NOVEL WEB Chapter 24: Vonjo's nerves
Eugene's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, the van's tires humming against the cracked asphalt. His breaths came fast and shallow, the surreal weight of what had just transpired still pressing down on his chest like a cinder block.
On top of the van, the shadow of a man stood against the wind, his coat flapping like the tattered wings of a fallen angel.
Vonjo.
A monster cloaked in human form?
A legend?
A lunatic?
A demon?
A protector?
Or the strongest side character?
"Stop the van, kid," the voice came, muffled but clear, sliding down the windshield like an echo out of hell. "Let me drive."
Eugene blinked, nodded slowly, and without a word, eased the vehicle to the shoulder.
The van groaned as Vonjo dropped down like a panther from the roof, boots hitting the ground with a metallic thud.
He swung the door open, took the driver's seat, and didn't spare Eugene a glance as he slammed the door shut and floored the pedal.
The city blurred around them.
The world outside still wore its mask of normalcy.
Shops were open. People were walking. Cars passed by. But Vonjo, with his eyes half-lidded in casual indifference, saw beyond the veil.
Hidden between the crowds, moving in patterns the untrained eye would never see, were curse sorcerers—fallen protectors who had once upheld justice, now operating from the shadows.
Some hid their identities behind charm spells and paper talismans, crouching in alleyways, scanning the crowds with eyes that shimmered like cursed obsidian.
Others walked among the citizens, appearing like businessmen or garbage collectors, but Vonjo could sense their aura, their intent. Their madness.
He overheard a conversation through the van's window, voices slipping through like whispers in a cathedral.
"—did you hear what happened at Sector Seven? They said a ghost appeared in broad daylight—"
"No ghost, man. I heard it was one of the Broken Twelve."
"Bullshit. Those guys are myths. This one… this one ripped a priest in half."
"Are we safe here? My daughter's school—"
"They've got protectors nearby. That tall guy in a suit? Yeah, not human. Saw him bend a rebar pipe like it was wet clay."
Vonjo chuckled. His fingers danced along the steering wheel like he was playing a piano in a graveyard. "Still pretending this world's intact. Cute."
He knew where he was going. His direction wasn't chosen blindly. His family—House Sutterfouse—loomed not just in blood, but in obligation, history, and rot.
He could already smell the scent of nobility rotting beneath the golden varnish.
He could guess where his half-brother would be, surrounded by sycophants and the people he hated before he was abandoned. But he hesitated.
The boy.
Eugene.
That damn protagonist aura clung to the kid like a divine curse.
If his family knew Vonjo was dragging around a piece of narrative gravity like him, things would get messy—fatally messy.
However, he needed this kid for his abilities if he was going to challenge the branch of the Sutterfouse Family. After all, his top three abilities were only active in the main character's presence. But this kid smells trouble; after all, he's the protagonist.
Soon, the hospital came into view, a monolith of sterile lights and dead-eyed workers.
Vonjo parked the van without ceremony and pointed a thumb toward the door.
"Down, kid," he said, his tone half-lazy, half-final. "I'll take my problems from here."
But Eugene didn't move.
He instead reached into the back, lifting his unconscious father into his arms with a gentleness that surprised Vonjo.
The boy's face twisted with emotion—grief, gratitude, awe. He stepped out, carrying the man like a broken relic, and approached Vonjo slowly.
"Thank you, sir," Eugene said quietly.
Vonjo gave a grunt in response, already checking his pockets for a cigarette that didn't exist.
But then the boy asked, "What are your plans after this, sir?"
Vonjo paused. "Huh?"
Eugene fumbled with his words, unsure why he'd even asked. "I mean… you always say you're the strongest, right?"
Vonjo smirked. "Yeah? What of it?"
Eugene adjusted his grip on his father and said, "Sir, are you… are you interested in fighting a couple of people?"
There was a long silence.
Vonjo stared at him like he'd just asked to lick a volcano. "Of course I am. Why the hell are you asking me like that? You think I'm some battle-hungry freak?"
"Well…" Eugene hesitated again. "I know someone. Someone named Teacher Lorthran. He's looking for strong people. I figured you might be—"
"Teacher what-now?"
"Lorthran. Emperor Light Lorthran. They say he once split a curse storm with a single punch. He trained in the mountains where cursed gravity crushes bones. He meditates in lava pits. He once arm-wrestled a twelve-armed ogre and ripped all its arms off. His kicks cause localized earthquakes, sir. His students don't walk—they fly from the pressure of his strikes."
Vonjo blinked.
Eugene kept going, voice rising with enthusiasm. "And he's looking for someone worthy. He told me if I found someone strong enough to challenge him—even make him use one technique—he'd teach me everything. Hand-to-hand. Pressure points. Movement flow. All of it."
The bullet comments exploded.
[CurseHunter_77]: AYO??? EMPEROR LIGHT LORTHRAN???
[BlueEyedDevil]: No way they're setting this up already?!
[GhostPanda]: Two monsters gonna throw hands?? LET'S GOOO
[MandarinMystic]: Isn't it too early for Vonjo to be fed to Lorthran? He JUST got introduced!
[SleepyFangirl]: Nah, this is hype. Let's see if Vonjo's all talk.
[WushuSimp420]: I bet Vonjo gets clapped. Lorthran made an earthquake just by sneezing.
[QuietOnlooker]: This gonna be legendary. Bookmarking this scene rn.
Vonjo narrowed his eyes, his fingers twitching at the steering wheel again.
"What the hell, kid? You think I'm some roaming battle junkie who fights for honor and recognition?"
He stared at Eugene. "What's your angle? You setting me up?"
Eugene shook his head, his expression innocent, hopeful. "No, sir. I just… I thought maybe you'd want to prove it. That you're the strongest. Just once."
Vonjo's lips curled into a sneer, but something itched in his mind.
The name. Lorthran.
He remembered the novel.
The lore.
Of course.
The arc one basically consists of Eugene managing to present powerful enough challengers to his teacher, the man would loosen his cold silence and reveal combat secrets beyond comprehension.
The stronger the fighters Eugene brought, the more this Lorthran teaches and this would make Eugene's understanding of combat grow.
Vonjo exhaled sharply. "I'm not interested in playing fetch with your damn sensei, kid."
He reached for the ignition, ready to leave—
[JadedSloth]: Vonjo is bailing? LMAO scared.
[NocturneNoLife]: Man's a whole coward. Not the strongest, just the loudest.
[CursedBark]: Pussy vonjo. Couldn't even handle a teacher.
[SpectralWitch]: What happened to "I'll burn down gods"? Can't even fight a mortal teacher now huh?
[GunGoblin69]: Vonjo confirmed weak. Teacher Lorthran solos.
[Van_Man_Enjoyer]: Can't believe he ran. I had hope. Now I have disappointment.
Vonjo froze.
His fingers twitched. His jaw tightened.
"Kid," he growled, slowly looking up at Eugene. "That teacher of yours… he pique my interest."
Eugene's eyes widened.
"It'd be a damn shame if you kept thinking anyone could be stronger than me. Let's go meet this 'Lorthran.' I'll show you… I'm the strongest of them all."
The comments exploded.
[CRAWLSPACE_KING]: LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOO
[SorcererSlapFest]: This arc is about to PEAK.
[EmperorLightVsVonjo]: It's finally happening. TWO GODS. This fucking early!
[CommenterInTears]: My soul isn't ready.
And neither was the world.