asked a man.

“Yes. You’ve done a lot for me in the past,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“I hardly did anything. I just helped out because you were in a tough spot back then.”

The man was Mr. Jang, a fellow Gatherer. When he was still new to the trade, Mr. Jang had taught him various skills and knowledge. As a gesture of gratitude, Kim Do-Joon sold the shop to him at a price far below market value. It was not a significant sum to Kim Do-Joon anymore, and he was eager to settle things quickly before leaving for China.

“Thank you, really,” Mr. Jang said, shaking Kim Do-Joon’s hand.

Kim Do-Joon took one last look at the shop. Despite deciding to sell it, there was still a bittersweet feeling lingering in his chest. Letting go was always a little difficult, even when it was necessary.

Next on his to-do list was his promise to Vulcanus. He needed to heal Naiyel before leaving for China, as it was unclear when he would be back.

“Is it done?” Naiyel asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Yeah, it’s all fixed,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“That easily?” she exclaimed, her eyes growing even wider.

Naiyel had suffered so much watching her beloved spirits—once her friends and family—turn their backs on her. However, with just a touch from Kim Do-Joon, everything was back to normal.

“I always thought your power was stealing... taking away something precious from others,” she said quietly. “I thought it was a force that robbed things away.”

“Robbed, huh...” Kim Do-Joon muttered.

It was an interesting perspective. Kim Do-Joon had never thought of it that way, since he knew his ability was based on copy-pasting. But he understood why it’d seem that way to others, because he was essentially extracting the unique abilities of items.

“But now, I think it might be different.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I don’t know... I can’t explain it,” she said, lowering her head in confusion.

Kim Do-Joon shrugged. For someone who had brought up such an intriguing notion, she sure was vague about it. Still, he did not press any further.

The next task took him to the Frozen Harbor dungeon, where Ashunaga had been requesting his help. There had been some kind of rebellion brewing, and when he arrived, he could see how dire the situation was.

As expected, the rebellion was in full swing. Ashunaga was locked in battle with what appeared to be the leader of the rebels, a serpent-like Nagaraja. Ashunaga struggled with a grim look on her face.

However, when she saw Kim Do-Joon, her eyes lit up.

“It's you, Human! You’ve come to save me!” exclaimed Ashunaga.

Her opponent, Nagaraja Nikid, was not as welcoming. Instead, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion, his posture tense.

“So, you’re the strong human she’s been talking about.”

Kim Do-Joon glanced at Nikid, noticing that this Naga looked far more intelligent than Ashunaga. He wasted no time and made an offer.

“How about we call this fight off and settle for a draw? You two can rule together.”

Letting these Nagas kill each other wasn’t exactly in Kim Do-Joon’s best interest. After all, they could be useful if summoned through Ring of Dominance. However, Nikid immediately shook his head.

“No, that won’t do. Ashunaga may be strong, but she’s an incompetent leader. She’s too stupid,” Nikid said firmly.

Kim Do-Joon glanced over at Ashunaga, who flinched at Nikid’s disdainful gaze. Ashunaga even started hiccuping.

“A foolish leader will only bring ruin. My goal is to depose her, and I won’t compromise on that,” Nikid spoke in a resolute tone.

“Is that so?” Kim Do-Joon replied calmly, his gaze shifting from Ashunaga to Nikid.

He snapped his fingers, and behind him, three portals crackled open. From the portals, Orcs and Skeletons marched out. Each Orc had a blazing flame emblem etched on their chest, while the Skeletons' bones had turned a deep, menacing black.

Their old and worn weapons had also changed, gleaming with freshly forged steel. Kim Do-Joon had custom-ordered from the crafting guild. And last but not least, a red-scaled snake coiled around himself, its eyes glowing as it hissed menacingly.

Nikid gulped, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. “

Uh

, perhaps there’s room for negotiation... I mean, we could consider coexisting...”

Kim Do-Joon grinned. “Now you’re thinking straight. It’s always better to talk things out than fight.”

He patted the nearest Orc on the shoulder.

“Keep an eye on this labyrinth while I’m gone. If they start fighting again, break it up.”

“

Krrr...!

”

The Orc thumped his chest in acknowledgment, his movements disciplined and purposeful—quite the contrast to the savage beast he had been before. Satisfied, Kim Do-Joon nodded at the Orc. Then, he used his return skill and disappeared instantly.

The Orcs and Skeletons stood vigilant, their eyes gleaming as they awaited orders. Meanwhile, Nikid and Ashunaga stood awkwardly facing each other, the tension between them thick in the air. Both knew that the monster army would enforce Kim Do-Joon’s will with unyielding force, leaving little room for further rebellion.

With that matter settled, two weeks flew by, and the day had finally come for Kim Do-Joon to depart for China.

***

“I’ve come to escort you both, Hunter Kim Do-Joon and Hunter Jecheon Seong.”

On the day of departure, early in the morning, a sleek black limousine was parked outside Kim Do-Joon’s house. A man dressed entirely in black, from his sunglasses to his suit, stepped out and greeted them with a polite bow.

“My name is Ryung Yao. It’s an honor to meet you.”

There was a subtle intensity to the man’s presence, far beyond that of a simple escort. Judging by his aura, Kim Do-Joon guessed that Ryung Yao was at least an A-rank Hunter.

Sending an A-rank to escort me... what’s their message?

Kim Do-Joon wondered if this was a gesture of respect, or was it a subtle display of power, showing that they had enough A-ranks to send one just for this. Either way, it did not really matter to him.

“A private jet is ready. Please, this way,” Ryung Yao said as he gestured toward the limousine.

Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong got into the car and headed toward the airport. As they rode in silence, Kim Do-Joon eventually turned to Jecheon Seong, curious.

“So, what brings you along? I didn’t think you would join me.”

Originally, Kim Do-Joon had planned to go alone. Although the invitation from the Chinese side had included both of them, he didn’t expect Jecheon Seong to actually accept. The man was known for doing whatever he pleased and rarely participated in such affairs.

“It’s nothing special,” Jecheon Seong said with a grin. “Just some old memories coming back to me.”

“Old memories?” Kim Do-Joon asked, his curiosity piqued.

Jecheon Seong’s smile widened, but this time, it was not his usual warm, affectionate smile. Instead, it was the kind he showed when talking about his family. This smile was cold, edged with a sharp, dangerous energy.

“There’s something you should know. So, pay close attention,” he said, his voice low and ominous. “Whenever Bloodstorm Blade appeared, blood always flowed in the martial world.”

Jecheon Seong leaned back and added, “One more thing. Bloodstorm Blade never shows up by chance.”