Chapter 224

〈Chapter 224〉 Part 1, Chapter 10, Section 27

At the moment Phoenix lost her cool.

The world was plunged into chaos greater than the Mint Chocolate-induced confusion.

“Any reaction from the Villain <Phoenix>?!”

“None! She vanished near the Caspian Sea!! The green monster’s also gone dark!”

Pulling on her pajamas over her uniform and rushing out, Baek Hee-a gathered intelligence from various associations. During her slumber, Phoenix had flown to England, burning mint chocolate to draw “aggro.”

“What could be the reason…?”

Was it a gift if she just burns it? Baek Hee-a wanted to grab someone by the collar and ask why, but the party in question was already jetting through the skies at 4,500 km up, squabbling with another SS-Rank villain.

“A scheme to lure that wolf-like monster?”

But it didn’t make sense. What kind of SS-Rank villain would get so riled up over burning some mint chocolate as to take off like that? It was more convincing to think that the mint chocolate’s green color was similar to the villain’s and thus served as a challenge.

“Any response from England?!”

“No official word yet, but the royal family has stated they have no connection whatsoever!”

“But how could this start from the palace…!”

Baek Hee-a went pale. The two monsters glaring at each other mid-air were modeled after completely different creatures—a golden eagle and a wolf—but their colors and vibes couldn’t be more distinct.

“Who’s the villain and who’s the hero…!”

Phoenix is clearly a villain. She killed the Light Blade and slaughtered ability users—undeniably evil.

But anyone watching the wolf monster stir the wind while fighting Phoenix might think otherwise. Just from photos or videos, the wolf monster seemed ready to kill with its ferocious energy.

“<Central>, what’s their verdict?! On this monster?!”

“…Though ominous vibes are present, no crimes have been committed, so they haven’t labeled it a villain yet.”

“…I see.”

Baek Hee-a took a gulp of water to hide her burning frustration.

It hadn’t been half a day since they struck their deal, but she was already questioning whether dealing with Phoenix—who was causing trouble abroad—was a good idea.

As the commander of the association, should she support the wolf monster for attacking the villain Phoenix?

Or should she root for Phoenix from afar for the sake of national interests?

While Baek Hee-a debated which side to take, an urgent call came from Central Association.

“Report to Officer! This is the Association!”

“…What is it?!”

An interception involving all heroes? Or perhaps mobilizing the Round Table? As Baek Hee-a brainstormed possibilities, the operator reported with a stiff face, reading from their screen.

“…Assigning codename to unidentified ability user! Effective immediately, the target shall henceforth be named <Penril>!”

“Understood! So, what’s the response plan against Penril?!”

“…None!”

“Huh?”

Baek Hee-a thought there must’ve been some mistake in the report. But indeed, the report ended solely with naming the monster.

“…Codenames matter, right? They’re important…!”

Shouldn’t they at least provide guidance on how to respond? Where on earth was Councilor Yu Yinghuo, who had entered “Central”?

“Could they really just stop at naming…?”

Baek Hee-a realized the truth she didn’t want to know and her jaw dropped.

* * *

[Harang, what’s going on?! Right? Do you happen to know anything?!]

“I’m about to lose my mind too… Calm down.”

Seok Harang calmed the flustered Yun Yuhwa. Though Seok Harang herself was confused by the sudden situation, she had to prevent any rash actions caused by Phoenix’s antics.

[She didn’t die or anything, right?]

“Calm down. That’s why I’m heading there now.”

Seok Harang was soaring across the night sky towards the west. The place where Phoenix’s signal disappeared was the Caspian Sea, and if she sank underwater, Seok Harang would find her quickly.

“You can ignore me, but listen to Yun Yuhwa a little. Are you listening, Yuhwa and Ika?”

“Aren’t you worried?”

“That’s why I’m flying here. Got it? Now I’m gonna speed up, so I’ll hang up!”

[Yoooom-]

Seok Harang cut off the call unilaterally. Flying across borders, next to her was a fully armed woman riding a red horse galloping through the sky.

“Who would’ve guessed this would happen?”

“Why weren’t you keeping an eye on her?!”

“Who could’ve predicted?! She said she’d return to Seoul the next day!”

Phoenix said she’d finish her schedule and return to Seoul. Xiao Lin, who hadn’t been burned badly enough once, never imagined Phoenix would drop her and fly halfway around the world.

“Waking up a Wyrm not long ago, and already causing chaos, huh!”

“Falton! Faster!”

The two SS-ranks ignored incoming signals and flew swiftly through the skies.

And those flying towards the Caspian Sea weren’t just these two SS-ranks.

***

“Haaah, haaah!”

Anastasha burst into the conference room, panting heavily. In the secret bunker, Vladimir Family ability users watched the Caspian Sea situation with grave expressions.

“Who during a meeting… Daughter?!”

“Dad, I… right now…!”

Anastasha swayed. Thankfully, the gray-clad maiden beside her steadied her, preventing her from falling.

“And who’re you-”

“Sister Lu’s younger sister. But that’s not important right now.”

Wyrm helped Anastasha sit in a chair before pointing at the Caspian Sea displayed on the monitor.

“We need to set up defenses immediately. Otherwise, we’ll all perish.”

“What do you mean…?”

“It could turn into a flood of SS-rank monsters like the chaos that happened in China!”

At Anastasha’s words, the conference room descended into serious emergency mode.

***

“UOOOOOAAH!!”

Gawein flew through the air, recklessly discharging mana from beneath his legs. Compared to the wing-flapping Phoenix or the sky-dashing Penril, Gawein’s speed was undoubtedly slower, but he ascended like a squad missile.

[Gawein! Dangerous! This isn’t part of the prophecy!]

The Oracle on the screen screamed, trying to stop Gawein. But Gawein shook his head and tightened his arms stretched forward.

“Even if it’s not in the prophecy, I must go!”

[SS-Rank villain! A being on par with them! Honestly, you’re not even SS yourself!]

“Nevertheless!!”

Gawein’s eyes, dyed in radiant gold, gleamed as he reaffirmed to himself.

“I am a Knight of the Round Table! I cannot forgive villains threatening peace!”

If the green wolf monster—<Penril>—hadn’t lured Phoenix away, what would’ve happened? All Gawein could picture was Big Ben collapsing and London ablaze.

[There wasn’t such a future anyway!!]

“But what if?!”

[You don’t trust my prophecies either?! Ackkk! You keep picking on me for being wrong lately!!]

“…”

Gawein fell silent. The Oracle, furiously pounding on the screen until their face turned red, shouted.

[Fine! Go ahead! So how do you plan to stop?!]

“…Somehow!”

Gawein confidently declared.

“I’ll use the Caspian Sea as a cushion to land!”

[That means crashing, doesn’t it?!]

Gawein.

Who valiantly took off from English soil but forgot how to stop mid-flight.

* * *

Of course, the elites’ monikers refer to the overarching category of ‘monsters.’ Whether humanoid or beastly, their essence remains the same: creatures towering dozens of meters high.

Hydra: A nine-headed snake.

Penril: A wolf.

Azidahaka: A black dragon.

I was bounced around like a ping-pong ball between three beasts.

KYAAAH!!

Penril swung its tail and hurled me skyward. Before I could move, I raised my guard to block the tail, but Penril’s tail was thicker than my height.

KAGHAK!

The winds slicing the tail shredded my armor. Despite reinforcing the defense with maximum mana, Penril’s winds tore through, overcoming even elemental advantages.

PA—ANG!!

Penril shot me vertically upward, and above, a black dragon loomed with bared fangs. Vastly larger than the Black Flame Dragon, Azidahaka spread its wings toward me.

CHAZACH.

With the sound of blades aligning, thousands of blade-like scales launched like boomerangs, aiming to split me in two, concealed within shadows and darkness.

HWALEOK!

I ignited flames, illuminating the surroundings with blue fire. The shadowy blades revealed themselves under the light, every single one targeting me.

[Controlling all of them?!]

I hastily unfurled my wings and ascended. The shadow blades adjusted their trajectories and pursued me. Attempting to deflect them by altering directions failed—they merged upon collision.

CHAKANG!

Even when blades clashed, they fused into one. I darted through the night sky in all directions, searching for an opening.

But the night sky belonged entirely to Azidahaka. Hiding his massive body within the shadows, Azidahaka attacked from all sides with countless blades. I hastily erected a spherical protective barrier centered on myself.

KAGHANG!

Obsidian blades ricocheted off my barrier. Treating the deep gouges in my armor with mana, I caught my breath.

[They won’t give me time.]

PA-BA-BAK.

Blades that initially rebounded off the barrier returned, gradually chipping away at it. Even as I reinforced the barrier with mana, Azidahaka’s blades slowly carved tiny cracks.

These tiny cracks allowed wind to seep through.

[This way, I’ll surely perish.]

Thanks to revealing their true monstrous forms, their attacks became extraordinarily fierce. The nighttime battlefield suited Penril and Azidahaka’s coordinated assault perfectly.

[Below waits a monster with its jaws wide open.]

Wary of concentrated attacks, Hydra kept only its heads above ground, waiting for the two beasts to bring me down. Between its gaping maws churned pools of poison potent enough to dissolve anything upon contact.

Even if I incinerated it, the toxic gases released from boiling poison could corrode my body. Hydra’s venom was so potent it could dissolve cores.

[SS-ranks are strong, alright.]

Each one alone represented a ‘catastrophe’ capable of wiping out continents. Together, they aimed to annihilate me with full strength, forcing me to retaliate with everything I had.

[Dialogue won’t work here.]

KYAAAHH!!

ROOOAARR!!

Their eyes glowed with purple madness. The polluted mana emanating from them, proof of brainwashing, flowed more intensely than any other beast, threatening to drag me into their insanity.

If this continues, I might lose control myself—such a perilous situation.

[I’m shrinking the barrier.]

The tug-of-war of mana between me and the two beasts grew increasingly disadvantageous as time passed.

[At this rate, I might actually die.]

No exaggeration—it could genuinely end in death. Hoping the barrier held, I gathered mana with both hands.

PUK!

Before I could concentrate the mana, an obsidian blade pierced through the barrier, stabbing my shoulder. The wind slipping through the blade grazed my neck.

If these attacks continue, it’s certain my body will be torn into hundreds of pieces. And the moment I fall, the three beasts will break through the boundary and destroy the world.

Thus, I must stop them here.

Even if it puts me in danger.

[Sorry, but…]

The barrier shattered. Penril and Azidahaka unleashed their power to slice me apart, while Hydra raised its head to devour my dismembered corpse.

[Switching to beast form reset the cooldown.]

So without hesitation, I can unleash overwhelming firepower. I gently placed the glowing blue sphere generated at my chest into the air.

[Might as well recite it.]

Though I’ve created it many times, this is the first time I’ll detonate it.

[Khepri.]

The three beasts flinched, filled with fear. Even I hesitate to detonate it—the heat alone makes them shriek and retreat. But it’s too late. Before they can escape the boundary and flee, the inferno will consume them.

[Explosion.]

In short, a solar explosion.

An immense amount of thermal energy erupted in front of my chest.