Chapter 39

Chapter 39
A-class fighter Balam.

In the hierarchy of fighters from F-class to A-class, he was ranked near the apex in terms of sheer fighting prowess.

It had been a routine day for him, unwinding with a drink at his favorite pub since no duel was on his schedule.

That was when a nobleman came into his view.

The noble, adorned in lavish attire that openly displayed his riches, was clearly new to the city.

Predictably, he was cornered by Adigo and his crew. Adigo, an A-class fighter of a superior rank.

Even then, it felt like a normal occurrence. Balam had witnessed Adigo shake down merchants or nobles who strayed into the colony on multiple occasions.

“Look at those expensive clothes. What a score.”
“We’re going to get a nice payout from this one.”

The fighters near Balam talked idly as they observed the nobleman encircled by Adigo’s gang. No one in the pub or the neighboring stores had any desire to intervene. Even though another A-class fighter was present, they just watched Adigo’s robbery with apathetic, lazy eyes, making no move to stop it.

This was to be expected. There was no benefit in aiding that noble. Even if the noble promised immediate compensation for help, no fighter would step in. Nobody was foolish enough to oppose Adigo’s gang, or more accurately, the monster Malian, who supported Adigo.

The fighters were aware that Adigo’s boldness stemmed from his connection to Malian, the monstrous Babayaga, so they all drank their beer quietly, treating the scene as a form of amusement.

Then, the moment Adigo lightly slapped the nobleman’s head—

Boom!

Something unbelievable occurred.

“Start talking.”

A sudden arrival. One of the four Babayagas residing in the colony.

“Hey.”

The air itself seemed to fracture with electric tension as Seolrang, the Golden Flash, materialized. Lightning, her trademark, danced around her form.

“Which idiot…?”

Adigo, who had been thrown into a wall, got to his feet with a show of confidence but was left disoriented by Seolrang’s abrupt appearance.

“S-Seolrang?”

He muttered in disbelief, as if unable to process what was happening, even though he knew who stood before him.

But—

“What did you do to my Master?”

At Seolrang’s next words, Adigo’s face transformed from bewilderment to pure horror.

“Aaaagh!?”

Before he could respond, Seolrang seized his head and drove it into the ground.

Crack!

The fighters heard the sickening sound echo in their ears.

But it didn’t stop there. With an icy demeanor, Seolrang took hold of Adigo’s leg and tossed him aside.

Crash!

Adigo was flung into the pub. As he struggled to rise, he attempted to speak.

“W-Wait, I didn’t reali—”

Crack!

Seolrang grabbed his head once more and slammed it into the counter.

“For real!”

Again.

“Aaagh!”

And again.

“If you keep this up, my boss will—”

Again.

“P-Please, have mer—”

Crack!

Silence fell.

All the fighters looked on, their mouths closed, staring at the destroyed pub. Even the owner, who should have been furious about the wreckage, stood trembling, holding his breath in fear. A customer, seated at a broken table, remained motionless, clutching a heavy beer mug.

And then—

Thud!

Seolrang, now splattered with blood, finally released Adigo’s head with an air of complete disinterest. In that moment, every fighter present shuddered with a mix of fear and respect. Her speed was beyond their ability to track, and the way she handled a top-tier A-class fighter like a common thug filled them with awe.

As Seolrang, who hadn’t even worked up a sweat, glanced at the shivering thugs surrounding Alon—

Boom! Crackle!

In an instant, she had sent them all flying. They collided with walls and windows, twitching before falling still.

The fighters, who had seen Seolrang show no quarter and crush her opponents without emotion in the Coliseum, shuddered once more at the sight of the Golden Flash, who had ascended to become a Babayaga.

“Master! You’re here!? You should’ve let me know!”

Before anyone could process it, Seolrang was now beaming brightly, her golden tail wagging playfully as she linked her arm with Alon’s. Everyone around her froze for a second.

“I’ve been waiting forever for you to get here! I’ve got so much ready, let’s go!”

Ignoring the fighters’ confusion, Seolrang, still wagging her tail and smiling, tugged Alon along and started leading him away. As Seolrang and the nobleman faded into the distance, the watching fighters were left with a puzzling question:

“Who is that man…? Who could possibly be the master of that rabid dog…?”

They were left to wonder about the nobleman’s identity, the one Seolrang called her Master.

Meanwhile, Alon, who was being pulled along by the blood-spattered Seolrang, was just as confused as the fighters. Though he felt thankful and strangely proud, he couldn’t help but think,

‘Am I… going to survive this?’

***

Since Alon had reached the colony in the late afternoon, the sun was already dipping below the horizon by the time Seolrang guided him to a specific building.

“We’re here!”

Following Seolrang, whose ears perked up as she entered the structure, Alon thought to himself, ‘It’s massive.’

He stared vacantly at the building, which towered over nine stories—a rarity in this part of the city. He heard Evan’s voice next to him, full of admiration.

“Wow, it’s enormous.”

While it didn’t possess the sprawling grandeur of Deus’s mansion, tall buildings were uncommon here, making the contrast all the more pronounced.

After entering the building with Evan and Seolrang, they made their way directly to the highest level.

“Ah, Boss, you’re back.”
“Boss!”

As they neared the top floor, they passed several beastfolk who greeted Seolrang with rigid salutes. All of them, like Seolrang, had golden hair.

“Boss, welcome back.”

When they finally arrived at the top floor, another beastfolk, who appeared to have been waiting by the door, greeted them with a bow. This one also had golden hair, but a long scar marked one side of his face.

“Yeah, anything happen while I was out?”
“Nothing at all.”

Seolrang chatted cheerfully as she opened the door and strode inside. Alon and Evan followed her in.

While entering, Alon felt the gaze of the scarred beastfolk at the door, and as he was about to glance back—

“It seems a bit different from the rumors.”
“Rumors?”

Alon couldn’t help but look puzzled at Evan’s comment.

Evan, looking ahead at Seolrang, clarified, “Yes, I’d heard that Seolrang doesn’t have the most favorable reputation.”
“In what way?”
“They say she has a vicious temperament. They call her the Mad Dog, I believe? Though I’ve also heard she’s somewhat kinder to her own kind.”
“…Seolrang?”

Alon shot a look toward Seolrang.

“Master! You can sit right here!”

Seolrang, her tail wagging excitedly, was already seated cross-legged on a mat laid out in her office. She energetically patted the place of honor on the mat.

‘…That display earlier was pretty frightening.’

Alon briefly remembered the violent scene from before, but seeing her now with such a radiant smile, he simply shrugged and took a seat.

With that, their proper conversation began.

***

Truthfully, Alon had been a little anxious about how his discussion with Seolrang would proceed. While his previous talk with Deus had concluded positively, Seolrang was volatile, and he was uncertain how things would develop with her.

However, contrary to Alon’s worries—
“Excellent!”
“…What?”
“Excellent!”
—The exchange with Seolrang proved, in some respects, even more straightforward than with Deus, leaving Alon somewhat taken aback.
“Did you truly consider everything I said?”
“Yes! And you can speak informally to me!”

Seolrang spoke with vibrant energy. Even now, she seemed unable to keep still. While remaining cross-legged, she casually placed her hands on the floor and lifted herself into a handstand.

Watching her with a blank look, Alon remarked, “Still, don’t you have responsibilities to consider? I heard you’re managing a guild as well.”

During their short talk, Alon had learned that, in addition to becoming a Babayaga in the colony, Seolrang had also assembled others of their kind and established a guild, which prompted his question.

“Hmm…”

Seolrang, now upside down in her strange handstand pose, appeared to think for a moment.
“It’s fine!”
“…Are you sure?”
“Yes! Even if we aren’t family, you are my Master!”

Seolrang’s fervent reply made Alon nod a little awkwardly, but internally, he felt the same surge of pride he had experienced with Deus. After all, he hadn’t anticipated Seolrang would extend so much assistance, especially since he hadn’t been in touch or even sent a letter.

‘Honestly, I didn’t expect this level of support.’

From Alon’s point of view, receiving such help was not unwelcome. He continued their dialogue, feeling a paternal warmth growing within him. They discussed many topics, though most were fairly ordinary. Alon inquired about Seolrang’s well-being and shared stories about Deus, while Seolrang recounted her experiences in the colony.

Then, as if remembering something, Seolrang spoke with a sigh.
“Because of you, I was able to reunite the scattered members of our tribe!”
“…Because of me?”
“Yes, look!”

Seolrang beamed and showed him the glove on her right hand, which Alon immediately identified as an essence of the Golden Mane Tribe.
“I understand.”

‘So the tales were true that encountering the Golden Mane Tribe awakens their full potential.’

Alon began to grasp why Seolrang held him in such high regard. After they had spoken a while longer, Seolrang abruptly changed the subject.
“Now that you mention it, the desert is pretty dangerous.”
“Hmm? Why do you say that?”

Seolrang tilted her head, curious at Evan’s observation.
“We were assaulted.”
“…Assaulted?”
“Yes.”

At the word “assaulted,” Seolrang’s cheerful smile stiffened for a moment, but Alon nodded in agreement with Evan.
“We were jumped by the Blood Sand Bandits, even though we traveled by day when they aren’t usually active.”
“Really? They’re a nasty bunch… aren’t they?”
“They’re definitely not people I ever want to see again.”

Alon shrugged as he recalled the event and looked at Seolrang. She seemed to be trying to cover her earlier serious expression with her usual breezy smile. After a bit more conversation, Seolrang spoke up again.
“Anyway, for now, you should rest! You must be exhausted from the long journey, right?”

With that, Seolrang assigned Alon and Evan rooms on the floor just below the top. After getting them settled, she returned to the top floor and, with a smile, spoke softly.
“Ralga.”
“Yes.”

Ralga, the scarred beastfolk, appeared instantly at her call.
“Where are those villains located?”
“The Blood Sand Bandits have made camp to the northeast, but there is something else I should report.”
“What is it?”
“From what I know, the Blood Sand Bandits are supported by Kalman, one of the other three Babayagas.”

Ralga’s tone was laced with apprehension.
“Really? But even so—”

Despite this news, Seolrang merely gave a single wag of her tail, showing no sign of doubt.
“No one is permitted to lay a hand on my Master.”

Her response made it clear that the information about Kalman would not deter her in the least.
“If he finds out, I’m sure to get a scolding, you know?”

Muttering under her breath, so quietly that even Ralga couldn’t catch it, she stared out toward the northeast.
“Just stay here.”

—Her expression turned lethally serious, her golden eyes gleaming with a sinister light, as she finished—
“I’m going to exterminate every last one of them.”

And with that, she disappeared, leaving only a crackling golden flash in her wake.