Chapter 15: A Casual Display of Strength
"Young Master, are you alright?!"
Butler Lee scrambled frantically across the mat to check on Ji-Hong, completely ignoring the impossible reality of what had just occurred. He didn’t even spare a glance toward A-Ji and Ji-Ga.
"Hehehe... Did you see that, Butler Lee? I actually knocked them down. Hahaha!" Ji-Hong let out a proud, breathless chuckle, his knees wobbling beneath him.
As if deaf to his young master’s boasting, Butler Lee remained hyper-focused on checking his vitals. But after a minute of frantic examination, the old butler’s expression shifted erratically.
’His body shows no signs of collapsing,’ Butler Lee thought, his heart hammering. ’His breathing is stable, even if he’s gasping for air. How is this possible?’
Stepping back to get a full look once he confirmed there was no immediate danger, Butler Lee shook his head in silent denial.
’No... something is wrong. The Young Master’s body shouldn’t be capable of this. Is it really because of that shop? Is it truly that miraculous?! No, impossible!’
Meanwhile, A-Ji and Ji-Ga slowly pushed themselves up from the polished floor. Ji-Hong’s attack lacked any real martial force, speed, or pressure—it was a completely clumsy attempt. Yet, through a bizarrely perfect flow of prediction, he had bypassed their defenses, forcing two elite veterans to eat the floor and stare at the ceiling.
"Young Master, are you truly okay?" A-Ji asked, stepping forward with deep concern.
"Phew! Of course I am," Ji-Hong laughed, resting his hands on his knees. "My body isn’t weak anymore! I can do heavy exercise... I can even spar with you!"
A-Ji traded a stunned look with Ji-Ga before both turned their eyes toward Butler Lee.
"Young Master, we should visit the hospital immediately to confirm your condition," Butler Lee urged, attempting to maintain his composure.
Ji-Hong shook his head with a smirk. "You two know how to read a pulse, right? Check it yourselves." He gestured toward the guards.
A-Ji stepped up and grabbed Ji-Hong’s wrist, pressing firmly against the pulse point. After a long, speechless silence, his jaw went slack. "Young Master... is completely fine. No strain. No physical damage."
"That should settle the debate about my health," Ji-Hong said, regulating his breathing and straightening his back.
"But why doesn’t the Young Master want to go to the hospital?" Butler Lee asked.
"Ugh! A hospital check-up will immediately alert Father or Grandpa," Ji-Hong grumbled. "I don’t want them to know about this yet. Not until Grandpa’s birthday next month."
"In that case, how about visiting a quiet suburban clinic nearby? One with no connections to the Baek family?"
Ji-Hong’s eyes lit up as if enlightened. "Ah, that’s right! Why didn’t I think of that? Good. Let’s do that—I’m actually pretty curious about my stats—er, my condition, too."
Butler Lee exchanged a helpless look with A-Ji and Ji-Ga.
If a thorough medical examination actually confirmed this miracle, they would have a genuine reason to celebrate... even if their young master’s intelligence hadn’t leveled up one bit.
"So you really think that shop is behind all this?" Butler Lee sighed softly.
"Of course! You think such advanced technology doesn’t come with a few miracles? Tsk, you’re far too naive, Butler Lee."
The old butler immediately regretted saying anything. Asking Ji-Hong was always a mistake.
Actually, none of them needed an explanation. They had escorted Ji-Hong to Origins VR Cafe every single day.
Six days ago, their young master couldn’t run up a flight of stairs without wheezing. Today, that very same young master was standing tall after a casual spar with two elite martial artists.
There was no other explanation. The facts spoke for themselves.
The next morning, Donape opened the cafe and slumped behind the counter with a look of pure boredom.
He had already maxed out his stats in The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts and cleared every single available side quest.
Because his synchronization exceeded what a standard VR capsule could draw out, he had reaped the absolute maximum benefits a normal human body could handle.
His stamina had increased, his endurance had doubled, and his Qi perception was rock-solid. He could even faintly sense and see natural energy—internal energy—even if it was still a bit hazy.
As of right now, Donape was arguably the strongest martial artist on planet Blue Star—provided he didn’t get jumped by an entire gang at once.
Warning notice: fighting someone with a gun obviously didn’t count.
Having tasted true strength, his appetite only grew. Deep down, he was unconsciously nurturing a hidden ambition: to become strong enough to withstand Divine Lightning itself.
He wanted to stand on his own against the Tyrannical System.
That was his wish—no, it was a total pipe dream.
The more power he gained, the more acutely he realized just how terrifying the System really was. Deep down, he knew he was still a long, long way from being worthy of such a grand ambition.
Suddenly, the front door opened as usual—except this time, something was different.
Ji-Hong, Butler Lee, and his two usual bodyguards were familiar sights. But behind them walked seven more men, all dressed in matching black suits over crisp white shirts.
They wore the exact same attire and held the same sharp demeanor as A-Ji and Ji-Ga: members of the elite security unit assigned directly by the patriarch of the Baek family.
Watching the seven men line up in a surprisingly imposing, shining row, Donape’s eyes instantly lit up.
His Solo-Leveling quest was going to be completed today.
More importantly, it meant a brand-new game was right around the corner.
And a new game meant a new training ground—another path to absolute strength.
"Oh, my! What a wonderful day to have this many customers," Donape greeted with a grin, rubbing his palms together.
"They finally believe in your shop’s credibility, boss," Ji-Hong replied in flattery.
Butler Lee secretly rolled his eyes, hearing how completely smitten his young master was toward the shopkeeper. But deep down, the old butler couldn’t entirely blame him.
This shop was truly monstrous.
Last night’s private medical checkup had returned an unbelievable result: Ji-Hong’s body was officially healthy enough to handle light exercise. The doctor on duty hadn’t understood why such a basic status update mattered so much, but Butler Lee, A-Ji, and Ji-Ga knew the truth.
For years, Ji-Hong had been burdened with a constitution far weaker than an average human’s. Because he was deemed a hopeless case that no medical technology could cure, he had been completely sidelined in the brutal competition to become the next family head. He was a safe, fragile placeholder—ignored by the patriarch, and frequently bullied by his own siblings and cousins.
But now, that baseline has shattered.
If news got out that Ji-Hong was no longer a weakling, it wouldn’t just turn heads. It would trigger an absolute uproar within the Baek family and every rival noble house watching them.
"Boss, activate all five VR Capsules!" Ji-Hong requested cheerfully.
"Sure, sure," Donape replied.
At Ji-Hong’s command, the five new bodyguards shuffled into the VR capsules. It felt bizarre to be ordered to play a video game when their actual real-world profession revolved around high-stakes danger. But orders were orders, and since Butler Lee didn’t step in to stop it, there was nothing they could do.
However, the moment they entered the Murim realm, they couldn’t hide their absolute awe, their faces frozen in sheer shock.
"Hey! Hey! Focus! Don’t just stand there like a bunch of country bumpkins!" Ji-Hong barked.
His voice cut straight through to them. Because the five new guards were still running the tutorial, Ji-Hong had strictly forbidden them from turning down the external audio feature on their Share Tracks, allowing him to yell at them from the real world.
Beside him, the remaining two bodyguards stood rigidly, gulping nervously. They knew that once their teammates’ playtime was up, it would be their turn to step inside those strange pods.
Meanwhile, Butler Lee, A-Ji, and Ji-Ga stayed at the counter, staring at Donape. They were still brimming with questions, but the crucial difference now was that they no longer had any intention of denying reality.
"Who is backing you, shopkeeper?" Butler Lee asked, throwing out a heavy, meaningful question.
Donape tilted his head, genuinely not understanding. "What do you mean?"
"With this kind of technology, aren’t you worried about being robbed or intimidated later on if a big whale catches wind of this place?!"
"Huh? That..."
Donape glanced up at the ceiling, silently hoping the System would enlighten him with a grand answer. Honestly, he didn’t really care. The technology wasn’t his, and he hadn’t spent a single penny out of his own wallet to fund the shop. If someone stole the pods, it wasn’t his problem.
[Worry not, mortal. With the Great Me present, even your world’s government is just a mere ant.]
Donape smiled wryly. ’Talk big all you want, you’re just a simple system trapped inside this shop with me. Can’t even roam around as you wish. Superior being? My ass.’
Before he could voice a polite response, he noticed several familiar customers lingering at the doorway, hesitating to enter the crowded shop. Donape stepped out from behind the counter to guide them in and clear some space.
But the moment the group stepped inside, Irene tripped over her own feet. With a sharp gasp, she lost her balance, sending her smartphone flying through the air.
Donape moved with absolute precision.
With a swift flick of his wrist, he swiped at the air. The sudden draft caught the phone, forcing it into a tight spin that bled off its momentum. Before the device could hit the floor, Donape snatched it out of mid-air while simultaneously closing the gap to Irene. He caught her by the shoulder, steadying her respectfully but firmly.