Since the days of being slaves to the Demon Tribe, there were a few young men who were exceptionally large and strong.
Led by Jahabi, they took advantage of the Demon Tribe’s loose surveillance to exercise their own power within human society. They exploited the fact that the Demon Tribe didn’t interfere in human affairs as long as their orders weren’t hindered.
Once the Demon Tribe vanished, they revealed their suppressed savagery.
Like predators at the top of the food chain, they began to reign overtly and swing their fists.
“Hey! You! Get us some food starting today!”
A sturdy youth tapped the back of a frail old man with a club.
“You wench! You haven’t finished plowing this field yet! Hurry up!”
Another group kicked the shoulder of a young man holding a shovel with lazy steps.
Jahabi and his followers quickly formed an organization. Though their numbers weren’t many, their strength and violence were enough to overwhelm others.
Leaving the hard farming and house construction to everyone else, they sat in the shade with their legs crossed, merely barking orders.
They treated their own kin exactly like the Demon Tribe used to treat human slaves.
“The rabbits caught today are ours first.”
Jahabi gripped a rabbit with bloodstained hands.
“We’re taking the best-ripened sweet potatoes.”
His subordinates scanned the freshly harvested sweet potatoes with greedy eyes. Good food, comfortable beds, easy work… they monopolized everything.
Without paying the price of honest labor, they snatched everything away through strength alone.
Since they no longer needed to watch out for the Demon Tribe, their atrocities grew even more severe. The foxes had become kings in the cave where the tiger was absent.
Clubs and sharp stone fragments were now in their hands. Their eyes were cold and cruel, just like the Demon Tribe’s.
“If you don’t listen… you know what happens, right? It ends like this.”
A low, threatening voice was followed by a horrific scream. Merciless violence returned to those who didn’t listen, dared to express dissatisfaction, or tried to resist.
Screams and cries echoed around the temporary shelter, but no one could easily step forward.
Because they had painfully experienced during their slave days that resistance led to death or greater pain, the people merely closed their eyes in terror or tried to look away.
Their will to resist was crushed far too easily.
Even more terrible things happened every night.
Sobbing and cries from powerless women leaked out. Their screams were deeper and more desperate than the daytime violence. Horrific acts where human dignity was trampled were repeated every night in their new home.
Jahabi smiled satisfyingly as everyone feared and obeyed him. He declared himself the king of this community.
“From now on, this land is mine! You are my subjects and my slaves! The king is me, Jahabi the Great!”
His arrogance reached the heavens.
Jahabi’s greed surpassed human society. He now began to touch Sang-woong’s land itself. In the middle of the night, they dug up the fields carefully tended by the Elves and the Ahoa Tribe to steal delicious crops, and they even secretly caught and ate the livestock that the Kahuka Tribe cherished.
At first, it was thought to be minor theft. However, the damage grew, and the Elf Chieftain, the Ahoa Tribe, and the Kahuka Tribe’s joint chieftain gathered together, unable to bear it any longer.
“This can’t go on. Hawi!”
Jack Della breathed heavily and clenched his fists.
“Our home is being invaded by the humans.”
Astilbe’s blue eyes wavered with pain and anger.
They made a decision. Even if Sang-woong didn’t directly care about human affairs, this problem wasn’t just about humans. It was an act of encroaching on the land and life Sang-woong had entrusted to them. They decided to seek out Sang-woong themselves.
***
Sang-woong was spending busy days fighting monsters invading the land and wandering around the newly expanded territory to find new plants with medicinal properties.
At that time, Elf Chieftain Astilbe and the joint chieftain of the Ahoa and Kahuka Tribes, Jack Della, visited Sang-woong’s residence.
“What brings you all the way here?”
Sang-woong, who had been struggling with a pack of monsters at the boundary of the land for a long while, asked in surprise at the appearance of Astilbe and Jack Della.
He couldn’t help but be especially surprised by the appearance of Jack Della, an Ahoa. Those who found happiness in farming did not suit a battlefield at all.
Even more surprising was the deep worry and anger on his face. He had never seen the innocent Ahoa Tribe make such an expression. Sang-woong looked them straight in the eye and greeted them.
“What is the matter?”
At Sang-woong’s words, Jack Della opened his mouth huffing.
“The humans are trampling on what we carefully grew and taking it as they please. Hawi! That’s not all. They’re just stealing and eating the livestock the Kahuka Tribe raises. Hawi!”
Sang-woong was greatly shocked by Jack Della’s words. Astilbe continued with a pained expression.
“We are also suffering greatly on our side because of the humans. They steal crops and fruit, and even steal our alcohol. That’s not all. They’re touching the World Tree recklessly.”
Anger filled Sang-woong’s face.
Even he didn’t touch the World Tree recklessly. Since he had gathered Points and purchased it from the Shop Window, he could technically be called the owner of the World Tree, but he had returned it to the Elves.
Knowing how much the Elves cherished and served the World Tree, Sang-woong also treated it with that much respect.
For humans to touch such a World Tree recklessly…
Elves were originally benevolent by nature, but Astilbe’s eyes were filled with burning anger alongside her pain.
If it hadn’t been for Sang-woong, the Elves would likely never have overlooked the human invasion. They might have killed them several times over already.
Sang-woong’s eyes turned ice-cold.
He had only given the humans freedom; he hadn’t monitored them. He believed they would find the right path on their own.
He thought there would be trial and error, but he considered it inevitable growing pains within human society. As it had always been in history.
But he didn’t expect them to cross into the territory of the Elves, the Ahoa Tribe, and the Kahuka Tribe to cause havoc.
When he first saw them, they were more discouraged and passive than anyone. To think they would show such behavior when so little time had passed.
He felt deep betrayal and anger at the fact that his trust had been betrayed. Sang-woong immediately headed to the human territory.
People hesitated, not knowing how to treat Sang-woong when he suddenly appeared. The look in their eyes as they saw Sang-woong had changed a lot from before.
Instead of respect and awe, there was a mix of indifference and suspicion, as if they were looking at a stranger.
Sang-woong stared coldly at those people and spoke.
“Gather everyone here right now, without a single person missing.”
At Sang-woong’s words, the people only exchanged glances. Sang-woong’s brow furrowed deeply at that sight.
“Can’t you call them right now!”
Sang-woong let out a thunderous shout and struck a giant tree next to him with his fist.
Crack! Rattle! Boom!
The tree hit by Sang-woong’s fist split and shattered with a roar, falling miserably. The ground shook and small pebbles bounced up.
Only then did the people move quickly in a panic. Not long after, everyone had gathered.
They were much different than before. The haggard appearance they had when exposed to Magi and oppressed by the Demon Tribe was gone.
Their clothes were clean, and they had gained quite a bit of flesh, perhaps because they had eaten well.
Looking at those people, Sang-woong spoke.
“I heard you went into other tribes’ territories and stole crops, alcohol, and even livestock. Who is the one who led this?”
Sang-woong’s voice was low, but the anger within it couldn’t be hidden. One could guess how angry he was just by the tone of his voice.
In that moment, the people remembered that the person standing before them was the very individual who had executed the demon Zrakan, whom they hadn’t even dared to resist.
The gazes of the terrified people turned toward Jahabi’s group as if by promise.
“You lot, come forward.”
At Sang-woong’s call, Jahabi led his subordinates and stepped forward. He walked while looking Sang-woong straight in the eye, trying not to be discouraged, but he couldn’t hide his pupils, which were shaking as if an earthquake had hit.
“Is it you? The ones who did this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jahabi feigned ignorance for now. The deed was already done.
He judged that showing weakness here might actually bring greater trouble from Sang-woong and the people.
Sang-woong’s brow furrowed deeply once more. Without further response, he walked slowly toward Jahabi and his group. Then, he swung his fists at them.
Thud! Whack! Crack!
Fists so fast they were nearly invisible rushed at Jahabi and the organization members. Jahabi, who was closest, was hit squarely in the abdomen and flew dozens of meters before crashing into the ground.
The rest of the group also collapsed with screams and the sound of breaking bones. Their bodies became a wreck in an instant, and they didn’t even dare to stand up again. It was a demonstration of overwhelming and one-sided power.
As the situation was settled in an instant, not only the people watching but even the fallen subordinates looked at Sang-woong in terror. In the eyes of Jahabi and his subordinates, the arrogance of pretending to be those in power had vanished, replaced only by instinctive fear.
Sang-woong looked down coldly at Jahabi’s group, who were squirming on the ground like bugs.
“Now… it’s time to tell everything. Tell me every single sin they’ve committed until now.”
His voice rang out loudly.
The people who had been trembling in fear began to gain courage upon seeing Jahabi and his group neutralized.
One by one, they began to expose all sorts of atrocities they had suffered. From the daytime violence and food extortion to the stories of the horrific rapes committed against powerless women every night.
All the atrocities Jahabi had committed while declaring himself ‘king’ here were vividly revealed. Every time Jahabi heard the people’s revelations, the blood drained from his face. The fear that he might die if things continued like this rushed in.
He begged Sang-woong that he was wrong and made desperate excuses.
“I just… since you didn’t seem to care, Sang-woong, I stepped forward to establish order! Stirring trouble in other tribes’ territories was… my mistake because I was blinded! Please forgive me!”
Sang-woong was dumbfounded by that sight. Soon after, he was enveloped in an extreme anger that couldn’t be fully described in words.
Sang-woong spoke to Jahabi in a low, chilling voice.
“King? Who gave the likes of you the position of king?”
At Sang-woong’s question, which clearly looked down on him, Jahabi couldn’t say anything. He wanted to say it was natural for the strongest person to become king, but in that case, the true king was the Sang-woong right in front of him.