Chapter 55

Ch. 55 Sword God From The Ruined World

“This is the first time I’ve seen a Blue Croco heart in such perfect condition.”

Choi Cheol-gwan examined the Blue Croco heart that Seo Do-jun handed over with evident surprise.

“If the condition is this good, the effects must be excellent too.”

“Of course! If there are no mistakes, we’ll create something even better than I imagined. Starting now, it should take about three weeks to complete.”

Choi Cheol-gwan’s enthusiasm showed he wanted to begin work immediately.

Despite being over 60 years old, Choi Cheol-gwan’s passion for blacksmithing remains undiminished. Watching him, Seo Do-jun felt he had truly met the right person.

“I’d like to request more than just a sword. Would that be alright?”

“An S-rank Hero’s request? Of course I’ll accept.”

When Choi Cheol-gwan asked what else he wanted, Seo Do-jun began pulling items from the backpack that had held the Blue Croco heart.

First came Belcera’s silk pouch and venom sac.

“Planning to make armor? Well, armor made from Belcera’s silk offers top-notch defense and comfort. There’s no better material.”

Armor made from Belcera’s silk was impervious to ordinary blades or bullets and significantly reduced external impacts. Additionally, it maintained constant body temperature and resisted staining.

Of course, it had drawbacks.

The high cost, difficulty in processing, and inability to repair once damaged meant most Heroes wore Belcera silk armor beneath their combat suits to prevent damage.

“It’s not for me—it’s for my younger sister.”

“Your sister? Is she a Hero too?”

Knowing actions spoke louder than words, Seo Do-jun immediately showed a photo on his phone.

“Not a Hero, I see. Hmm… Then we should make ordinary clothing.”

Wealthy individuals often commissioned clothing from Belcera’s silk, so this wasn’t surprising. However, the material’s properties limited design options—training suits were the most common.

“But isn’t Belcera’s silk too precious for that? Children grow unpredictably.”

In short, a training suit made from Belcera’s silk would last one season at most, or two years if made larger. Choi Cheol-gwan found this wasteful.

Only the ultra-wealthy commissioned such items, and their hand-me-downs passed through many hands.

In response to Choi Cheol-gwan’s concern, Seo Do-jun retrieved something else from his backpack—a bottle of blue liquid.

“Ever heard of Tailapu sap?”

“Tailapu?”

Though unfamiliar with the name, Choi Cheol-gwan’s face filled with anticipation.

“It’s just like Cyclops blood. Extract just the blood cells and apply them to a Giant Black salmo’s fang, and you can perfectly fuse two materials into one.”

Just as when Seo Do-jun had brought Cyclops blood, Choi Cheol-gwan knew the blue liquid would advance his craft.

‘Tailapu sap isn’t rare—people just don’t know about it.’

Tailapu was actually an ordinary cactus-like plant, harmless to humans and monsters alike, often ignored. But its sap, when combined with fabric, could increase elasticity two- to tenfold. In the ruined world, it had been a common textile additive.

Choi Cheol-gwan was even more astonished than when he’d seen Cyclops blood.

“If that’s true… this is a monumental discovery.”

The clothing industry would be revolutionized, and Hero armor production transformed.

“How do you know these things?”

“Think of it as… my second life.”

“Second life?”

Choi Cheol-gwan tilted his head in confusion, but Seo Do-jun had given the most honest answer he could.

“Truly baffling.”

Seeing Seo Do-jun’s serious expression, Choi Cheol-gwan dropped the subject, trusting he’d learn the truth in time.

***

“Park Sung-wook speaking.”

A man of 170 cm, slight yet sturdy, with neatly combed-back hair and a wrinkle-free black suit.

‘A flawless style.’

Though 57, he could pass for early 50s—or late 40s with some generosity. His appearance spoke of meticulous self-care.

“First, I’d like to know why you contacted me.”

He disliked wasted time. Seo Do-jun likewise preferred directness over small talk.

“I want to build a house and need someone competent to handle it.”

As former chief secretary of S Group (a top-five South Korean conglomerate), Park Sung-wook might have found this request insulting. Yet his expression remained neutral.

“What kind of house are you planning?”

“The safest, strongest house in the world.”

Though laughable to most, Park Sung-wook stayed impassive, growing more serious.

“What location and budget are you considering?”

“Preferably Seoul. Budget around 500 billion won.”

Park Sung-wook’s composure flickered at the amount.

“With that budget, you seem to be building a castle rather than a house.”

He meant it as a joke, but Seo Do-jun nodded gravely.

“A castle… Then I’ll need more funds.”

“…”

As Park Sung-wook’s composure slipped again, Seo Do-jun continued.

“My apologies.”

“Nothing to apologize for.”

“Ahem. The safest residential area in South Korea is Gangnam, home to the nation’s most secure residence.”

“Chairman Oh Young-geun’s house, correct?”

“Exactly. Built post-Rift Crisis, it cost over 80 billion won in land and construction alone.”

Though valued at 110 billion won, no amount could likely purchase it now.

“Your budget could surpass Chairman Oh’s. However, acquiring Gangnam land is challenging—prices keep rising, and sellers are scarce.”

In this safety-obsessed era, Gangnam land was virtually unobtainable regardless of wealth.

“No need to chase the unattainable.”

“But Gangnam is South Korea’s safest area regarding Rifts.”

“That’s just wishful thinking by landowners.”

Seo Do-jun smirked. Gangnam’s safety was an illusion maintained by elites. Though no Rifts had appeared there yet, their random nature meant Gangnam’s ‘invincibility’ could shatter overnight.

“Let’s focus on acquiring land in Guro District.”

“Guro?”

Adjacent to the Gasan Hero Complex, Guro was considered safe due to high Hero traffic—a quicker response to emergencies.

“What land area are you targeting?”

Seo Do-jun outlined his vision for the property, buildings, and layout. While details needed refining, money solved most issues. The real concern was location safety.

‘Gangnam the safest?’

Seo Do-jun found this notion absurd.

***

Since returning from Brazil, Seo Do-jun had tried spending more time with Eun-young. But his fame made this difficult, with constant visitors.

Then one day, an unwelcome guest arrived.

“Long time no see.”

The visitor was Seo Jung-jin, CEO of T Electronics—Seo Do-jun’s biological father.

Had this been the original Seo Do-jun, he’d have frozen in fear. Their relationship had always been cold, devoid of affection.

“I’ve been hearing about you. Soon, people will learn you’re my son.”

Seo Jung-jin showed no remorse or hesitation. Seo Do-jun guessed he hadn’t leaked the information—others had likely uncovered it.

Most telling was Seo Jung-jin’s indifference; he clearly disliked the situation too.

“And?”

Seo Jung-jin twitched at Seo Do-jun’s bluntness.

“…You’ve changed.”

“More than you can imagine.”

As Seo Do-jun retorted, Seo Jung-jin shook his head, unprepared for this reaction.

“Your grandfather wants to see you.”

“Am I useful again?”

In Seo Do-jun’s memories, Chairman Seo Kyung-chul divided people into two categories: useful or useless to T Group.

His outdated beliefs had initially accepted Seo Do-jun as an heir candidate despite being illegitimate. But after Seo Jung-jin had a legitimate son, Seo Do-jun became expendable.

Now that the discarded son had become South Korea’s eighth S-rank Hero, he was ‘useful’ again.

“…I’ll send someone soon to bring you home.”

“Don’t. Unless you want them humiliated.”

Seo Jung-jin twitched again at Seo Do-jun’s ruthlessness.

“Don’t let being S-rank make you arrogant. No individual, however strong, rivals an organization. Return as grandfather wishes, and T Group will empower you. I’ll send for you soon.”

“Try it. See what happens.”

Seo Do-jun’s smile chilled Seo Jung-jin. The cowering boy was gone—only cold resolve remained.

Repeated ignored contacts had hinted at this, but the finality still stung.

‘Father was wrong. This boy holds only resentment for T Group.’

Knowing they’d brought this on themselves, Seo Jung-jin left with a bitter expression.