Cheon Woo-Seong was the son of Cheon Do-Yoon, the King of Owls and the leader of the Owl faction within the Black Star Society. He was also the little rat who had infiltrated the association.
Even Kwon Oh-Jin couldn’t help but admire how strikingly handsome he was in person. Cheon Woo-Seong exuded a spruce, refreshing charm as he smiled warmly and extended his hand.
“You’re pretty young for a board member,” Kwon Oh-Jin remarked.
“Haha! I’ve been blessed with many supporters. It’s truly an honor, and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for it.”
Honor, my ass, Kwon Oh-Jin thought. He wormed his way into the position through tricks and threats. Well, I guess talking the talk is a skill in itself.
“So, what brings you to the association?” Cheon Woo-Seong asked, scanning Kwon Oh-Jin with narrowed eyes.
“I’m preparing for an upcoming trip out of Korea. I wanted to run my schedule by the division head.”
Of course, he had no actual plans to leave Korea, but there was something he needed to verify.
“Hmm. Are you heading to Italy again?” Cheon Woo-Seong asked.
So, he knew about my trip to Italy.
“Haha, Miss Isabella has invited me.”
“The Saintess of Rome invited you? I’m jealous.” Cheon Woo-Seong cunningly shrugged.
“Luckily, Miss Isabellalikes me a lot.”
Cheon Woo-Seong flinched, and his shoulders trembled subtly. “Is that so?”
Nice. He really is wary of her. It would’ve been weirder if he wasn’t.
He recalled the image of Isabella licking blood off her lips with a chilling smile. She could annihilate hundreds of Awakeners with a mere gesture and was ruthless at taking care of any threats. Since Cheon Woo-Seong's attempt to use the Marco Family against her had failed, he was likely in a state of constant unease.
In these circumstances, he wouldn’t dare make a move against someone she favors.The mere possibility chains him down, and it’s not entirely false either.
However, Cheon Woo-Seong quickly resumed his bright demeanor. “Well, I hope you continue to build a good relationship with her. Having connections with world-famous figures like the Saintess of Rome would definitely benefit the association as well.
As he enthusiastically shook Kwon Oh-Jin’s hand, his gaze shifted toward Song Ha-Eun “By the way, who is the lady behind—”
His eyes suddenly widened in shock, and he staggered backward.
Kwon Oh-Jin wondered what was wrong with him. Why's he so startled upon seeing Ha-Eun?
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“O-Oh... Haha. No, nothing at all. I was just struck by how beautiful she is.”
Kwon Oh-Jin could sense that he was lying despite his awkward, flimsy excuse.
There has to be something else. What could it be?
Song Ha-Eun frowned. “I don’t have any interest in you, so why don’t you mind your own business?”
With a professional smile, he handed over his business card. “If you ever need my assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Kwon Oh-Jin nodded and accepted the card. “Of course.”
“Well then, I hope you both have a wonderful day,” Cheon Woo-Seong conveyed, then walked away.
Song Ha-Eun squinted at his retreating figure. “Hmm. So that guy’s the spy from the Black Star Society? It's hard to believe someone who looks that normal and organized could be part of such a crazy group.”
“He’s rotten to the core. Don’t even think about giving him any attention,” Kwon Oh-Jin said. His voice came out rougher than intended since Cheon Woo-Seong’s interest in her had annoyed him.
“Wait a second. Are you jealous, Oh-Jin?” Song Ha-Eun grinned mischievously, jabbing his side. “You little cutie.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Pfft! How will you ever survive without me around, you cutie patootie?”
Kwon Oh-Jin paused, wanting to tell her she was misunderstanding. Seeing how much she was enjoying herself, he hesitated to correct her.
Her eyes suddenly turned sharp as she crossed her arms. “Anyway, Isabella's that Saintess of Rome, right? How do you know her?”
“We crossed paths briefly on my previous mission. Remember when we took down that Hydra? She said she saw me on the livestream.”
“And what about you being close to her?”
“That was obviously a lie. We barely even talked.”
“Hmm.” She shot him a suspicious glance before nodding slowly. “Well, either way, we’ll have to fight that guy eventually, won’t we?”
Since the Black Star Society was becoming increasingly active, “eventually” would probably be inaccurate.
Although only a select few know about them now, it won't take long for them to be well-known in Korea.
Kwon Oh-Jin’s lips curled into a sly smile. No, try hiding all you want. You can even run, but I’ll grab you by the hair and pull you out myself. And then, I'll grind all you cockroaches into dust.
He couldn't absorb the Stigmas of the Marco Family because Isabella was present, but things would be different this time around. He would consume every last trace of the Black Star Society's Stigmas, mana, and Astral Relics—everything they had built up through their desperate struggles in the Demonic District.
They're building a center to protect non-Awakeners, right? So what?
Perhaps, to the powerless, the Black Star Society appeared as heroes who protected the weak and challenged the strong, but it wouldn't matter. What meaning would their supposed salvation hold?
He looked at Song Ha-Eun with sunken eyes. She laughed like everything was fine, but her hands trembled faintly. He gently clasped one of them.
“Huh? W-What are you doing?” Her cheeks turned bright red as she shyly looked away.
If it's to protect her... If it's to hold onto this warmth, I don't need anything else. It doesn't matter how much of the powerless mass suffers.
If it meant protecting her, he would crush tens of thousands of lives with a smile. That was how he had lived so far, and it was the only way he knew to keep living.
“Oh-Jin?” she anxiously called.
“Don’t worry. You won’t have to fight that guy.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve got a trump card ready for him. All you have to do is stay put.”
Frankly, he didn't have one, but he would create whatever was necessary.
She clicked her tongue. “I was wondering what you were going to say.”
Pouting, she wrapped her arms around his. A soft, warm sensation pressed against him.
“Don’t you know I’m waaay stronger than you for now?" she teased. "I hit eight stars, remember?”
“Pfft. Yeah, I know.”
She proudly continued, “You’re the one who should stay put. I’ll protect you.”
“Oh, I see how it is! You don’t trust me, is that it? Wanna spar in the training room?”
“Let’s grab lunch first," he replied. "I’m hungry.”
“Ooh, good idea! What do you want to eat? I’ll treat you to celebrate my new job!”
She gripped his arm tighter with a wide grin.
He smiled faintly as she dragged him along into the elevator.
In the association's boardroom, Cheon Woo-Seong sat in a luxurious chair as he spoke over the phone.
“Yes, I’ve found it, Father!”
A sly laugh echoed from the other end of the phone.
—Hahaha. Who would’ve thought someone with the Dragon Eye would be hiding in such a place? This will allow us to speed up our plan.
“Hehe! I’ve already made all the preparations!” Cheon Woo-Seong exclaimed. His voice wavered with excitement like a child ready to celebrate their birthday. His gentle image was washed away, leaving only a boy wearing the mask of an adult.
—You’ve been waiting quite a while, haven’t you?
“You know very well how desperately, Father!”
—Of course. How could I not understand how you feel?
The elderly voice softened as it continued.
—Good. Execute the plan immediately.
“Yes, Father!” Cheon Woo-Seong nodded enthusiastically. “Ah... taking care of the Weaver's apostle right now might be difficult.”
—Hmm. And why is that?
“It seems the Leech Queen has taken an interest in him.”
The mention of the Leech Queen brought forth a heavy silence on the other end of the line.
—Hahaha... She's one we must be wary of.
The elder’s tone suddenly turned eerie.
—However, if he poses any sort of threat to the plan, do not hesitate to take care of him.
“I understand!” Cheon Woo-Seong saluted.
The old man chuckled, seemingly pleased.
—You haven’t forgotten what happened to your mother, have you?
Cheon Woo-Seong flinched. His bright, youthful expression suddenly turned cold and dark as he gritted his teeth, seething hatred flickering in his eyes.
“Of course not. I haven’t forgotten, not even for a second since that day.”
Dark mana surged around his tightly clenched fist.
“For the will of the Black Stars.”
—For the will of the Black Stars.
The call ended, and the room fell silent.
“Owls,” Cheon Woo-Seong called out.
Black feathers swirled through the air, materializing robed figures in the room.
He continued, “Begin the operation immediately.”
One of the robed men hesitated, looking up at the King of Owls with wavering eyes.
“But if we proceed now... many non-Awakeners will—”
“It can’t be helped.”
Cheon Woo-Seong's cold and firm voice sliced through the air like a blade. He slowly stepped forward toward the man.
With every step, black mana rippled out from his feet and filled the room.
The man trembled under the suffocating pressure, clutching his throat in vain.
“This is a noble sacrifice to follow the will of the Black Stars.”
“Surely... you haven’t forgotten the will of the Black Stars, have you?” Cheon Woo-Seong’s eyes gleamed coldly.
The man’s face turned pale.
“Are you not going to answer me?” Cheon Woo-Seong's expression twisted.
A long spear pierced through the man’s stomach.
“Haha. There’s no need to wait for a derelict's response, Mr. Woo-Seong.”
The one who had impaled him with a black spear was a robed, middle-aged man with a long scar running down his right eye. Park Geon-Woo, a high-ranking executive of the Black Star Society, was Cheon Woo-Seong’s trusted right-hand man.
Cheon Woo-Seong smiled brightly and gave him a thumbs-up. “Good job, Geon-Woo!”
“Haha. Those who doubt the will of the Black Stars cannot be allowed to live,” Park Geon-Woo replied.
Cheon Woo-Seong chuckled and nodded. “There’s really no one else like you, Geon-Woo.”
Park Geon-Woo deftly and gracefully flicked the blood off his spear, then got down on one knee. “Mr. Woo-Seong, I will personally oversee the success of this operation.”
“Ah, if it’s you, I can rest easy. I’ll leave it to you.”
“Thank you! Then, I will initiate the plan immediately!”
Park Geon-Woo stood upright and suddenly vanished into thin air, along with the lifeless corpse beside him.
Following Park Geon-Woo's lead, the other owls disappeared one by one.
Cheon Woo-Seong gazed out at the streets of Seoul below the association building and brightly smiled. “Now then... this is just the beginning.”
At last, the day when he could finally take revenge on the Awakeners he so deeply despised was nearly here.
He spread his arms wide, lifting his head high, and reached out toward the blue sky. “Mom... you're watching, right?”
A wistful smile appeared on his lips.
The tender smile was quickly replaced by a twisted grin full of hatred. The boy hidden within the shell of a gentleman stared at the gray streets below.
“I’ll make sure... to get revenge.”