Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 24

[Eunha Guild]

That was the name of the new guild located in Namyangju.

Like the countless lives that bloom and wither each day, guilds were the same, so no one paid much attention.

At first, they didn’t make a big splash, just as everyone expected.

-We lack experience.

The Blood Cult had been confined to the Blood King’s Castle for a long time.

They had engaged in external activities through the Kangha Group and Kangha Guild, but it was limited. More importantly, the Blood Cult members had little experience hunting monsters.

They had the Kangha Guild, but upon investigation, there was a reason for this.

-The elders forbade the Blood Cult members from hunting monsters.

What a foolish thing to do.

-They said it was against the law for the great Blood Demon’s followers to hunt mere monsters.

In reality, no such law existed.

It was a rule created by the elders to maintain the pride of warriors.

‘Did I kill them too easily?’

Those lunatics.

They couldn’t even adapt to the world that had turned upside down, which was why the Blood King’s Castle had fallen into such ruin.

That was why the Kangha Guild, a fairly large guild, hadn’t made any profit.

Still, Kang Han-cheol had been flexible and deployed some Blood Cult members on missions, so there were a few with some experience.

‘Warriors have spent their entire lives studying how to fight people.’

However, fighting monsters was completely different from fighting people.

The blood points that warriors had studied for so long didn’t exist on monsters. Unlike humans who would die if stabbed or cut in a vital spot, undead monsters or monsters with high regeneration wouldn’t die from such attacks.

But the Eunha Guild soon adapted.

Unlike the Kangha Guild, which was mostly composed of players, the Eunha Guild was a guild of warriors.

It was a guild created by using more than half of the money made from dismantling the Kangha Group to buy the identities of warriors.

A guild where all members were Blood Cult members.

At first, it seemed to be faltering.

‘She’s really good at managing things.’

The Eunha Guild quickly began to stabilize.

It was only natural.

‘The Blood Cult members aren’t weak.’

Although they were still lacking compared to the warriors of Earth, that was just a difference in experience and special circumstances.

The Blood Cult’s martial arts were no less than those of other hidden forces.

The Blood Cult members had been honing and refining their martial arts for endless years while confined in the Blood King’s Castle, so they were quickly adapting to the changed situation.

The Eunha Guild’s expansion accelerated even more.

-The power of the Blood Demon Art is incredible.

They were reborn with the Blood Demon Divine Art, and their power had nearly doubled.

They slowly expanded the guild and accepted the Blood King’s Castle followers as Eunha Guild members.

The speed was increasing even more.

The Blood Cult members were rapidly growing stronger.

‘Real combat experience.’

Players gain experience and grow by hunting monsters, but warriors also grow by fighting monsters.

Of course, it wasn’t as noticeable as the growth of players, but they became sharper and stronger through real combat experience.

But above all, there was something else that accelerated the growth of the Blood Cult members the most.

‘Blood Demon Absorption Art.’

As they were subordinate to the Blood Demon Divine Art, they could use some of its functions.

Among them was the Blood Demon Absorption Art, which converted blood into internal energy.

Using that, they were accumulating the blood of monsters to increase their internal energy.

In the blink of an eye, the Eunha Guild had grown to become a major force in Namyangju.

The things that the Blood King’s Castle lacked the most were being resolved.

* * *

Bar Pier, located in an underground area in Dongdaemun.

“I heard Kang Han-cheol of the Kangha Group has retired?”

“I heard the ownership of the Kangha Group has been completely transferred.”

“Did something big happen?”

It looked like an ordinary bar, but this was one of the Seoul branches of the Black Market, which was responsible for the dark side of the world.

“I heard Mount Hua’s movements are unusual?”

“I heard Cheong In-woo is moving.”

“Are you talking about the Red Plum Blossom Squad Leader? Oh my god. What’s going on?”

“I heard that….”

The customers were talking loudly.

“…….”

As if ignoring all of that, a man in a hoodie sat quietly.

A middle-aged gentleman with neatly combed hair approached him and said,

“We meet again.”

The middle-aged man’s eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Manager.”

“Ah, I’ll take care of this customer.”

The manager, gesturing to dismiss another waiter, took out a whiskey and handed it over.

“Well… if you came with bad intentions, put them aside. That’s how the Black Market is.”

Lee Rowoon had received a request from the Black Market.

That request was practically throwing his life away for the Blood Cult members.

There were times when those who survived such requests would harbor resentment and come to the Black Market for revenge.

“But I don’t think that’s the case.”

The manager smiled faintly.

“Have you become a follower?”

At the manager’s words, Lee Rowoon looked at him.

“Ah, don’t worry. The conversation at the bar table is only between you and me.”

He saw Lee Rowoon’s empty glass and poured another shot of whiskey.

“If you’ve become a follower, you’re not a stranger to us. What’s the reason for your visit today? If you’re a follower, it wouldn’t be for personal reasons….”

The manager’s eyes flickered.

“Is it about the Cult’s affairs?”

“Well, you could say that.”

“I thought your tongue had been cut off since you were so quiet.”

“It’s kind of fun listening to someone talk alone.”

“Is that so?”

The manager smiled faintly.

“So, what’s the request?”

“I want to receive access to the Darknet.”

“……!”

The manager poured another shot of whiskey and drank it this time.

“What are your qualifications?”

At his words, Lee Rowoon silently took out a token and handed it over.

A token with a red dragon embossed on it.

It was a token proving the position of an elder in the Blood Cult.

“Unbelievable, you’re an elder?”

“It’s true that the Black Market’s intelligence has become terrible.”

“What did you say…?”

The manager’s eyes were filled with hostility.

Lee Rowoon spoke as if he didn’t care about that.

“It’s a relief though. It means there are no rats hiding in the Blood King’s Castle.”

“…….”

The hostility in the manager’s eyes deepened.

“Access to the Darknet, and one request.”

“The price… will have to be sufficient. Especially since you’ve made me feel bad. I hope you understand that I’m tolerating this because of our relationship with the Cult.”

“Good.”

Lee Rowoon’s lips curled up.

“The price is information.”

“…….”

“The information is.”

Swoosh.

Lee Rowoon quietly fiddled with his whiskey glass and continued.

“The current Blood Demon has been replaced.”

“Wh… what!”

The manager shouted, his eyes wide open as if they would tear.

“Is that true? Why? How? That can’t be….”

“Do you know the situation in the Blood King’s Castle well? You’re so surprised that the Blood Demon has changed. Is it that surprising that the Blood Demon who mastered the Blood Demon Art has changed?”

“I-is that true?”

That’s when it happened.

Twitch.

The manager, who had been shouting at Lee Rowoon, stopped and trembled.

A small blood needle was emitting a sharp aura behind his neck.

“You know a lot about the Blood King’s Castle, but you don’t know about the replacement of the current Blood Demon, huh? That means there are no rats now, but….”

Smirk.

“There were rats before.”

“Do you… do you know what you’re doing?”

“Were you one of the elders? Or was it Baek Heol-soo?”

“Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

The manager, hiding his panic, spoke with a cold glare.

Whoosh!

The blood needle that had been aiming for the manager’s neck melted away.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. So, what about access to the Darknet?”

“…That’s not something I can decide. I have to report to my superiors and get permission.”

Nod.

Lee Rowoon knew that much.

‘Darknet.’

That was referring to the Black Market’s information network.

Special requests or transactions that could be received from the Black Market had to be done in person to avoid leaving records, but the sale and sharing of information was a different story.

Access to the Darknet was only given to special individuals recognized by the Black Market.

They could receive necessary information from there at any time.

“So, what’s the request?”

At the manager’s words, Lee Rowoon smiled again and said,

“I want to meet the Black Market King.”

“You’re… crossing the line.”

The manager, who had been trembling from the blood needle, was gone.

The throwing knife in his hand was at Lee Rowoon’s neck.

Swoosh.

Swords that had sprung out from all directions were touching Lee Rowoon’s neck.

The customers in the bar who had been chatting and talking casually.

They were all employees of the Black Market.

* * *

Several swords were aimed at Lee Rowoon.

The manager’s throwing knife.

They were so sharp that if Lee Rowoon moved even slightly, they would pierce his neck and take his life.

“You don’t seem like a fool who doesn’t know the price of daring to utter that name here.”

“…….”

“Is this the Blood Cult’s intention?”

The manager’s eyes flashed fiercely.

Until now, the Black Market had maintained a good relationship with the Blood Cult.

Lee Rowoon had thought that the Black Market belonged to the Blood Cult, but the Black Market and the Blood Cult were completely separate forces.

However, one of the previous Blood Demons was the owner of the Black Market.

‘The Black Market King.’

He had saved his life once, and to repay that favor, the Black Market was providing convenience to the Blood Cult.

“Even if you are truly an elder, you have committed an unforgivable sin. I didn’t know the Blood Cult’s handling of matters would be like this.”

The aura emanating from the manager.

‘S-Class Ranker.’

The power of a player, not a master of the Hwagyung realm [a high level of martial arts mastery], was being felt.

“You talk too much.”

“What…?”

“I said I wanted to meet the Black Market King, is it possible? Or impossible? Just say yes or no.”

“You….”

The manager pushed the throwing knife a little further, and a drop of blood formed on Lee Rowoon’s neck.

Sizzle.

The drop of blood that had flowed out was moving along the back of the throwing knife and swords.

“……!”

The manager seemed to have noticed something.

“Too late.”

Their bodies began to stiffen.

“The blood of the True Bloodline is immune to all poisons. The poison in the whiskey is meaningless.”

To do business in the Black Market, one had to drink the alcohol in the glass they provided.

And that alcohol contained the Black Market’s pride, the San Gong Poison [a fictional poison that scatters internal energy].

If the transaction was successful, they would give a new glass with an antidote, and if not, they would subdue the person whose internal energy had been scattered by the San Gong Poison.

However, poison didn’t work on Lee Rowoon.

“On the contrary.”

Shudder.

The manager, as well as everyone who was pointing their swords at Lee Rowoon, was trembling like an aspen tree.

“Blood that is immune to all poisons can also become a deadly poison that cannot be resisted.”

“Y-you… you….”

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. I don’t want to ruin my relationship with the Black Market either.”

“Regret….”

“Isn’t this enough qualification to meet the Black Market King?”

Lee Rowoon’s eyes emitted a red glow.

“What qualification….”

“The replacement of the current Blood Demon.”

Whoosh.

A pool of blood began to form under Lee Rowoon’s feet.

Whoosh!

Blood needles that had sprung out from the pool of blood were floating in front of the foreheads of the manager and the others.

Thud.

The blood needles pierced their foreheads.

No one could move while trembling in fear.

“Because I am that new Blood Demon.”

“……!”

The manager’s eyes shook greatly once again.

[Then you are qualified enough.]

A voice echoed in Lee Rowoon’s head.

Lee Rowoon’s lips formed a deep curve.

The blood needles had disappeared.

“Hah, hah….”

The managers, whose bodies had been bound by blood, were gasping for breath.

“I thought your tongue had been cut off since you were so quiet.”

Lee Rowoon’s languid voice pierced their ears.