About ten minutes earlier.

“Guts, at least. He’s got that much going for him.”

The elevator carrying Seong Hayun and Lee Taebaek descended at high speed.

If the four sides hadn’t been made of transparent glass, they wouldn’t have felt the velocity at all.

True to form for a megacorp, even the elevator was state-of-the-art and top-of-the-line. Despite the insane speed, it didn’t give that cheap sensation of the ground dropping out from under them. Only when the people who had looked like dots suddenly swelled to full size did they truly sense the elevator’s pace.

Thanks to the see-through glass, the interior of the elevator opposite them was clearly visible too. The team members were grinning with anticipation, chattering away. Looked like they were placing bets among themselves.

Not on who wins, but on how many minutes it takes me to get smashed.

Lee Taebaek snorted inwardly.

Preconceptions work best when flipped on their head. He’d gotten dragged into this mess against his will, but once his skills were proven, they wouldn’t have any more complaints.

That’s the city for you.’

As long as you delivered results, you got respect anywhere. Even if Lee Taebaek acted obnoxiously, if his abilities were top-notch, they wouldn’t nitpick his behavior.

Because his excellence directly tied to their survival on missions.

Seong Hayun gazed out the glass and spoke.

“You know, guys with just guts don’t last long in this line of work.”

He reflected on it for a moment.

When it came to toughness, few could rival Lee Taebaek—he’d take second place to no one. His debut had been flashy enough, hadn’t it?

And somehow, he’d clung to life this far. Those in the know would think that. In fact, that’s why Kang Hyeonseong and the entire Resistance respected him.

To sum up the rambling thoughts.

“Guts without skill gets you killed.”

“…Lee Taebaek. So you’re the exception?”

“That’s why Executive Director Ryu Subaek pulled you in personally, right?”

Lee Taebaek shrugged with feigned nonchalance. Seong Hayun let out a hollow laugh. At this point, her eyes hinted at curiosity about the foundation of his self-esteem.

Soon, the elevator plunged into the underground darkness. No sooner had pitch black enveloped them than it lifted, light spilling in.

No time to adjust their dark vision. What unfolded was a blinding white space that dizzied the mind. The elevator stopped, doors sliding open.

“Training room.”

Seong Hayun unfolded her arms and stepped out first.

“Let’s check your skills.”

“You look thrilled.”

“Who wouldn’t enjoy putting a cocky bastard in his place?”

Just then, team members poured out from the opposite elevator. They pressed against the walls, shifting into spectator mode.

Lee Taebaek chuckled softly and followed.

Must be the megacorp thing.

The facilities were impressive, no doubt.

The grid-patterned inner walls were spotless, without a single scratch, just as she’d said. Chairs and water cooler showed some wear, suggesting they could withstand all but the most extreme impacts while staying pristine.

And the floor produced an odd echo. Probably not made of ordinary materials. It felt like walking through Cyber Space. As if they’d been scissored out of reality, him and Seong Hayun alone, and pasted into this stark white training room.

A few steps in, Seong Hayun stopped at a distance and spoke.

“No live weapons. Too much hassle if someone dies mid-spar.”

“Sounds like quite a few have died in spars.”

“A few. That’s why the company changed the rules.”

Seong Hayun cracked her neck side to side, then rolled her shoulders. A mechanical whir emanated from her. Most of her upper body was cybernetic prosthetics.

“See that? Pick a weapon if you want.”

Body warmed up, she nodded toward the water cooler. An array of weapons stood lined up. No guns—just cold steel.

“Figured a megacorp Security Team would pack mortars or something. Didn’t expect this much romance.”

Lee Taebaek muttered as he scanned them. Laughter rippled through the onlookers.

“What’d he say?”

“Ugh, flesh-body bugs like him.”

“Thinks we’re fighting bottom-layer gang trash? Can tell his background just from that mouth.”

“No wonder he’s so overconfident. Team Leader! Teach that punk a lesson!”

Mockery to some, cheers to others, words passed mouth to mouth.

Seong Hayun barked at her team, but it didn’t quiet them much. She wasn’t exactly stopping them either.

…Sigh.

People were all the same, huh.

Earth had been like this, and now even his created Raken’s was no different.

Better dead than sick of it.

Dead… better dead…

He sighed so heavily it seemed the superalloy floor might cave, then picked his ear with his pinky.

“You seem like a bare-handed fighter.”

“Using anything but flesh is for women.”

You’re a woman.

And didn’t you lose the right to say that once you got those cybernetic prosthetics?

“Talk like you’re from the Jianghu.”

“I wasn’t born in the Central Plains, but my heart is.”

Well, now.

“…If you insist that much…”

Lee Taebaek halted his step toward the cooler.

“I’ll humor you.”

He assumed a stance. Martial arts based on the “Concept: Siesta Dark Technique.” He had no way of knowing he’d acquired it, but as his brain directed his limbs, he struck a convincingly martial pose.

Seong Hayun narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Can’t spot any cybernetic prosthetics… From the Jianghu?”

“Nah.”

“Trained some fist style separately then?”

“I’m a swordsman.”

“…”

A muscle twitched in Seong Hayun’s jaw.

“Keep being arrogant and you might die.”

“It’s fine. Got the big four insurances when I joined. You too, right? Wait, should be funeral insurance instead?”

Crunch.

“Fine.”

Seong Hayun thrust her left fist forward, right hand pressing near her navel like compressing air. Rings of light swirled in her pupils’ centers. Boosting her prosthetic output.

Playing dirty as hell.

Talking like a pure martial artist while acting full cyborg.

“Survive, and you’re on the team. Otherwise, clean resignation.”

“Nah.”

Lee Taebaek smirked.

“Acknowledge me when I win.”

“That’s why I said it. Won’t happen.”

“No absolutes in this world.”

“Wrong. Daesung is absolute.”

Seong Hayun’s gaze turned icy.

Boom!

A roar accompanied her charge. She kicked off like lightning.

Leaping in, she threw a punch. Heat lines tattooed on her arm flashed yellow. Steam vented from joints.

Lee Taebaek stood impassive.

One exchange revealed how many battlefields Seong Hayun had survived. His own ordeals had elevated him too. Aura and attack alone let him gauge her power.

A single honest punch.

That’s what she bet on.

Or closer to schooling than a real fight. A wake-up call to humble the cocky newbie and set team discipline straight. That’s how she saw it.

But it might sting a bit much.

That’ll kill me if it lands.’

The fist closed in like it’d gouge his eye.

Lee Taebaek just held his stance. To spectators, he’d look frozen.

Oblivious to how [Bullet Time] and [Agility] made her punch yawn-inducingly slow.

Whoosh.

The fist pierced where his head had been.

“…!!”

Seong Hayun’s eyes snapped down.

Lee Taebaek had crouched low, looking up with just his eyes. A gap opened in her torso.

She drew core power, twisted her waist, backstepped—but too late. Her exposed abdomen crumpled under his fist.

Crack!

First a shattering sound. The short, sharp punch buckled her prosthetic abs, then pierced through.

After that, one-sided beatdown.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

Seong Hayun ranked among Daesung’s elites.

Of course. The head of Security Team 1 couldn’t be mediocre.

Just bad matchup.

“Sh-shouldn’t we stop him?!”

“Crazy. Team Leader! Seong Hayun Team Leader couldn’t get one-sided like that!”

If her power sufficed, Ryu Subaek wouldn’t have risked bringing Lee Taebaek into Daesung.

Separate from valuing her loyalty to Daesung, he’d assessed her strength objectively.

-Just at Ten Wings’ feet.

Those brushed-off words had lingered like thorns.

Hence her harshness toward the newbie Ryu Subaek brought. She’d have schooled him anyway…

But she was the one getting schooled.

Lee Taebaek’s barrage continued. Punches blurring with afterimages bent her waist like a shrimp, shoving her back, further back.

Thump!

Finally, her back hit the wall. The nail in the coffin for a decided fight. No escape now.

Splat! Splat-splat-splat! Splat!

“Gaaak!”

Blood that had finally seen the world splashed Lee Taebaek’s face. But he didn’t stop.

Thud, thump, thump-thump!

Crushed her innards.

Crack! Crunch-crunch!

Rupture spread to ribs. Seong Hayun’s eyes clouded. Real pain after so long. Like fireworks exploding in her gut.

“Team Leader!”

Team members moved to intervene.

Droop.

Seong Hayun’s head and arms went limp.

“Tough build thanks to good prosthetics.”

Amid the dust, Lee Taebaek rubbed his fist and muttered. Then turned with dark eyes.

Team members hesitated, shuffling feet. He eyed each one, then said in a low voice,

“Next.”

Battle adrenaline ruled his brain. That’s how he’d excuse it later.

“T-Team Leader?!”

Team members rushed to the groaning Seong Hayun. Their leader peeled from the wall like a sticker.

“…Ughhh…”

“V-vitals! Check vitals quick!”

Seong Hayun’s eyes rolled back, ragged breaths escaping.

Her jaw half-smashed, pink tongue visible; cybernetic arm half-destroyed, functionally gone. A total ragdoll, carted off on a stretcher.

Team bustled around their fainted leader. Lee Taebaek watched, surprised.

Rude as hell, but damn popular.

Makes sense.

Couldn’t master that fight style without it.

Zzt-.

Team glared at Lee Taebaek. Grinding teeth, eyes smoldering with rage.

Anger at their leader’s near-death? Even they weren’t sure.

Maybe fear masked as fury. Already disliked the newbie, and he’d pulped their leader in seconds.

Who was Seong Hayun?

She’d climbed from the bottom to lead Security Team 1. Overwhelming charisma and power earning unwavering loyalty, gender aside.

Yet.

Our leader wrecked by a random newbie…

Overreaction justified.

Legal spar or not, it was insubordination. With the leader down, their futures looked grim.

In society, standout rookies got hated, not loved. Sharp stones get hammered down.

As one Assistant Manager snarled, a trembling hand grabbed his sleeve.

“…Move…”

“Team Leader!”

Seong Hayun.

Bleeding, she rose. Shook off team protests, escaped the stretcher. Staggered toward Lee Taebaek.

She might have feared the one who beat her. But she stood firm before him.

“The Executive Director brought you because…”

She rasped, voice for his ears only.

“…it’s ‘that,’ right.”

The implication was clear.

Lee Taebaek’s silence confirmed. Seong Hayun nodded heavily. Paused, then parted bloodied lips.

“*Haa* Please.”

Even as focus faded, she squeezed out.

“Ryu… Su… Baek Executive Director…”

Then blacked out.