Once a martial artist matured, reached a certain level, and earned the title of master, they naturally received a special name—a nickname.
I had always admired those nicknames. Sky-Destroying Sword, Evil Destruction Fist, Flash Strike—they made my heart race.
If I became a hero someday, would I get a nickname too? What kind of nickname would suit me?
To be honest, I had already imagined a few. My main martial arts were the First Fire Technique and White Sun Eclipse, so a name tied to flames or the sun seemed fitting. Great Flame God Fist or Sun Yang Sword sounded perfect. Even though my main weapon wasn't a sword, including it in the nickname somehow made it cooler. It already felt halfway there.
"Golden Fairy?"
It was too cute for this Luan Badniker.
The name sounded far too cute for Luan Badniker. It felt like a sidekick in a fairy tale, the kind who chattered endlessly beside the main character.
" Master! I am Luan, the Golden Fairy!"
Shit, looking at it now, my name sounded oddly delicate for a guy.
The veins on my forehead bulged. I had never felt such intense anger. In that moment, I forgot everything else and became the angriest person alive.
"I'm angry, you bastards!"
The moment I shouted, Zial and Haro sprang into action. They moved straight ahead, engaging the approaching masked enemies.
As the Sky-Destroying Sword's disciples, both wielded swords, while their opponents carried short daggers.
The clash of metal rang out loudly, yet Eagle's voice on stage was even louder, drowning it out for the audience. Still, Haro and Zial held their ground. Despite the cramped space and the sheer number of enemies, they maintained control.
No. The opponents weren't struggling. Two disciples of the Sky-Destroying Sword facing off against auction house employees? These were no ordinary foes. They were keeping pace with two disciples of an S-class hero. Who the hell were they?
"Damn! That movement is too fast!" Haro frowned, a flicker of realization crossing her face. "Could it be that these guys are..."
I felt a presence behind me. It was the wolf-masked man who had appeared earlier and then disappeared.
"Golden Fairy, I am your opponent."
"Don't call me that."
Perhaps fueled by anger, my body burned as if I were channeling the First Fire Technique. The warm-up was over. Heat surged in my palm. I closed the distance and thrust my left hand forward, forming a Fire Wheel that spread out at close range.
To my surprise, Wolf made no attempt to dodge. He slammed his palm into it.
I paused, startled. I wasn't pushed back, but the raw power coiling in his body was extraordinary.
Mana... His internal energy isn't deep, yet his physical abilities reach a transcendent level.
I stared at him a moment before ducking. Two large pieces of metal collided with a deafening clang.
"This is insane."
What had I just witnessed?
Wolf's mouth snapped open, revealing sharp teeth and a thick, serpent-like tongue.
Was he trying to bite me?
He was. I leapt back just in time.
"It isn't a wolf mask—it's your real face? Could it be that you guys are..."
"Yes."
Wolf's shirt tore as gray fur sprouted across his skin. His waist bent, fingernails lengthened, and his body size doubled. Bright yellow eyes glowed as his voice twisted slightly. "We are beastfolk."
" Hah... "
Wolf led the transformation. One by one, the others I had assumed were masked revealed their true forms, turning into bipedal animals. The numbers grew rapidly. In an instant, the three of us were surrounded by dozens of beastfolk.
I tilted my head and said, "I heard that the beastfolk are all brave and indomitable warriors who don't retreat."
"That is a big compliment."
"Listen to the end. You may be indomitable, but you can't stop us with numbers like this."
"That's obvious posturing. And I assume your body isn't in peak condition either."
I laughed. My control was precise enough to hide any weakness. He probably hoped to unsettle me with information he had heard. Luan Badniker's bedridden state was no secret.
I said, "It's the perfect penalty. Had I been fully healthy, you'd all be dead already."
Wolf grinned.
"Bastard, you're smiling at me while I'm telling the truth?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, but my mouth always stretches from ear to ear," he replied.
"Oh, my apologies," I said, bowing slightly—a customary apology when mocking someone's appearance.
Then I struck immediately, thrusting my left palm. Once again, he met it head-on. His sharp nails were about to tear apart my palm.
A loud crash echoed, yet my palm remained intact. Instead, Wolf staggered back. I couldn't read his expression through his beastly face, but I could feel his surprise.
"Isn't it said that a beastfolk's strength multiplies several times when they transform?" I asked. "Since we were evenly matched as humans, you must have thought you could overwhelm me now in your beast form."
I couldn't help chuckling. Wolf didn't know something crucial. In that first strike, I had barely used any of my internal energy.
Wolf shut his mouth and said nothing. Contrary to his fierce appearance, he had a reserved demeanor.
I felt unusually excited. It had been a while since I had gone out and fought. My words spilled out without pause. "What's wrong? Your opponent is a patient. You need to try harder."
"How can someone your age have so much mana?" he finally asked, though the line was clichéd and unremarkable.
"That's 99% training and 1% elixirs," I replied, annoyed. The actual ratio was far less generous.
At that moment, applause rang out. "Ah! Incredible!"
It was Raizen, his gaze fixed on me with genuine admiration. "You're overwhelming Wolf... Haha. It seems the rumors about you preventing the demon king's descent were true. Some things you have to witness in person to understand."
Raizen squinted at me. "Luan Badniker, the Badnikers' troublemaker. Could it be—"
"No. I was a fool, never received any blessings, sold the treasure sword, and got kicked out of the main house," I interrupted, wearing a bored expression. I had grown accustomed to this type of conversation.
Raizen's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "How interesting. I think we'll make quite a pair..."
"In terms of personality?"
"Exactly."
I realized I could talk like this more easily with him than with Hector.
"How about it? Forget the past and start a business with me," Raizen proposed.
"A business?"
"Yes. You'll gain wealth beyond imagination. I promise it will be fun."
"I'm sorry, but I'm already rich."
"Is that so?"
As our conversation grew more intriguing, Wolf shot me a sharp look. "Master, you should check backstage."
"Why there?"
"The two disciples of the Sky-Destroying Sword and Golden Fairy Luan are already worthy of being called active heroes. I doubt the three of them would storm the enemy camp so carelessly," he analyzed.
He had figured it out quickly, yet he didn't seem aware that another member of our group was the Iron-Blooded Lord. Moreover, he must have figured out our identities from the start.
I paused to reflect. I would need to be more cautious from now on. At the very least, I could no longer assume my face was unrecognized. This wasn't mere self-consciousness. My reputation had grown, and as the Iron-Blooded Lord had said, I would have to create one or two false identities.
As I considered this, Raizen nodded. "That makes sense. Okay. I'll be going, so take them down."
"Yes."
Raizen left, but I remained in place.
Wolf tilted his head, puzzled. "Aren't you chasing him?"
"Enough about him. I have questions for you."
"Do you think I'll answer obedient—"
I closed the distance before he could finish and grabbed his shoulder.
Wolf twisted his body and easily evaded my attack. His thick fur, however, prevented him from dodging completely. I grabbed the fur. "This isn't just hair, is it?"
Instead of answering, Wolf opened his mouth again, this time more like a reflexive bite. He reminded me of a startled dog growling without realizing it. It wasn't difficult to evade. I dodged his bite and struck his protruding jaw with a punch.
He was tough, so he wouldn't fall from just that. I pulled his arm by the shoulder and drove my knee into his solar plexus.
Wolf slumped, coughing in pain. My knee dug in deep. Having been hit like this before, I knew his vision was probably blurring.
After subduing Wolf, I scanned the scene. The two disciples of the Sky-Destroying Sword were still fighting, but it looked like it would end soon.
"Are you in a position similar to an executive?" I asked Wolf. "I think you are definitely stronger than these guys."
"Kill me," he muttered weakly.
I couldn't help laughing. Beastfolk warriors were extreme, and this was exactly how he was. For me, defeat was never a reason to die.
I grabbed a snack from the table. "You beastfolk live for honor, right? Why get involved in an illegal auction? And help someone like Raizen?"
"Don't insult Master Raizen. He isn't the type of person a greenhouse plant like you can speak casually about."
"I see..." His reaction was far more intense than I expected. I had assumed their connection was purely professional, but his expression revealed a different truth: Wolf served Raizen like a lord served a master.
No, wait a minute. I tilted my head. Many employees at this auction wore animal masks. Most were managers, and all were beastfolk. That meant at least dozens—possibly up to a hundred—beastfolk were cooperating with Raizen. Such numbers exceeded normal expectations. The beastfolk population was not large. Aside from the nearly extinct dragons, they were the smallest race.
In other words, Raizen might have the entire beastfolk tribe on his side.
This wasn't a delusion of grandeur. I had glimpsed the future and was forced to piece the signs together in the present.
The Badnikers had many enemies. Delac C. Badniker, the Iron-Blooded Lord, had even more. One of their gravest future threats would come from the beastfolk. These troublesome bastards would obstruct the Badnikers' plans in a few years, though it hadn't seemed unusual at the time.
The Iron-Blooded Lord appeared cold at first glance, but he had a radical streak when it came to demons and the church. Historically, his tendency toward corruption had sparked disputes, large and small. Grudges could form without anyone noticing. His focus on demon hunting and battling the church made it plausible that he would eventually clash with many beastfolk.
Beastfolk were the most loyal of the seven races, their sense of kinship frighteningly deep.
However, what if this wasn't the case?
What if I am witnessing the very beginning of the conflict between the beastfolk and the Badniker? If the Iron-Blooded Lord kills Raizen, their benefactor, the entire tribe will turn against the Iron-Blooded Lord and even the Badnikers.
For the beastfolk, enemies were not mere foes; they were beings who could not share the same sky. They would devote their lives to revenge.
Therefore... I turned my attention to the stage. I could not allow the Iron-Blooded Lord to kill Raizen.