Chapter 155

〈Chapter 155〉 Part 1, Chapter 8, Scene 15

Chaos Dragon.

This fifth lieutenant we meet in the original story is quite a tough nut to crack when encountered.

While Xiao Lin can develop events through exchanges with the Round Table, and Seok Harang, the sixth spirit down in Busan, is relatively easy to meet, this Chaos Dragon is far more difficult to engage with.

Date request? Nope, just sleeps.

Dungeon raid? Nope, still sleeps.

Monster hunting? Nope, snoozing.

Only sleep, sleep, sleep.

Though she expresses gratitude for being rescued by the protagonist group, she figures since there are already four lieutenants helping the protagonist, she doesn’t need to bother.

The players eventually exploded in frustration at Chaos Dragon’s constant napping and ended up reporting it as a game bug.

“Who would’ve thought…”

That every event where we forcibly wake her from her slumber was actually leading to her awakening as a Spirit.

[So hurry up already. I’m getting tired of waiting.]

I sat on a throne made of stacked Black Flame Scorpion corpses, wishing for visitors other than monsters.

[Whether human, monster, or spirit – all are welcome…!]

Hurry up, please. I’m starting to get annoyed with nothing but monsters showing up. I want to trade pitches and swings with some new batters.

Swooosh—

[You’ve arrived.]

I sense magical energy approaching from afar. Rising from my scorpion corpse throne, I grabbed Deokbae.

[What is it this time-]

A familiar form of missile came flying towards me. For a moment, I lost for words.

[Mote Gyeteong…!]

Who would’ve guessed he’d launch missiles even within his own territory?

* * *

“Director?!”

“The opponent is an SS-Rank Villain, isn’t he? We shouldn’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”

Mote Gyeteong was frantically pressing buttons in a carefree manner.

Pressing the launch switch won’t make missiles fly randomly, but everyone in the room understood his anxious mood from how he kept clicking several times per second.

“Due to the death of the monster pilot, his guards have gone berserk. Monsters gathering nationwide are converging. Naturally, we must do our part. That’s why.”

Mote Gyeteong pointed at the phoenix struggling with black flame scorpions captured via artificial satellite.

“The Demon of Seoul coming here is terrorism, isn’t it?”

“That may be so…”

“Should we request support from the Round Table?”

One of his sons sought Mote Gyeteong’s opinion. Though he couldn’t remember which son it was, Mote Gyeteong shook his head initially.

“Nope. Let’s try without Unjang. It’s time for you million Special Ability users to show your strength.”

“Our opponent is estimated to be SS-Rank.”

“Just one, right? Deploying a million against a single person isn’t excessive but rather too much in my opinion.”

Mote Gyeteong shook his head watching the increasing deployment of Special Ability users.

“Weren’t they confirmed at the Yalu River? That guy has no intention of killing Special Ability users.”

“But what if he does kill them?”

“…Still, aren’t Special Ability users increasing these days?”

Though still inaudible to Mote Gyeteong, his sons were still hearing the annoying morning call ringing loudly.

“Good morning, you say? The reveille sounds mean it’s a sign from heaven. It’s the ancestors’ signal that the army of Special Ability users must finally rise!”

“It’s English though.”

“Let’s overlook trivialities. What matters now is that guy. Status report?”

After staring at the tablet for a while, Moon Hwa shook his head.

“Incorrect. He’s still alive.”

“Indeed. Who would’ve thought he could survive a missile strike. …Is it really him?”

Two months ago, the villain who played around with Unjang throwing blue flames. It was only natural to think this troublemaker now is the same person.

“How many Black Flame Scorpions has the guy captured?”

“Four. All likely intact cores.”

“Is that so? Then Moon Hwa, gather everyone from Dong Chang. We’ll defeat the villain and steal those cores.”

“Understood… Father?”

Moon Hwa was surprised by the information coming through the tablet. Though irritated by his son’s rashness raising his eyebrows, Moon Hwa had more pressing matters.

“Three urgent reports. One, an S-Rank Monster, Black Flame Dragon, is flying from the Yellow Sea toward Seoul.”

“Hmm? As expected. The monster pilot is still alive then.”

Mote Gyeteong wiped his beard mid-stroke and quickly made a decision.

“Intercept immediately. Launch missiles. With such a large size, it’ll be good shooting practice.”

Clickclickclick.

Mote Gyeteong kept tapping the launch switch model with his thumb, licking his lips. If he were the head of the military instead of Director of the Anti-Monster Bureau, the sky would’ve been filled with missiles instantly.

“More missiles…”

“Understood.”

One son muttered with a grimace, but Moon Hwa covered for him with a meaningful glance.

“And the second report…”

Moon Hwa tilted his head slightly, looking somewhat confused.

“All Illusion Magic users have revealed themselves. They’re all rushing toward Villain Phoenix.”

“…? Ah, bandits don’t tolerate outsiders, do they.”

“…And the video footage we have…”

Moon Hwa displayed the video on a large monitor visible to everyone. All missing members of Dong Chang were following Bong Hyo, who was carrying a gray-skinned maiden in his arms.

“…Hmm.”

Mote Gyeteong’s eyes gleamed upon seeing the gray-skinned girl.

“Looks like Bong Hyo succumbed to lust and betrayed us.”

Mote Gyeteong licked his lips, getting excited. Those present, members of Dong Chang and his sons, immediately sensed their father’s bad habit kicking in again.

“I’ll issue a general mobilization order to all Heroes. We’ll eliminate both the Villain and the terrorist in one go. And…”

Mote Gyeteong pointed at the gray-skinned girl with a smirk.

“Bring that girl back alive.”

“Yes sir. We’ll bring her back unharmed. And the final third report…”

Moon Hwa pointed at a location bombed by missiles with an awkward expression.

“The Phoenix’s presence has disappeared.”

* * *

“Geez, seriously. Should’ve taken out that missile launcher permanently.”

I cracked my neck left and right, tossing Deokbae to the floor. Rolling away, Deokbae (Stone Club) landed in a corner of the stone chamber.

“I should store this and head out.”

‘There shouldn’t be anyone coming in here.’

If I accidentally fight and lose a core, I’ll end up crying tears of blood, so I need a place to store these hard-earned cores.

Tap tap tap.

The cores scattered into the tubes. The cores placed beside the mummy looked like burial goods. I picked up an S-Rank core lying next to a rib bone.

“You’d probably cry if you saw this.”

Though the owner might find it awkward too, it’d be better if it were them.

“There’s nothing more fun than ancient warriors with cheats in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

I placed the core near the mummy’s heart, making a hole with my fingernail and inserting the core inside.

“Ugh…”

Decomposition gases rose, along with the smell of thousands of years of decay. Though I had to endure it after breaking the mummy’s seal, I regretted it immediately.

“Skip the incantation…”

With this smell, reciting a long incantation would likely make me vomit halfway through. I quickly activated the core, infusing it with magical power.

“Congratulations on achieving immortality.”

I granted his most desired wish. The core embedded in the mummy began emitting brown light, and I stepped back a couple of paces from the sarcophagus.

Crack. Crack.

The mummy’s outer layer hardened into a shell similar to the Black Flame Scorpions.

Maintaining human form, but due to the extremely long time passed, he resembled a humanized Black Flame Scorpion more than a human.

“Hmph.”

The monster-man stood up, blinking and gazing blankly at me.

“You.”

“Yes.”

“Did you know who I am yet resurrected me?”

Indeed. The pressure was immense. Even knowing his life was in my hands, his gaze piercing down at me brimmed with killing intent.

“Yes. I sought permission from the tomb’s owner.”

I briefly informed him of the current era. His established country had fallen an incredibly long time ago, and thousands of years later, I resurrected him as a monster-man to serve under me.

“Turning an emperor into a subordinate, how absurd.”

“Isn’t it a rule to put custom characters above ancient warriors during chaotic battles?”

“…Though I don’t understand what you’re saying, I roughly get it. So you intend to use me fully?”

“Yes. But I have something good to offer you.”

I pointed at his heart.

“As long as the core in your heart remains intact, I can revive you anytime.”

“Creating quasi-immortality, huh. Hmm. Interesting.”

The monster-man rose from the sarcophagus with quite an interested tone. Perhaps because of the possibility of resurrection instead of true immortality, he seemed motivated.

“My country fell, but enjoying my remaining years wouldn’t be bad. Alright, what shall I do? Revive this land? Reunify China?”

“Nope? I’m not Han Chinese but Korean anyway. And I have no interest in reunifying China. How vast is the world?”

I compared the size of the land he ruled with the world map spread out before him. He appeared surprised that his vast domain was relatively small compared to the entire world.

“…The world is indeed vast.”

“Right? Here’s your first command.”

I pointed at the cores in his sarcophagus and waved Deokbae.

“Store those for me.”

“…”

I returned to the surface. Teleporting to the location where I hid Mini Phoenix nearby after the missile bombing, I transformed back into my monster form.

[Jackpot hit.]

I affectionately stroked the back of Deokbae in my hand. Deokbae shivered but I deliberately ignored his protests.

[Since it’s rare, let’s take out the next monster with you. We should check if your weapon experience level rises, right?]

Plus, it’ll help relieve some stress. Kicking off the ground, I moved my steps to the small basin where a crater formed from the missile impact.

“…I’ve been waiting for you.”

There stood the gray-skinned girl, arms crossed, glaring at me. She looked groggy as if just woken up, but her bloodshot eyes showed extreme irritation.

[Heh.]

Finally awakened.

I greeted the third Spirit I met in this world, Chaos Dragon, waving Deokbae.

[Good morning.]

“…Really the lowest.”

Chaos Dragon covered her face with her hand. Seeing the various monster-men standing behind her, each exuding illusion magic from their chests, I clicked my tongue. They all became monster-men during that time.

[Did you create monster-men in the meantime?]

“My subordinates. They’ll kill you.”

[Do you think you can?]

“We won’t know unless we try, right?”

Chaos Dragon raised her hand. Following her orders, the monster-men took positions forming an array. Recognizing the formation, I felt chills.

[…Why the high-level formation?]

“Not high-level.”

Chaos Dragon opened her eyes sharply and spoke.

“I gave it to them.”

[What?!]

A shocking bombshell announcement from various angles. And Chaos Dragon blushed while whispering.

“…All of it.”

[Seems like I can’t avoid killing you.]

Since they’ll revive as monster-men anyway, killing once should be fine. Swinging Deokbae wildly, I charged at the former high-levels.

[Good morning, pedos!]

“Fedo…? Hey! Who’re you calling a kid!? Kill him!”

I swung Deokbae at the groin of the charging former high-level.

* * *

“So basically, High Loneliness was embedded in his heart, and some girl named Chaos Dragon or whatever removed it?”

“Yes.”

Hayanate, soaked in seawater, joined the two by running on wind currents. Not wanting to fall again, Hayanate reluctantly hugged Xiao Lin’s waist tightly.

“Ugh. What exactly is this Chaos Dragon chick? Her name itself is weird.”

“She’s the one who resurrected me. Don’t speak rudely about her.”

“But I’ve never heard that title before.”

“…It’s her name, not a title.”

“Wow.”

Gale Guest whistled. Naming someone Chaos Dragon…

[There is also one known as Blazing Phoenix.]

“Isn’t insane?”

[My master.]

“…”

Hayanate felt grateful for his name and title. Ah, at least I’m normal.

“Sigh. Fine. I know special ability users have strange sensibilities…Hey!”

Hayanate leaped off the Black Flame Dragon’s back. The Black Flame Dragon swiftly turned its wings.

Wooosh—!!

A missile narrowly missed. Xiao Lin bit her lower lip while observing the missile’s trajectory.

“Interceptor jets…!”

Boom boom boom.

Far away, interceptor jets swarmed like bees, each aiming their guns at the Black Flame Dragon. Clenching her teeth, Xiao Lin steered the Black Flame Dragon.

“To the ground!”

[We cannot. The Lord has summoned us; we must arrive on time.]

The Black Flame Dragon opened its mouth.

[We will pierce through.]

Magic power gathered in the Black Flame Dragon’s mouth. Xiao Lin squeezed the reins tightly with her eyes shut.

□□□□□□□!!

The Black Flame Dragon roared.

“Alright! Then I’ll go ahead!”

Hayanate waved goodbye and disappeared running through the air. Whether recognized as a Round Table Hero based on signals or simply amazed by a human running faster than fighter jets, the interceptors let Gale Guest pass.

“Grunt!”

Xiao Lin groaned. Jumping from the air to run to the destination would surely take a lot of time.

“I leave it to you!”

For now, she could only rely on the Black Flame Dragon. Following Xiao Lin’s steering of the reins, the Black Flame Dragon turned vertically and dived between the fighter jets.