In the post-Outcall world, society appeared functional at first glance. Science and magic had drastically elevated the quality of life.
But, behind that facade, demigods who disregarded laws and morality hid in the shadows.
"Semi-humans" didn't just refer to Djinns.
It also included humans who had rejected the existence of Heroes and who, like them, possessed incredible powers.
Officially, they were classified as "wanted criminals."
But, for most of society, they had another name: "Villains."
Beings who did as they pleased, without caring for laws, lives, or consequences.
They stole riches. They fought to the death for fun. They killed for power—or out of pure boredom, when they wanted to.
These were the villains, for the most part.
And now, a few meters away from Theo, two of them stood, watching him with interest.
'Tsk! I forgot to activate my magic. I got too comfortable walking around here.'
Realizing that no one seemed to recognize him while he was on Jeju Island, Theo deactivated his perception-distorting magic.
He just didn't imagine that, by doing so, he would attract such unwanted attention.
From his appearance, anyone who had seen the recent headlines would recognize him instantly.
The name Theo Sagan had gained significant prominence in the world, even though he was still just a Cube cadet.
"Do you need help with anything?"
Seeing them standing in front of him, as if blocking his path, Theo asked calmly, under the lonely lamppost light.
Jain and Cheok Jungyeong, feared names from the world's worst criminal organization, watched him as if they were in front of something abnormal.
In fact, only one of them stared at him that way: Cheok Jungyeong. From the moment his eyes met Theo's, his instincts had gone wild.
Cold sweat ran down his back. His heart pounded, as if trying to warn him that a predator was lurking.
Jain had a more restrained, but highly attentive, gaze. She noticed Cheok Jungyeong's state, not only from the look on his face, but from how he clenched his fist by his side.
'Damn. This could go very wrong. I need to warn the Boss.'
And knowing him as she did, Jain feared he would do something foolish with the boy the Boss was interested in.
But that concern soon gave way to a pang of curiosity.
Even if the brute beside her valued strength more than intelligence, she knew him well enough to know: if he was interested in someone, then there was something big there.
Cheok Jungyeong began to laugh hysterically, clenching his fist even tighter.
"You're strong. Too strong, kid. Just looking at you, my instincts are going crazy... It's the first time anyone has made me feel this."
"Cheok… Ah! This idiot..."
Jain tried to whisper something, but when she turned, he had already started walking.
His muscles moved under his clothes as if they were made of tensed steel.
His eyes still fixed on Theo, like a wolf that didn't know whether to attack or retreat.
Theo, noticing the change in the brute in front of him, tilted his head, curious. What would this man, who claimed "not to fight children and the elderly", do with him?
Technically, he was almost an adult by Korean law, almost 18 years old.
Cheok advanced with heavy steps, each one causing slight tremors in the ground.
The air around him began to change. The dense, raw mana emanating from his body distorted space, like heat rippling on asphalt.
"...I've always kept a clear line in my head. Never fight a child. But looking at you… I want to punch myself for having created such an idiotic reasoning."
He stopped a few steps from Theo, his body trembling, not from fear, but from pure excitement. His eyes shone with a wild, almost animal light.
"You're not a child. You're a monster. A being that makes me doubt everything I've ever seen."
Theo maintained a neutral expression, but his eyes narrowed. He didn't expect this man, known for his unbridled brutality, to be sensitive enough to perceive what most didn't.
'Oh, right… Besides being a brute, this guy has a bizarre ability to recognize strong people. I completely forgot about that…'
Jain pressed the transceiver to her ear, sending a silent signal to someone.
"So? What do you want?"
Cheok smiled. But it wasn't a friendly smile; it was that of a predator who saw, before him, not just a strong opponent… but a challenge begging to be faced.
"I want to fight, kid."
His thick voice echoed through the almost deserted street.
"I want to see if my instincts are right... or if I'm going crazy."
He raised his arm. His fist clenched, ready to strike at any moment. The air seemed to shrink, sucked in by the pressure his body emanated.
Jain, sensing the growing tension, took a step forward. But it was just an act; her gesture lacked real conviction.
"Hey! Stop it! If you touch this kid, the Boss will…"
The roar was so loud it echoed among the trees, startling birds sleeping on the power lines.
Theo didn't move, just watched, unfazed by the shout.
"You want to fight me?"
Theo asked as if confirming something obvious, though surprised. The man in front of him really wouldn't accept a "no."
Cheok took another step, so heavy that thin cracks appeared in the concrete beneath his feet.
"I don't care if the Boss punishes me later. I NEED to fight you..."
Jain gritted her teeth. Then, with an expression of feigned despair, she said:
"Kid… Don't do this. You might get hurt..."
Theo turned to her, looking her up and down, and began to laugh.
Jain raised an eyebrow, not understanding why the boy in front of her started laughing for no reason.
"Haha! Seriously? You really think that fake concern works on me?"
She stared back at him, showing no emotion beneath her disguise.
"If you wanted to stop him, you would have already. After all, you're stronger than him, aren't you?"
Theo narrowed his eyes even further.
For a brief instant, his black pupil shone, and a symbol appeared in his irises.
Jain frowned slightly.
The space around her seemed to ripple, as if reality were being peeled away.
In the blink of an eye, the face she wore, the common skin, the brown eyes, even the tone of her voice, began to dissolve like smoke being pulled by the wind.
And there, even without Theo saying a word, her disguise fell.
Her golden eyes shone under the lamppost light. The makeup disappeared. The black hair lost its false hue, revealing its original color: a brilliant blonde.
The real Jain "Without her Thousand-Faces Gift", wanted for identity fraud, infiltration, and major thefts, stood before him.
Note: I don't recall any mention of Jain's Gift name, so I created this name, hope you like it.
She widened her eyes, surprised by the sudden disruption of her Gift. But before she could say anything...
Theo laughed again, a light laugh, as if he were enjoying himself.
"This is much better. Don't you think?"
Jain didn't answer. She just stared at him, and internally, mentally cursed her own carelessness. But what bothered her most was not having felt anything the moment her Gift lost its value.
'How did he break my disguise? Could it be... No... I have to get out of here, this kid isn't normal. I need to warn the boss...'
Before she could think of acting, the ground beneath Cheok Jungyeong and Theo glowed blue.
"Time to sort this out somewhere else."
Theo said, in a carefree tone.
Jain took a step forward, but the magic had already been completed.
And then, using teleportation magic, they disappeared.
Somewhere isolated on Jeju Island, an abandoned area of coastal quarries, where no one had lived or ventured for years...
The two appeared atop a rocky slope, where the wind blew strong and the sea roared against the cliffs.
Cheok Jungyeong looked around, his eyes wide, before smiling maniacally.
"Teleportation, without even touching me? Hahaha… this is getting better than I expected."
Theo slightly adjusted the collar of his jacket, as if nothing much had happened.
"Alright. Here you can put on your show to your heart's content."
Cheok cracked his neck, his muscles pulsing, his aura dense as melted concrete.
"Kid… I might not kill you, but that doesn't mean you can't leave with a broken bone or two, so take this seriously."
Theo replied, with the same advice.
"That goes for you too, brute."
Cracking his knuckles, Cheok continued.
"Ah! I'll fight without using my Gift and aura..."
"Heh! Are you sure? If so, I'll do the same."
The truth was that Theo had planned this from the beginning; fighting using his abilities against Cheok would be no fun at all.
And besides... An opportunity to fight someone stronger than anyone he had fought so far wasn't something you found every day, so it was his duty to make the most of it, even if it seemed like an adult having too much fun provoking a child.
'He must be a bit weaker than Yun Seung Ah.'
This, of course, until he decided to use his true nature, that of a Master Swordsman. A legacy given by his Gift—the memories of a life no one knew.
If he used his abilities completely, he would not only equal Seung Ah, he could even surpass her.