Dinner was nearly finished.
Empty bowls. A few bones left on the fish plate. Tea half-filled.
The house was quiet, warm, peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Kang Woo looked at his son and daughter across the table.
His eyes narrowed.
> "You two."
Ji Hoon looked up mid-sip.
> "Huh? Yeah, Dad?"
Min Seo tilted her head.
> "What?"
Kang Woo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
> "You two are pathetic."
Both of them choked at the same time.
> "W–What?!"
> "Excuse me?!"
Kang Woo tapped the side of his cup, calm as ever.
> "You couldn't even handle a Level 9 demon properly. If I wasn't there, you'd be meat skewers right now."
Ji Hoon looked offended.
> "But that was an S-rank monster! Even the Association said—"
> "Tch." Kang Woo cut him off.
> "Earth's rankings are weird. You measure power like it's a mobile game."
---
The Power Scale Explained
Min Seo crossed her arms.
> "Okay, then how does your world do it?"
Kang Woo held up his fingers, counting casually.
> "Murim used a descending scale. 9 to 0."
> "Nine is the weakest. 0 is peak mortal."
> "And beyond that… there's a hidden rank. 3.14."
Ji Hoon blinked.
> "Three point… one four?"
Kang Woo smirked.
> "Pi."
> "It's symbolic. Represents an infinite, imperfect number. That's what we call 'God-level cultivators.' Power that bends reality. Immortals feared them."
Min Seo slowly said:
> "So you're saying… that demon we fought was level 9?"
Kang Woo shook his head.
> "Worse. It was lower than 9. Like… bottom-tier trash grade 9."
Silence.
Their pride cracked.
Ji Hoon raised a shaky hand.
> "So… what level are you, Dad?"
Kang Woo calmly sipped his tea.
> "Me? I'm Pi."
Min Seo dropped her chopsticks.
> "Seriously?! That's so unfair!"
Kang Woo stood up, stretching.
> "Which is why… I've decided."
He turned, smiling softly—but with clear menace in his eyes.
> "Starting tomorrow, I'm training both of you."
---
They both froze.
> "W-wait. Dad, let's talk about this—"
> "Dad please—have mercy—!"
> "We already train at the Association!"
> "Please, we're just kids—!"
Kang Woo waved them off.
> "Sleep early. Sunrise drills. No excuses."
> "And no calling your mom to save you. She already agreed."
They turned to their mother, who was quietly drinking her tea.
She looked up with a sweet smile.
> "Do your best."