Chapter 235

〈 Chapter 235 〉 Part 1, Chapter 11, Section 5

In contrast to the Round Table, which judges purely as individuals transcending nations and races, Korea’s Heroes operated as a single organization under the Association.

The leader of that organization was Executioner Baek Hee-a.

Dark Legion, secrets of the Round Table, the end of the world… It took the Heroes two whole weeks to accept the truths about the world that I had revealed, and on July 17th, they finally responded to the joint battle proposal made by the Blue Wind Sect.

Though they understood rationally, emotionally they couldn’t easily team up with Villains. Thus, they challenged the Blue Wind Sect to an all-or-nothing decisive battle.

The only problem was that in their confusion, they hadn’t clearly stated what kind of battle this would be.

We had to gather our wits and try to predict what kind of battle Baek Hee-a and the Heroes had chosen.

“Of course it’s going to be a group battle, right?”

The first person to speak was Lighthouse.

“They suffered a major defeat during the Seoul Recovery Operation. They might still see us as enemies they need to take down. So, logically, this so-called ‘battle’ will likely be the Second Seoul Recovery Operation. The Heroes will launch another assault on Yeouido, trying to crush the Blue Wind Sect once and for all, just like how Sun Icheol used to turn defeated villains into his Pine Tree Brigade.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case… Well, then it’ll be easier to come up with a countermeasure.”

While the Association’s forces have dwindled, the Blue Wind Sect’s power keeps growing day by day. Our cadre members are now ranked S~A, and even ordinary Seoul citizens who’ve joined the Blue Wind Sect will fight alongside us.

“No matter how you look at it, that seems too risky. After suffering such a crushing defeat, they probably wouldn’t repeat the same mistake.”

Phantom countered with their own opinion.

“Besides, if they were to launch another large-scale operation against us, the outcome would be obvious. So, this ‘battle’ is more likely to be a one-on-one duel using elite fighters. A sort of tournament.”

“One-on-one duels between our cadres and their Heroes? That sounds plausible.”

It would be the most appropriate form of battle to test the Blue Wind Sect’s strength without drawing too much public attention. Rather than getting bogged down again amidst monsters, pulling out key cadres for direct one-on-one combat would be a significant advantage for the Heroes.

“But that won’t work, will it? The numbers don’t match. In my opinion, they’ll overwhelm us with sheer numbers. For instance, ganging up on the boss—a Phoenix Raid, you could say.”

“That’s a pretty solid point. Even if we capture the cadres, it won’t mean anything unless they defeat me. From the Heroes’ perspective, raiding me would be the quickest solution.”

“That’s only true if you can actually defeat the boss, though.”

Gongsung pointed out the underlying assumption.

“After all, isn’t there someone here who’s been a stumbling block for you since the beginning?”

“…That’s true.”

Light Blade Heo Yoon-hwan casually put his feet up on the desk and crossed his legs. Indeed, before he became a monster, he was practically my biggest obstacle.

“But I’m not on the side of the Heroes anymore.”

“You’re not exactly fighting for the Blue Wind Sect either, though, are you?”

“Yeah, but if my wife asks nicely, I’ll fight.”

Heo Yoon-hwan proudly lifted his head. By now, the cadres had endured enough noise from the couple downstairs to know firsthand that he was utterly dependent on his wife.

“I envy you. To seduce the same woman twice…”

“Heh, we even had a kid. But what about that kid? Boss, technically speaking, Seong Hwa-ryeong is also a Korean Hero, right? Is there any chance she’d become our enemy?”

“…”

I couldn’t help but fall silent for a moment. While I was trapped within triple barriers, cut off from the outside world, the spirit shard connecting me to Seok Harang split in half.

Unintentionally, I ended up bringing her biological parents together to explain everything. The three of them had an awkward first meeting and still haven’t reached out to each other, fumbling around uncomfortably.

“Most likely… There’s a 100% chance she’ll become our enemy.”

Whether fighting me or Light Blade Heo Yoon-hwan, the odds of Seok Harang siding with the Blue Wind Sect were slim.

“Xiao Lin leaving is quite the blow.”

“She has to guard the Dragon now, doesn’t she?”

“The decision to send Crown Prince back to China was yours, wasn’t it?”

If it weren’t for me breaking through the barriers while holding off three cadres, no one knows what would happen if either the Dragon or Seok Harang were captured. Since the Dragon has no combat ability, I left him in the care of the world’s strongest guardian—Xiao Lin.

“Light Blade, what will you do if Seok Harang points her spear at you?”

“I’ll fight her.”

There was no hesitation in Light Blade’s voice.

“If words can’t convey something, there’s nothing left but to settle it with force.”

“This isn’t a shonen manga, you know? If enemies could become friends through fighting, I’d have beaten everyone already.”

“Instead of friendship, I implanted cores into people’s hearts and turned them into monsters… But since I’m a monster now, I intend to follow your orders. At least as long as you consider Rusalka family.”

“Of course.”

Any Rusalka is a very important ally to me. Aren’t they both people who agreed to oppose Seongju?

“In that case, let’s sum things up. Worst-case scenario: full-scale war. Second worst: battles or raids similar to that scale. No matter what happens, please make sure you’re all ready to fight at full strength. Frankly, they could arrive tomorrow morning and start the battle immediately.”

No matter what, the Blue Wind Sect and Blazing Phoenix won’t avoid the coming challenge.

“Alright, that’s all for today. Everyone, good job. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so enjoy your free time today.”

Under Lighthouse’s leadership, we considered every possible response to the Second Seoul Recovery Operation, keeping all options open.

* * *

<4 PM, Phoenix Penthouse>

After delegating full authority for mobilizing the Blue Wind Sect to Ji Hwa, I called Light Blade separately to talk.

“Isn’t it lonely with Rusalka gone to Russia?”

“It is.”

Light Blade didn’t hide his feelings. Knowing tomorrow’s event was crucial for the Blue Wind Sect, he hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol despite usually drinking heavily.

“You should take a full rest the day before the final battle. It’s a tradition of the Blue Wind Sect.”

“Relaxing like this feels strange coming from you.”

“We approach every operation with the mindset that it could be the last. Before dying, reach out to the sky and make sure there’s nothing you wanted to do before death.”

“That makes sense.”

Light Blade merely stared out the window at Seoul.

“Trash, if you really knew everything…”

“I’ll only answer what I know.”

“Once upon a time, I had a friend in Seoul… Do you know what happened to them?”

“My friend?”

Light Blade’s face flushed red.

“Don’t call them that so casually! Anyway, do you know what happened? How did they end up?”

“They tried to protect a Cube from Sun Icheol and became a monster. I killed them myself.”

Light Blade glared coldly down at me, and I humbly accepted his killing intent.

“To you, they were a partner and companion, weren’t they? Someone who always cleaned up after your messes, as I’ve heard.”

“……I owe that guy a lot. Though he did have some twisted sexual desires. Tsk, it’s unfortunate. If only I hadn’t gotten restrained…”

“……Then listen closely.”

After taking a sip of strawberry juice, I revealed the truth to Light Blade.

“Take good care of Cheon Gaeul. That person’s core is now inside Cheon Gaeul.”

“……What?! That actress girl? Wait. Monsters inherit characteristics from their original cores, right?”

Light Blade’s face went pale. Remembering the nine tails of the now vanished Cheon Gaeul, he shuddered.

“So that’s what he was.”

“Also, Seok Harang’s insect monster form uses tentacles instead of antennae.”

“You really talk too much. While we’re at it, let me ask you something.”

Light Blade irritably wagged his finger at me.

“Why do you keep deliberately poking at people’s nerves? You don’t even want to, right?”

“……Hmm. Why do I do that?”

I leaned back in my chair and spun around. The ceiling started spinning 360 degrees.

“Because I feel like sharing what I know?”

“What kind of feeling is that?”

“How should I know? It just comes out. Don’t overthink it and be grateful. Thanks to me killing you, Seok Harang won’t become a butterfly monster.”

“……That is appreciated.”

From his perspective, having personally killed a butterfly monster and knowing his daughter might become one too, that future must have been hellish.

“So, you chose suicide in the future. Thinking that your death would solve everything.”

“……Were there people in the future who could control Seok Harang’s rampages?”

“Yes. They were great allies.”

Of course, those allies changed frequently, but each one played the role of an ace at the right moment. Talking with Light Blade felt like chatting with an old man, so I changed the subject.

“By the way, Light Blade, when are you planning to reconcile with Seok Harang?”

“Reconcile? I’m just-”

“Just go kneel down and apologize, can’t you?”

“……You’re making it sound so easy. You don’t understand people’s feelings.”

“True. I don’t understand, but you can’t just sit back and watch the situation develop leisurely, can you?”

I pointed at Pyongyang on the map.

“There’s a monster that requires four SS-ranked fighters to safely contain without any casualties. It even has a Cube, and it’s only going to get stronger. Currently S-rank, but in five years, it’ll become SS-rank—a truly ferocious monster.”

“Doesn’t its appearance look particularly ferocious?”

“Does appearance matter? Performance is what counts. You know what happens when it goes berserk.”

“……Yeah, I know well.”

Having witnessed the devastation firsthand, Light Blade must understand the dangers of Nuclearian well.

“Me, you, Seok Harang, Xiao Lin—just the four of us could handle a raid, but because of the trouble between you and Seok Harang, we can’t capture it now. You know how important Cubes are.”

“……Give me some time. I still need time. It’s only been two months since I died, hasn’t it?”

“Seok Harang has waited 21 years. She’s still waiting.”

“……What exactly was your relationship with Seok Harang in the future?”

My chair stopped spinning. Light Blade drew his sword and blocked me.

“It wasn’t just a simple relationship as a fellow spirit or cousin, and the things you’re saying seem strangely believable…”

Light Blade’s sharp eyes glared at me.

“Could that High Priest guy actually be you?”

“Hah.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter at Light Blade’s question.

“You’re not calling me trash anymore?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“……Tch. You’re trying to read my magic power to verify the truth, but there’s one thing I can definitely say.”

At least regarding this, I couldn’t lie.

“I am not the High Priest.”

“He’s in America right now. But Light Blade clearly didn’t believe me.”

“Feels right, doesn’t it?”

“Augh, seriously. If you tell me, I promise I won’t kill you.”

Startled by my offer, Light Blade hesitated.

“Not an order?”

“Even if you gave an order, someone at your level could probably ignore it. I’ll tell you what I know, and you stake Rusalka.”

“……Stake Rusalka? Are you mocking me… You’re serious.”

“Yes. I’ve met someone and managed to calm down a bit.”

Light Blade sheathed his sword. I raised my hand first.

“I, Phoenix, swear not to lie to Heo Yoon-hwan.”

“I… No, even if I wanted to, I can’t stake Rusalka.”

Light Blade raised his hand to swear but gave up. But I didn’t care at all.

“That’s just asking you to keep your mouth shut. Surely you can do that much?”

“……If staking myself satisfies you, then I swear.”

It was typical of Light Blade not to stake Rusalka until the end. Being similar to Gawein in many ways, he was truly enviable in his love.

“Alright. Just don’t regret hearing this. Once you learn who Seok Harang’s future husband is, you’ll definitely regret it.”

“I will never regret. Alright then, who impregnated my daughter?”

“Bai Qinghua.”

Light Blade froze.

“I knew it.”

“……Wait. Isn’t it, uh, sorry, Mr.? Bai Qinghua? Bai Qinghua?”

Light Blade entered an anomie state. But I wasn’t the type to stop talking out of consideration for him.

“Yes. Bai Qinghua (白靑花). When you used Rusalka’s power to go berserk, the S-rank youth who barely calmed you down by mutual destruction after you cut off your own arm.”

“Huh.”

Light Blade collapsed onto the floor.

“Wasn’t he… dead?”

“Everyone except him died. Hmm… Despite all that chaos, his life must have been tough, but somehow he drifted across the Okhotsk Sea and made it all the way to Alaska. Honestly, being S-rank, his lifespan is surprisingly long.”

“……Is this child really going to be our Harang’s husband?”

“Yes. In five years, he’ll return with dyed blond hair. In the future.”

I laid out the truth.

But there was one thing I didn’t say.

Before becoming Blazing Phoenix, I was the Protagonist.

Therefore, “I am not the High Priest.” Because I am Blazing Phoenix.

“Ah, damn it, I have to die… Ugh… This is why I couldn’t keep my promise to Rusalka!”

“What promise did you make?”

“To just… cut that bastard’s head clean in half… Ugh!”

Light Blade tried to regain his dignity, but it was too late. I shrugged and gave him time to dig himself deeper.

“That’s why I said you’d regret it.”

Unaware that I had impregnated Seok Harang, Light Blade was berating and cursing the poor protagonist.

Somehow, Light Blade managed to regain his fighting spirit.

The light-speed, SS-ranked swordsman ‘Heo Yoon-hwan’.

As a new cadre member of the Blue Wind Sect.

“No matter how you think about it, titles like ‘Dark Spirit Official’ or ‘Dark Sovereign’ just don’t suit you, so forget them.”

“……”

[Light Blade] Heo Yoon-hwan [New Cadre Member]