The Granite Hall shook violently. The rumbling sound of the cracking ceiling collided with the heavy breathing of the Black Stone Guild members, who were now beginning to feel their doom knocking. The torches on the walls swayed wildly, casting long, demonic shadows across the polished black stone.
"Finally... it's my turn,"
The original Moen Kang Yo's voice echoed within, his voice hoarse and filled with a terrifying glee.
"Foreman, sit tight, I'll put on a show."
Yoe Choin sighed within their consciousness, handing over full motor control to the original owner.
"Do as you please, Boss. But remember, don't destroy the supporting pillars in the northern sector. If this hall collapses completely, the energy crystals below us will be contaminated by the debris."
Elder Granite roared, sensing the change in aura. His giant spiked club was raised high, the cement-hard muscles of his arms throbbing.
"You want to play crazy, brat?! Feel the impact of this earth's crust!"
Elder Granit charged with surprising speed for his massive size. The spiked mace swept horizontally, creating a wave of air pressure capable of ripping through the lungs.
WHUSH!
However, Moen Kang Yo didn't dodge with the efficient manner Yoe Choin usually did. Instead, he darted forward, meeting the attack.
"Too slow, old man," Kang Yo hissed.
With a single, lightning-fast movement of his hand, he drew his Black Iron Heavy Sword. The sword no longer felt heavy in his hand; it moved like an extension of his killing intent.
CLANG!
The clash between the black sword and the spiked mace sent an explosion of sparks that lit up the entire hall. The ground beneath their feet cracked ten inches deep. Elder Granit was stunned; his mace, which could normally level a steel carriage, was now held back by a single, seemingly casual sword blow.
"What?! How can you possibly possess such power?!" roared Elder Granit, his face red from the strain.
Kang Yo grinned, revealing his sharp fangs.
"It's not about strength, it's about the 'fulcrum,' isn't it, Foreman?"
"Exactly," Choin replied inwardly.
"Use hydraulic pressure on your wrist. Press at a precise 15-degree angle downward. The weapon's structure has a fatigue point at the chain link."
Kang Yo followed the instruction with his wild fighting instincts. He twisted his sword slightly, suddenly applying additional weight.
CRASH!
Elder Granite's spiked mace suddenly cracked. Its iron spikes broke and flew against the wall, embedded deeply in the black granite.
In the corner of the hall, Jin-Pyo and the Demolition Unit stared in awe. They were used to seeing Moen Kang Yo fight with the composure of an architect, but this time they saw an apex predator toying with its prey.
"Foreman... his aura... is so terrifying," whispered one of the Year 2 students.
"Don't just watch!" roared Jin-Pyo, even though he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Maintain the perimeter formation! Make sure not a single Black Stone Guild brat escapes! This is a direct audit instruction!"
Meanwhile, the main battle was heating up. Moen Kang Yo moved like a shadow, slipping between Elder Granite's attacks. Every time Elder Granite swung his mace, Kang Yo retaliated with deep cuts to his opponent's meridian points.
"You have tough skin, huh?" Kang Yo laughed wildly as his sword sparked with flames as it struck Elder Granite's petrified skin.
"Let's see how strong this 'cement layer' is if I strike it at a high frequency!"
Kang Yo concentrated his demonic Qi into the tip of his sword.
"Demonic Technique 4: Structure-Destroying Vibration!"
The black sword suddenly vibrated at such a high frequency that it emitted an ear-piercing screech. Kang Yo thrust his sword into Elder Granite's chest.
SLAM!
The sword not only pierced his stony skin, but the vibrations traveled deep into Elder Granite's internal organs, destroying the density of his Qi molecules from within.
"Ugh... Aaarrghhh!" Elder Granite vomited thick, black blood. He took several steps back, his legs trembling. His granite-hard leather armor was now cracking like parched earth after an earthquake.
Moen Kang Yo stood tall, his swords crossed in front of his face, which was stained with a bit of the enemy's blood. The red haze in his eyes grew thicker, but inside, Choin was pulling the strings to keep Kang Yo from losing his mind completely.
"Kang Yo, enough. Don't kill him yet," Choin said.
"We need him to sign the 'Asset Transfer Certificate.' A corpse can't legally legitimize ownership of this mine."
"Tch... you're always thinking about those boring papers, Foreman,"
Kang Yo grumbled, but he lowered his sword slightly.
Kang Yo stepped closer to Elder Granit, who was now kneeling, gasping for breath. He grabbed the old man's hair and forced him to look up.
"Listen, old man," Kang Yo whispered, his voice as cold as ice on a mountaintop.
"I could perform a 'total dismantling' on your head right now. But my Foreman says you still have value as a field foreman under our supervision. So, the choice is simple: You sign a lifetime contract with Evernight Gate, or I will raze this place along with all your guild members and use you as fertilizer for the foundation."
Elder Granite stared into Kang Yo's bloodshot eyes and saw utter devastation. He glanced at his fallen subordinates, then at his magnificent hall, now in ruins.
"I... I surrender," Elder Granite whispered in a barely audible voice.
"We... we will be your slaves."
"Not slaves, Elder," Choin replied, regaining some control of his voice.
"You are 'Subcontractors.' You will receive wages, proper nutrition, and protection. But in exchange, the quality of energy crystal production here must increase by 200% within the next three months. Otherwise... the next audit will be much more painful."
The hall gradually calmed as the red aura in Moen Kang Yo's eyes faded. The Demolition Unit immediately moved forward to secure the site and collect important documents from the Black Stone Guild's archives.
Jin-Pyo approached Kang Yo with a respectful expression.
"Young Master, the entire core area has been secured. There are no casualties on our side, just a few minor injuries from the dynamic load of the rock."
"Very good, Jin-Pyo," said Choin (back in full control).
"Take inventory of the mining tools immediately. I want all the blunt pickaxes brought to the Evernight blacksmiths to be reforged using the new hardening technique. We need efficient tools if we want to meet production targets."
Choin looked at Elder Granite, who was being helped to his feet by several apprentices. New social bonds were forming here not sweet brotherly ones, but functional ones built on mutual strength and profit.
"Foreman, you truly are building a structure out of destruction," said the real Kang Yo, this time with a tone almost akin to praise.
"The destruction was just a preparatory phase, Boss,"
Choin replied, gazing down at the tunnel leading deep into the earth, where energy crystals shimmered in the darkness.
"The next step is to ensure the Western Passage is perfectly connected to the Eastern Passage. We will build a logistics empire that no one can ever topple."
Under the dim light of the Western Mines, Evernight Gate had just planted another pillar of its power. The Demon Overseer had completed his audit, and now, the Western martial world was beginning to realize that a new, unshakable structure was rising from the darkness.