SFRW-Chapter 57

Ch. 57 Sword God From The Ruined World

He thought 500 billion won would be enough.

No, it would be sufficient if the location was just slightly remote.

‘Can’t leave even if I wanted to.’

Seo Do-jun clicked his tongue in frustration.

If it were just for himself, it wouldn’t matter whether he lived in Seoul or the countryside.

The problem was Eun-young.

Next year she would need to attend school, make friends, and begin proper community life.

While the countryside wasn’t devoid of people, if he wanted Eun-young to grow up safely in the brightest environment possible, he had no choice but to buy property in Seoul.

“10,000 pyeong (approx. 33,000 sqm) seems excessive. Public opinion won’t look kindly on purchasing such a vast plot just to build one house. Wouldn’t you reconsider?”

Despite Park Sung-wook’s repeated advice, Seo Do-jun remained firm.

‘I need that much land.’

He wasn’t actually planning to build a castle as Park Sung-wook had joked.

He really would build just one house.

But Seo Do-jun had special considerations requiring such extensive land.

Had he known his funds would fall short, he might have stayed longer in Brazil.

Shaking off these regrets, Seo Do-jun reminded himself South Korea had plenty of rift zones.

By hunting monsters nonstop, he could earn as much money as needed.

Thus, Seo Do-jun devoted six days a week to rift zone hunting, reserving only one day for Eun-young and her grandmother.

Before he knew it, November 15th arrived.

As Seo Do-jun prepared for another hunt, Na Tae-hwang summoned him to his office.

“Do you know what people are saying about you lately?”

Seo Do-jun sipped his coffee indifferently, uncaring of public opinion.

This coffee always satisfied him during meetings with Na Tae-hwang.

“They’re calling you the Money Devil. You’ve cleared nine rift zones in two weeks.”

The large-scale rifts took time, but he could have tackled more smaller ones.

While unbelievable to others, Seo Do-jun remained unimpressed, making Na Tae-hwang feel oddly hollow.

“I called you about this.”

Na Tae-hwang handed Seo Do-jun an account book.

“Payment for the magic stones and monster byproducts you sent. Including last week’s sales of the Casserian and Cyclops magic stones you entrusted to us.”

Seo Do-jun checked the balance first.

Nearly 80 billion won.

The Casserian and Cyclops stones sold for 16 and 19 billion respectively, meaning his two-week hunting spree earned about 45 billion from other materials.

45 billion in two weeks.

An impossible sum for most S-rank Heroes.

But Seo Do-jun could do it.

He cleared rifts faster than dozens of S-ranks combined, enjoying tax-free privileges on all proceeds.

“You’re not even surprised.”

Na Tae-hwang clicked his tongue at Seo Do-jun’s indifferent reaction.

“You know how much I earned in Brazil, right?”

“Exactly why this baffles me.”

“Take it at face value. I hunt because I need money.”

“Speaking of which – why are you buying so much land?”

“To build a house.”

“A house?”

On that massive plot?

From what Na Tae-hwang heard, the land could accommodate a small apartment complex.

“Intriguing.”

Knowing Seo Do-jun was extraordinary, Na Tae-hwang felt peculiar anticipation.

‘Who knows what magnificent house… This might be my opportunity.’

Na Tae-hwang wasn’t alone in this thinking.

***

“Did you hear Seo Do-jun’s buying land?”

At Jung In-joo’s question, Hyun Joo-yeon nodded.

“He said he’s building a house.”

“So what about you?”

“Me? What about me?”

“You fool! You’d miss this chance?”

“What chance? What are you talking about?”

Already stressed about Gloria, Hyun Joo-yeon frowned at Jung In-joo’s cryptic words.

“Seo Do-jun’s building his forever home, right? When else will you get this opportunity?”

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“Ugh! Buy land nearby and build your house next to his! Next-door neighbor! A single woman living right beside him!”

Jung In-joo’s pointed remark hit Hyun Joo-yeon like a revelation.

Why hadn’t she thought of that?

No matter how Gloria flirted, wouldn’t being Seo Do-jun’s neighbor be more advantageous?

They’d meet naturally more often, share meals as neighbors, and she could ask for favors as a woman living alone…

Which would lead to more meals together…

Visions of proximity filled Hyun Joo-yeon’s mind.

“Get it now?”

“…Yeah.”

“We’re moving near Seo Do-jun too.”

“You too?”

Jung In-joo chuckled at Hyun Joo-yeon’s puzzled look.

“Think I’m after him?”

“No, that’s not—”

“After Brazil, our guild found its direction. The members worship Seo Do-jun. And since we need support anyway, better chase a sports car like him than crawl on backroads.”

Hyun Joo-yeon nodded in agreement.

No S-rank compared to him.

He’d fairly shared rift zone profits in Brazil too.

Though cold-seeming, he treated his circle well – not one to push people away without cause.

“So relocating the guild office?”

“Considering a mixed-use building.”

Hyun Joo-yeon liked Jung In-joo’s plan combining work and living spaces.

“You should move fast. Hyenas are already circling.”

“Got it!”

Thereafter, land transactions boomed around Seo Do-jun’s property.

From Na Tae-hwang to Hyun Joo-yeon, Jung In-joo’s guild members, other Heroes and speculators – all drove up Guro District’s land prices.

The real significance lay in the major players converging there.

“Seo Do-jun’s buying land? The boy’s already thinking like this? Blood will tell! Hahaha!”

Chairman Seo Kyung-chul swelled with pride, seeing himself in his grandson.

“Buy up surrounding areas.”

Blood being thicker than water, he saw this as his chance to reconcile.

News of Seo Kyung-chul’s land purchases spread through business circles.

“That old fox smells money? Then we’re in too!”

Prices skyrocketed, but Seo Do-jun had already secured his 10,000 pyeong.

Even skeptical Park Sung-wook shook his head in awe after completing the purchases.

“Is this… everything?”

Park Sung-wook frowned at Seo Do-jun’s modest house plans.

A two-story, 5,000 square feet home.

While dream-worthy for average citizens, it seemed absurdly humble for such vast land.

“What about the remaining space?”

Park Sung-wook imagined sports facilities or walking paths, recalling how tycoons developed estates.

But Seo Do-jun’s answer stunned him.

“Guardian’s lair… I need to build it.”

Guardian? Lair?

As Park Sung-wook stared blankly, Seo Do-jun sketched another structure he’d soon understand.

“Like… a domed stadium?”

Though roof-less and scaled down, the circular structure evoked World Cup arenas or Rome’s Colosseum.

Just simple circular walls.

“Start construction here. Just the outer walls, so it’ll finish quickly.”

“Without interiors, it won’t take long. But how should we register this building’s purpose?”

Neither residential nor commercial, Park Sung-wook struggled with permits.

“I’ll handle that.”

Seo Do-jun immediately called Na Tae-hwang about this very matter.

* * *

“Why did Hero Seo Do-jun visit suddenly?”

At Min Hong-gi’s question, Na Tae-hwang raised a hand for patience.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

His grave expression as he drummed the table surpassed all previous seriousness.

‘What did they discuss?’

Though burning with curiosity, Min Hong-gi waited silently.

Finally, Na Tae-hwang spoke.

“Has any Hero ever tamed monsters?”

“Tamed? Many attempts, but none officially succeeded.”

“Thought so. My memory serves.”

“Why ask about— wait, surely not…?”

Min Hong-gi’s eyes widened.

“Unthinkable, right?”

“Did Hero Seo Do-jun truly claim he could tame monsters?”

“He did. Asked for government permission to raise them on his land.”

“…I can’t believe it. Even for him, taming monsters is…”

Min Hong-gi shook his head vehemently.

“Indeed unbelievable. But know what’s more shocking?”

More shocking than monster taming?

Min Hong-gi steadied his breathing, bracing for anything.

Yet he still leapt up shouting when Na Tae-hwang continued:

“Impossible! That’s utterly—!”

The monster Seo Do-jun planned to tame wasn’t an orc or ogre.

But a Casserian.

Not just any monster – the Boss Monster from Chuncheon Rift Zone!

Seo Do-jun had casually announced plans to domesticate that horror.

“Hmm… How should we process this?”

Ignoring Seo Do-jun risked damaging their relationship.

Yet securing government approval for raising Casserians seemed equally impossible.

Na Tae-hwang found himself trapped between concerns.