Chapter 20 - A Sudden Confrontation

A Sudden Confrontation

"You... seem to have become stronger than you were a moment ago."

Soobin turned sharply at the voice.

A tall man with fair skin and platinum blonde hair was walking toward him.

Soobin immediately recognized him. Kim Jinsoo.

He didn't respond—just watched as Jinsoo approached.

Stopping a few steps away, Jinsoo gave a calm, almost amused smile.

"I don't know if I'm mistaken, but... something about you feels different from before?"

Soobin kept staring, his mind processing the situation.

'Did he just sense my raw strength increase when I used my status points? Just what is he?'

Jinsoo suddenly chuckled.

"Hah, well, that's impossible. Forget it. I'm just here to meet Korea's new platinum-ranked spirit contractor. As a fellow platinum-ranked user myself..."

He extended his hand for a handshake.

"I'm Kim Jinsoo, leader of the Golden Zone Guild."

"I know." Soobin replied flatly.

How could he not? The leader of the #1 ranked guild in the country. The same guild Kai, Jisoo, and Jiho were a part of. One of the most important figures in the novel—and one of the most twisted.

From Soobin's inherited memories, he had met Jinsoo a few times after Kai joined Golden Zone, but he had always been ignored.

"Are you just going to keep me hanging?" Jinsoo asked, his hand still extended.

Soobin hesitated, then slowly reached out.

"I'm Shin Soobin."

They shook hands.

Jinsoo smiled. "Oh, I know. I saw your little brotherly reunion earlier. Quite touching, really."

"You've been watching me since then?" Soobin asked.

"Well... I was just curious about your relationship with Kai, you see."

Soobin remained expressionless. But then, he noticed—

Jinsoo wasn't letting go of his hand.

A flicker of unease crept in.

"...And, as I said, I was also curious about you."

Whoosh—

A suffocating pressure suddenly crashed down on Soobin.

"Aghhh—!"

His legs wobbled—his knees buckled—and he dropped to the ground on one knee.

Jinsoo still held his hand.

"Ugh... You... What are you...?" Soobin gritted his teeth, barely managing the words.

Jinsoo's eyes, hands, and hair glowed with a platinum aura. His usual smile had vanished, replaced by an ice-cold stare.

'Ah... so this is the strength of an S-rank hero…'

Jinsoo's voice was sharp. "What's this? Struggling with just this much energy?"

He scoffed.

"Is it because you were spiritless for so long? Tch. Even so, you should be able to handle this much. Where's that power you showed when you contracted your spirit?"

Soobin's head throbbed. His vision blurred. His limbs felt like they were being crushed.

Jinsoo's words became muffled noise.

'St...op…'

His mind was slipping.

'Stop… stop… stop…'

Then—

Fuuuuuuuuush—

Jinsoo's eyes widened.

The spirit mark on Soobin's hand glowed blue.

The stripes on his jacket shimmered with energy.

His eyes—now blazing blue.

A fierce blue aura started to appear around him.

BOOM!

A silver burst of energy exploded between them.

Jinsoo instantly released Soobin and leapt back—his lips curling into a knowing smile.

"Ahh, couldn't you have waited a little longer?" Jinsoo mused. "It was just getting interesting."

A new figure stood between them.

Hyunmoo.

One hand supporting Soobin, the other holding a massive silver gun glowing with energy.

His expression was calm, but his presence commanded the space.

"I wanted to observe a bit more too," Hyunmoo said, slowly lowering Soobin onto the ground behind him. "But I guess I like the kid too much."

He took a step forward.

"Besides, I didn't like how much you were enjoying that."

Hyunmoo rested the barrel of the gun against the ground, leaning on it like a cane.

Jinsoo chuckled. "Hey, I was just curious."

"Curious?"

"I heard he never trained a day in his life, so I barely put any pressure on him."

Hyunmoo's eyes flickered. "I know."

Jinsoo shrugged. "He's going to face worse things than this soon."

Hyunmoo's expression darkened. "I know."

Jinsoo's tone grew serious.

"Especially since he bears the mark of a platinum-ranked spirit... like us."

A long silence followed.

Jinsoo exhaled. "He never trained a day in his life, yet now he carries the title of a platinum-ranked spirit contractor. He'll be a target for... those guys."

Hyunmoo remained silent, eyes unreadable.

Jinsoo continued.

"Honestly, although not less but for the amount of force I used, he should've at least remained conscious. If he can't even—"

"Who said I can't?"

A voice interrupted.

Both turned.

Hyunmoo's eyes widened.

Soobin—who had just collapsed, bones broken, ribs cracked, body unconscious—

—was now walking toward them.

Completely unscathed.

Not a single scratch on him.

Jinsoo's eyes narrowed.

Soobin looked at his status window while approaching them.....

[Skill ______ has been used.]