Chapter 261

〈Chapter 261〉 Part 1, Chapter 12, 7

The monsters of the Illusory Dragon Group were those who had been once ‘filtered’ by Bonghyo and, under Mo Taegyeong’s orders, committed evil deeds but were not entirely corrupted—grey-like beings.

However, the “Blue Feathers” that Phoenix deliberately brought were undeniably black-hearted villains.

They acted on Sun Icheol and Cheongsong’s commands to reduce their sentences, with their final order being the massacre of Seoul residents and the retrieval of the Cube.

Phoenix used their deaths as a diversion during her battle with Light Blade, much like the Durahan commotion in Gwanak. She silently allowed the Blue Feathers to entice Gongsung, who had risen to a high-ranking position, to incite rebellion.

Would they truly be able to reform?

Phoenix conducted a kind of “experiment” on these villains, but it ended up failing miserably.

“……”

The helmeted monster recalled Phoenix’s orders again: to remove the people inside the Side Palace to the outside. To work in conjunction with the Illusory Dragon Group and “not kill.”

But there was something he couldn’t comprehend. Despite possessing overwhelming power, Phoenix hesitated to deal with the aftermath, fearing to flaunt her strength and restraining herself.

‘This is ridiculous.’

As a monster—and a former villain—it was an action he could never agree with. If one possessed world-shaking power, shouldn’t they display it and make the whole world tremble in fear? Rising to the SS Rank—a realm he himself could never reach—she was still behaving like someone trapped beneath the skirts of some lunatic.

‘Eat this.’

Thus, the monster decided to defy Phoenix’s orders and smear her face. While the ghost of the Illusory Dragon Group was moving people out, he revealed his true form right before the vigilant butler.

“Bee, Beeeee! Intruder alert at the Side Palace, cough!”

A single butler informed his smartwatch about the intruder before fainting. Due to the “do not kill” command, his thorn-covered fist stopped in front of the butler’s eyes, causing him to collapse from sheer terror.

“What the hell are you…?!”

Following the monster who attacked the butler was a member of the Illusory Dragon Group, <Sajae>, who materialized in shock.

Aaaaaaaang——

By now, ear-splitting emergency alarms were already blaring around them.

“It’s just some terrorist group committing terrorism.”

<Cheryeo> Park Seongtae, the butler-attacking monster, looked at his trembling hands with self-mockery.

“F*ck. They said absolute orders, but now they’re coming after me for breaking them.”

From below Park Seongtae’s body, blue flames began to rise. The blazing Chang-yeom flames erupted more fiercely than ever, as if punishing a subordinate who disobeyed orders.

“Haha, but I’ve accomplished my goal. Eat this, birdie! Hahaha… AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

While burning away, Park Seongtae clutched his stomach and laughed. His laughter quickly turned into an indescribable scream of agony, leaving Sajae no choice but to watch helplessly.

“Aaaaahh! It hurts, it’s hot!! Save meee!”

“Krrr!”

Despite wanting to reach out to Park Seongtae writhing in the searing pain of burning flesh, Sajae noticed the guards running down the corridor and quickly hid.

“What, what is this?!”

“Is it an arsonist?!”

“Take him down first!”

Guards fired guns, and butlers and maids activated their special abilities to subdue Park Seongtae.

“It hurts, ughhh, aaaahhhh!”

Even while dying, Park Seongtae used his special ability to defend against the attacks. The steel enveloping his skin easily blocked bullets and bayonets.

“A-Rank?!”

“What the hell?!”

Members of the Vladimir family guarding the side palace couldn’t understand what they were witnessing.

An A-Rank special ability user burning away in blue flames, flowing with molten gray metal, was a surreal scene even in this world of special abilities.

“Guh, kuh, cough…”

Park Seongtae stretched out a hand made of boiling molten metal in his final moments. But no one came to his aid, and eventually, he perished amidst the excruciating pain of his body melting away.

Tock.

A single black core lay conspicuously among the molten metal. The sight of a core left behind after a person’s death sent shivers down the spines of the guards.

“What…is this?”

No one dared to touch the gleaming A-Rank core amidst the molten metal.

Crackling, the blue flame guarding the core burned using the molten metal as fuel, refusing anyone’s approach.

However…

“Inform the master immediately! An intruder has breached the Side Palace!”

“The reason…I don’t know! But there may be more of them! Be careful! Contact other palaces too!”

After briefly panicking over Park Seongtae’s demise, the guards quickly regained composure and tightened their security. They then realized no response was coming from the other palaces.

“What…what is going on?”

Kaang!

Sajae manifested behind another butler, striking the back of his neck. Another A-Rank special ability user appeared, prompting the guards to immediately raise their weapons in response.

Pwaaack!

A red-helmeted monster struck the guard holding a bayonet from behind. Sajae quickly subdued and knocked out the butlers and maids, leading to a standoff between the two A-Rank monsters in the hallway.

“…Are you also planning to do nonsense?”

At Sajae’s words, the red-helmeted monster shook his head, pointing to his own head and drawing an X across his mouth.

“Ah. You mean you don’t have a brain?”

Nodding, Sajae remembered from prior information that only Cheryeo Park Seongtae had a functioning mind. Pondering how to address the other monster, he pointed to unconscious individuals and gestured towards the helmet’s red color.

“Are you also defying orders and planning to kill these people?”

The red helmet picked up the core filled with molten metal, shook his head, and conveyed his intentions via glowing letters through the visor.

[Not doing brain slicing, okay.]

“…Brain slicing?”

Confused by the incomprehensible expression, Sajae tilted his head. Meanwhile, the red helmet, clutching the core, started carrying servants out of the mansion as per Phoenix’s orders.

“…Whatever.”

I’ll just report what I saw. Sajae resolved to accurately recount everything he witnessed and began assisting the red helmet in evacuating the mansion’s guards and servants.

* * *

The location was set. I instructed the deployed members of the Blue Wind Sect and Illusory Dragon Group to ensure everyone inside the side palace evacuated.

“Throw all the people inside the palace into the river to drive them out. Don’t kill them though.”

“Got it…”

Illusory Dragon swiftly relayed my orders, and the ghosts of the Illusory Dragon Group swiftly subdued and threw humans out of the side palace.

“But will this be alright? We might get discovered… What if they wake up?”

“There’s no way we’ll get discovered. Just follow the plan.”

“…Alright.”

Illusory Dragon worried about the possibility of those chased outside regaining consciousness.

Although they were throwing people into the river, concerns arose about potential drowning, but such incidents wouldn’t happen.

“Everyone searching other palaces, gather at the lake. Those deployed will move the expelled individuals to land.”

Members searching other palaces began gathering near the lake according to my instructions. I waited until all individuals were completely evacuated from the side palace.

“This is taking longer than expected.”

“Without Light Blade, it takes time to subdue them.”

Most individuals inside were specially trained or had physical capabilities comparable to elite soldiers. Even with the monsters, stopping them wasn’t easy.

“Don’t worry. As long as we don’t intentionally get caught, we’ll continue unnoticed—”

Aaaaaaang—-

My words became my downfall. At the same moment I spoke, an emergency alarm signaling intruders spread throughout the entire Vladimir estate.

“It’s not me…!”

Illusory Dragon quickly waved his hands. His uneasy yet firm gaze clearly showed he hadn’t made any mistakes.

“Yeah, I get it.”

“My subordinates didn’t mess up either…!”

“I know. So don’t panic.”

Unconsciously stiffening my expression, I patted the frozen Illusory Dragon on the shoulder to calm him down.

“Yeah. I always knew when you’d screw up.”

It wasn’t the Illusory Dragon Group’s mistake. The Blue Wind Sect messed up.

Specifically, the “Blue Feathers” deliberately got caught to embarrass me.

“Damn bastards.”

As expected, it was a mistake to try rehabilitating such incorrigible villains, even allowing for mitigating circumstances. My plan to gradually rehabilitate them over time was scrapped.

“…Gaeul spared someone who killed themselves, but they repay kindness with enmity.”

“What?”

The intruder caught by the Vladimir family butler was <Cheryeo> Park Seongtae, a special ability user from the Pine Tree Unit deployed during the Seoul recovery operation to retrieve the Cube at the National Assembly.

“You really embarrassed me.”

“Shouldn’t we retreat? What should we do?”

The energy emanating from the main palace was unsettling. Despite the mere intrusion alarm, frantic magical movements were already detectable from the main palace.

“No. This is actually good. Now’s our chance.”

“Chance?! Kyaak?!”

After erasing all traces of our presence, I embraced Illusory Dragon and soared into the sky. Though a window shattered mid-flight, I quickly transformed into a monstrous form and ascended vertically.

[Night’s a shame. During the day, I could’ve hidden my appearance.]

Flying openly under the night sky drew everyone’s attention. Illusory Dragon had already turned incorporeal to hide, leaving only me exposed.

“What are you thinking? Showing yourself wasn’t part of the plan.”

[The Blue Wind Sect has a motto: Always adapt on the fly. Plans always go awry anyway.]

As long as the ultimate goal is achieved, deviations from the plan are acceptable. Operations always involve variables, whether expected or unexpected, and fortunately, the current situation remains within control.

[Let’s go meet Rusalka.]

“Meet? Can’t you see that…?”

Illusory Dragon pointed to the shimmering ice wall reflected in the tower window. True to form, the S-Rank special ability user Rusalka had undoubtedly erected a barrier with her ice wall.

“Now what’s your plan? Rusalka’s barriers aren’t easily broken unless destroyed outright. And there’s no time to knock and wait.”

[Going to break it.]

“…”

I flicked Illusory Dragon’s forehead with my finger, indicating his confusion.

[Smash the barrier with brute force and kidnap the subject.]

“Why?”

[Our mission has two key objectives: cutting off Rasputin’s manhood and rescuing Rusalka. Well, calling it a rescue feels odd.]

Looking down from the tower, the icy barrier gleamed clearly through the windows.

[We can’t meet Rusalka without removing the barrier, right?]

Considering the approaching Guangjian and Suborof from other palaces, I decided to preemptively destroy the barrier.

[Ah, conveniently, there’s a window in front.]

“What? What are you trying to do—”

I kicked the air, channeling magic power into my toes.

[Hold tight.]

Pulling Illusory Dragon forward into my chest embrace, I spread my wings wide, ascended sharply, then folded them and glided downwards.

[A barrier isn’t satisfying unless it’s properly shattered, right?]

“Such madness, kyaahh!!”

Illusory Dragon screamed while clinging to me, and I covered his mouth with my hand while extending my legs.

“How do you plan to break it?!”

[How do you break a barrier? Simple.]

With concentrated power, I smash it.

[Just break it!]

Since it’s an S-Rank barrier, I’ll use SS-Rank magic power to penetrate and shatter it.

BOOM!

Accelerated falling energy combined with magic power shattered the window and broke the ice barrier. I rolled with Illusory Dragon and landed smoothly on the carpet.

“…What are you two doing here?”

Rusalka, sitting lifelessly on the bed, blinked in surprise upon seeing us. Clearing glass shards with flames, I stood with arms stretched diagonally across the carpet.

[Long time no see, future bride. How would you rate my landing?]

“…Why are you here?”

[Why am I here? Simple.]

I wiggled my pinky finger.

[To kidnap the bride. The wedding must be held in Korea, right?]

“…Hmph!”

Rusalka burst into tears of laughter.