How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 73: The Best Strategy to Deal with a Madman is to Avoid Him (2)

The Berserker’s declaration of war was, in truth, not a declaration of war. It was more like an adult playfully reprimanding a naughty child with a light knock on the head.

Nevertheless, a vast crowd gathered in front of the Ohsung Group’s headquarters.

“There! Jang Daewoong said he’d smash that building!”

“Get it on camera! Send out the choppers and broadcast this live!”

Reporters and TV stations were the first to arrive; even ordinary citizens couldn’t resist the spectacle.

“Mom! I wanna see this!”

“Alright, but we have to stay far away, okay?”

“Okay!”

It was an unusual sight. Usually, when rankers fought, the best course of action was to stay far away. The battles between rankers could tear apart mountains and cause earthquakes, a disaster for ordinary people. Yet people still gathered despite the danger.

“Come on, this is the Berserker. There’s not going to be a fight. He’ll probably smash the building, and that’ll be it.”

“I heard that all the rankers hired by the Ohsung Group already ran off.”

“I don’t blame them. Who’s going to risk their life for loyalty to Ohsung?”

“Tsk, tsk. Why’d they mess with a workshop the Berserker’s interested in?”

Jang Daewoong the Berserker. Ranked 20th in the world, he stood incredibly high.

And in that moment, I was there too.

“Mr. Joo Donghoon! Or should I call you the Master of Demir’s Workshop?”

As time passed, familiar faces appeared.

“Or perhaps I should call you Skeleton Lord? That’s your new alias, right?”

These were the people who stood by me during the Ohsung Group’s opposition.

Among them was Lee Sunah the Black Sword, smiling brightly as she approached.

“Anyway, it’s been a while! There’s not much time left until the Dungeon Maker, right? You’ve been preparing, I assume?”

“…”

“Hey, don’t tell me you forgot after everything we’ve done to support you…”

“Ahem.”

I hadn’t forgotten, of course. I was planning to challenge A-rank after completing this weapon. I was confident. After all, the old man had said I was more than ready to surpass A-rank.

“Anyway, thank you, Sunah. Your words helped me when I needed it.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s what friends are for.” Lee Sunah winked at me.

Just then, another figure appeared behind her.

“Hey, Joo Donghoon! It’s a little disappointing. You should’ve told me first if you could make S-rank weapons.”

It was White Swine, a ranker who had climbed to 828th. The last time we met, he was at 830th, but now he’d moved up two spots.

“Haha, but it’s impressive! Going head to head with the Ohsung Group by yourself! I can only imagine how pissed off that old geezer must be. It’s so satisfying!”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, that’s why I dragged my busy self over here. Man, Jang Daewoong, that guy sure knows how to be cool. He doesn’t care about the backlash. He just declared he’d destroy everything. His boldness alone deserves respect!”

Indeed, that was true. Even in a world ruled by the logic of power, there was still public opinion and opposing forces. Jang Daewoong’s reckless actions left him wide open to criticism in the future.

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“I feel bad though. It’s all because of me.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it. That guy doesn’t think that far ahead. You know what’s funny?”

“…?”

“No one thinks his actions are excessive. People just think, ‘Oh, that’s the Berserker being the Berserker.’ Man, he really nailed that persona, didn’t he?”

“…”

Looking around, it was clear that no one seemed angry at the Berserker. Instead, everyone was watching with fascination.

Ah, yes. The saying was true. Watching a fight or a fire is always the most entertaining.

“Let’s just enjoy the show.” White Swine pointed at the building.

From far away, I could vaguely see Jang Daewoong’s new form.

“You can tell it’s about to begin.”

“Gahahaha! Don’t take this too personally! There’s no grudge or hard feelings here. I’m only returning the 30 billion you tried to take from me!”

Powerful energy surged as Jang Daewoong raised his right hand while hovering in midair, his left hand casually tucked in his pocket. The mere motion stirred the wind around him.

—Gulp.

I swallowed hard. His hearty laugh and how he was about to destroy the building with a single punch—why did it look so cool? With his bulging muscles and entire demeanor—he truly embodied a Berserker.

“Wait! Berserker!”

At that moment, a voice blared through a megaphone below. The speaker was Shin Jooyong, the chairman of the Ohsung Group.

“The action you’re about to take is a violent misuse of power without justification! No matter if you’re ranked 20th, stronger hunters are out there! Aren’t you afraid of what the world will think?”

“Haha, without justification, you say? Didn’t the dOhsung Group initiate the violence by sending a ranker after someone?”

“There’s no proof that we did any such thing!”

“You want proof? My judgment is the proof!”

“How can you say such…!”

“Shush. If you’re upset, hire a ranker to take me on.” Jang Daewoong then turned to face the hovering cameras on the chopper. “If anyone has a problem with my actions, bring it. I don’t care if it’s hunters or even an entire nation!”

At that moment, his right arm moved with a casual flick.

—Shwoooom!

But the impact was anything but casual.

—Kaboom!

A massive surge of ki shot from his right fist, slamming into the center of the building.

—Rumble.

The ground shook, and a gaping hole appeared in the building like a missile had hit it.

“You… You madman!”

Shin Jooyong’s outburst was ignored.

—Shwoom! Shwoom! Kaboom!

Three more punches were sent toward the building’s support pillars. A mere building stood no chance against the power of a ranker.

—Rumble.

The building crumbled amidst a cloud of dust. No one stopped the Berserker because, as the public had predicted, every ranker hired by the Ohsung Group had fled.

“Hey, Chairman Shin.” With his left hand still in his pocket, Jang Daewoong descended to the ground. “To deceive others, you must first deceive yourself.”

“What?”

“You know the truth better than anyone. If you made the wrong decision, you deserve a beating, no matter how old you might be.”

“…”

“Did you mistake me, Jang Daewoong, for a fool?”

—Clench.

Shin Jooyong clenched his fist and bit his lip.

He’s not just a madman, after all.

As a top figure in the nation, Jang Daewoong could easily see the truth without needing to delve deep into the details.

“…So you knew?”

“The Ohsung Workshop’s wrongdoings were directed at Demir’s Master, not me. That’s why I’m letting it end with just this.”

“…”

The message was simple. Had the wrongdoings been directed at him, it wouldn’t have ended with just one destroyed building. In other words, accept your defeat without complaint.

This is…

Chairman Shin hung his head. In both power and spirit, he had been utterly defeated.

* * *

“Grandfather! Grandfather!”

Shin Jooyong had retreated to the Ohsung Group’s Gangnam branch.

His grandson, Shin Jongoh, rushed in.

“This is ridiculous! Rankers colluding like this and using such violence!”

—Bang!

He slammed open the door, breathing heavily as he ranted.

“And there’s no proof I did anything! We need to gather as much money as possible and respond!”

“…”

Shin Jooyong silently watched his grandson.

How did things turn out like this? How could it have come to this?

It seems I knew how to run a business, but I failed at raising my kids.

Because of this grandson, the image of the company he had built over 80 years had been dragged down into the mud. His grandson had only been there for 20 years. On the other hand, the company, his true offspring, had been his life’s work. That was why his insides burned.

Rage surged within him.

“Grandfather! Why aren’t you saying anything? Right! How about we bring in the Heavenly Demon to back us up?”

“…You fool.”

—Grit.

Shin Jooyong ground his teeth.

Indeed, this wasn’t right. He had once been known as Frozen Blood. He knew when to cut ties. Trash belonged in the garbage.

“Grandfather?”

“Shut your mouth!”

“G-Grandfather?”

“Do you know how much damage you’ve caused to our company? And now you come here spouting nonsense without even apologizing?”

“Wait… No, that’s not what I mean…”

“No more. You’re going to be punished today.”

“Grandfather?”

Shin Jooyong picked up the phone and called in security. And not just any security; it was an A-rank hunter temporarily hired by the company.

“Apologies, but please detain that idiot. I’ve got some lessons to teach him.”

“Understood.”

The towering A-rank hunter grabbed Shin Jongoh, flipping him around boiling effortlessly. As a mere C-rank, Shin Jongoh had no chance to resist.

“Grandfather! Wait!”

“Quiet.”

The elderly chairman picked up a gleaming iron golf club from the corner of the room, a favorite from his practice sessions.

“Unless I get some proper swings in today on your body, I might die from the stress.”

“Grandfather?”

—Whack! Whack!

The golf club sliced in a beautiful swing through the air, striking Shin Jongoh’s backside and thighs.

“Aghhhh! Stop! Stop!”

“From this day forth, you are out of the workshop business.”

—Whack! Whack!

“And also, you’re to remove yourself from the family registry. I never had a grandson as stupid as you. Go live as a lowly hunter or whatever you please.”

—Whack! Whack!

That day, the chairman’s office in Gangnam was filled with the sounds of cracking swings.

* * *

“Breaking News: Ohsung Group Admits to Ordering Assassination—Public Apology Follows”

“Shock Confession from Ohsung Group: Berserker Re-Evaluated as a Hero of the Age!“

“Ohsung Group Withdraws from the Workshop Business as a Sign of Apology!”

“Master of Demir’s Workshop, I’ve committed some wrong deeds. We’ll compensate you with as much as you deem fair.”

In Apgujeong, Shin Jooyong knelt before me in front of the building.

“…”

He was just as incredible as the rumors said. A head of a corporation was bowing and admitting his mistake, even kneeling before a small workshop owner. Although he had made a poor decision at first, he knew how to correct it.

However, that was just between me and Chairman Shin. Shin Jongoh was another matter entirely.

“You mentioned removing him from your family registry?”

“Yes, that brat will never set foot in the Ohsung Group again for the rest of his life.”

Well, I didn’t know. Did he even have that much time left?

“So whatever happens to Shin Jongoh, you won’t concern yourself with it?”

“…”

Shin Jooyong pressed his lips together, clearly understanding the meaning behind my words.

Shin Jongoh had tried to kill me, and my creed was to pay back what I was given. Since my life was valuable, this wouldn’t be enough. I wasn’t the type to leave loose ends.

“Do as you’d like… He’s no longer of any concern to me.”

“Good. In that case, I accept your apology.”

With that, our dealings with the Ohsung Group were concluded. Now, all that remained was settling things with Shin Jongoh.

In my eyes, it was a fairly clean conclusion.