Chapter 2: Mage (1)
Jin-woo walked from the vicinity of the Magic Association Headquarters to the outskirts. Gradually, the restaurants disappeared, and people became scarce. This area was designated as a special residential district 70 years ago when the Magic Association Headquarters was established.
Despite being located in central Seoul, it was extremely underdeveloped. Right next to it was a forest of skyscrapers, but turning your head, you would see dusty land filled with old and run-down buildings.
Orc Street, or Beast Mountain.
That’s what people called this place. It was a place ordinary people didn’t approach, and even the police officers affiliated with the Magic Association avoided it.
It had become a slum and was extremely dangerous.
Jin-woo spotted groups of orcs roaming around.
They were a race with an average height of over 2 meters, muscular large builds, and grayish skin.
Demolition was scheduled, but it was put on hold due to fierce resistance from the orcs.
‘The reason for the bad relationship with orcs…’
It was probably because of that.
It was valuable land in Seoul, so there were various conflicts of interest. Even though it looked like a brutal crime area, it had its uses. Rare items that couldn’t be obtained in the city and illegal items could also be acquired here.
That wasn’t the reason he had personally come to this place.
As Jin-woo entered the entrance of Orc Street, the orcs looked at him. Most of them were wearing t-shirts or sleeveless shirts, which looked tight due to their muscles.
Their strong-looking thick jaws, deep-set eyes, and the fangs that showed whenever they smiled gave off a fierce impression. Female orcs had relatively soft features, giving off the impression of a big sister, but the males exuded an overwhelming presence.
Groups of orcs started following Jin-woo from behind.
‘It seems they’re still managing it properly.’
The street had an old feeling to it but wasn’t dirty. Jin-woo looked around, scanning the buildings.
‘Here it is.’
His gaze fixed on a building located a little way in from the entrance. It was a wooden building with a tin roof. Still, thanks to the paint job, the exterior looked decent.
‘Gebock’s Traditional Restaurant.’
That was the sign hanging on it.
The sign wasn’t modern. It was a handmade sign. It was the pride of orcs and a traditional way of expressing themselves.
Creak!
As he opened the door and entered the restaurant, the bustling noise disappeared as if a mouse had died. The orcs who were eating and chugging beer all looked at him.
Surely, no human would willingly enter this place on their own.
The kitchen was completely open, and there was a table where one could sit in front of it. When Jin-woo sat there, the chef who was grilling meat glared at him, and the seated orcs slowly stood up.
“Human, and a young one at that. What business do you have? Did you come to die?”
Jin-woo looked at the chef.
One-armed orc Gebock.
A veteran warrior and a comrade who had struggled with him before the destruction.
It was a young Gebock, not the wrinkled and aged appearance.
[The sign looks really nice. Did you draw it with your feet?]
“…What?”
It was a language different from Korean.
Gebock slightly tilted his head and looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. The orcs behind him were the same.
“Ha, hahaha!”
“Kahahaha! Did you see that guy talking?”
“A human is imitating orcs! What a weirdo!”
It became noisy.
Gebock shook his head and placed a large glass in front of him.
“Where did you learn orc language?”
“I had a close friend.”
“…Your close friend must have wanted to screw you over. You would have your throat slit if you did that elsewhere.”
“They said it was a compliment. That they would definitely welcome me.”
“I’m the owner here, so I’m letting it slide.”
Jin-woo chuckled.
“That’s enough. That’s…”
Gebock brought a keg of beer.
It was the beer he had brewed himself.
“Ah, I’m a minor. Do you have cola? Zero cola.”
“…You’re a picky one.”
When Gebock looked to the side, a slightly younger-looking orc took out a cola from the fridge.
It was Gebock’s son.
Jin-woo had heard a lot about his son from Gebock.
“Well, fearless brat, what will you eat?”
“For now, red antler deer steak. Make it the old-fashioned way, please.”
“My, my… A brat who knows how to eat. It’s quite expensive, are you sure?”
“Do you take cards?”
“Of course. This is the only legal restaurant in Area A.”
When Jin-woo smiled slightly and nodded, Gebock shook his head, let out a hollow laugh, and immediately started cooking. Jin-woo rested his chin on his hand and looked at Gebock’s back.
‘I was a chef. I grilled meat exceptionally well. Hahaha! Until I became one-armed, that is!’
‘An old man who can’t even fend for himself talks big. I’ve heard that story at least 100 times already.’
‘Kuh! I wanted to grill meat for you, but it’s a shame! If there’s an afterlife, come find me. I’ll probably be cooking there too.’
‘Afterlife, my ass. When you die, it’s the end. The end, just like this messed-up world! When the brain dies, memories and the self all disappear. Soul? That hasn’t been proven.’
‘Have some hope! Mr. Archmage. Even if I lose my memories like you said, I’ll be holding a frying pan?’
‘…How do I find you?’
‘Haha! There’s a secret code known only to orcs. I’ll specially tell you.’
‘No, even if you tell me the secret code, I’ll forget that too, right? I’ll forget your old face from the beginning.’
‘That’s a bit sad. It seems too sad. Well, you’re an Archmage, so figure it out somehow.’
Jin-woo chuckled.
What secret code? He had heard Gebock’s cooking stories until his ears developed calluses. If it didn’t taste good, he planned to complain fiercely.
It was unfair that he had listened to it so many times.
The meat came piled up like a mountain on a large plate that looked like a washbasin. Some kind of sauce was sprinkled on it, and when he smelled it, a spicy aroma pierced his nose.
“Just like the old way.”
Gebock said that and crossed his arms. It was as if he was telling him to try eating it if he dared. The surrounding orcs also looked on with curious gazes.
Jin-woo didn’t hesitate.
He stabbed the meat with a large fork and shoved it into his mouth.
Chomp chomp!
The soft taste of meat was felt along with the pungent sauce filling his mouth. The sauce made him feel the inherent flavor of the meat even more. The doneness of the meat was also remarkably excellent.
It was a flavor that people either loved or hated, but Jin-woo liked it very much. During the days when he only ate rubber-like meat, he finally understood how much Gebock had wanted to cook for him.
He had never tasted it before, but for some reason, he thought it was a nostalgic flavor. Yeah, it was probably because he had heard the explanation more than 100 times.
Memories were recreated.
“One thing was right. The soul definitely exists.”
Hope also existed.
As Gebock said, he could have hope.
Jin-woo quickly inhaled the meat.
Gebock chuckled as he watched Jin-woo eat so well. The orcs watching from the surroundings also burst into laughter. Their low laughter sounded like a beast growling, but it didn’t feel threatening.
“Haha! The human brat eats well.”
“Look at that. He really knows how to eat.”
Just as the atmosphere was becoming warm,
Bang! Crash!
The restaurant door opened forcefully with a loud noise.
A vase by the window fell to the floor and shattered. The surrounding orcs flinched and swallowed their saliva.
The bustling atmosphere instantly subsided.
A group of orcs entered the restaurant. They were wearing hoods with skull patterns.
They spat on the surroundings and kicked the chairs with their feet. Gebock frowned and glared at them.
“Who said you could run a business as you please? You have to pay back the money first.”
“…Garek, I’ve told you countless times. I have no money to give to the likes of you.”
“If you have no intention of paying the protection fee for 2 years, shut down your business. You know this is illegal, right?”
“It’s a legally registered restaurant. The illegal ones would be you guys.”
When Gebock spoke in a growling manner, the orcs sitting at the table stood up. The group of orcs wearing hoods sneered at them and took out large blades.
“You bastards, get lost!”
Gebock’s son rushed forward with a bat. The largest orc among the hooded ones easily deflected the bat and grabbed his neck.
“Havoc! Garek, let go of my son.”
“With just words?”
“…I’ll pay the protection fee. By tomorrow.”
“How can I trust you? Leave your right arm in the orc way.”
Havoc, Gebock’s son, shook his head while being choked. The surrounding orcs emitted a menacing aura, but,
“What are you glaring at? Don’t you know who our big brother is? When Lord Gentak comes, you’ll all turn into jerky.”
Gebock took out a knife. He placed his right arm on the table and grabbed the knife tightly with his left hand. Garek grinned and looked at him as if telling him to go ahead and do it.
If it were the strength of the Gebock in my memories, he would have quickly dealt with those punks, but the current Gebock was just a chef slightly stronger than an ordinary orc.
It was because Gebock started training after giving up cooking and losing his son and arm. He had great talent, but I didn’t ask how he took revenge. The countless scars on his face and body told that story for him.
“Father! Ugh!”
“Son? Watch closely. I’m cutting it off for your sake.”
Garek turned Havoc’s face towards Gebock and said that.
Just as Gebock was about to cut off his arm,
“Kuh!”
Thud!
Jin-woo gulped down the zero cola in one shot and put down the glass. Then, Garek’s group and everyone else looked at Jin-woo.
“Mr. Gebock, how much is it?”
“…What are you…”
“How much is it?”
Screech!
Jin-woo stood up from his seat.
Seeing Jin-woo say such a thing in this atmosphere, Gebock’s expression became slightly dazed.
“The price of the food? Just go. You’re an unrelated human…”
“No.”
Jin-woo took out a card from his wallet.
A black card with gold inlaid. It was a card with no limit.
The kind of card where if you didn’t spend a few hundred million won per month, they would think it was a stolen card and start an investigation.
Jin-woo placed the card on the table.
“Not the price of the food, but the price of this building.”
“What?”
Gebock’s expression turned blank.
Jin-woo chuckled at the sight. To think that the seasoned Gebock would make such an expression, it was quite a thing to see after living long.
Fortunately, he was able to arrive at the right time.
Gebock always engraved dates on the necklace he wore.
The date he lost his arm.
And the date he lost his son.
‘Archmage, don’t make that face. I’m happy to be able to go see my son.’
Jin-woo straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and turned around.
Garek looked at Jin-woo with a dumbfounded expression. As Jin-woo walked towards him, the orcs behind Garek came forward and blocked Jin-woo.
“Has the human brat gone crazy?”
“Shall we smash his head?”
“Have you lost your mind? Do you know where this is? There are no police here. Even if you cry and beg, even your mother won’t come.”
One of the orcs pointed a huge knife at Jin-woo’s neck.
Jin-woo reached out and grabbed the orc’s wrist.
Orcs were a race born with strong physiques.
Their strength was several times that of humans, and their skin was tough, making it difficult for blades to penetrate. There were even orcs who could continue fighting after being hit by dozens of bullets.
Orcs were mostly rough and stubborn. They had a strong tribal society tendency, so they couldn’t easily blend into the social system.
The news of an orc nearly beating his superior to death at work had become a social issue. Disrespecting an orc’s family was like risking one’s life to challenge them.
It was a cultural difference that had not been resolved for decades.
An orc could tear a human apart with their bare hands. The explosive strength emanating from their over 2-meter tall physique was another reason why humans avoided them.
Jin-woo’s mana was low. Compared to before, it wasn’t even a drop in the bucket. However, it didn’t matter. He had rarely fought in a fully prepared state.
He always struggled while using not only mana but also his life force in a state of extreme injury.
Compared to that, it was too comfortable now.
“Ha, what the hell is this…”
The orc whose wrist was grabbed by Jin-woo tried to pull his arm away while scoffing. But it didn’t budge at all. The subtle mana flowing through Jin-woo’s arm drew a blue magic circle on his skin.
It was a small amount of mana that 9th-grade mages would use, but when Jin-woo used it, it could produce a completely different level of power.
“Uh, uh… Ugh?!”
The orc’s vision was instantly flipped.
It was because Jin-woo lightly threw the orc to the side. The massive body of the orc flew sideways and,
Boom!
It smashed through the wooden wall and crashed.
“Wha-what?!”
“Crazy…”
“A-a martial artist? Is he a martial artist?”
It was an unbelievable sight.
The human who still looked young had sent an orc flying. There weren’t many humans who could exert such strength. It didn’t make sense unless he was a martial artist.
“An Archmage.”
