"Begin."
The moment my command was given, Hong Haechan and Seo Jun-gu threw punches at each other. It was a perfectly synchronized cross-counter, as if they had rehearsed it.
I expected Seo Jun-gu to collapse unconscious. Hong Haechan's physical abilities were now on the verge of surpassing human limits.
At first, I tried to train his body through exercise, but I quickly realized that method was far too slow.
I gave Hong Haechan a cheap artifact I had brought from the real world an artifact that provided a slight enhancement to physical abilities. It was the kind even F-Rank Hunters used. The silver piercing in Hong Haechan's left ear was that artifact.
Yet Seo Jun-gu didn't fall. He endured. Without an artifact... Could he truly be the leader of a delinquent circle that dominated not just the academy but all of Incheon?
But the initial parity was fleeting.
Hong Haechan had learned Hunter combat techniques from me. I had deliberately given him combat experience, and he had even taken a life. The Hong Haechan who once trembled before the threats of petty delinquents was gone.
The fight was brutal.
Blood streamed from their mouths and noses as they rolled across the floor. With each clash, the surrounding crowd roared with excitement.
"Waaaaah!"
"Fight! Fight!"
"Kill him!"
The battle ended in Hong Haechan's victory, a result he had anticipated. Anything else would have been problematic.
Still a long way to go. If he wins by such a narrow margin, they might not acknowledge him.
Hong Haechan needed to demonstrate overwhelming power. Since he hadn't, he would likely face another Hierarchy Battle request next month or the month after.
I'll expand our territory to Incheon and put Hong Haechan through the wringer.
Hong Haechan celebrated his victory. He drew several women from Seo Jun-gu's side to the center of the auditorium, and when they eagerly chose to join him, he brazenly fucked them in plain sight. The defeated Seo Jun-gu could only watch in bitter silence. Instead of intervening, the surrounding men and women began cheering, dancing, and having sex with willing partners themselves.
The frenzied party resumed.
"Piercing."
"Yes, Boss."
Piercing, who had been ferociously kissing and groping the women like a beast, swiftly approached me.
Piercing was quick-witted and resourceful, making him a valuable asset I frequently utilized.
"How's the plantation?"
"Yes, it's operational. We're maintaining strict oversight."
The plantation was a euphemism for our marijuana operation.
The workers were undocumented immigrants from Southeast Asia and China. We kept them off the books and paid them to tend the crop. Since they were undocumented, they stayed as far away from the police as possible.
"Good. Keep a close eye on it."
"Yes, Boss. Just leave it to me. But there's a rumor going around that gangsters are targeting us lately."
"Gangsters? We already crushed one group last time."
When I brought Seo Jun-gu to the Holy Communion Faction, I became entangled with the organization. There were about fifty of them, and I killed them all as a demonstration to Seo Jun-gu's group. The news reported it daily as casualties from a gang war.
"They're other gangsters. There's talk they've joined forces."
This wasn't entirely unexpected. From the gangsters' perspective, the Holy Communion Faction, which distributed drugs, was like an invasive species disrupting their ecosystem a thorn in their side. They probably figured we'd eventually try to seize their territory.
I actually did have that in mind. Though I wasn't planning to make the first move.
I reached over and fondled Choi Hyejeong's breast as I spoke.
"Piercing, get me all the intelligence you have on the gangsters in Incheon."
Piercing's eyes widened, and the corners of his mouth stretched into a wide grin.
"Finally! Are you finally planning to seize control of Incheon?"
"It's about time we expanded the Holy Communion Faction's influence."
"I'll make preparations immediately!"
"I won't be acting alone this time. Tell Hong Haechan and Seo Jun-gu to prepare for war."
"Yes, sir!"
Dark night.
Clutching a KRISS Vector submachine gun in my right hand, I strode toward a building. Civilians stared at me with wary eyes, but I paid them no mind. After all, I'd already bribed everyone who mattered the police, prosecutors, and even members of the National Assembly.
They knew full well that if I were captured, the Republic of Korea would be thrown into chaos.
Of course, I had no intention of being taken alive. If that day came, I would turn the Republic of Korea into Hell itself.
Bang!
I kicked open the door to the Cheonjin Faction's office, one of Incheon's major gangs, and strode inside.
Through the thick haze of cigarette smoke, half-naked men jolted to their feet.
"...Who the hell are you?"
The man who appeared to be the Action Team Leader demanded, his entire body tattooed except for his wrists, his face scarred.
"I'm Sung Yujin, Boss of the Holy Communion Faction."
"Ha... You came to kill us with just one gun? Have you ever seen such a lunatic? Boys!"
"Yes, Older Brother!"
As if they'd been waiting for this moment, the men drew hidden pistols from various places and aimed them at me.
I sensed something was off.
Even for gangsters, obtaining handguns in Korea isn't easy. At best, only high-ranking executives might possess them; arming an entire crew would be impossible.
"Someone's behind these gangsters... a politician?"
The gangsters pointing their guns at me were smug and overconfident.
"You dumbass... what makes you think you can just barge in here? Just because you have a gun doesn't mean you're invincible, kid. High schooler?"
The Action Team Leader exuded excessive confidence. Then again, with over ten subordinates aiming their guns at me, it would be stranger if he wasn't confident.
"I'm here to make a proposal. Where's the Boss?"
"You think you can just meet Big Brother because you want to? You clearly haven't grasped the situation. Drop your gun, kneel, and raise your hands now! If you think we won't kill you, you're dead wrong!"
I exercised my patience once more.
"I don't intend to kill all of you. Join me."
"Big Brother said it's okay to kill Holy Communion Faction executives and bosses! Kill him!"
The gangsters pulled their triggers, and I activated Momentary.
My thought speed accelerated, allowing me to see the bullets firing from the gun barrels. They were far from slow, but I had ample time to react.
I leaned my upper body diagonally to the left to dodge the bullets, then firmly pressed the trigger of my KRISS Vector submachine gun.
The submachine gun, with its 1,200 rounds per minute rate of fire, erupted in a blaze of gunfire. It took less than ten seconds to turn the gangsters except for the Action Team Leader into human sieves.
"Ugh, ughaaah!"
The Action Team Leader fired his pistol at me. I didn't even need to use Momentary. Seeing the muzzle, I dodged every bullet and closed the distance, twisting his arm.
Crack!
The pistol clattered to the ground. I kicked the Action Team Leader's shin, shattering it and sending him sprawling.
"You and I need to have a little chat."
...
I stared down at the Action Team Leader's corpse, mentally organizing the information I'd extracted.
The gangsters in Incheon have formed an alliance to strike against the Holy Communion Faction.
The gangsters believed the Holy Communion Faction was a foreign power from South America. Fueled by a twisted sense of patriotism, they'd temporarily joined forces to eliminate the faction.
No problem. Once I intervene, dismantling their alliance will be child's play.
"But the Yakuza are behind these guys."
They smuggled guns and bombs from Japan. When you think of Japan, the Yakuza are the only ones who come to mind. How could gangsters with few connections in the Republic of Korea have gotten involved with the Yakuza? Or, why would the Yakuza give guns and bombs to gangsters?
"Someone who can manipulate both gangsters and the Yakuza... that guy appeared in the manga."
Shin Ohgang.
Chairman of Jinil Academy.
This guy is the mastermind behind the original manga Fighting Dog. According to the Principal, he's been sending delinquents to gangster organizations and doing other shady things.
"He's connected to the Yakuza's Heaven's Mandate Society."
I stood up from the chair, stepping over the blood-soaked, corpse-strewn floor as I headed for the door.
My destination: Jinil Group.
Before the sun rises tomorrow, I plan to gather the Jinil Group's owner family and executives and kill half of them. Then, I'll turn the President into my puppet. Unless they can buy multiple lives with money, they'll obey me.
I should deal with the Japanese Yakuza too.
The President of the Republic of Korea had a throbbing headache. Beside him, the Chief of Staff nervously watched his every move.
"Three days... three days and 4,000 people dead?! How is this even possible?! Gang warfare?! That's ridiculous! This has far surpassed that level! What exactly is the Holy Communion Faction?!"
"...As I reported, sir."
"An organization formed by students from Jinil Academy! And they're using firearms to kill people without hesitation, distributing drugs across the Republic of Korea! You expect me to believe this?!"
"..."
"The police and prosecutors are still taking bribes, and the National Intelligence Service doesn't even know who's backing the Holy Communion Faction or where their drugs are coming from? You incompetent bastards!"
The President erupted in fury. With his term nearing its end, he never expected such a major incident to occur. It must be cursed, especially now that his power was already waning.
After venting his anger for some time, the President took a deep breath and began to calmly consider how to resolve the situation.
"Sung Yujin holds absolute power within the Holy Communion Faction, I hear. Mobilizing military forces is out of the question... It seems best to order a National Intelligence Service agent to assassinate him, then dismantle and clean up the faction."
Just then, the President's phone rang. Without hesitation, he picked it up.
"What is it?"
It was a call from the National Intelligence Service. The President's face paled as he listened to the report.
His family had been kidnapped by the Holy Communion Faction.
"P-please spare me..."
Shin Ohgang knelt before me, rubbing his palms together. He had no other choice.
Around him, the twenty Yakuza bodyguards who had been protecting him lay in pieces, their dismembered bodies scattered in pools of blood.
I glanced at him indifferently before raising the short, curved blade in my hand. A wakizashi.
Since the Jap had it, is it a sashimi knife?
I had taken it from the Yakuza and used it to slaughter them.
Clang.
I dropped the blade to the floor and stared at Shin Ohgang.
"Spare me...! I'll do anything! Anything at all, just spare me...!"
"I have a task for you."
"Yes! Yes! Just tell me what to do!"
"Tell me where the Heaven's Mandate Society is located in Japan."
Jinil Academy Auditorium.
Hundreds of naked men and women were gathered. Unlike their previous frenzied parties, they stood in neat rows and columns, heads raised, staring straight at the podium at the front.
I stood on the podium, with Hong Haechan, the Holy Communion Faction's second-in-command, standing beside me with a look of fervent admiration.
"Our Holy Communion Faction has conquered Incheon and Seoul. You've all worked hard."
"Oooooooooh!"
Those who had tasted the allure of money and drugs pledged absolute loyalty to me.
"And as I promised, I will now withdraw from Jinil Academy."
"..."
That's right.
Today is the day I'm dropping out of Jinil Academy. Naturally, the academy's power will shift to Hong Haechan. I remain the Boss of the Holy Communion Faction, but within the academy, Hong Haechan will become the top dog. This applies only within the academy, of course.
"I'm leaving this academy to prepare for a more secure domination of Korea. From now on, Hong Haechan will be the academy's leader."
"Ugh... Yujin-ah! Can't you stay?"
"Hong Haechan, the matter is settled. Don't dwell on what's already decided."
"But... can I really do this?"
"Don't overthink it. Just do what I would do."
"...Yujin. Like you."
Hong Haechan nodded firmly, his face set with determination.
"Alright! Tomorrow at noon, 12 PM! The inauguration ceremony for our new academy leader, Hong Haechan, will be held! As you all know, attendance is mandatory! Within the academy, treat Hong Haechan with the same reverence you would show me! Understood?!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. Now, let the party begin! Music, start!"
A lively beat poured from the speakers mounted throughout the auditorium. The men and women gathered began to dance, and it didn't take long for the dancing to escalate into a wild sex party.
"Heh... time to do what I want."
I stopped the car and stepped out on the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan.
I surveyed my surroundings.
Six thousand Yakuza members from the Heaven's Mandate Society had me surrounded. Every single one of them was armed with swords, pistols, hammers, hatchets, and more.
Their eyes burned with malice, and the murderous intent radiating from them focused solely on me.
I gripped a single sword and sneered at them.
"More have gathered than I expected."