Chapter 140 – Crossing the Line

I had acquired two new powers.

-You have acquired Future Sight.

It was the ability to sense the future, a power akin to danger perception.

I might have to fight rulers from other dimensions in the future.

It was always better to have as many powers and abilities as possible.

And if I could foresee the future, it would be even easier to prepare.

There was just one problem.

The threshold for what I perceived as a crisis.

Even when I tried to test the power by convincing myself I was in a crisis, nothing happened.

Are the conditions a bit strict?

I was just now realizing how precious and wonderful it was to get an instruction manual with a purchase.

I should refrain from throwing away manuals from now on.

The other power was the Gift ability.

I could literally bestow power, and it was linked to my ability to farm others’ skills.

The way it worked was that I could grant an ability I had previously extracted to a designated target—someone within my sphere of influence.

I kind of felt like I was becoming omnipotent.

To test it out, I granted abilities to three test subjects.

I gave an Intelligence Boost Gift to Lee Ja-rang, who was always getting into fistfights with Kim Tae-yang due to his prickly personality.

“Hey, you not up for a round today?”

“I cannot.”

“You scared?”

“I am not.”

“Just admit you’re scared.”

“Lee Ja-rang must go to the academy.”

“…?”

“Teenagers are the future of the nation. Studying aids in self-reflection. Those who do not strive do not deserve to live. This Ja-rang possesses that qualification.”

Kim Tae-yang started to look bewildered at the sight of Lee Ja-rang reading a book.

The effect seems to be pretty good.

“Are you kidding me? You think drawing a few lines on a pumpkin turns it into a watermelon?”

“There are currently eight people in this room. If we use a combinatorial function to select one and calculate the total number of possible outcomes, what probability do you think we would get?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“It means I’m going to destroy you.”

Lee Ja-rang threw down his math book and climbed into the ring.

A failure.

Of course, I could grant the power, but it seemed difficult if it wasn’t compatible with the person.

As another example, I gave Lee No-rae a skill called ‘Sage Time’.

It was an ability that allowed one to maintain peace of mind in any situation.

It was absolutely not what you’re thinking.

Lee No-rae, who used to hit on any man she saw, became listless after receiving the power. Her eyes turned hollow, and she lost a lot of weight.

“Why must the petals fall…?”

“What are you talking about?”

Even when Katrinne asked, Lee No-rae just sighed softly, squatting in a corner.

It seemed not all powers were entirely beneficial.

Some people reacted in ways I hadn’t intended.

One thing was clear from this.

Any being within my sphere of influence had no choice but to accept the power, whether it was a buff or a debuff.

This is good…?

Suddenly, all sorts of ways to tor—no, to *train* the kids started popping into my head.

I didn’t know how to handle this creative urge, so I started taking notes on my phone.

“Uh, Teamjang-ni…”

Kim In-ho, who had been passing by, glanced at my phone’s notes, and his pupils dilated.

He began to tremble, shaking his head frantically before starting to run away from me.

Hey now, where are you going? Where could you possibly go?

Of course, I could also give good skills.

“Ajeossi, a Gift? This ability is amazing.”

Katrinne thanked me with a bright smile.

As a supporter, Katrinne was often exposed to danger, so I gave her the Barrier Screen skill.

It was an ability that literally made her invisible by blending her into her surroundings.

What made this skill great was that, unlike camouflage that breaks in combat, it could be maintained continuously.

In other words, it served to lower the opponent’s perception.

Of course, it had its downsides.

Every time I gave a Gift, the amount of divine power consumed varied depending on the ability’s rank.

Even the Unique-rank skill I gave Katrinne cost me about 200 divine power.

“Team Leader, the people from the Hwarang Guild are here to see you.”

Manager Lee Ah-reum from the operations team relayed the message while I was in the middle of my tests.

Was today the day the Hwarang Guild was supposed to visit?

On the way to the conference room, Manager Lee Ah-reum spoke with a smile.

“Our guild is getting so big, hehe.”

“It’s going to expand even more.”

Manager Lee Ah-reum spoke as if she were in a dream.

“To be honest, before the new representative came, there was a lot of talk about the guild going under. Most of my colleagues from back then have already left for other jobs.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Now they want to come back, but there are no openings. Thanks to that, my patience paid off, and I’m the winner.”

Lee Ah-reum’s face was filled with pride for the guild.

And for good reason; Hanul had grown tremendously in a short time.

“After the representative changed and you joined, Team Leader, the guild’s standing improved so much. But everyone’s been talking a lot about the Hwarang Guild acquisition. Especially with things being the way they are lately… Ah, I’m sorry. You can’t mention this to the representative, okay?”

Knowing I was the only one who met with Im Jae-joon one-on-one, Lee Ah-reum belatedly tried to be more careful.

Seeing that, I gave a wry smile.

It was refreshing to occasionally see the kind of innocence you find in someone new to the workforce.

“Don’t worry. It’s all part of the plan.”

There were many familiar faces in the main conference room.

From our side, there were the team leaders of Teams 1, 2, and 4, as well as the head of the strategic analysis team.

From the Hwarang Guild, members of their management team were also present for the meeting.

“Well, if it isn’t Team Leader Lee Hyunbin.”

“Team Leader Jeon, it’s been a while.”

“Haha, I’ve been taking it easy, but you’ve been busy, Team Leader Lee.”

Team Leader Jeon was the one who encouraged me back in my trainer days, saying I could reach great heights if I just awakened as a Hunter.

He was also the one who helped me make a living by continuously sending Hunters for me to train when I had no work.

Perhaps that’s why I felt a sense of familiarity when I saw Team Leader Jeon of the Hwarang Guild.

“This person next to me… I don’t know if you’ll remember him. He’s from our management team. He was a rookie back then, so he was a bit clumsy and probably made a few mistakes.”

“Ah, hello. We’ve met once before. I’m Assistant Manager Lee Hyun-soo from the scouting team.”

The guy who gave me a coffee mix packet when I visited the Hwarang Guild office a long time ago, hoping to join.

I remember.

“I remember you.”

“I’m very sorry for the mistake I made back then.”

“It’s fine. I think I’ll be making a mistake of my own today, anyway.”

“Pardon?”

“When you merge with the Hanul Guild, you’ll have to renegotiate your salaries. I’ll have to propose an adjustment then.”

“Gasp…”

Assistant Manager Lee Hyun-soo hesitated, looking flustered.

And with that, my petty revenge was complete.

“I’m kidding. I’m in charge of training, so I don’t have that kind of authority. The head of the strategic analysis team over there handles all the salary negotiations. I’m on a tight leash myself.”

“What are you talking about? Aren’t you the highest-paid person in our guild? Who’s leashing whom? Besides, you’re the real power in this guild now. Who doesn’t know that a single word from you can change everything?”

Everyone chuckled at the playful words of Joo Han-na, the head of strategic analysis.

“Oh, and one more thing. We’re all going to be running this guild together, so are you only going to make eye contact with Team Leader Lee Hyunbin? Talk to us, too. Don’t just try to get on the good side of the guild’s top dog.”

Another small laugh went around the conference room.

“The merger process is going smoothly.”

“However, I heard there’s a lot of opposition from the Hanul Group…”

The Hwarang Guild management team’s concerns weren’t unfounded.

The reason Im Jae-joon wasn’t here right now was because he was at a shareholders’ meeting.

“We just need to prepare well for the merger. Everything will work out.”

I was relaxed because I already knew what was going to happen.

Honestly, they were only able to deal with it because it was me; that Demon King’s skill at laying the groundwork was no joke.

***

“Thus, I declare that more than two-thirds of the voting rights of the shareholders present have approved the resolution.”

As the chairman spoke, the sound of the gavel echoed. *Bang, bang, bang.*

The unbelievable announcement threw the shareholders’ meeting into chaos.

Shouts and roars filled the air, and some people even caused a scene, claiming the entire meeting was invalid.

The eyes of Im Jae-ho, the eldest son of the Hanul Group, were trembling.

He looked at Im Jae-joon.

A corner of Im Jae-joon’s handsome mouth curled up.

Everything had gone according to plan.

“Jae-joon, you’d better keep your promise.”

“Don’t worry.”

Im Jae-joon reaffirmed his intentions to the woman beside him.

“Hanul Fashion and Hanul Department Store will all belong to you, Noona.”

A meal she would never have been able to eat otherwise.

He took what belonged to his opponent, used it as bait for his enemy’s enemy, and secured what was his.

“Congratulations, Representative Im.”

“Looks like Hanul will be getting a massive transfusion of young blood now. I wonder if old back-roomers like me will all be pushed out.”

“How could someone as inexperienced as myself steer this ship alone? The only reason my father became the chief executive was because of the giants of Hanul who are present here, was it not?”

“This fellow. He calls us giants.”

“Haha, well, my potbelly does stick out like a giant’s.”

“Don’t worry, this is what we wanted, too.”

The vassals of Im Jae-yong, the chairman of Hanul—no, the man who had just been pushed into the role of honorary chairman—had all joined hands with Im Jae-joon.

“Fuck, what is this? Wow, what the…”

Im Jae-ho felt like he was having a terrible nightmare.

Although he had caused some trouble, his father, Im Jae-yong, had continuously paved the path of power for his troublesome child.

This was partly due to the principle of primogeniture, but also because the second son, Im Jae-joon, was illegitimate, which earned him the disapproval of their relatives.

Thanks to that, all of his father’s vassals had sided with Im Jae-ho.

He had naturally assumed he would take control of everything.

But a variable had appeared.

“What do you mean, what happened? You’re fucked, that’s what.”

The eldest daughter, Im Hyo-jin, who stood beside Im Jae-joon, muttered mockingly as she passed Im Jae-ho.

Without anyone noticing, he had absorbed the entire faction of vassals. He had swayed the shareholders’ hearts.

No, everything had already been decided before the shareholders’ meeting even began.

Im Jae-ho, incompetent, debauched, and violent.

And Im Jae-joon, who had clawed his way up from the bottom and ran the company with meticulous precision.

Furthermore, Im Jae-joon’s respectful and approachable attitude had moved the vassals.

Of course, they had already done the calculations. They had determined which side would be more profitable for them.

Im Jae-joon had become the true power within the group.

He couldn’t swallow everything whole, but by forming an alliance with Im Hyo-jin, he had divided and devoured what belonged to the eldest son.

“You… you bastard. Are you trying to rebel against Father? Huh?”

“Anyone hearing you would think I was given a fair chance.”

In reality, Im Jae-joon had been nothing more than a hunting dog for Im Jae-ho.

“Hah. Fine, whatever. Let’s see what you report to Father later. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled with a dog that bites its master.”

“I’m curious about that myself.”

“What?”

Im Jae-ho retorted, dumbfounded by Im Jae-joon’s words.

Although he had backstabbed them with a surprise move at the shareholders’ meeting, everything in the Hanul Group was still controlled by Im Jae-yong.

Taking over a few representative positions in Hanul’s affiliates wouldn’t even scratch him.

Im Jae-ho could only think that Im Jae-joon had gone mad.

It was an act he himself could never have imagined.

Im Jae-ho suddenly felt a vibration and picked up his phone.

A vile smile spread across Im Jae-ho’s lips as he read the message.

“Heh, heheh. Hey, Father is coming.”

“Is he?”

Im Jae-joon gave a bitter smile.

It was as expected, anyway. It wouldn’t be Im Jae-yong if he just stood by.

He was probably coming to sort out this chaotic situation.

“I’m busy.”

“Busy? This bastard is really going off the rails. Wait, I said he’s coming soon.”

Im Jae-joon tried to ignore him and leave, but the bodyguards at the door had already been replaced with unfamiliar faces.

It didn’t matter anyway.

No matter what anyone said or how they threatened him, he had no intention of backing down.

His father, Im Jae-yong, would pressure him to resolve the current situation, to give up.

All the shareholders left, leaving only Im Jae-ho and Im Jae-joon in the spacious hall.

Under iron-clad security, the space became one from which not even a mouse could escape.

“When Father arrives, get on your knees and beg. That’s my advice to you as your older brother.”

“Well, I’m not sure why I should do that…”

“Hey, you don’t seem to know Father very well…”

“No. I know him very well.”

Im Jae-yong the Tiger was known as a magnanimous man with great business acumen, but the inside story was different.

To get what he wanted, he wouldn’t shy away from any means, be it violence or threats.

“You don’t seem to grasp the situation. You might not leave here today.”

The bodyguards currently blocking Im Jae-joon’s escape were his father Im Jae-yong’s personal security.

These were no ordinary civilians.

“It’d be fortunate if only you died. You have to think about your mother, too.”

“What…?”

Im Jae-joon’s brow furrowed.

“I hear you two are meeting again these days? Father’s private guards. They’re not normal people. They’re crazy bastards who have even killed people. Ooh, so scary.”

Im Jae-ho whispered as if toying with Im Jae-joon.

Then, he showed him another text message he had just received.

[Oh Mi-ja has just entered the house.]

“They say you’re a devoted son. The guys tailing you said so. How dare you raise your hand to your fath—!”

In that moment, Im Jae-ho felt a flash before his eyes.

*Thwack!*

Im Jae-ho, who had rolled several times across the floor, trembled as he looked around, unable to grasp the situation.

“…!”

Im Jae-ho identified who had hit him.

It was Im Jae-joon.

“Th-th-this bastard, are you crazy?”

“You’ve crossed the line.”

In that instant, Im Jae-ho doubted his own eyes.

He saw the pupils of Im Jae-joon, who was unclasping his wristwatch, narrow into vertical slits.