“Chet- don’t you think 900’s such a douchebag?”

“Yeah, don’t you think so too Captain?”

No. 185 nodded modestly at the words of the children who were a part of his group that he was the ringleader of.

Strictly speaking, No. 185 was still amongst the top children in the 3rd hall in the Cave of Latent Demons, where he, Woon Seong, and Ah-Young were part of.

In addition, there were only five children who followed him, but they were quite talented as well within the 3rd hall.

However, the thing that brought these children together in the most part, was the fact they were absolutely manhandled and punished by Woon Seong in the beginning of the Cave for their impertinence against him.

They were those who had believed in their skills and thought that he was weak. However, reality was cruel and they were crushed by Woon Seong in the past. This resulted in their pride being wounded, and the topic of No. 900, Woon Seong, a sore spot for them.

“Captain, why don’t we attack him at least once?”

“Us?”

One of the children continued to ask No. 185 his thoughts, and nodded excitedly when the others displayed interest in his idea.

“I’ve been feeling much stronger ever since we took off the iron bracers. I’m sure it’s the same for you all too. Of course, I think with even just the five of us we could take him on. What do you think, Captain?”

The teen flirted the idea to No. 185.

No. 185 looked at each of the children one by one, examining their gazes as they nodded fervently.

No. 185 also felt like he was much stronger ever since he had taken off the iron bracers.

As they had taken off their iron bracers, their confidences also seemed to have increased excessively.

“But won’t No. 900 also take his iron bracers off too?”

One of the children shook his head and pointed at No. 900 who was walking back to his room, with his chin.

“No, look, he’s still wearing his bracers.”

When No. 185 turned his head, He saw Woon Seong walking away from Koo Baek-Ho, the senior instructor, with his bracers still on.

He didn’t know the reason, but Woon Seong still had his bracers on.

“I think even with just the five of us, even if the captain doesn’t want to join on in and dirty his hands personally, if we jump him, we can beat him up thoroughly without him even having the chance to take his bracers off.”

The mere thought of Woon Seong sprawled out on the floor made him feel excited.

However, No. 185 couldn’t get rid of the lingering anxiety he felt from the words Woon Seong had left him with last time.‘There won’t be a next time.’

So he took a peek at his minions expressions one more time.

All five of his minions had great skills. Would it be enough to take out No. 900 with his bracers still on?

No. 185 shook his head and smiled insidiously.

‘Let’s test it with them as the bait.’

The bait was enough.

These five in front of him, were eager and practically drooling to go out and try their chances at revenge.

“Okay, I’m out of this. But, you guys have your own way with him.”

At the words of No. 185, the other five stood up immediately, all with eager looks on their faces.

They all looked at No. 185 and shared the same insidious smile with him.

Whisper- Whisper-

“Hey!”

Woon Seong raised his head instead of eating the rice in his bowl, at the voice calling out at him.

At the entrance to the stone chamber assigned to him, five shadows were cast at the entrance.

Five children… no, teenagers at this point, stoof their emitting a murderous blood lust, holding their weapons tightly and emitting their qi whole-heartedly.

Woon Seong knew their faces. They were among the lackeys of No. 185 whom Woon Seong knew had a bitter resentment towards him.

Their hairs on the back of their arms were standing up. The murderous air was clearly eminent, even if they didn’t say anything.

‘They must have seen the chance ever since the iron bracers were taken off for everybody else. But where’s No. 185?’

It seemed not taking off his bracers was beneficial for him other than for training. Now, it seemed like No. 185’s goons and him were going to take their chances and give Woon Seong a justification to get rid of them finally.

Woon Seong slowly raised himself in a creepy manner and grabbed his spear that was alongside him.

“What’s going on here?”, he asked.

“What do you think?”

He already knew, but Woon Seong was asking them to confirm if they really wanted to rush to their deaths so early.

Their appearances were ones of starved animals, craving for meat.

“I’m pretty sure I made it clear last time. That would be your last time to try something against me. There won’t be a second chance this time to beg for mercy.”

The teens took a step back reactively away from Woon Seong as they flinched from the dark aura covered in Woon Seong’s murderous intent.

This was not because of his power. They already knew he was powerful, but they couldn’t gauge his power accurately. It was mainly because they remembered the bitter experiences each of them individually had experienced from Woon Seong.

However, they soon regained their wits as they felt confident in their newfound power! Not only that, but there were 5 of them here!

“Damn it, what the hell? Let’s get him!”

They had resolved themselves earlier to not give Woon Seong a chance to take off his bracers, and here they were spacing out. Woon Seong still didn’t take off his bracers, so now was their chance!

In accordance with their overall physiques increasing in mobility from the absence of the bracers, their movements were unlike anything from before.

However… they were not the only ones who improved.

Whoosh-

Suddenly a blur past them. 

At the same time of them turning their heads wondering what it was, they saw Woon Seong behind them with his spear lodged through the chest of the teen that attacked from the middle.

Blood burst out from the wound and spurted out everywhere, dripping on Woon Seong’s face.

“Uk- uck!

The teen with the spear lodged in his chest, collapsed coughing out blood, desperately trying to cling onto his life that was already forfeit.

He started to crawl on the floor to escape frantically.

But…

“I said… there would never be a second chance.”

The teen paled and frantically tried to speed up, but Woon Seong’s spear didn’t give him a chance to see another second of life.

Woon Seong didn’t give them even a second to collect their thoughts to realize what was happening to them.

The other four quickly realized what was happening, and bared their teeth, but to no avail.

‘You don’t deserve to be forgiven any further.’

They deserved death in fact, with their past transgressions against him. But, Woon Seong felt that they were still young and could turn over a new leaf.

Yet, they didn’t heed his warnings and were foolish enough to come once more.Only to have their lives reaped by him.

* * *

“Oh, my God.”

Listening to the screams of his minions, No. 185 didn’t feel any sadness or worry, but rather a nauseating feeling came up.

He instinctively knew that the screams he heard were only his minions, and not a single sound that resembled No. 900’s voice.

It was hard for him to tell. Was Woon Seong wearing his bracers or not? If he was not, then hopefully it made sense. 

But if it wasn’t…

‘If I take off my bracers, would I be able to take on the 5 of them?’

He didn’t know.

He couldn’t guarantee a victory.

At the end of his thoughts, No. 185 pulled out his jian from its sheath and held it behind his back.

‘I can’t go for it yet.’

The difference between them had hardly narrowed, if at all. Woon Seong was leagues above him right now, and it was futile to try and strike.

The eyes of No. 185 sank naturally as Woon Seong emerged from his resting chamber and walked down the steps of the corridor. No. 185 panicked inwardly and tried not to show it.

He wondered if his expression of anxiety had been revealed to Woon Seong as Woon Seong approached No. 185 slowly.

No, No. 900 was not an idiot.

He probably knew that the people who had just attacked him, were No. 185’s lackeys.

‘But I thought he’d at least be a little injured.’

But it didn’t matter. The bait was set and No. 900 should be only at half-strength with his internal qi. Right?

‘Yeah, I just have to wrap it all up neatly.’

Yet in front of him, No. 185 thought he was staring at a monster.

‘Why are you staring at me, motherfucker.’

Anxious, No. 185 slowly took off his iron bracers stealthily.

click- ka-click-

The iron bracers came off as No. 185 undid their bindings. Removing them, he felt much lighter than before. He was already looking forward to how he would fare.

He didn’t know just when he had gotten accustomed to the bracers, but right now it felt as if he had feathers for arms and legs.

He felt confident that if things went awry, he could at least escape safely.

At that moment however, Woon Seong stepped within range of No. 185.

“What’s going on No. 900?”

No. 185 feigned ignorance to see if he could catch Woon Seong off guard.

But Woon Seong, who stepped in front of No. 185 just smirked devilishly and then laughed.

“I’m sure I warned you very well last time. There won’t be any second chances.”

At Woon Seong’s words, No. 185 bitterly shook his shoulders in memory of the words Woon Seong had left behind before.

‘Ugh.’

But No. 185 forced himself to hide his anxiety.

Then he shouted.

“What did I do?”

“Do you think I came here without knowing what you did?”

Woon Seong grinned as his canines revealed a sharp glare.

Was it an illusion?

No. 185’s eyes widened a bit in shock and worry. No. 900’s eyes seemed to be gleaming with a gold ferocity!

It was the worst outcome possible.

No. 900 knew who was behind the attack and even knew he was directly plotting it.

As he moved his eyes shakily, No. 185 looked at the iron spear in Woon Seong’s hand.

‘Can I do it?’’

Would he be able to overcome his fears and worries embedded in his head of Woon Seong’s martial prowess?

There was blood dripping from the edge of the speartip. It was the blood of his 5 minions that had gone in earlier…

No. 185 who didn’t feel his will shake just yet, had it broken and shattered to pieces as he saw the blood on the spear. He felt the looming presence of death emanating from Woon Seong.

‘I can’t die like this yet! Let’s focus on warding off his attacks first!’

“ARGH!”

No. 185 jumped back and brought the Jian forward as he swept up the sand from the floor into the air.

The sand that he had swept up with his momentum of swinging his powerful jian forwards, was flung at Woon Seong’s eyes.

But…

woosh-

Woon Seong’s body fluidly bent and avoided the sand with ease, as his center of gravity wasn’t shaken in the slightest. Then, the speartip from Woon Seong curved and bent as it exploded forth with a surge of might.

Bang-

No. 185 immediately leapt up and saw the damage left in the spear’s wake. The rocky floor was crushed and No. 185 cursed as he saw that Woon Seong’s strength was too much for him, even with his bracers still on! 

“Damn it!”

As soon as No. 185 landed, he shot forwards at Woon Seong swinging his fist!

Kagang-

The wrist of Woon Seong shook, and the spear bent like a snake as it dodged the trajectory of No. 185’s fist cleanly.

Pupuk-

Woon Seong’s spearhead penetrated his chest cleanly.

“Huh…Huh?”

No. 185’s body stopped and he tilted his head down to look at the unbelievable result.

The speed. It was too much for him, and Woon Seong was still wearing his bracers…

Woon Seong gripped the outstretched spear and pulled back with ease.

Blood poured out of No. 185’s chest like a waterfall, yet made no sound.

Then his body started to tilt backwards and fall, as his vision blurred.

The ceiling of the cave was the thing No. 185 had seen in his short-lived life.

“Tch, shouldn’t have kept his resentment attached to him….”

Woon Seong turned his head as he bitterly cursed the fact that No. 185, who was talented, refused to let go of his terrible nature and schemes.

The dark aura from Woon Seong’s intimidation qi, withdrew itself from the surroundings and disappeared altogether.

Woon Seong glared at the body of No. 185 one last time, before turning back around once more and leaving.

* * *

A little while later.

Srrrrrrrr-

A dark figure crept up onto the scene of the dead No. 185 where Woon Seong had just been.

The dark figure revealed itself. It was No. 17, Ah-Young

She alternated her gaze between the dark corridor where Woon Seong had just left from, and the dead body of No. 185.

Then she murmured without realizing it.

“What exactly is he doing?”

It was the moment when her rather pure and innocent interest in the development of Woon Seong, had evolved into something much further than mere interest.