Chapter 326

〈Chapter 326〉 Part 1, Chapter 14, Section 17

SS-Rank Monster Garura defeated.

Unlike the other two monsters, Garura became human due to Cheongnyeon’s active intervention.

People were shocked that a monster could become human, but what surprised them even more was that the human form of Garura looked exactly like Cheongnyeon.

Cheongnyeon with sun-tanned skin, blonde hair, and red eyes.

Cheongnyeon’s appearance was nothing short of perfect by global standards, and people were captivated by this unique version of him.

– I’ll buy Garura!

– Since they’re human now, maybe we can request their dispatch?

– Management of Garura should be handled by the Association, not Cheongnyeon! And the Association must assign Garura to our country!

Instead of roosters, since Cheongnyeon wasn’t coming, many hoped to secure Garura. Among these hopefuls were some with dark desires, but the expedition team that had recovered the unconscious Cheongnyeon had vanished without a trace.

– Garura was born in India and must be managed there!

Mahatma most aggressively claimed ownership over Garura. However, no one listened to Mahatma.

People merely worried whether the expedition team would fly away on the Baegnaroh ship right away.

– At this rate, aren’t we going to lose all our SS-Rank monsters?

The hero <Lakshasa>, who had revealed his true identity as <Gaechonkwang> Karna, casually boarded the Baegnaroh without hesitation.

In the end, all India’s Hero Association gained was Yasha’s SS-Rank Core.

Kinna-ra’s core was in Cheongnyeon’s possession, while its corpse was taken back to Seoul by Black Flame Dragon.

Garura not only transformed into a core but became a full-fledged human being, highly likely becoming someone under Cheongnyeon’s command.

Lastly, Karna.

If he had been a registered hero, the association might have exerted some influence over him. However, Karna was a free agent unregistered with any association and was temporarily categorized as a villain.

Ultimately, no one could stop everything except Yasha from crossing out of India’s borders.

All they could do was hope Cheongnyeon showed a bit of mercy.

* * *

<6:16 PM, Baegnaroh Briefing Room>

“Shall we leave Kinna-ra’s core behind? We’ve already got Earth Dragon’s core, so we don’t necessarily need another SS-Rank durability core.”

At my words, the heroes, especially Baek Hee-a, expressed their regret. But no one opposed my suggestion to give away the SS-Rank core for free.

“Krrr….”

Garura lay nestled in Cheon Gaeul’s arms like a doll.

Though I had been in a similar position a few times before, I hadn’t allowed myself to get close to Gaeul since talking with Chang-yeom.

“Are you saying you look almost exactly like her?”

“People misunderstand, but you’re essentially a reborn version of me in this world. We’re quite similar.”

I intentionally let them think that way.

“Why would people pick fights over how similar we are?”

“Yes. Originally, it was because my magic power heavily influenced my appearance, but there’s no need to tell everyone that, is there?”

“……Indeed, this explanation makes more logical sense.”

Usa clicked their tongue at Garura, who growled menacingly.

“No matter how you look at it, Garura is human now. If a monster becomes human, there must be a reason, right? It’s quite convincing.”

“Very cute how it requires such a ‘sacred ritual’ to make it happen, hahaha!”

Cheon Hyun-taek pointed out something I didn’t want to mention. My lips quivered slightly, but I decided to let it slide with grace.

“…Ahem, anyway, mentions of Cheongnyeon will decrease soon. Self-proclaimed magical engineering scholars will turn speculations into established theories.”

For example, “Cheongnyeon can turn monsters into subordinates through a ritual honoring Chang-yeom.”

Or, “Cheongnyeon has become a saint with divine powers from Chang-yeom.”

Or, “Through a sincere ritual, Cheongnyeon can transform monsters into intelligent humans.”

Or, “Cheongnyeon can only turn fire-using flame monsters like Black Flame Dragon or Garura into subordinates.”

Or, “If Black Flame Dragon became human, they would have black hair and black eyes like Cheongnyeon.”

“What about the last one?”

Yu I-shin asked seriously. The others who already knew the truth about Black Flame Dragon—especially Usa and Pungbaek—had subtle expressions.

“Hmm… You’d have to undergo SS-Rank awakening yourself to find out.”

Would the male form return, or would they transform into a female body like Garura due to my magic influence?

“Well, the person themselves would probably call it a blessing from the gods and be delighted, wouldn’t they?”

“…Ah, yes… A blessing from the gods…”

Yu I-shin turned her head and chuckled softly.

Though I didn’t fully understand why she found it amusing, I imagined she was laughing at the idea of a tall man turning into someone identical to Cheongnyeon.

“So, let’s go back to discussing Cheongnyeon. Let’s summarize what we’ve gained, what we’ll gain, and what we’ve lost from this trip to India.”

I began listing our gains one by one.

“Kinna-ra’s corpse, Garura, Karna. So, what else will we gain?”

The heroes pondered my question. I called on whoever raised their hand first, and they freely shared their opinions.

“A perception that Cheongnyeon is a rather unique existence?”

“The phenomenon that whenever Cheongnyeon shows up, something inevitably goes wrong?”

“The reputation of being resource raiders who snatch hidden treasures from other countries and disappear?”

“…All valid points. It’s practically infamy.”

While conspiracy theories spread across communities, there’s no way to stop them. Even though Eun Yuhwa controls Korea’s networks, foreign servers and public hero community discussions remain beyond reach.

Especially in the Black Market underground forums, surprisingly productive conversations are happening.

“Ultimately, we captured all three SS-Rank monsters within just two days. The expedition team is now seen as mercenaries. Though expensive, they’re regarded as those who reliably eliminate immediate threats.”

“That’s the essence of a hunter guild, isn’t it? They’re just doing it on a national scale.”

“Safety for money, right? Now requests like ‘Please come to our country!’ are bound to increase.”

“True. Soon, those trying to bribe us will start showing up.”

This bribery system was well-implemented in the original story too.

Starting from the mid-game, the influx of black money was incredibly efficient for growth, but it always came back to bite you later.

“What if we take the money, stay silent, then when they suffer great losses or go crazy, what happens? In the worst case, they might all go insane like Rasputin and become monsters.”

“Then let’s decide not to accept bribes.”

Bak Hee-a, who had ties in politics, firmly stated this. But the money issue wasn’t something I could easily decide on.

“Let’s discuss that later. Some are already receiving payments, and we have experts handling financial matters.”

“Ah, understood. Then later.”

To make extra money, creating a Black Market forum and selling puppets isn’t a bad idea, but consulting with a money-grubbing expert like Eun Yuhwa is necessary to avoid bigger problems later.

Rather than starting a war, fighting over money with Eun Yuhwa is exhausting. I clapped my hands to draw the expedition team’s attention.

“Alright, then the most precious thing we’ve gained is here. Shall we introduce ourselves formally?”

At my words, Karna, who had been sitting quietly beside me, stood up. Dressed like a maiden from a medieval village, Karna radiated an overwhelming presence comparable to Cheon Gaeul.

“<Gaechonkwang> Karna. I wish to be addressed as such from now on.”

“…What does ‘Karna’ mean?”

Since they had heard about Dark Legion’s officers, they couldn’t help but react sensitively to the name Karna. Karna smiled faintly, aware of this.

Karna pointed to his violet-streaked pupils. The golden irises circled by purple were an exotic sight rarely seen.

“Consider me a fusion of Gaechonkwang and Karna. Even if brainwashed as an officer, Karna’s life is undoubtedly mine. Therefore, continuing Karna’s name is only natural.”

“Just think of me as a spirit named Karna. Alias: Gaechonkwang. That’s simple enough, right?”

The heroes nodded. When dealing with complex issues, it’s better to simplify things.

“Will you register your household when we return?”

Bak Hee-a quickly brought up Karna’s nationality issue. I marveled at her efficiency as Karna counted on his fingers.

“As an officer, I was born on December 25, 1999. So, I’m 21 years old today?”

“……”

I felt breathless. The heroes’ expressions instantly turned grim, and even the monsters seemed uneasy.

“That’s…”

“Yeah… We subtly mentioned it before, but it’s true. The infamous <Week of Blood> that wiped out one-tenth of the world’s population. We were responsible for it.”

The mood suddenly dropped. Talking about it was easy, but confronting the problem we had tried to ignore brought inevitable discomfort.

“…But it wasn’t something we did willingly, right?”

Seongju was the first to speak. His voice carried firm resolve.

“There were countless dangers over the past few decades, including dimensional gates. The chaos caused by the officers, including our mentor, was just one among them. That’s how I see it.”

“……”

Some showed empathy, others indifference, and still others annoyance. Though Seongju seemed to represent the group, his words weren’t enough to resonate with everyone.

“That’s your opinion.”

So, I cut off Seongju’s continued speech.

“Ultimately, nothing changes. Nearly 100 million people lost their lives due to the officers. That’s an undeniable fact. While some survived unscathed, others lost family and friends.”

My throat tightened. All eyes were on me.

“If you want revenge, go ahead. The original sin hasn’t disappeared just because nearly 20 years have passed. Just wait until after we defeat Seongju. Remove the root of evil first, and then you can seek revenge or fight as you please.”

After all, revenge requires both the avenger and the target to be alive, right? I clapped again to lighten the mood.

“Enough gloomy talk. Anyway, <Gaechonkwang> Karna has joined us, and Garura is now a companion. Now we just need to find the remaining officers and deal with them.”

Karna already knew their whereabouts, but the locations of the other officers remained unknown.

Still,

“I have a place in mind.”

“Where?”

“Curious? Already planning to rush off? Puheheh. Not Penril, so wind users, don’t get your hopes up. But yeah, I’ll tell you…”

I pointed at the heroes. Their magic power had somewhat recovered, but they weren’t fully restored yet.

“That’s enough for today. Everyone seems to have things to think about, and I also have something to do.”

“Executioner, please completely seal the area again as you did yesterday. Sorry for making hotel accommodations impossible during our time in India.”

I bowed apologetically. Garura growled fiercely, but thanks to the tentacle Gaeul secretly wrapped around Garura’s waist, there was no significant resistance.

“Alright, we’ll adjourn for today. There won’t be feedback this time. Rest well, and we’ll handle minor issues tomorrow.”

We’ll return to Korea around sunset tomorrow, approximately 6 PM.

“If you have anything to say, contact me. If there are no other passengers, I’ll see you immediately.”

I stood up first.

I needed to urgently return to my room to handle pressing matters.

As soon as we return to Korea, I need to gather information on Greece.

“Next after Karna is…Hydra.”

Taj Mahal was where Karna fought the spirit awakening battle.

Perhaps there might be clues at the location where Ji Ryun’s Hydra fought its spirit awakening battle.

Greece, Athens, Parthenon Temple.

Our next destination is set.