Chapter 94 Mr. K
Chapter 94 Mr. K
“Gimme my money, money, money!”
Iryoku strutted toward Ligero without a hint of shame, chanting as he went, making exaggerated hand gestures like he was counting bills. He was already dressed again, his daggers strapped in place.
Ligero raised a hand, and a worker came running, carrying a small chest. He opened it in front of Iryoku, who practically sparkled with glee. With a pouch in hand and money signs in his eyes, Iryoku scooped up the coins, stuffing every last one into his bag like it weighed a ton.
All the while, the girls and kids stood beside him in the middle of the arena, drawing attention from every direction.
Ligero cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Mister?..."
Iryoku flung his arms to the sides and bent his body backward until his head nearly touched the ground, feet planted firmly. In that exaggerated pose, he proclaimed loudly,
"Iryoku Taiyou! The Rising Sun! The Mighty Flame! The Power of the Stars! The Devourer of Beauties!"
He shouted each title with exaggerated flair, drawing gasps and scattered applause from the crowd—and a few looks of disgust.
Ligero, trying to keep up with the theatrics, straightened his posture and composed himself.
"Mr. K would like to meet with you. We’d be honored to have someone of your abilities join our organization."
Iryoku straightened up, waving a hand lazily in front of his face.
"Sorry, bro. Not interested. I’ve got places to be—and I like my freedom."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Nobody in this city turned down Mr. K.
To refuse was almost unthinkable.
Iryoku’s playful grin faded slightly as he noticed Mr. K himself staring directly at him from the VIP section.
The nobleman leaned to the side and whispered something to one of his guards.
A stern female guard quickly approached them.
"Please, sir. Mr. K would like to have a word with you," she said firmly.
Iryoku sighed and glanced around at the watching crowd. He handed the sack of coins to Alessandra.
"Hold this for me. Give me a minute."
Alessandra took the bag, her voice low.
"Be careful."
Iryoku gave a casual nod, then raised his voice again.
"I know, I know! Don’t get all worked up, girls. If any of you had joined the match, you would've won even faster and easier!"
The comment earned a few murmurs and some surprised chuckles from the spectators.
Nearby, Goka—already fully armored and standing near Mr. K—snorted loudly in annoyance. Her arms were crossed, and her weapon was slung at her side.
Before walking away, Iryoku lifted both hands once more.
"The powerful Iryoku Taiyou will now have a word with the grandiose Mr. K… a powerful man meeting another powerful man!" he declared, his voice dripping with mock pride.
Then, with exaggerated swagger—one hand tucked casually in his pocket—he strutted toward Mr. K like he owned the place.
But once he arrived, Mr. K stood and extended a hand for a handshake.
Iryoku’s expression shifted slightly as he got a better look at the man.
Despite the formal outfit that covered almost everything, his flawless features and air of composed nobility stood out. A vein twitched on Iryoku’s forehead.
The first thing he thought was, Bishounen. But the guy was taller than him.
Damn, I hate these stupid ikemen, he thought bitterly. He probably gets everything handed to him just for looking handsome.
He reached out slowly, deliberately… then shifted his hand slightly at the last second—just enough to show a hint of resistance.
Still, Mr. K’s hand landed firmly on his, completing the handshake—matching Iryoku’s subtle motion perfectly, as if he already knew where the hand would go.
A wave of tension passed through the plaza.
Iryoku kept his face neutral, his smile tight and forced.
"How can I help you, sir?" he asked coolly.
For the first time, Mr. K spoke aloud. His voice was soft yet firm—smooth as velvet.
“Mr. Taiyou… may I ask where you learned to fight like that?”
Iryoku shrugged, putting on a casual tone.
“I developed it myself. Just from watching stronger folks and mixing things up. But hey—trade secrets. That kind of stuff only gets passed down through family.”
Mr. K studied him silently for a moment.
Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.
As his pristine white cloak rippled behind him, he spoke again—
“Feel free to enjoy the festival.”
Iryoku gave a shallow nod, still on guard, and made his way back toward the girls.
As he walked, his eyes drifted toward the other fighters—the ones he had teamed up with earlier—now being approached by Mr. K’s scouts.
His gaze landed on the bear-man, who stood beside his shady, skinny companion.
Iryoku marched up to him.
He pulled out two gold coins seemingly from nowhere and pressed them into the bear-man’s large hand.
“Here. I saw you drop these earlier,” Iryoku said casually.
The bear-man blinked in surprise… then remembered.
Before the fight began, he had lost some coins.
He looked down at the coins in his palm… then back at Iryoku, unsure what to say to this unpredictable trickster.
He had seen Iryoku’s incredible speed firsthand.
The bear-man simply snorted in acknowledgment. Without a word, he and his shady companion turned and followed Mr. K’s people, joining the rest of the outstanding fighters being scouted.
Iryoku finally returned to the girls, shaking his head.
He glanced once more at Mr. K’s back as the nobleman disappeared into the crowd with his entourage.
“We better leave soon,” he muttered.
Back at the inn, the group was packing their things and preparing to head out.
Reika, folding some clothes, turned to him.
“Iryoku, I thought we’d have more time to rest and take it easy. Why the sudden change?”
Yumi and Alessandra both looked at him as well.
“Yeah… I want to know too,” Yumi added softly.
Iryoku sighed and looked at them.
“Call it a hunch… but I don’t like that Mr. K guy. He’s too strong—and with all his people, he could do whatever he wants around here. I liked this place, sure... but we just took a huge pile of gold from him, and I turned down his invitation.”
He shrugged.
“So... you figure it out.”
The girls exchanged glances, their expressions grim.
Alessandra spoke next, arms crossed.
“So what now? Are we going to find a good place for the kids to live?”
She sounded concerned.
“You know, traveling at high speed on Rhogan takes a toll on them. And the monsters we might run into…”
Yumi raised her hand slightly.
“I think we should check the church—the one with that old grandpa.”
Iryoku nodded.
“Yeah. That might be our best shot.”
Alessandra gestured to her side.
“Also—I need a sword. I only have my shield, and that’s not enough. I need something I can actually fight with.”
Iryoku smirked.
“Still going on about a sword? That’s not your style. You’re all about hitting home runs.”
He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“You need something heavy. Something sturdy. Something to smash with.”
He subtly touched his crotch, chuckling under his breath.
The girls chose to ignore his suggestive gesture.
He turned and rummaged through their belongings until he pulled out the large magic cannon they'd taken from the dwarf warrior a while back.
He handed it to Alessandra.
“Here. You should be able to use it with your Leben and strength. It fires a powerful blast—like a supercharged shotgun. And it’s sturdy enough to use as a club, if it comes to that.”
Alessandra frowned, inspecting the weapon skeptically.
“Aren’t you being a bit stingy? Didn’t you just win 200 gold coins?” she snorted, half-teasing.
“Don’t worry, Alessandra.”
He walked over and rested an elbow casually on her shoulder, causing a faint flush to rise in her cheeks.
“Back at the castle in Uruk, I’ve got a surprise for you and Reika.”
Alessandra blinked, then nodded. She glanced at Yumi, who smiled softly at her, and then at Reika, who gave her an encouraging look.
Not long after, the group made their way to the Church—the same modest chapel they had visited upon first arriving in the city. They moved carefully, making sure no one was following them.
The building was simple and rustic, with a star-shaped symbol carved into its wooden door.
They knocked.
No answer—again.
Iryoku sighed and slowly pushed the door open.
The group stepped inside.
Kael and Kima instinctively clung to Alessandra’s hands. Despite being rescued, the place still made them uneasy—it was a Church of Light, after all, and the children had suffered enough horrors at the hands of the Dominion’s version of it.
Even Alessandra looked a little tense.
But their anxiety faded almost immediately.
Inside, they found an old man seated on the floor, flipping through the pages of a small, worn book.
Beside him was a young woman, about the same age as them, wearing clothing similar to the priest’s robes. Both were demihumans, and both carried a quiet humility in their expressions.
They looked up as the group entered.
The old man smiled warmly.
"Ah, children. How are you? Are you perhaps here to learn about the Light One?" he asked, standing up alongside the young woman.
Iryoku lifted a hand casually.
"Yo, old man. We’re back."
Before he could say more, Yumi and Reika jabbed their elbows into his ribs—hard enough to make him choke on the rest of his sentence.
"Don’t be disrespectful," Reika scolded.
Yumi didn’t say anything—she simply glared at him.
The old priest chuckled softly.
"Oh yes, I remember you young ones," he said, glancing at Iryoku, Reika, and Yumi.
He gave them a kind smile, then turned his gaze to Kael and Kima, who were hiding slightly behind Alessandra.
Reika stepped forward.
"Esteemed elder," she began respectfully,
"We managed to find our missing friend. And at the same time, we rescued these two children from the clutches of the Dominion of Light."
The old man and the young woman looked at the children with surprised eyes as they clung tightly to Alessandra.
The priest stepped forward gently and placed a hand on each of their heads.
"It must have been hard, children…"
Reika continued,
"This might be asking a lot, and perhaps it sounds out of place, but… would your church be willing to take them in as disciples? So they can live a normal life here in the city."
She bowed slightly.
"Of course, we would make a generous donation to support both the church and the children's needs."
The rest of the group followed her lead, bowing politely to the old priest.
Even Iryoku—who rarely bowed to anyone—lowered his head respectfully, albeit a bit reluctantly.
The old man smiled and turned to the young demihuman woman beside him, whose eyes widened in surprise.
"You see, young Feli… the Light One works in mysterious ways, but always opens a path for those seeking to rise and live with dignity."
Feli’s eyes welled with tears. She wiped at them quickly but couldn’t stop herself from sobbing softly.
The group exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what exactly was going on.
Then, the young woman wiped her tears.
"My name is Feli. Forgive me for my outburst… I only recently began seeking the teachings of the Light One."
She looked down at Kael and Kima, her voice trembling.
"I… I want to take care of these children. I swear to you, nothing bad will happen to them here. I’ll protect them with all I have."
Her voice cracked again, and she nearly burst into tears once more.
There was something in her tone—something raw and deeply personal—that made the group’s chest tighten.
They couldn’t quite place it… but it was clear her pain ran deep.
Feli gently invited Kael and Kima to follow her into the kitchen to prepare some food.
The children hesitated at first, casting nervous glances back at the group, but eventually followed her.
Meanwhile, the old priest—Gereon—gestured for Iryoku and the girls to sit with him.
They gathered in a quiet circle on the floor.
Gereon smiled gently.
"That child… Feli… has suffered much," he began, stroking his beard.
"She is an orphan, raised by kind people. But once she grew older… she was unable to bear children. Every pregnancy ended in tragedy. Her husband abandoned her. For a time, she nearly gave up on life. But in her darkest hour, she turned to the Light One, searching for comfort… trying to find purpose."
He glanced toward the doorway where Feli and the children had gone.
"And now… perhaps the Light has answered her prayers through your arrival. In our faith, we do not believe in coincidences. I see this as the Light One’s doing."
Iryoku and the girls sat in thoughtful silence, finally understanding the reason behind Feli’s tears.
It wasn’t just about kindness.
It was healing—for her.
Back in the heart of the city, Mr. K marched toward one of his many businesses.
As he moved, every passerby bowed in silence, parting to let him through.
He entered a large building, followed closely by Goka and Ligero.
Without a word, he stepped into his office, sat behind his ornate desk, and began sorting through a stack of documents. He opened scrolls and letters, calmly reviewing their contents.
Goka stood near the window, arms crossed, still fuming.
"Boss, you should’ve let me take that money back. That stupid guy pulled a fast one on us."
Ligero slumped into a nearby chair, rubbing his temple just under his long, thin horns.
"You lost because you got cocky, Goka. You really need to control your emotions better."
Mr. K said nothing, continuing to flip through the correspondence.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Let them go. We still found plenty of capable warriors for our cause."
He glanced up at Goka. She felt his eyes on her and tensed slightly.
"That man—Iryoku… I doubt even with all your weapons and power, you could defeat him."
Goka looked away, chastised, like a child caught doing something wrong.
Just then, a sharp knock interrupted the room.
The door opened, and a burly man with a massive scar running across his face stepped inside.
"Boss. We’ve got a report from Moto—it’s urgent. There’s movement up north… and some bad news."
Mr. K took the letter from him. As he read, his amber, feline eyes widened. He read it again—then slowly set it down, lost in thought.
After a tense pause, he muttered,
"It matches them."
He snapped his fingers.
"Find that Iryoku Taiyou and his group—now. I need to speak with them. Seriously."
Goka, Ligero, and the scarred man—Varek—nodded at once and rushed out, sensing the change in Mr. K’s tone.
End of Volume 4