Chapter 121

〈Chapter 121〉 Part 1, Chapter 7 (1)

June 3rd, 2020. Dawn broke.

In just a day, East Asia had experienced great turmoil, but fortunately, miracle after miracle arose like bamboo shoots after rain, calming the chaos.

Princess Seok Harang’s SS-Rank awakening.

The martial prowess and true identity of Unjang Xiao Lin, who felled the Illusion Dragon with one strike.

The emergence of the “Monster Tamer,” capable of handling even S-Rank monsters.

The Korean Peninsula became the eye of the storm.

As the world watched the Far East land, people were enjoying their respective respite.

* * *

<11:00 AM, June 3rd, Seoul City Hall>

“Well, this finishes the restoration. All we need now is to move in some furniture at New Seoul.”

“Thank you, James.”

Ryu Cheonseong couldn’t help but marvel at the neatly erected building. The original city hall was completely destroyed during the battle with the serpent, and James had insisted on rebuilding it entirely.

Its appearance resembled a Joseon-era palace resurrected instead of modern design, evoking a sense of grandeur in all who saw it. Though the interior maintained a contemporary office structure, with some interior adjustments, it could easily restore ancient aesthetics.

“I didn’t know you had such an eye for design.”

“Didn’t I mention it? I’m a Doctor of Architecture. I was studying Hanok in Seoul before settling here.”

Ryu Cheonseong’s eyes widened. Who would’ve thought that a man seemingly loving concrete jungles was actually a Hanok expert? He should’ve suspected as much from when James wore hanbok daily.

“You’re a restoration expert?”

“One thing leads to another. Did you know I’ve personally restored one-fifth of Seoul? With experience comes growth, and my special ability has been evolving too.”

James laughed heartily while fanning himself.

“At this rate, I might reach S-Rank first, hahaha!”

“Ugh…”

Ryu Cheonseong groaned. Unlike him, a combat-type special ability user who must gain experience through battles, James, being a production-type user, ascended ranks each time he restored buildings.

“…I’m jealous.”

Ryu Cheonseong chuckled and shook his head. In the past, he would’ve immediately grown envious and thrown punches, but since becoming mayor, he found more peace of mind.

“If you reach S-Rank first, I’ll treat you to a big meal.”

“…Sorry, did I get too full of myself?”

“No need to apologize. This is a world where SS-Ranks exist; there’s no need to rush. Didn’t the captain already say something about it?”

Ryu Cheonseong extended his finger.

“There are still five spirits left, right? One of them should awaken me to S-Rank. Hahaha.”

“…Honestly, I think I’ll be stuck at durability. Boss mentioned going to China soon, right? If it’s not a durability spirit, I might be out of luck.”

“Who knows? If you restore all of Seoul, maybe you’ll reach S-Rank.”

No matter how far they’d come, they were still special ability users. As they exchanged trivial talk about their respective levels, Ryu Cheonseong flicked his finger and asked,

“Speaking of which, you said you’re a doctor, right? Where are you from? I’ve never seen you at Y University.”

“Me? Anam. G University-”

“Phew.”

Ryu Cheonseong spat on the floor and disappeared. His secretary, Kang Soyeon, who stood beside him, shook her head with disdain.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, you’re still below S-Rank…”

“What did you say?”

Ryu Cheonseong pressed something in his pocket. Kang Soyeon stumbled momentarily but quickly regained her composure, only slightly altering her expression as she limped behind Ryu Cheonseong.

“Hmph! Don’t do that outside! You perverted old man! I’ll report you for sexual harassment!”

“Alright then, tell me. Is Y better or S?”

“Jeez, am I really gonna lose?! Hmph, let’s see how this ends! I won’t say what you want me to!”

James scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Why are they arguing over something so petty?”

Especially since he himself graduated from an Ivy League school in the U.S.

* * *

“So, this makes no sense. How can you have a higher share than me?”

Jo Deokbae openly complained at the results displayed on the screen. Yu I-shin nodded confidently.

“It’s obvious. I died just before the battle ended, while you died dozens of times. The difference in contribution is clear.”

“Hey, Ji Hwa. You secretly helped I-shin, didn’t you? You gave her the heads-up so she could land that amazing final blow, right?”

“Disgusting, Deokbae.”

Ji Hwa adjusted his sliding sunglasses. His subtle use of his middle finger to push up the glasses caught Deokbae’s suspicious glare.

“If you have complaints, take it up with the captain.”

“Hey! Quiet down, everyone under 2%! Can you please keep it down?”

From a distance, Cheon Gaeul was furiously typing away. Despite her soft tone, the superiority in her voice made Deokbae bristle.

“S-Rank core holder and yet only 9%, huh…”

“Excuse me, next 1%. I’m busy, so please quiet down.”

Gaeul kept her eyes glued to the screen while speaking. She was so absorbed that she even let her tentacles hang loosely beneath her coat, a rare sight.

Yu I-shin cautiously asked,

“Gaeul, what exactly are you doing…?”

“Stalking people.”

“…What?”

“I’m tracking down those who insult our little one and archiving their accounts.”

Ji Hwa discreetly lowered his sunglasses to peek at Gaeul’s screen. I-shin noticed and leaned in to ask,

“What is it?”

“Blue Wind Sect villain <Beast Tamer>, tracking accounts that sexually harass Blue Wind Sect Leader.”

“…Who are they talking about?”

“The leader’s public name.”

“Blue Wind? …Oh!”

I-shin snapped her fingers upon understanding. Deokbae grumbled,

“It’s a play on words. Blue Wind Sect’s ‘Blue Wind.’ Anyone would naturally assume it refers to the leader.”

“It’s meant to make them think that way. A monster tamer awakened by the influence of Seoul’s dimensional gate. Doesn’t that sound appropriate? A villain controlling the Black Flame Dragon to protect Seoul.”

“To be honest, it’s just damage control because the Black Flame Dragon couldn’t return to human form, right? Wrong?”

“…While that’s true, strategically, it helps. The six million people of Seoul already know who the Black Flame Dragon is and who Blue Wind Sect’s leader truly is. How would the general public ever find out? Controlling monsters is indeed factual.”

Since it was discovered by the Round Table, Blue Wind Sect needed justification for how they controlled monsters. Luckily, Phoenix’s human form was still publicly known as a non-combatant, so the leaders emphasized distinguishing between the two:

Human Blue Wind as <Beast Tamer>.

Phoenix as the monster <Blue Phoenix>.

“The former is currently unranked, but the latter is unofficially SS-Rank. That’s why Gaeul-”

“Haha, stop kidding. Phoenix got ranked SS because she blessed Princess Seok Harang, so obviously the first SS title belongs to Phoenix.”

Gaeul reacted irritably even though it wasn’t directly her issue. However, the other villains somewhat understood. The title of the world’s first SS-Rank special ability user and the strongest existing hero belonged to Seok Harang. Deokbae crossed his arms.

“Seok Harang lost, so our side is technically superior, right?”

“After losing, she trained hard and achieved SS-Rank, so the prevailing theory is that they should fight again.”

I-shin subtly showed Deokbae the data she’d gathered over the weekend. The global hero community buzzed with discussions about the showdown between two special ability users emerging from East Asia.

The villain Phoenix, who killed Light Blade and defeated Unjang.

Hero Princess Seok Harang, who single-handedly froze the sea and battled the S-Rank Leviathan Moby Dick.

People were thrilled by the destined rivalry of fire versus ice. And with Light Blade’s death creating natural enmity, it was only natural that people pushed for their battle.

Bang! Gaeul slammed the table.

“Aaaargh! It’s so frustrating! Not a single person supports us!”

“First off, the boss is a villain.”

A villain who disrupted Seoul’s restoration efforts and hindered Pyongyang’s invasion wouldn’t be popular. While experts favored Phoenix based on raw power, emotionally, many hoped Princess Seok Harang would win. Gaeul anxiously chewed on her tentacles.

“Should we start an SNS account?”

“You manage it? Never.”

“…SNS?”

Ji Hwa stroked his chin, seemingly struck by an idea. I-shin quietly moved her chair closer to him.

“Any good ideas?”

“…Gaeul, where is the boss right now?”

“Right now?”

Gaeul sighed and brought up the screen with a wry smile.

– Going on a date with Seok Harang.

“That’s what it says. Tsk.”

Fuming, Gaeul hammered away at the keyboard. The three villains quietly slipped out of the lounge without her noticing, leaving her to patrol various communities predicting Phoenix’s certain victory.

“Hehehe, we’ll see who wins. What? Princess Seok Harang’s sure victory? Counterarguments will lead to gulag? Who’s this?”

Gaeul froze at a rather famous individual’s SNS message. Unfortunately, the Round Table came out supporting Princess Seok Harang.

* * *

<Russia, Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport>

“Whatever, some jerk. Does that birdbrain think she’ll win? Hmph, whose daughter is she anyway?”

Anastasha declared Princess Seok Harang’s sure victory and downed her vodka. Oracle sitting beside her turned pale, placing a finger to her lips.

“Please shut up…! Don’t make a slip of the tongue!”

“Girl, you ‘observed’ all my past, right? Did I say anything inappropriate?”

“I know your tragic backstory, so please shut up, you alien laundry board!”

Anastasha flicked her finger at Oracle’s forehead faster than light.

“Die, you voyeuristic brat.”

“Don’t apologize to me! Apologize to the real Anastasha, the rightful owner of this body. Your soul is so strong it made her look like a washing board, ack?!”

This time, it was serious. Anastasha smashed Oracle’s head with a vodka bottle. After a while, she smiled brightly at the security guards and reporters who had fallen back.

Click. A reporter hastily took a photo. Anastasha turned her head and resumed her usual blank expression.

“That’s settled. This headline will read <Undine Defeats Playboy>.”

“Tch. Clearly Mr. Heo Yun-hwan’s brain is messed up somehow. How could he like such a violent alien? Pervert? …No, you’re probably right.”

Oracle scanned Anastasha up and down mockingly. Instantly catching the implication, Anastasha swirled the vodka in the glass. Sharp shards of vodka pierced through the glass.

“Looks like I’ll have to fly alone. Farewell.”

“……Honestly, even you admit that, right? Like, aren’t you like 140 cm? How can you be so brutal against someone so small? Even I couldn’t do that. Seriously.”

Despite the mocking tone, Anastasha proudly placed her hand on her chest, uncaring of exposing cleavage.

“So what? He’s my husband, technically the first human SS-Rank, isn’t he?”

“…You have precognition, remember? And I told you not to say things that could be misinterpreted-”

“Oracle! Over here for a moment.”

A towering man called out from behind. Vladimir Ivanovich Suborof, a military general-turned-A-Rank special ability user and Anastasha’s father.

“Y-yes sir.”

Oracle followed with a grimace. She wanted to wallop Anastasha drinking vodka and whistling smugly but held back due to the bear-sized man nearby.

Creak. Suborof opened the emergency exit. Confirming no one was around using his magic power, Suborof bent forward to meet Oracle’s eyes.

“Oracle, surely you know whom my daughter has fallen for, correct?”

“Yes, Sir. <Perun>.”

Lies don’t work on him. Oracle answered straightforwardly.

“Then who is this… hmmph. Husband she speaks of?”

“I cannot disclose that.”

“Oracle!!”

The stairs echoed loudly. The carefully erected barrier nearly shattered from his roar. Yet Oracle remained calm.

“I cannot disclose that. Unless Undine reveals it herself, I dare not reveal heavenly secrets.”

Suborof’s face grew urgent.

“Listen here. My daughter suddenly started crying uncontrollably. Then she started talking about husbands and love, didn’t she? For twenty years after collapsing from cardiac arrest, she never dated anyone. Now she’s suddenly like this. Imagine how bewildering it is for a parent.”

I’m bewildered enough to go crazy. Oracle barely swallowed the rising words in her throat.

‘How do I explain? Your daughter is already dead, and an alien has possessed her body for over twenty years! Worse, that alien was the vanguard of Lord Seongju trying to conquer Earth, fell in love with Light Blade Heo Yun-hwan, and bore a child! That’s Princess Seok Harang! Wow, shocking facts!’

“…Undine will reveal it in her own time. She seems quite confused herself, so for now, let her be. I’ll keep a close watch from the sidelines.”

“Hmm. …Not very reassuring, but fine.”

“What was my previous alias before becoming Oracle? <Cupid>. The matchmaker connecting Hollywood stars. I support only true love.”

“…If you say so, I understand. Today, I’ll retreat gracefully. But listen.”

Suborof placed his hand on Oracle’s shoulder, revealing sharp teeth. Sparks of yellow electricity danced across his hand.

“Whoever blinded my daughter, human or not, won’t get away easily with it.”

“……I’ll make sure to pass that along if the opportunity arises.”

He’s not even human, and far stronger than you. Oracle swallowed the rest of her words and barely escaped the barrier. Back at her seat, Anastasha was gleefully watching videos of Seok Harang’s exploits like a fan.

Oracle raised both hands in surrender toward the heavens.

“True Love, damn you.”

Oracle’s private jet carrying two members of the Round Table took off into the skies above Moscow.