Jeong Taeui felt it would be rude to keep refusing, so he shrugged and stepped closer. With each step, a sense of tension spread from his toes. It felt like he was approaching a hungry beast.

“Books by this author are hard to find, aren’t they? Have you read any others?”

As Jeong Taeui took back the book, Riegrow asked calmly. Jeong Taeui stopped and looked at him. Riegrow’s weary eyes softened when they met Jeong Taeui’s.

“I have a friend who is very good at finding old books. This book is quite interesting, but the later ones are even better. They’re hard to find, but my friend can get them even if it takes some time. If you want, I can introduce you.”

“……. I guess it would be expensive, right?”

“Probably around 200-300 dollars. Ah, or if you go to the Berlin National Library, they have an English version in the foreign language section. I saw it about 5-6 years ago.”

Jeong Taeui thought that the price was not small, but compared to 3500 dollars, it was much more affordable. However, he still looked at Riegrow with a strange feeling.

Things were not as he imagined. While he did not think Riegrow was a crazed killer, he did not expect him to talk about a book so normally – even somewhat passionately. Furthermore, the eerie feeling he got from watching the video of Riegrow was completely gone, replaced by a cheerful and polite young man. His social skills with strangers were also quite natural.

Looking closely, he seemed very normal and, without any preconceived notions, he was a rather charming and pleasant young man.

“Riegrow……. right?”

Jeong Taeui hesitated to ask. Riegrow seemed slightly surprised, then he smiled and nodded.

“Yes, in our branch, I’m the only one with that name. It seems like you’ve heard of me from somewhere?”

“Yes, a bit.”

“Haha, I’m curious to know what rumors you’ve heard.”

“You know them too.”

When Jeong Taeui said this, Riegrow fell silent. He stared at Jeong Taeui with deep black eyes, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

“Basically, that’s it. But rumors are often exaggerated, right?”

Riegrow shook his head with a troubled look and clicked his tongue. He seemed like a nice guy enduring baseless rumors.

A clean, neat, attractive, and appealing impression. His voice was soothing, and his speech was fluent. There was nothing to criticize.

“…………… Actually, in the video I watched, it wasn’t like this, but I have to admit that rumors are often exaggerated.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled ambiguously, then sat down on the empty bed across from Riegrow. It seemed that he was not entirely crazy and could be talked to. Moreover, not everyone had such captivating speech skills. Although still somewhat cautious, once he sat down and focused his gaze inward, a smile appeared on Riegrow’s clean, pale face.

“Video? Oh, I remember, I did break a camera once. Right, the data must still be there. Why record such things and make people look strange?”

Watching Riegrow mutter as if talking to himself, Jeong Taeui thought, – ‘That’s him’ – once again.

Seeing him like this, he looked very normal and could be talked to, but as soon as he got on the battlefield, his personality changed. Or maybe he had two personalities? Or did he temporarily go crazy during the video?

Jeong Taeui stared at him and sighed.

Whatever the case, as long as he didn’t endanger his peaceful life for the next six months, it was fine. Moreover, maybe he wasn’t that strange.

“Oh, there’s another book with a completely different perspective. After that book was released, Charles Campbell published a book criticizing it within six months, causing a big controversy in the academic world at the time.”

Just as Jeong Taeui stood up, Riegrow pointed to the book and spoke calmly. Jeong Taeui stopped and sat down.

“Are you talking about [1337 – The Beginning of Flanders]?” – Taeui

“Oh, you’ve read it? It’s hard to find that book.”

“No, I haven’t read it. Just heard about the title. So, is it good?”

“Very interesting. The content isn’t new, but the way it criticizes Joey Moyers in each part is quite funny. Anyway, it’s worth reading. If you want, I can get it for you, but it will take some time.”

Listening to Riegrow saying that if he wanted, just let him know, Jeong Taeui marveled. He was quite a book lover. Even though he had been attached to Jeong Jaeui since childhood and couldn’t help but get used to flipping through books – though less than Jeong Jaeui – it wasn’t easy to work in this field and still love literature so much.

However, thinking about his uncle, Jeong Taeui changed his mind and said – “No, maybe it’s actually a lot.”

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt cheerful. Finding someone to talk to like this in a place like this wasn’t easy. Maybe he would become an interesting friend.

Jeong Taeui smiled and was about to say something.

But just before he opened his mouth, a loud noise came from the hallway. It sounded like a door was falling off or the wall was being violently smashed.

“You bastards! I’ve been kind to the weak and left them alone!”

“Look at them, daring to cause trouble at someone else’s branch!”

“Hey, everyone, come here! Looks like these guys need a good beating with a stick to calm down!”

“Yes, while we’re at it, let’s fill the infirmary with them!”

Right behind the wall, loud shouts and crashing sounds continuously echoed.

Jeong Taeui closed his mouth and blinked at Riegrow. Riegrow also silently looked at Jeong Taeui with a calm smile.

He had forgotten this. In reality, he and this person were almost enemies. If they fought right here, no one would be surprised.

“Um…………..are you planning to join in?”

He intended to skip this, meaning the fight outside. Jeong Taeui just wanted to wait until the chaotic time passed.

But Riegrow disappointed Jeong Taeui after a moment of silence.

“Too noisy.”

The gentle light disappeared from his face, replaced by an annoyed look. When he spoke coldly, Jeong Taeui’s impression of him changed significantly.

Cruel and fierce.

Leaving Taeui behind, Riegrow quickly stood up and walked toward the door.

As Riegrow placed his hand on the doorknob, Jeong Taeui stood up and cursed under his breath.

Opening this door would lead to the battlefield. If unlucky, Jeong Taeui might have to fight the nearest person, which was not what he wanted. It was difficult.

Jeong Taeui sighed and prepared his body, knowing that if he had to fight, at least his body had to be ready not to get injured unnecessarily.

Nevertheless, following Riegrow outside, unfortunately – or luckily – there was no room for Jeong Taeui to join in.

Riegrow stood blocking Jeong Taeui and silently observed the hallway.

The hallway had become a chaotic mess. Branch members spilled out from every room, fighting wildly. A few people were rolling on the floor in a chaotic brawl.

Jeong Taeui wondered if the trainer would come down, but seeing this, even the trainer’s shouts wouldn’t stop them.

Riegrow glanced at a steel pipe rolling to his feet and picked it up. The steel pipe was slightly thinner than a baseball bat and fit perfectly in his hand. No one could have guessed it was the hand that had just held a book.

Jeong Taeui’s eyes stopped on his hand.

Out of habit, he still wore gloves. But unlike the video, the blue cloth gloves looked refined and calm.

The steel pipe in his hand looked completely unfitting――thinking this.

Riegrow walked. His gaze fixed on the noisy and chaotic crowd in front, particularly two men wrestling nearby.

“Too noisy…….”

His voice was drowned out by the noise. In the chaos, with a bored and annoyed expression, he raised the steel pipe.

And at that moment.

*――Swish*

In the chaos, that sound rang clear.

It was not just Jeong Taeui who felt it.

Maybe the terrifying silence was even louder than the continued shouting when his steel pipe mercilessly struck several nearby people, producing horrible sounds repeatedly.

The sound of flesh breaking and bones cracking followed one after another.

“It’s already annoying enough to bother me, but this noise is unbearable.”

The one who broke the silence was Riegrow with his lazy and gentle voice.

The steel pipe swung without distinguishing friend from foe, finally covered in blood, dripping down. The deep blue gloves soaked with blood created black streaks. Those streaks spread, making the gloves darker.

“T-that bastard…….”

Someone muttered. The voice trembled. But that voice became the starting point.

As if to dispel the fear spreading in the air, shouts and screams filled the hallway.

“Kill him! That demon, kill him!”

But even though the shouts echoed everywhere, no one dared approach him. Even the European branch members stepped back a few steps with worried looks.

Riegrow twirled the large, heavy steel pipe as if it were just a pen. He smiled slightly and charged into the crowd.

Behind him was like hell.

At the end of the hallway, where corpses piled up like a wall, Jeong Taeui stood stunned, watching Riegrow’s back. He wondered where this madman came from and then suddenly realized that this man was the one who had just been smiling gently and talking about books.

******************

“Such a horrifying sight.” – Jeong Taeui muttered as he walked into the cafeteria. 

If there was one thing the men at this branch had in common, it was that no matter what happened, they always made sure to have their meals. The cafeteria, equipped to accommodate the number of people, was always crowded. Looking back at yesterday and the day before when half the members had left and the cafeteria was rarely empty, it was hard to believe.

The European and Asian branches sat strictly apart. Even if there were available seats on their own side, they would rather stand and eat than sit with the other side.

But the most shocking thing was not that. It was predictable.

Every man was injured somewhere. Some had their heads wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, others had large patches on their shoulders and necks, and some even had their arms and legs bandaged.

Even before the official training began, it was like this. It was hard to imagine the future.

Only a few lucky ones, who did not participate in last night’s brawl or were absent when it happened, were not injured. Jeong Taeui was one of them. The hallway in front of him had turned into a battlefield, making it impossible to participate even if he wanted to.

“My God……. what a wonderful breakfast atmosphere,” 

Maurer mumbled in amazement as he followed Jeong Taeui into the cafeteria. Morra, covered in band-aids all over his arms, had poked his head out to see what the commotion was and got dragged into it, receiving a light punch. Although he did not intend to join the brawl, his character did not easily tolerate such things, and he fought back, getting quite injured in the process.

Jeong Taeui chose a few self-served dishes, glanced at the fork and knife holder absent-mindedly, sighed, and only took a pair of chopsticks.

“I’ve never seen forks and knives look so dangerous.”

The thought that everyone in the cafeteria was holding weapons couldn’t be dismissed.

But when Jeong Taeui turned back to find a seat with chopsticks on his tray, he was startled to see a man holding a tray with toast, salad, and coffee, picking up a fork.

“If you think that way, the chopsticks you’re holding aren’t much different. In reality, in this world, it’s rare to find something that can’t be used as a weapon.”

The joke that – ‘With just your thumb, you don’t need any other weapon’ – came to Jeong Taeui’s throat, but he swallowed it down.

The man glanced at Jeong Taeui’s tray with a few dishes and pieces of meat and then spoke kindly.

“Is this all you’re eating? Haven’t you heard the saying ‘eat breakfast like a king’?”

“I’ve heard it, but have you heard the saying ‘eight ounces to a pound’?”

Jeong Taeui said, staring at the man’s tray. The man laughed out loud. The low and light laughter was quite pleasant. This man was the source of countless injuries to others, yet he himself was unscathed and clean. His clothes were neat without a single wrinkle.

“Hmm. No empty seats. Ah, there are two over there. Let’s go.”