Squirm!
It wasn’t just an aura of ink but actual ink.
The ink merged in the air and soon reincarnated into a fierce tiger.
“Growl…”
The ink-made tiger growled low at Park Jinsung, stepped on the feast spread, and smashed it, then thrust its large head toward him.
“Aargh!”
The tiger was a kind of summon created from the Edeya of an old man. It originated from a drawing the old man had once made, and the sketchpad placed under a cushion was the source of the tiger.
Park Jinsung kept tearing into his meal, regardless of whether the tiger glared or gnawed.
“Yum yum. You shouldn’t step on food, man. Yum yum.”
‘Hmm. Look at this? He did put quite an effort into making it, after all.’
The old man stroked his chin, seemingly amused by Park Jinsung’s carefree demeanor.
“Ah, dear cat, does eating drive you mad?”
“Growl?”
“Are you not going to come down from there? You’re splashing ink.”
“Aargh!”
Thump!
The tiger placed its front paw on Park Jinsung’s shoulder.
“So you dare to put your foot on me now?! Want to die, man?!”
Whoosh!
Park Jinsung summoned a dagger and stabbed the remaining paw of the tiger. It was done so naturally that it looked as though the dagger had always been there.
“Grunt?!”
“Stay quiet!”
“Groarrrr!”
As Park Jinsung did not remove the dagger but instead shook it, ink splattered all over the walls. The tiger, in unexpected pain, swung wildly as Park Jinsung manipulated it.
“Oh, roar!”
Unable to bear it any longer, the tiger shed tears and opened its mouth wide. However,
“What are you doing…?”
The murderous aura enveloping Park Jinsung pushed it to shut its mouth instead.
Csik!
Park Jinsung unleashed the murderous intent he had been suppressing all this time.
The corners of his mouth lifted naturally, and all the muscles and veins in his right arm expanded.
“Ah…hah.”
Both eyes started to emit a bloody red glow, and a hot sigh lingered around Park Jinsung’s mouth.
‘…Does such a young one emit such a thick scent of blood?’
Though the murderous intent stayed only in his right arm and eyes, the entire tiled house was eroded by a dark murderous aura.
“Dear cat… You’re coming down now, right?”
Park Jinsung pulled the dagger out of the tiger’s paw.
“Hii, hiinnn.”
The tiger made a sound akin to that of a puppy and hurriedly retreated under the feast table.
‘The great tiger is scared? I drew him to be unyielding.’
“Grandfather, are you alright?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“I’m known to be a bit sticky, you see.”
“You have an uncharacteristic vigor for your age, but did you really think that would scare me?”
“Heh. Indeed.”
Park Jinsung also felt a sense of awe looking at the unchanging expression of the old man.
Despite exuding an aura that screamed danger, the old man didn’t just pinch his nose; he seemed to be assessing the intensity of the scent.
‘This young one is quite something.’
The old man had lived a life more steeped in blood than Fetch or Park Jinsung. It wasn’t the first time he had faced such murderous intent head-on.
‘Heh. My apologies.’
Park Jinsung furrowed his brows, trying to glimpse the old man’s Edeya.
[Art Gains Flesh]
World Spirit Class System: A+
The owner can summon things he has personally painted with a brush.
The more elaborate the artwork, the more meaning the owner imparts to it, the more powerful the summoned creature becomes.
However, inanimate objects cannot be summoned.
Overall Combat Ability: A++
The old man was at the pinnacle of the traditional Korean arts.
Although he was not a goblin, thus not at the zenith of brush skills, he had reached a level that could already be called a living legend.
Many abroad recognized the old man’s skill with the brush. In fact, his works were soon to be used as a basis for a new edition of art textbooks.
“…Why are you staring so intensely?”
Master of ink wash painting.
If it weren’t for White Goblin Kim, the old man would have been invited to the Maestri as well.
Park Jinsung was slightly confused by the old man’s excellent Edeya.
‘To use such a fine Edeya for combat… Is there really a need to use heartfelt works for combat purposes?’
“Foolish boy. Your expression gives away exactly what you’re thinking.”
“……”
The old man continued speaking while petting the whimpering great tiger.
“White Goblin Kim has the duty to create a stronger goblin. I might not be a goblin since I am a male, but as the head of the family, I have steadfastly achieved what I have as such.”
The Edeya of the White Goblin manifests in only one female per generation, exclusively through daughters.
“…Grandfather, you do cherish Corporal Kim Seyun, right?”
“Have you taken my temper lightly? No need to say it twice.”
“Then, what’s more precious to you, your granddaughter or a legendary goblin?”
“Young one, you do have a sharp tongue.”
The old man’s hand trembled briefly.
“I have no right to interfere in another family’s affairs, but since I’ve been invited here, I really wanted to ask. If Corporal Kim Seyun had not harbored a goblin related to the sword… would she still have received your love as just an ordinary Kim Seyun?”
Crack!
Park Jinsung gripped his dagger without realizing it.
The White Goblin Kim family is a group that uses the entire family lineage to achieve the existence of a peculiar being known as a goblin. The madness accumulated over generations is something no ordinary person could understand.
It’s unimaginable how desperately they must have awaited the existence called Kim Seyun.
‘But this isn’t right.’
Park Jinsung, having barely any memories of his parents and having suffered abuse for so long, was ignorant of familial affection.
‘Something’s off.’
But he realized that the old man’s words were profoundly twisted.
Kim Seyun should come first, not the powers she possesses.
‘If she wasn’t an extraordinary goblin, would it have been alright for her to die to Pest? Or are you saying that since she’s meant to be the best, she should easily overcome even death?’
Though it might be a bit of a stretch, to Park Jinsung, it felt that heavy.
‘Sigh. White Goblin Kim too had a tough life. Just having money can never be equated to happiness.’
Has the whole family been watching her every move since she was a child?
And in reality, wasn’t it that they weren’t looking out for her but cherishing only the power within her?
How suffocating her life must have been up until now.
Zap!
A very subtle wave of murderous intent formed in response to Park Jinsung’s emotions.
“Ah, roar!”
“Be quiet, man. Just because you’re in Grandfather’s hand doesn’t mean I can’t hit you.”
“Yi, yip.”
Though artificial, the creature reacted to the murderous intent, being a spiritual being after all.
“I now understand very well what you think of Corporal Kim Seyun, Grandfather. You don’t love your granddaughter; you love the goblin she harbors.”
“That’s quite an enjoyable assertion. Are you challenging me to a match?”
“One match or three, I’m fine with either.”
Park Jinsung lifted the corner of his mouth, causing the tiger to hide behind the grandfather unnecessarily.
“I like your spirit.”
“But before that, I have one more question.”
“Proceed.”
“Why did you bring Fetch to Korea? And why would Fetch, a Slovakian, obey you?”
“Heh heh. You said just one, but that’s a tough one.”
Snap!
The old man pulled out a sketchpad from under the cushion and stuck it to the great tiger’s head.
“Growl!”
The sketchpad, not even covering half of the tiger’s head, absorbed all of its great roars. A tiger with a hole in its front paw was drawn on the now empty sketchpad.
“There are many other works, would you like to see some?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“It’s not about obedience. All I did was show Fetch a video of Seyun and told him to marry her. But even that was entirely up to Fetch’s heart.”
“That sounds like… you are not satisfied with Corporal Kim Seyun’s Edeya…”
Park Jinsung caught himself before he could finish his thought.
Suddenly, a highly plausible theory popped into Park Jinsung’s mind.
Fetch’s absolute talent.
[Caladbolg, Absolute Talent]
It swallows the Edeya of the target and refines and develops it into something of its own.
First, by allowing Fetch to consume Kim Seyun’s White Goblin, the first male White Goblin trait could be created.
Since Calabolg further develops the Edeya to suit itself, it would result in a goblin superior to Kim Seyun.
‘Could it be that Fetch agreed to consume it…’
Although it would involve mixing different bloodlines, this could lead to the first-ever combination between a goblin and a non-goblin in the family.
‘…’
There’s no rule that says a goblin must emerge directly from Kim Seyun’s generation. However, the attempt itself would be something the family could anticipate.
Kim Seyun, a legendary goblin,
Fetch, the first male goblin,
And their child together.
Although parents’ Edeyas do not directly affect their children’s, the combination is inevitably intriguing.
If one must have a child, isn’t it better to do so with someone strong, to create even a chance where there was none before?
“However, I believe my granddaughter will become so strong that Fetch will not be able to contain her. Not relying on Fetch’s hand would be the best scenario.”
“…How long are you planning to wait? Is there a time limit?”
“You are quite sharp. Yes, there is. Hmm, around the time she is in her third year of high school. If she has not reached the state I desire by the time she finishes her service, then… that’s when I’ll let Fetch consume Seyun’s goblin.”
‘…No wonder deputy dislikes going home.’
In this day and age, I hadn’t expected such a system like a dowry to still exist, especially not in such an extraordinary form.
“So that’s why you were so furious about the Aura Plate.”
“A sword meant to protect others will certainly not reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. The members of the White Goblin Kim family must strive to be the best in their field, even if it is not the path they wished for.”
“It should be about what Corporal Kim Seyun wants to be the best at.”
“Seyun was born with a talent for the sword.”
“You sound similar to Fetch.”
“Fetch realized what our family wanted as soon as he saw the video. Even what he needed to do. Ha-ha. No doubt, he fell for Seyun, what else.”
The old man hoped that Kim Seyun would become the pinnacle of swordsmanship, transcending East and West. Even without Fetch consuming the goblin, simply being together would create good synergy.
“Ah, it seems it’s impossible to persuade the family members, so I’ll have to try persuading deputy.”
Doing what one wants is the best after all.
“Your enthusiasm is quite interesting, making this conversation longer than expected. Ultimately, what I want to say is simple.”
“What is it?”
“Stay away from Seyun. You are of no use to our family.”
“Hmph! I don’t even want to be of use, you know?!”
Park Jinsung mockingly mimicked Kim Seyun’s snobbish tone.
The old man had not neglected to investigate Park Jinsung’s background.
He had encountered various incidents in his youth, and his combat abilities had surged recently, making his true identity elusive.
‘Origin, abilities, Edeyas—all unclear, this young brat…!’
Especially, of course, his D-grade Edeya was the most concerning.
‘Hmph. I can clearly see what grandfather is thinking.’
After becoming famous following the battle with the 998th Brigade, Park Jinsung had been repeatedly forced to undergo Edeya assessment tests.
He wasn’t completely in control of his murderous intent, and he hated bothersome tasks, so he had just shown a dagger and dismissed it.
‘Hehe. It’s a bit troublesome now.’
It would be quite a chaotic life if it were known that an eighteen-year-old had an uncontrollable S-grade Edeya.
If it became known that he was harmful to people, he might suddenly be taken away somewhere.
The old man stared at Park Jinsung and let out a slight sigh.
‘Haaa. The vigor he’s showing now must be the Edeya he has been hiding all along. Indeed, he’s not suitable for Seyun.’
Like Ahn Sungho.
While Park Jinsung might stand out now, the old man judged that he would have limitations in the future.
“Your name is Jinsung, right? I promise to support all your living conditions on the condition that you stay away from Seyun…”
Thuddddd!!
Before the old man could continue, an enormous noise struck the tiled house.
“Grandfather grandfather grandfather!! Why am I paired with that sleazy guy on patrol duty?!”
Leave a Reply