Chapter 157

〈 Chapter 157 〉 Part 1, Chapter 8, Section 17

The officer fell in love, which freed them from brainwashing and made them aware of being a spirit. As the original work is a romance game, naturally, the object of their affection becomes the protagonist.

However, things are different for the Chaos Dragon.

Though it realized it was a spirit, the brainwashing hadn’t fully worn off, so it remained in its monster form. Due to its incorporeal nature, the dragon could maintain awareness even before Seongju’s brainwashing began.

Still, its body transformed into the destructive beast “Chaos,” fulfilling its mission to devastate the world. Seongju never realized that the dragon’s consciousness still lingered when he dispatched it to Earth.

– “There’s no way it would obediently follow my orders knowing it’s a spirit, right?”

Such was the nature of the Chaos Dragon.

And there was only one reason:

– “It’s too much hassle to find a way to undo the brainwashing…”

As a brainwashed monster, the Chaos Dragon continued its destruction with full enthusiasm while maintaining its identity as an officer.

Meanwhile, the spiritual essence of the dragon watched silently as its physical form wreaked havoc.

– “…It’s not like I’m dying here, so might as well let it be.”

After about a week of this chaos, the physical Chaos and the spiritual dragon merged to make a decision.

– “Screw being a spirit or an officer; I’m just gonna sleep.”

Too troublesome.

The Chaos Dragon gave up on finding a way to free itself from brainwashing and fell asleep. With the world doomed anyway, it decided to ignore everything and sleep through the next 25 years until the apocalypse. After all, the other six officers would surely keep busy destroying the world.

So, in short:

Spiritual Dragon: “Slacking off?”


Physical Chaos: “Yeah, go for it.”

Both the monster and the spirit abandoned their missions due to sheer laziness.

– “If Deokbae gets caught slacking by Seongju, he’ll die, right?”

The Chaos Dragon retreated to a secret stone chamber deep within the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and lay down inside a sarcophagus to sleep.

Had the dimensional gate that suddenly appeared above Emperor Shi’s tomb not interrupted, it might have slept for five whole years.

– “Is this Seongju warning me to hurry up with my work?”

Fearing the worst, the Chaos Dragon reluctantly crawled out. To pretend it was working, it turned Bonghyo into a fiend and recruited fellow psychics from his school as subordinates.

“I’m going to sleep, you guys figure it out.”

For a few days, it indulged in what it called a “sweet nap” until suddenly, an a cappella-like sound rang in its ears. The Chaos Dragon detected Phoenix’s magical power intertwined with its own.

– “Is Seongju sending Phoenix to nag at me now?”

Eventually, it led its subordinates out to confront them, claiming it wanted to resolve things peacefully—but in reality, it just wanted them to leave it alone.

– “Why do I have to fight?!”

The Chaos Dragon felt wronged and became angry.

– “I sent a messenger just in case!”

“I’m handling things on my own, so don’t bother me.”

It had already created a fiend among the Round Table members and expanded its forces. So why come disturb its rest?

With this mindset, it sent a messenger to intercept Phoenix as it approached.

– “Wasn’t that thing in Korea sent to spy on me?!”

If Phoenix came to check if its brainwashing had worn off, then it was safe. It had pretended to be working hard enough to ensure Phoenix wouldn’t return anytime soon. A foolproof plan.

It didn’t work.

The Chaos Dragon hadn’t anticipated that Phoenix might also have awakened as a spirit but couldn’t ascend to mythic status for some reason.

Had Phoenix set out just one day later, Xiao Lin would have arrived in Seoul instead. Upon realizing the Chaos Dragon had awakened, Phoenix would have followed her guidance directly to confront it.

Had they met privately and revealed everything openly, they could have easily understood each other’s situations without conflict.

Had the Chaos Dragon trusted Phoenix’s words, they might have avoided crossing the final line.

But such fortune eluded them.

Misunderstandings and escalating insanity caused by jumping to conclusions culminated in a fistfight.

* * *

KAAANG!

A punch blocked the blade’s trajectory. With gauntlets deflecting the Chaos Dragon’s sword, Phoenix spun and raised a leg.

TGIKGIK!

A crescent blade clashed against armor. Twisting its torso, Phoenix prepared for another strike.

KAGAK!

A sharp spear pierced toward Phoenix’s abdomen. Though the spearpoint grazed its armored chest without inflicting fatal damage, the armor bore a long scratch.

[Hmm.]

Phoenix mobilized its internal magic. The three fiends restraining it hastily backed away to create distance.

KWA—ANG!

Flames erupted from Phoenix’s body, engulfing the surrounding area. However, the fiends had already retreated far enough to avoid harm.

[Who has it possessed…]

Phoenix shook off the flames from its hands and glanced at the three fiends encircling it.

Sword fiend. Crescent blade fiend. Spear fiend.

Phoenix didn’t recognize any of these faces—they were psychic students transformed by the Chaos Dragon.

‘One of these three must be possessed.’

After all, Phoenix had already crushed the first person the Chaos Dragon possessed and defeated several others.

‘There are four left.’

Three fiends surrounded Phoenix, plus a mysterious youth directing them—likely the leader or someone of similar standing. Their appearance differed slightly from memory, but details weren’t important.

‘Maybe from the previous generation. Doesn’t matter.’

[Right now, capturing and punishing the Chaos Dragon is top priority!]

Clutching both fists tightly, Phoenix leapt sideways. Kicking up Deokbae, it grabbed him mid-air and hurled him toward the crescent blade fiend.

WHOOSH-WHOOSH!

Deokbae spun horizontally, striking the fiend’s head. Unprepared for the surprise attack, the fiend’s neck snapped back. Taking advantage of the moment, Phoenix drove sharpened nails between the fiend’s arms, severing them cleanly.

SHRED!

Red blood sprayed. Without screaming, the fiend merely furrowed its brows and retreated. Its eyes glowed gray, confirming it wasn’t possessed.

[Then I’ll borrow it temporarily.]

Phoenix swung the crescent blade downward, slicing diagonally across the fiend’s front. It collapsed backward, and Deokbae slammed into its groin.

THUD!

Phoenix gripped Deokbae’s handle and flung it sideways toward the spear fiend.

[Next is you.]

“AAAHHH!”

The spear fiend shouted, thrusting its weapon forward. Gray magic dispersed into multiple strands, disrupting vision in a mix of feints and real attacks. In response, Phoenix simply kept Deokbae aimed.

PIUW!

A fiery projectile shot from the end of Deokbae, piercing the spear fiend’s forehead. Frozen in place, the fiend’s genitals were sliced off by Phoenix’s crescent blade.

SHRED!

The fiend’s pants split open, dropping unspeakable parts onto the ground. It crumbled to its knees and fell over.

[Neither of these two. …No, wait.]

Phoenix discarded the crescent blade and pointed Deokbae at the sobbing sword fiend.

[You died immediately after I killed you, then switched hosts. My instincts seem pretty good, huh? Isn’t that right?]

“You’re not human, you bastard!”

[I’m a spirit.]

“So am I! I’ve awakened! But I don’t know how to completely undo the brainwashing, so I stayed quiet!”

Infuriated, the sword fiend wielding the Chaos Dragon swung wildly. Despite using the host’s abilities effectively, its skill wasn’t enough to reach Phoenix.

[Do you really not know, or…]

“Of course!”

[You didn’t even try to figure it out, did you.]

Phoenix struck a nerve. As the sword fiend’s momentum faltered, Phoenix grabbed its sword and shattered the blade.

[You didn’t just give up because it was ‘troublesome,’ did you? You outright quit trying.]

Phoenix grabbed the sword fiend by the collar and growled.

[You just threw in the towel. Isn’t that right?]

“……What’s wrong with that?!”

“Anyway, we’re doomed either way, aren’t we?! You realize that, right?! We can’t defeat Seongju!”

The Chaos Dragon tapped its temple with its finger.

“As soon as we come down, he shoots us with a brainwashing beam, and we become his pawns instantly!”

[True. That much is certain. Once our eyes meet, we become his slaves.]

Even if Phoenix concocted elaborate schemes, nothing could change that fact. Though its combat strength might rival or exceed Seongju’s, a single glance from him could force Phoenix to spread its legs willingly.

[But that doesn’t mean you get to give up on everything.]

Phoenix instinctively recognized where the surging magic and anger originated. While it was irritated with the Chaos Dragon, something deeper stirred within—a dormant presence buried inside Phoenix.

Blazing Phoenix.

[Did you ever consider that if you’d shown a little more initiative, there might have been a chance to counterattack?]

“……There isn’t. Period.”

The Chaos Dragon looked up with a despondent expression.

“Seongju will eventually return, and we’ll all become his slaves and kill each other. No matter what we do, we’re all going to die.”

Twisting its lips, the Chaos Dragon blew a raspberry.

“Why should I bother? It’s annoying. The world is going to end anyway.”

[No, no. You’re lying to yourself again. Pretending it’s unavoidable, convincing yourself it’s okay to give up.]

“……What are you talking about?”

[Your reasoning is backwards. You didn’t abandon everything because you knew the world was ending.]

Phoenix lifted Deokbae high.

[You just don’t want to do anything. Anything at all.]

Its flames burned brighter than ever.

[You don’t care about destroying the world or regaining your freedom. You just want to drift along, sleeping comfortably. Any effort you make is only to ensure a more peaceful slumber. Comfortable bedfellows? Probably all you cared about. Right?]

“…….”

The Chaos Dragon bit its lip, wanting to argue but unable to form words.

[You’ve brainwashed yourself. Claiming it’s because of Seongju, saying everything is too much trouble, too annoying, and giving up—it’s all just an excuse. Be honest, isn’t it?]

Phoenix dragged Deokbae across the floor, approaching the frozen Chaos Dragon.

[If everyone found out you ignored the world’s destruction because you didn’t feel like doing anything, wouldn’t you look pathetic? Afraid of being judged for your laziness.]

“…….”

[Today, I’m going to straighten out your act. Someone requested it very firmly.]

“…Who?”

Phoenix raised Deokbae high into the sky and replied calmly.

[From you, five years from now.]

* * *

The event to awaken the Chaos Dragon—supposedly waking it from its deep sleep—wasn’t truly about undoing the brainwashing.

This personal route secret, revealed only in bonus endings:

The Chaos Dragon deliberately concealed its awareness of being a spirit.

Awakening it from slumber and irritating it wasn’t about reversing brainwashing—it was about provoking hidden emotions.

Undoing its self-imposed “I don’t want to do anything” brainwashing.

And motivating it to strive for world peace.

– “If you love someone, wouldn’t you try to change for their sake?”

Ultimately, the Chaos Dragon fell in love and gradually transformed itself for the beloved.

That was the true method to awaken the Chaos Dragon as a genuine spirit.

Which is why I had no choice but to endure…

The love whip known as Deokbae.

[Don’t complain too much. This is all for your own good.]

I brought down Deokbae.

PLOP.

Blood splattered.