Veylord couldn't call Choi Jung-myeong to help him move, since the man was currently under surveillance by Choi Jung-myeong, now one of his own, was under surveillance by the Taebaek Gang.
Besides, there was no way the impoverished Kang Chan-seong owned a vehicle he could drive on the roads.
So he decided to take a taxi.
It wasn't his first time using one, either. He had already taken a taxi on the very first day he arrived in this world.
Thanks to that, although he hadn't known the way, he'd managed to return safely to the small boarding house using nothing more than the address on his resident registration card.
'Not having to go looking for a rattling carriage to ride in. This world really is convenient.'
He had also become surprisingly adept at using the app for calling taxis.
[Master. Watching how quickly you're adapting, I'm starting to think you don't need me anymore.]
Kang Tae-pung had entered into a contract with Veylord to help him adjust after arriving from another world.
'What a strange thing to worry about. Did you think your usefulness was limited to being like the AI on this phone?'
Apparently, Veylord had already familiarized himself with the phone's functions to some extent, for he was casually using terminology that had nothing to do with his fantasy world.
[Ugh… Just what are you planning to use me for?]
Kang Tae-pung seemed to have been quite helpful in the matter involving Old Man Hwang, but beyond that, he found it difficult to offer any advice.
'Heh, heh, heh. It's far too early to start worrying about that. Save those concerns until we've found your company, at least.'
A contract was a contract.
The promise to find Kang Tae-pung's company in exchange for his assistance had not disappeared.
And Veylord had another way to put him to good use.
[Whenever you laugh like that, Master, you sound positively evil.]
'Ahem. Habits from the days when I was called the Calamity of Death aren't so easily discarded.'
Meanwhile, the taxi he had called arrived before him.
Just as he climbed into the back seat, Kang Tae-pung's muttering reached his ears.
[I doubt you'll ever get rid of that habit for as long as you live.]
For some reason, Veylord couldn't bring himself to argue with that particular observation.
"Then I'll get going."
After confirming the destination, the taxi driver smoothly pulled away.
As they traveled, Veylord glanced at the driver's face in the rearview mirror and fell into thought.
'Well, now. I wonder if this could be called fate. To think I'd encounter a future hero here of all places.'
[A future hero? What are you talking about?]
Kang Tae-pung, who hadn't seen the memories of the Regressor, Old Man Hwang, had no idea what he meant.
But Veylord, who had witnessed that future, remembered the young man who had saved Old Man Hwang when he was about to die.
'I'm certain he has the same face as that man.'
There was no mistaking it.
The driver's face was identical to that of the man who had wielded flames in both hands.
However, there was one problem.
Something was wrong with one of his legs, preventing the Mana from flowing smoothly through it.
Even if only in small quantities, Mana flowed through the bodies of living humans.
Even ordinary people possessed Mana, and it should naturally circulate throughout their bodies.
'But this fellow seems to have suffered a serious leg injury. That's strange, though. He looked perfectly fine in that scene.'
[Hmm. I don't know what you're talking about, Master, but do you want to help him?]
Kang Tae-pung's question made Veylord pause to consider.
But the reason he was hesitating wasn't that he couldn't decide whether to help the man.
'Why am I even wasting time thinking about something like this?'
For someone who possessed such overwhelming power, the hesitation itself was a waste of time.
He only needed to act according to his wishes.
"Driver, may I ask you a somewhat impolite question?"
The taxi driver, who had been silently concentrating on the road, showed no sign of surprise at the unexpected request.
He simply smiled and answered calmly.
"Of course, sir. What would you like to ask?"
The driver responded courteously to the young man, who appeared younger than himself.
"Your left leg seems to be troubling you. If you don't mind my asking, could you tell me what happened to it?"
As Veylord had warned, the question could indeed sound rude depending on how it was received.
But the driver merely wore a bitter expression and made no attempt to avoid answering.
"Haha… Well, that's something. I wonder how you noticed my leg. The truth is, until recently, I was a professional fighter."
"Hooh. You mean a combatant?"
"A combatant? Well, I suppose you could call it that. But I did something rather foolish, and now I can't use this leg properly."
Although he described it as something foolish, there was not the slightest trace of regret on his face.
"I'm curious. What exactly was this foolish thing you did?"
"Haha! It's really nothing special, but since you're curious…"
"We still have quite a distance to travel. Would you mind telling me your story to pass the time?"
"Hoho. These days, plenty of passengers feel uncomfortable chatting with taxi drivers. You're quite an unusual customer."
The driver seemed a little embarrassed to discuss his past, but he soon began telling his story.
"I'm working as a taxi driver now, but I used to be a fairly successful UFC fighter."
His physique, visible beneath his thin shirt, certainly supported his claim.
His muscles were far too developed for someone who had led an ordinary life.
'Those look like muscles that could only have been developed through actual combat.'
[Aren't you a Mage, Master? How would you know something like that?]
'Let's just call it part of a nobleman's education.'
Meanwhile, the taxi driver continued his story.
"But no matter how good I was, I wasn't popular, so making a living was still difficult. You see, I was quite strong, and I tended to finish my opponents off too easily."
His words contained a hint of boasting, but that didn't make them unbelievable.
'There were heroes in my world who earned fame by fighting in gladiatorial arenas as well.'
The problem was that when one fighter became too powerful, his opportunities to compete against other fighters diminished, and his public recognition suffered.
Without matches, he had no opportunities to build his reputation or earn prize money, so financial hardship naturally followed.
And that often led people down darker paths.
The taxi driver appeared to have experienced something similar.
"With so few matches, making ends meet became difficult. Eventually, I started participating in fights that no professional athlete should ever get involved in. They were held in underground fighting arenas where illegal gambling took place."
At least the taxi driver seemed to have retained some conscience, as he hadn't used his fists for outright criminal activities.
He had still fought within the framework of a competition, however loose its rules might have been.
"The only rule was that weapons weren't allowed, but the money was pretty good. Like I said earlier, I was quite strong."
"That's impressive. So, did you injure your leg during one of those fights?"
At Veylord's direct question, the taxi driver shook his head slightly.
"No. I was in the middle of a long winning streak at the time. That's when a certain criminal organization approached me."
"A gang?"
"Yes. I don't know if you've heard of them, but they were called the Taebaek Gang. They were a notorious criminal organization back then. They're probably still around, so you should always be careful."
A very familiar name had emerged from the taxi driver's mouth.
'The Taebaek Gang? Don't tell me those bastards were involved in more than just organ trafficking?'
The more he uncovered about them, the more their crimes seemed to spread in every direction, like the tentacles of an octopus.
He almost sighed aloud.
Instead, he quietly swallowed his sigh and continued listening.
"Anyway, they approached me with an offer to fix a match. They wanted me to lose on purpose and promised to pay me a large sum of money."
"But you refused their offer."
"Haha! Back then, I foolishly valued my reputation as a fighter more than anything else. And… I felt that if I'd accepted their offer, I wouldn't have been able to live with my head held high."
As he answered, the taxi driver gripped his immobile left leg, apparently feeling some pain.
"I tried to resist them in my own way, but there were simply too many of them. So… that's how I ended up like this."
Despite recounting what must have been a painful experience, he continued smiling as though he genuinely enjoyed their conversation.
In fact, he seemed quite content with his present life.
Seeing that, Veylord asked an unexpected question.
"What would you do if your leg were completely healed right now?"
"Hahaha! If my leg were healed? Even the major hospitals have given up on it. Do you really think a miracle like that could happen?"
Apparently taking the question as a joke, the driver laughed lightly.
But the serious expression on his passenger's face made something weigh heavily on his heart.
'Hmm. He's a young fellow. There's no need to say anything discouraging.'
Deciding there was no reason to dampen the young man's spirits, he answered according to what he genuinely believed.
"If a miracle really happened and my leg was completely healed… Well, I don't think much would change. But I'd like to become a fighter again and compete in matches. That's impossible now, though."
"I see."
Just then, the taxi reached its destination, a residential area along the Han River in Gangnam, and slowly came to a stop.
"All right. We've arrived, sir."
Although the fare had already been paid automatically by card, Veylord did not immediately get out.
Instead, he examined the taxi driver's registration certificate displayed at the front of the vehicle and checked his name.
"Mr. Baek Gang-hyeon. If a miracle truly occurred and your leg recovered, could you return to this place the following day?"
After hearing one absurd question after another, even the normally good-natured Baek Gang-hyeon was beginning to feel irritated.
As a result, his answer came out somewhat curtly.
"Well, that's something I'll have to think about after my leg gets better. Could you please get out now? I need to pick up my next passenger."
As though refusing to tolerate any further insults, he urged Veylord to leave.
"Very well. At least shake my hand before I go."
The young man looked as though he wouldn't get out unless they shook hands, so Baek Gang-hyeon reluctantly took his hand.
Veylord finally stepped out of the taxi and quietly watched it drive away.
[Master. What on earth did you do? Don't tell me you healed him?]
'Who knows? I gave him a little help, but he'll have to complete the healing himself.'
Having left behind a connection with the taxi driver, Veylord turned his attention to the towering building before him.
"Hmm. This seems to be the right place."
It was a premium apartment building standing forty-five stories tall, the only building of its kind in the surrounding area.
The top floor was occupied entirely by a single penthouse.
'Hmm. How am I supposed to get inside?'
Unlike the small boarding house, entry was strictly controlled by security measures beginning at the entrance.
Just then, Kang Tae-pung, who had been quiet until now, spoke up confidently.
[Master! This is where you should trust me! Take out the card you received from Old Man Hwang's granddaughter.]
Following his instructions, Veylord took a black card from his pocket.
It was the gift he had received from Old Man Hwang's granddaughter after concluding their transaction.
[That card should serve as both your access pass and entry permit for this building.]
Following Kang Tae-pung's directions, Veylord held the card against the intercom panel beside the entrance.
The door opened.
One of the burly security guards waiting at the information desk beside the elevators approached him.
Dressed in a neat suit, the man politely inquired about the purpose of his visit.
"Excuse me, sir. May I ask whom you're here to see?"
However, the guard's eyes were filled with vigilance, and he seemed ready to fulfill his duties at any moment.
'Well trained. He reminds me of the security officers who maintained order in the territory I once governed.'
Even though Veylord had entered using an access card, he was an unfamiliar face, so the caution was only natural.
"My name is Kang Chan-seong, and I'm moving into the top floor today. Has my identity been verified?"
At the mention of the top floor, the guard appeared taken aback.
"The top floor, sir? Hmm. Could you wait a moment, please?"
"Certainly."
Apparently, there had been a problem with the handover of information, for the guard quickly contacted someone over his radio to confirm the details.
A short while later, seemingly having received a reply, he approached Veylord with a pleasant smile.
"Thank you for waiting. There was a problem with the handover, so we weren't informed that you would be moving in today. That's why the verification took longer than expected."
"That's quite all right. I did arrive earlier than expected myself. May I go up now?"
"Ah! Of course. I'll escort you. Do you have any luggage?"
Whether it was because Veylord was moving into the top floor or simply because such service was standard here, the guard was exceptionally courteous.
"I don't have any luggage, so there's no need to worry."
"Very well. Then allow me to guide you. Please step into the elevator."
The elevator had already arrived on the first floor.
As Veylord entered, the first thing he noticed was a card reader installed beneath the floor-selection buttons.
"Please tap your access card here again and select your floor. The elevator will then begin moving."
Following the guard's friendly instructions, Veylord did exactly as he was told, and the elevator began operating normally.
The guard's expression seemed to relax.
'So he was suspicious of me until the very end.'
Apparently, this was the reason an access card was required to reach the top floor.
Each card was configured to allow access only to designated floors.
They reached the top floor in no time, but the guard remained inside the elevator.
"If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact our office."
With those words, he bowed politely and descended in the elevator.
'I feel as though I've finally been officially recognized as the owner of the top floor.'
Experiencing a peculiar sense of satisfaction, Veylord opened the door before him and stepped inside.
***
Meanwhile, evening arrived, and Baek Gang-hyeon returned to the taxi company after completing his assigned working hours.
He had barely managed to earn enough to cover the daily payment owed to the company, leaving him mentally exhausted.
"Phew. Barely made it again today. At this rate, when will I ever be able to get my own taxi license?"
For some reason, his troublesome left leg felt particularly uncomfortable that day.
Dragging it behind him, he sighed and hurried to finish work.
"I should hurry home and get some rest."
He boarded a bus for his journey home.
As he rode, he found himself remembering something that had happened earlier that day.
'That first passenger really was an unusual fellow.'
Of all the passengers he had driven that day, the strangest had been the young man who had taken his taxi first.
Though he had looked younger than Baek Gang-hyeon, there had been something strangely profound about his eyes.
Almost as if entranced, Baek Gang-hyeon had ended up revealing things about his past.
'I'd practically forgotten all about it. Why did I tell a complete stranger everything?'
The words had already been spoken, and all he could do now was hope the passenger would forget them.
But at the same time, something the young man had said before getting out continued to bother him.
'He spoke as though my leg might actually recover. If anything, it's been even more uncomfortable today.'
Perhaps because those words continued echoing in his ears, making him unusually conscious of the injury, a tingling sensation began running through his troublesome leg.
'Because of that, I couldn't even concentrate properly on driving… Maybe that first fare was a bad omen…'
He tried to brush it off as another day of bad luck.
Just then, Baek Gang-hyeon's body lurched violently as the bus suddenly swerved and began tipping over.
"Huh!"
It happened in an instant.
In an accident so sudden that no one had time to react, Baek Gang-hyeon alone instinctively grabbed a safety rail and managed to hold on.
"AAAAH!"
Someone screamed, and chaos erupted.
Naturally, since none of the passengers had been wearing seat belts, they all tumbled onto the floor.
"Haaah… Haaah…"
Having barely managed to hold on, Baek Gang-hyeon released the safety rail and stood on what had now become the floor—the bus's window.
"Hey! Wake up!"
He shook an unconscious woman lying nearby, trying to wake her, but received no response.
"Fortunately, she seems to be alive."
Deciding that reporting the accident was his first priority, he attempted to call 119.
But all he heard was a message stating that the connection had been lost.
"What? What's going on?"
Just then, an unfamiliar creature began approaching the overturned vehicle.
-THUD! THUD!
Its footsteps were heavy enough to gouge the asphalt.
It was a giant that appeared more than five times larger than an ordinary human.
"What the hell? Am I dreaming?"
The problem was that the giant did not appear particularly friendly toward humans.
"GRRROOOAAAR!!"
Even from inside the enclosed bus, the giant's roar was deafening enough to feel as though it would rupture his eardrums.
"Argh!"
The noise was so overwhelming that even covering his ears did little to protect him from the thunderous sound.
Meanwhile, the giant raised the wooden club it held and brought it crashing down on the bus.
-CRASH—! CRUNCH—! CRASH! CRASH!!
The enormous bus's front end crumpled with terrifying ease, and the firmly secured windows shattered as though exploding.
"GRRAH! GRRAH! GRRRAAAH!"
Thoroughly excited, the giant began peeling open the side of the overturned bus as though opening a can of tuna, peering inside.
Only then could Baek Gang-hyeon clearly see its face.
Skin covered entirely in green.
A single eye embedded in the center of its face.
'Disgusting…'
Its red pupil, which had been rolling wildly about, suddenly fixed on one spot.
There lay two unconscious people embracing each other: a little girl and a woman who appeared to be her mother.
"GRHUH!"
Breathing heavily, the giant flicked its blue tongue in and out as though gazing at a delicious feast.
Watching its behavior, Baek Gang-hyeon immediately realized what it intended to do.
'N-no!'
As the giant reached out with its enormous arm to seize the unconscious mother and daughter, Baek Gang-hyeon sprang into action.
Still dragging his injured left leg, he gathered strength in his right leg and launched himself toward the giant's hand.
-THUMP!
"Urgh!"
But even Baek Gang-hyeon's full-body charge inflicted virtually no damage on the hand.
It was like watching an ant throw itself against an elephant.
"GRRK?"
Still, he seemed to have succeeded in distracting the giant, for its red eye turned toward him.
"GRHAHAHA!"
The creature burst into laughter as though it had discovered an amusing toy, then reached for him instead.
Baek Gang-hyeon tried to dodge the hand that shot toward him, but his crippled left leg caught beneath him, causing him to stumble.
'Damn it!'
In that brief moment of carelessness, the giant seized him.
He was completely immobilized in its grasp.
But he did not stop resisting.
Dangling helplessly as the giant's eye drew closer, he clenched his fist tightly.
'One punch! Just one punch to that eye!'
No matter how powerful the giant was, its eye had to be vulnerable.
Firmly believing that, he tightened his fist.
As the giant concentrated on bringing Baek Gang-hyeon closer to examine him, he finally put his plan into action.
-RIIIP!
He tore away the shirt caught in the giant's grasp and immediately leaped downward.
Then, clasping both hands together, he brought them crashing down on the giant's single red eye.
-SQUELCH!
He felt an unexpected softness, almost as though he had struck a piece of delicate tofu.
"GRRROOOOAAAR!!"
The giant began thrashing in agony, desperately trying to shake Baek Gang-hyeon off.
"AAAAH!!"
And the moment he finally fell to the ground, a change occurred in Baek Gang-hyeon's body.
Dark-purple Magic Power began sparkling within his injured left leg.
"Huh? What's happening to my leg?"
-CRACK! CRUNCH!
With the sound of bones twisting inside his leg, sensation began returning to his left leg.
'I can feel it…?'
At that moment, the giant, which had been screaming in pain, swallowed Baek Gang-hyeon's body whole.
-CRUNCH! CRACK!
In the darkness, the last sounds he heard were those of bones being chewed.