242 - 250
Chapter 242: Shocking Defeat
Translator: Leyy3
In the past, during Ragnarok, there was a topic that was spoken about a lot amongst adventurers.
Who was the strongest warrior among all Lords and Adventurers?
This wasn't a question that could be easily answered.
300,000 people.
It wasn't easy comparing 300,000 people with different talents.
Of course, there was a rough list that guessed the power differences among everyone, and Kang Chul-In was known to be the strongest of all.
But Kang Chul-In wasn't always known as the strongest. There were a few rare existences that could stand up against him, and one of them was the 'White Knight,' Brunhilde.
The formless sword that hit with the speed of light.
He was one of the absolute strongest in Pangaea, and someone that was able to fight against Kang Chul-In.
"It'll be quite interesting this time."
Kang Chul-In said, smirking.
A fight to the death.
The White Knight Brunhilde was someone that even he had to risk his life fighting against.
It was up to the point that he had thought that if he died fighting one against one, his opponent at the time would be Brunhilde.
Are you still powerful, Brunhilde?
Kang Chul-In quietly murmured to himself.
Enough to face me?
There was almost no information about Brunhilde.
Gender, nationality, where he was from, his goals... there was a lot of missing information.
After all, he was said to be wearing shining white armor around even his Lord, Albrecht Vilhelm, and never showed his true appearance.
"I'll go tell mother."
Saying that, Kang Chul-In headed back into the house.
***
After reading the Gulveig Alliance's message, Laputa immediately began to set up in a defensive position.
The ones who were placed in the front lines were Laputa's Crimson Dragon Brigade, as well as the Fierce Tiger Brigade.
"Hmm..."
The leader of the Crimson Dragon Brigade, Drakan, touched his moustache, which reminded one of a catfish.
He looked nothing like he did before.
His previous smooth-looking skin was all gone, replaced instead with glittering ruby-like scales.
"Why are you thinking so hard?"
Next to him, Amur, the leader of the Fierce Tiger Brigade, asked with a smile.
Amur also looked nothing like he did before.
Gold Tiger!
His stripes that were mixed with a gold and white color was extremely hard to see on almost any other tiger.
The reason for this drastic change was simple.
Transcendence stones!
Using the stones that Kang Chul-In had, both Drakan and Amur were able to get a 20% boost in their power.
Basically, the change in appearance was like evidence that their power increased.
"I was thinking of what strategies would fit in defending this area."
Drakan answered.
"Pft, what strategy."
Amur smirked.
"What can we do with that? If the enemies come with ridiculous numbers, all we can do is be meatshields, and fight to the death."
"...?"
"You don't need to think of such useless and pointless things like strategy."
Saying that, a fierce glint appeared in Amur's eyes. His confidence seemed like it could pierce the skies.
"Hmph, idiot."
"What!?"
Amur's expression stiffened.
"What do you mean by that!?"
"It's only obvious that you should think of strategy as a commander, but to turn your back on it? Can you really call yourself the commander of the Fierce Tiger Brigade?"
"...!"
"That object that's above your shoulders right there is something used to think. Stop acting like an ogre."
Drakan said, staring at Amur like an idiot.
"What? Ogre? You damned lizard bastard!"
"Lizard?! You damned cat!"
It didn't take much for a fight to break out.
Kwak!
Angry, Amur immediately rushed in and grabbed Drakan.
"Are
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you ready to shame your damned dragon race today?"
"Why don't you talk after letting go, little cat? Or will you come to your senses after I rip off all of your fur?"
Drakan and Amur growled at each other.
They were like oil and water from the very beginning.
Huhu... It seems that commander Drakan is about to show what's up to those stupid cats.
They said that these lizards will come to their senses if they're beaten up, right?
Both the warriors of the Crimson Dragon Brigade and the Fierce Tiger Brigade stared in excitement.
The relationship between these two groups was as bad as the relationship of their two leaders.
This situation wasn't too bad, however.
In the first place, Kang Chul-In had placed these two brigades next to each other in order to arouse their competitive spirit and strive to be better than each other.
"Woah, woah."
But the hopes of the soldiers didn't come true.
"Both of you, calm down."
Wearing blue armor, Lucia jumped in between the two of them.
"If you're going to fight, please do so in the designated area. This Lucia will not allow fighting here."
Drakan and Amur closed their mouths.
Lucia was the right-hand woman of Kang Chul-In, which meant that they didn't have the authority to disobey her orders.
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, commander-in-chief!"
Both Dragon and Tiger nodded their heads, and stopped fighting each other.
"Get ready to set up the cannon..."
Lucia stopped mid-sentence.
"A-Already?!"
From far away, the enemies were rushing in.
***
"Already...?"
Lucia was shocked.
Around five kilometres away, she could see tens of thousands of soldiers that were marching.
We're late!
There was no time to set up their defensive line.
And they weren't in a good position right now either.
"Everyone, we will retreat back to the Deathwin territory."
A quick decision.
Lucia made the best decision she could right now, and the Laputa army immediately began to prepare for the retreat.
"Commander-in-chief Lucia!"
But it seemed like Amur had a different opinion.
"Speak, commander Amur."
"We are strong. What need is there to retreat? If we just fight..."
"Commander Amur."
Lucia spoke, her voice cold.
"Yes?"
"Do... you want to die?"
"...!"
"It seems that you still haven't gotten used to the atmosphere of Laputa."
Lucia said, stroking her shield, Aegis.
I-I might die!
At that moment, Amur was shocked at the terrifying aura.
Even though one wouldn't know the outcome of the fight before they actually fought, the aura radiating from Lucia was terrifying. Amur felt like he might die before he actually got a chance to even retaliate.
"This is the first, and final warning, commander Amur."
Lucia warned.
"Yes, sir."
"Now then, we will retreat. All troops, retreat!"
Lucia once again shouted, signaling the retreat.
Tadadada!
At that moment.
From the enemy lines, a Pegasus came running, closing the gap to the Laputa soldiers.
"The general of the Laputa army, come out!"
A charming voice.
The man on top of the Pegasus was a knight wearing white armor.
"...!"
At this, the two commanders and Lucia stopped momentarily.
Come out?
Who was it that dared to call out the general of Laputa?
"That damned bastard..."
Though Amur was pissed,
"Let's just back off."
Lucia decided to continue the retreat, rather than fight.
However,
Charak!
With its wings spread, the Pegasus didn't show any signs of slowing down.
"Are there only cowards in Laputa!?"
Shouting that, the white armored knight jumped into the front lines of the Laputa army.
"You dare!?"
At this, Amur also ran out.
Well then, show us your skill.
This time around, Lucia didn't stop him.
Though retreating was important, they couldn't let an enemy who had just ran into them escape like that, could they? For their morale, they had to kill them and show them their power.
Ching!
However,
"...!"
It only took an instant for Amur's gauntlet to break.
"Kuakk!"
A scream came out of the fierce tiger general's mouth. It was because he had been pierced in the abdomen by one of the white knight's strikes.
And now, the second strike...
H-How...
Amur couldn't do anything.
It was as if time itself had stopped.
Because by the time he was trying to get back up, the sword of the white knight had already approached Amur's neck...
"Amur!"
At that moment!
Kaching!
Drakan's dragon bone sword prevented Amur's death.
"...!"
Drakan was shocked too, however.
This strength...
It was because of the aftershock of blocking that blow.
As evidence of that power, blood was dripping down the Drakonian's hand.
Flash!
At that moment, the knight disappeared once again.
I can't dodge...
Shock filled Drakan's eyes.
Whirik!
Forgetting his pride as a Draconian, Drakan threw his body away.
Suk!
With a terrifying noise,
Tuk...
The large tail of a draconian fell to the ground.
He had undergone the humiliation of having his tail cut off in order to preserve his life.
"...!"
Shock filled the eyes of everyone who was watching.
Amur's defeat.
Drakan's humiliation.
This was the most shocking event that had ever occurred in the history of the Laputa army.
Chapter 243: Kang Chul-In's Dilemma
Translator: Leyy3
"Grrrrr...!"
Drakan lost his cool after having his tail sliced off. His dragon-like ferocity, which he had displayed during his past battle with Kang Chul-In, had awakened.
"Roar...!"
The same went for Amur.
The tiger general, with fur standing on its end all around his whole body, flashed his sharp canines.
No!
Lucia foresaw the disaster that was about to happen.
Rampage?
That was good.
The more beast-like a demi-human was, the more powerful he was during a rampage.
That, however, only held true when the opponent was 'decently strong.' This was just like how a rampaging Drakan and Amur could never defeat Kang Chul-In!
They will both die!
Lucia thought.
Chuk!
She then immediately rushed in between Drakan and Amur and smashed them with her shield.
Bang,
Bang!
Both Amur and Drakan were sent flying. They crashed onto the ground several meters away from her.
We have to run no matter what!
Lucia displayed no bravado.
Psst!
She immediately dashed away,
If she confronted the white knight, she would die before seeing Kang Chul-In's face again.
"Running away, huh?"
The white knight spoke in a disappointed tone.
Psst!
He then made his move as well.
His target was Lucia's back.
His light-speed sword pierced through space towards Lucia.
At that moment.
Clang!
A metallic whip parried the white knight's blow.
"...!"
The white knight faltered momentarily.
Brrrrr...!
Sword.
The hand holding Arondight, the famous sword, shivered uncontrollably.
The whip's power was that great.
"Fast."
A low and heavy voice could be heard.
"Y-your Majesty!"
Lucia turned back and shouted in delight.
"Don't be ashamed of today's loss."
Kang Chul-In, who appeared out of nowhere, told Lucia.
"It was an expected loss."
"But your Majesty..."
"You guys are no match for this bastard here."
"...!"
"I will deal with Brynhildr, the white knight."
Kang Chul-In turned around and faced the white knight.
***
While the greatest generals of Pangaea were battling at Laputa's west...
Crack!
Alex Rothschild had the highest quality crystal ashtray smack his forehead.
"You useless bastard!"
An elderly gentleman with white hair and a short beard reprimanded Rothschild.
David Rothschild.
He was the current head of the Rothschild family, and also the father of Alex Rothschild.
"How much gold do you think you've squandered so far?"
"..."
"Even after all that, what did you say? You need more sponsorship?"
"..."
"How much longer do I need to trust and support you before you finally show some results? How much longer!?"
His scolding was justified.
After Alex Rothschild had become a lord, the Rothschild family had sponsored a heavenly sum of gold over the years.
The sponsorship was so much that it even made gold's price on Earth rise exponentially.
"I've never imagined you to be this useless."
David Rothschild glared at his son with total condescension.
Brrrr...!
Alex Rothschild's body trembled as if he had an epilepsy.
Do I... do I really deserve to receive this kind of treatment...? Me, Alex Rothschild!?
He had always been portrayed as the perfect heir to the Rothschild family. Nobody doubted that he was the next head of the family.
However,
Kang Chul-In...!
He really had bad blood with the demon with black hair. His life couldn't possibly be in a worse state than this.
This is my limit...
Rothschild had run out of options.
He harbored hatred and rage against Kang Chul-In, fear of getting killed, and his vengeance for Lee Gong-Myung.
He even performed a genocide that could induce a rebellion. Rothschild was on the brink of madness.
Now, even his father was pressuring him.
"This is your last chance."
David warned.
"If you squander any more resources and drag our family's good name through the mud, I will no longer recognize you as a member of the Rothschild family."
"...!"
"Bring me results, son."
It was his last warning.
"If not..."
At that moment.
Bang!
Alex Rothschild grabbed his father by his throat.
"Kuhuk...!"
David Rothschild groaned in pain. He couldn't breathe due to the incredible grip strength.
"Even you are cornering me, father."
"S-Son...!"
"Do you even understand the situation I'm in? Huh?"
Alex Rothschild increased his grip strength.
"Keuuuuuk...!"
"I'm so sick of it."
"Keuk...!"
"Everyone is patronizing and mocking me. And Kang Chul-In, that fucker... he's toying with me, even now."
Strictly speaking, Kang
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Chul-In was not toying with Rothschild. He always aimed to kill the latter, who never failed to slip away like a cockroach.
"L-Let... go... o-of... me first... s-security... guard..."
David Rothschild's face was now blood red. He struggled to breathe.
"You should have comforted me."
Rothschild had gone insane to the point that he couldn't even recognize his own father.
C-Crack!
With a horrifying sound of twisting bones and muscles, David Rothschild's body fell limp.
"...!"
Alex Rothschild woke up in shock.
"F-Father...!"
He came to the sudden realization of what he had just done.
***
Nothing has changed.
Kang Chul-In recalled a nostalgic memory as he faced Brynhildr.
This powerful opponent was the same, be it in the past or present.
His pure white armor with a golden pattern was the highest-rank epic item called the 'Almighty Silhouette Set'. It was superior to the 'Flaming Revenge of Bali Set', which Kang Chul-In wore in the past.
And the sword...
Arondight was on par with Fragarach, a sword which Kang Chul-In yielded in the past.
In other words, Brynhildr possessed most of his items from the past. That was impressive considering that the Great Summoning happened just two years ago.
There was just one item.
He doesn't have that yet.
A ring that emits a brilliant spark.
The Sonic Ring, a constituent of the Trinity Impact, was nowhere to be seen. Kang Chul-In was extremely disappointed.
"Kang Chul-In...?"
Brynhildr spoke.
"Are you really Overlord Kang Chul-In?"
"Apparently so."
Kang Chul-In replied with a smirk.
Chuk!
Brynhildr raised and pointed Arondight at Kang Chul-In. It was a silent signal for a face-off.
As expected.
Kang Chul-In laughed.
Brynhildr had always been like this.
He was a man of few words.
He always hid behind the white armor and refused to reveal his identity.
Even his voice could potentially be fake.
"Well, bring it on."
Kang Chul-In, however, did not dislike this attitude.
In fact, he liked it.
A swordsman spoke through his sword.
There was no need for long commentaries when the strongest characters in Pangaea were about to battle.
Bang!
Kang Chul-In dashed towards Brynhildr with a sonic boom trailing behind him.
***
"These cunning bastards..."
Unlike Kang Chul-In who rushed immediately to the frontlines, Kwak Jung chose to stay in Laputa.
His duty as a tactician was to strategize, not to be physically present on the battlefield.
"Damn it, why are there so many of them?"
Kwak Jung frowned as he confirmed the enemy's strength with a satellite map.
They had over 40,000 soldiers.
Overlord Albrecht Vilhelm and Ao Xin had each contributed 20,000 men to form the first Gullveig Coalition troop. Laputa wasn't too comfortable with that.
Both the Full Metal Dragon and Zeppelin are under repair, damn it... we also don't have any tactical weapons to use...
No matter how hard he brainstormed, he couldn't find a simple method to annihilate the Gullveig Coalition army.
"If nothing works, just trample on them."
At that moment, Kwak Jung recalled Kang Chul-In's words.
"Sorry? What do you mean by 'trample'?"
"The castle will be in shatters... but that's better than enduring through an arduous fight."
"N-No way...!"
"There's quite some cash incoming, so do it if you are really driven into a corner."
Kang Chul-In's proposal should never be used in normal circumstances. However, it could be a good solution in times like this, in which he had to focus on internal affairs.
"Argh, I don't know anymore!"
Kwak Jung shouted.
"Departing, ready to depart!"
It wasn't a fire attack.
It wasn't a surprise attack.
It wasn't a distraction, either.
What Kang Chul-In had suggested was to make Laputa, the flying fortress, float... and then to drop it on the heads of the enemy soldiers!
***
Clang,
Clang!
Kang Chul-In and Brynhildr exchanged blow after blow. The atmosphere was incredibly intense.
He's strong...!
Kang Chul-In was surprised.
Not only did Brynhildr possess most of his high-class items from the past, he also boasted a formidable battle prowess.
...This guy is a genius.
Kang Chul-In and Kwak Jung had evolved over time with hard work and some innate talent, but it was different for Brynhildr.
He had mastered the art of swordsmanship in a mere span of two years. That was real talent.
Of course, his limited potential would prove to be his downfall in the future.
Clang!
Kaiforce and Arondight collided.
Bang!
The mana from the two of them collided to release a tremendous shockwave.
"..."
"..."
The shockwave knocked both Kang Chul-In and Brynhildr back by 10 metres each.
"Just like the rumors, Overlord Kang Chul-In."
Brynhildr spoke with pure admiration.
"You are strong."
He seemed genuinely surprised.
"Those rumors are nothing."
Kang Chul-In grinned.
Rumors tended to exaggerate things, but it was the opposite for Kang Chul-In's case. The rumors underestimated his true power.
Not only did he possess the [Full Moon] buff and the [Spell Thirst] ability, but he also powered up using the Overpower Bracelet.
With these three upgrades, even Brynhildr would be no match for him.
"Let me show you."
Kang Chul-In swung his Kaiforce mischievously and prepared himself to dash towards Brynhildr.
Wait a second.
Kang Chul-In stopped.
If he killed Brynhildr here, the Trinity Impact could never be his. How could he possibly know where the Sonic Ring was?
Kang Chul-In pondered.
He had two options.
The first option was to kill Brynhildr, a potential source of danger, right now and thus weaken the Gullveig Coalition. The other option would be to let him live and steal his Sonic Ring in the future.
Each option had its boon and bane.
It would have been ideal if he could kill Brynhildr and take his ring immediately, but Brynhildr wasn't wearing the Sonic Ring as of now.
Kang Chul-In grasped Kaiforce more tightly.
"Let's just..."
At that moment.
Wiiingggg!
About 3 kilometres away from them, space began to warp in the sky.
-
Hue hue... I will burn you bastard into crisps!
Kwak Jung's voice rang through the magic-engineered loudspeaker.
Chapter 244: Kang Chul-In's Wedding (1)
Translator: Leyy3
Pzzt, pzzzztt!
With the sound of mana flow,
"...!"
Laputa unlocked its cloaking barrier and revealed itself.
"...Timothy's going to nag at me again."
Kang Chul-In facepalmed.
This crazy idea of using Laputa itself to annihilate the enemy was bound to be financially costly.
If it landed at a speed high enough to crush the enemy, most infrastructures would be destroyed.
Your Majesty, are you trying to overwork me to death!?
He could already hear Timothy's despairing cries.
"Huu."
Kang Chul-In sighed.
"Get lost and come back stronger."
In the end, he decided to let Brynhildr live for now.
In other words, he was telling Brynhildr to obtain the Sonic Ring as soon as possible and then challenge him again. He planned to steal the item to complete the Trinity Impact.
"Ridiculous!"
Brynhildr clenched his fist.
"The fight..."
"You still want to go ahead with it?"
"...?"
"Even if those idiots will become squashed and burned to death in 3 seconds?"
"...!"
"Run when you can, cormorant."
"C-Cormorant?"
"Yeah."
A cormorant [1] was a bird often used for fishing in Southeast Asia. Kang Chul-In was making an analogy of how Brynhildr would help him fish for the Sonic Ring.
"What nonsense!"
The infuriated Brynhildr was about to charge at Kang Chul-In.
However,
-
Rest in peace. Farewell.
Kwak Jung's voice rang.
Oooongg...
Laputa's anti-gravity system began to lower its power to the minimum.
"I-It's falling!"
"Run! R-Runnnn!"
"You crazy bastards!"
Laputa's gigantic body fell on the ground before the Gullveig Coalition could even react.
Bangggggg!
A tremendous blare shook the surroundings.
Ssssss!
A curtain of sand and dust enveloped the region.
Some time later,
"Arghhhhh!"
"Maintain your composure, men! Your positions!"
"What in the world...?"
The battlefield became chaotic.
That was to be expected. A large castle fell from the sky after all.
But that wasn't the end.
"Brave soldiers of Laputa!"
In front of the half-shattered castle gate of Laputa...
"Kill them all!"
General James held his dragon bone sword high up in the air and bellowed.
"Let's roll!"
"Glory for Laputa!"
"Long live his Majesty, Kang Chul-In!"
The well-trained soldiers of Laputa rushed out of the castle gate and began to annihilate the enemy soldiers.
"You still want to continue?"
Kang Chul-In asked Brynhildr with a confident expression.
"Even when your own men are being murdered?"
"...Kang Chul-In."
Brynhildr was lost for words.
It was an unbelievable sight, indeed.
To think Kang Chul-In would drop his castle on his opponents... Brynhildr couldn't respond in any manner.
"You coward..."
"Since when were you so talkative?"
Kang Chul-In interrupted Brynhildr.
"Get lost when you still can, cormorant."
"..."
"Ah, also."
Kang Chul-In added.
"I did give you permission to run away, but I hope you won't be stupid enough to go save your men."
"..."
"If you touch even one of my soldiers... I will kill you on the spot."
Having said that, Kang Chul-In passed by Brynhildr nonchalantly.
"Why?"
Brynhildr asked Kang Chul-In, who was now heading towards the Gullveig Coalition army.
"Why are you letting me off? I'm sure I am a formidable opponent for you."
"I already told you."
Kang Chul-In replied.
"You are my cormorant."
"..."
"If you don't get it, go back to Earth and search the Internet."
"I have no idea what you mean... but you will regret this..."
"Nah."
"You sure?"
"I'm still going to kill you next time we meet. Regret my ass."
Sky-high confidence!
That was one of Kang Chul-In's virtues.
He was a man who never cowered in front of any opponent!
A scaredy-cat would give up on obtaining the Sonic Ring in fear of Brynhildr returning stronger, but Kang Chul-In was different. He knew how to take risks while gambling.
"No."
Brynhildr shook his head.
"You will regret this for sure, Kang Chul-In."
"We shall see."
Kang Chul-In did not falter.
"...Let's go."
Brynhildr called his pegasus over, which was quietly waiting at the side.
***
It didn't even take half a day for 40,000 Gullveig soldiers to be annihilated.
Over 20,000 Gullveig soldiers were crushed to death by Laputa. The other 20,000 soldiers were killed without any resistance by the Laputan soldiers.
It was a devastating and disappointing loss for the Gullveig Coalition.
"Your Majesty."
After the battle,
"Congratulations on your victory."
Lucia greeted Kang Chul-In as always.
"Victory, you say..."
Kang Chul-In replied nonchalantly.
It was a pity that he couldn't obtain the Soul Ring in this battle.
"However, your Majesty."
"Hmm?"
"Why did you let the white knight escape?"
It was a good question.
Lucia knew that benevolence was not a word to describe Kang Chul-In.
"It's an investment."
Kang Chul-In replied.
"...I beg your pardon?"
"Just let it slide."
"...Yes, your Majesty."
Lucia was puzzled,
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but she didn't question him further.
Didn't she say it herself?
Laputa's military law act, 1: A superior's order takes priority over one's own life.
Thus, if Kang Chul-In told her to let the case slide, it was her duty to obey it.
"Y-your Majesty..."
Meanwhile, Drakan had regained his consciousness and kneeled in front of Kang Chul-In.
"I lost and dragged your Majesty's name through the mud. I've committed an unforgivable sin, so please punish me with death."
A perfect defeat.
Both Drakan and Amur couldn't even lay their hands on Brynhildr. They apologized to their master.
"It can happen."
Kang Chul-In's facial expression did not change.
"Do not be ashamed of today's defeat. The enemy was as strong as me."
Since their enemy was Brynhildr, he could overlook their losses.
"Your Majesty..."
"Keheuk...!"
Tears formed in Drakan's and Amur's eyes.
"But in return..."
Kang Chul-In added.
"You two can become stronger and never let this happen again. Therefore, I suggest we end this winter with some special training. I will personally train you guys."
Drakan's face stiffened.
W-What a disaster...!
Drakan recalled his agonizing special training under Kang Chul-In last winter.
It was hell itself.
Even the prideful dragon general had to secretly wipe his tears during the training. It was that intense.
"Thank you, your Majesty!"
Amur, on the other hand, hadn't the slightest clue of what the 'special training' entailed. He was overjoyed.
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, your Majesty! Amur, your humble servant, will endure through your special training with all my heart! In fact, I request to double the training intensity!"
"Keuh...!"
Kang Chul-In was deeply moved by Amur's praiseworthy attitude.
"Excellent!"
He nodded delightfully.
"I'm happy that you feel that way. In return, I will personally make both you and Drakan become stronger."
"Thank you!"
Thump!
Drakan, who was listening to this conversation quietly, heard his heart sink.
Damn it! This damn dung cat!
Thanks to Amur's excitement, he was also fated to participate in the hellish training. The two of them were destined to become nemesis.
"Lucia will take care of the aftermath of the battle. Drakan and Amur shall return with me to tend to their wounds."
Kang Chul-In spoke and began to make his move to Laputa.
"Ah, also..."
He turned around.
"If Timothy comes looking for me... tell him that you haven't seen me. Farewell."
Kang Chul-In was still afraid of Timothy's nagging.
***
The news of Gullveig Coalition's defeat quickly spread across the whole Pangaea, and reinforced Kang Chul-In's reputation.
A demon, a heartless murderer, a God of War, et cetera.
The other lords were astonished and horrified to hear how Kang Chul-In had used Laputa's body to crush 40,000 Gullveig soldiers to death.
Thus, they began to form a single slogan.
'Stop Kang Chul-In!'
That was to be expected.
At this rate, Pangaea would fall into Kang Chul-In's hands in just a few years' time.
Meanwhile,
"Your Majesty! What is this!?"
Kang Chul-In had to face the music of Timothy, the chief administration staff governing Laputa's economy. Afterwards,
"Your Majesty, we shall have to customize your attire for the wedding."
He was pulled over by Alfred, the talented tailor, to get his size measured down to the exact centimetre.
"Good news, your Majesty! Two more cities in the area have pledged loyalty to you!"
Furthermore, he had to welcome his new subordinates.
"Your Majesty, please sign this document..."
"Your Majesty, regarding the inspection of the new royal guards..."
"Your Majesty, about the decorations to be used for the wedding..."
Kang Chul-In was overwhelmed by his accumulated duties.
Only after dealing with them,
"Phew... give me a break."
Could he relax briefly in his office.
Your Majesty!
Suddenly, he could hear a voice come from somewhere.
Kang Chul-In immediately turned towards the office door, but nobody was there.
"...My god."
He was even hearing things now.
... Domestic administration was more difficult than a war indeed.
***
Some time passed.
Pangaea's autumn ended and winter came.
Kang Chul-In was able to complete most of the crowning quest with a week left until the second Lord's meeting.
In addition, his wedding day which seemed so far away finally came.
Two hours before the wedding.
"Keheuk...!"
Alfred couldn't hold back his tears.
"Y-your Majesty~! Finally... finally a wedding...!"
Alfred had always wished for Kang Chul-In's wedding, even in his previous life. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise to see him tear up.
"Don't cry."
Kang Chul-In comforted Alfred.
"Why are you crying?"
"Sob sob..."
"I will lead a happy life."
"Of course you will, your Majesty... Sob..."
Kang Chul-In had to put in much effort to stop his cry baby butler from crying.
"Keheuk..."
Having cried for a while, Alfred looked at Kang Chul-In in his sleek suit and exclaimed.
"As expected from your Majesty! How are you so cool?"
"I-Is that so?"
"Certainly! You are the most handsome man in Pangaea!"
"Ahem...!"
Alfred's flattery was excessive, but Kang Chul-In didn't correct him in particular.
That wasn't to say he was dressed shabbily.
It wasn't just the bride who received the spotlight in a wedding. Kang Chul-In had also become an extremely handsome and well-dressed man.
Currently, he looks cooler and more charismatic than any other man.
Anyone could tell that he was getting married.
"Anyways, I leave it to you."
"Yes, your Majesty!"
Alfred raised his shoulders in pride.
He was the escort for today's brides.
Coincidentally, Ninetails, Lee Chae-Rin and Skadi all did not have parents. Thus, Alfred, the oldest man in Laputa, had to stand in as their 'father'.
"Go and prepare. See you later."
"Yes, your Majesty!"
Alfred hurriedly left the waiting room.
"Phew."
Kang Chul-In was finally left alone. He let out a long sigh.
Everything was chaotic.
If he had two more marriages after this, he would die of fatigue before he could even conquer Pangaea.
"...Today's the last day."
However, this peace was only temporary.
After he marries and is crowned as a king, the second Lord's meeting would commence. The disputes between the lords would reach a new high.
Ragnarök!
The Gullveig Coalition had formed a whole two years ahead of schedule due to the butterfly effect. A tremendous war that would engulf the whole of Pangaea was imminent.
This could be the calm before the storm.
Of course, he still had to go through marriage, crowning, and finally... his first night before the storm!
[1] Read more here about this bird: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant
Chapter 245: Kang Chul-In's Wedding (2)
Translator: Leyy3
It was early Spring.
Laputa had just finished repairing its infrastructures. It looked more brilliant than ever before and hosted over 100,000 people.
That was to be expected.
It was Kang Chul-In the Overlord's wedding and crowning day, after all.
A great festival!
A lord was about to be crowned as a king. His territory was about to be called a nation. What could be grander than this?
Delicious food was in great abundance and the fragrance of wine enveloped the whole area.
Bang, bang!
Firecrackers exploded in the air relentlessly even in broad daylight.
Bustle bustle!
The large crowd contributed to the noise and liveliness in Laputa.
Meanwhile, it was chaotic inside the castle where the wedding was to be held at.
"Kang Chul-Innnnnnnn!"
An hour before the wedding, Dorian Explorer barged into the groom's waiting room.
"...!"
Kang Chul-In, who was relaxing while sipping on a cup of brandy, froze when he saw Dorian.
"Y-You came?"
Kang Chul-In asked awkwardly.
"You cameeeeeee?"
Dorian snarled.
H-He is really mad.
Even an idiot was scary when angry. Dorian looked horrifying, almost resembling a Lich.
Blood-red eyes, sunken cheeks, bony limbs and dry hair.
People almost mistook him for a victim of a vampire or succubus.
"You bastard!"
Dorian shouted angrily.
"It's a misunderstanding."
Kang Chul-In replied shamelessly.
"Misunderstandinggg? You have the guts to say that after selling your friend out? Huh?"
"Listen to me..."
"Don't want to!"
"..."
"You sold me out to that evil witch! Because of you, my prostate... argh...!"
Dorian closed his legs, as though a particular area of his body was in pain. It was evident that he was tortured by Circe the Witch, who took a liking to Dorian.
"Didn't you like it? Why the anger?"
Kang Chul-In grinned.
"To enjoy yourself with a beauty like Circe..."
"Shut up!"
"Ahem..."
"I'm taking revenge, Kang Chul-In!"
"...?"
"I prepared a special event upon hearing the news of your wedding. Huehuehue..."
Dorian shook a huge sack on his back.
Wriggle, wriggle!
Something ominous was squirming in the sack, which seemed capable of carrying even a tiger in it.
"...Hmm?"
Kang Chul-In questioned Dorian after staring at the sack for a long time.
"By any chance..."
"Huh?"
"Are those snakes?"
"Wait, how did you guess?!"
"You planned to release snakes during my wedding ceremony?"
"Yup!"
Dorian replied innocently.
"Podolski."
Kang Chul-In called Podolski over, who was standing outside the waiting room.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Take him away and lock him up in the dungeon."
Kang Chul-In had no intention to play along with Dorian's revenge on his wedding day.
"I apologize, your Majesty Dorian."
Having said that,
Smack!
Podolski's whip wrapped around Dorian's body.
"Argh!"
Dorian, who was now a captive, screamed.
"Let me go! Didn't I say let me go?! Huh?!"
Dorian struggled, but even he could not break through Podolski's roping skills.
He could in normal circumstances, but he had already lost all his virility to Circe.
"Kang Chul-In! You bastard!"
Dorian screamed while being dragged away.
"Hmm..."
Kang Chul-In, however, paid no attention to him.
***
-
Ah, ah!
Just before the wedding ceremony.
-
Mike test, one, two, three!
Kwak Jung, the emcee, checked on his magic-engineered loudspeaker.
-
I say oh, you say ah... or not. Ahem! Can everyone hear me?"
Kwak Jung asked the crowd.
"Yes!"
"We hear you loud and clear!"
"Yessss!"
The crowd replied simultaneously.
-
Good.
Kwak Jung nodded in satisfaction.
There were many guests.
Not only were there subjects of Laputa and their family members, but there were also lords and diplomats from other territories.
Overlord Hecate and her gay subordinates in particular left a strong and ominous impression on the other guests.
Countless demi-humans and subjects of Dorado had also swarmed in.
Moreover, many explorers, including Billy Halford, were also attending the ceremony.
There were even earthlings.
"Keuh~! They say only a hero can have three or even four wives. You are the true hero! Hahaha~!"
Kwon Hyung-Woo, the president of the Galaxy corporation, also attended his business partner's wedding ceremony.
"Big brother, I'm wishing you happiness!"
"Wishing you happiness!"
"Wishing you happinessssss!"
The gang members, who were almost beaten to death by Kang
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Chul-In at the start of the Great Summoning, could also be seen.
Last but not least,
"My son is finally going to marry... sob sob..."
The most important person of all!
Park Sun-Ja had also visited Pangaea to witness the wedding ceremony.
"Son... you have become the father-like figure to all your people in this world..."
It was her first-time visiting Pangaea, not just Laputa. She had been in a great shock and couldn't believe her eyes for two or three days.
She had known that her son was an important person in Pangaea, but she had no idea that he was a lord governing over 100,000 citizens.
It was vastly different when she saw it for herself.
Dear!
Park Sun-Ja remembered Kang Han, her husband.
Our Chul-In has grown into such a fine man! You don't have to worry anymore! You said that our son could be general material, but now he is even greater than that!
Park Sun-Ja could die with no regrets now.
She had a successful son and three daughters-in-laws, although one was purely transactional. Moreover, she had a lovely granddaughter called Arshelly.
How could she not be proud?
-
Ah, ah. The ceremony is about to begin.
Meanwhile, Kwak Jung announced the start of the wedding ceremony.
-
Let us welcome the groom, Kang Chul-In, the overlord of the great Laputa, and the brides, Ninetails, the queen of Fox Valley, her Majesty Lee Chae-Rin from Dorado, and her Majesty Skadi Andevari, the former overlord of Esmeralda.
A 1v3!
Kang Chul-In was about to become a hero indeed.
***
A grand wedding ceremony had begun.
Ninetails, who wore a traditional Pangaean costume which resembled a hanbok, became Kang Chul-In's second wife. Lee Chae-Rin became his third wife, and Skadi became his first concubine.
"Are you feeling alright?"
Alfred asked Lucia.
"Well, I can't help it."
She replied.
"Still, I suppose you aren't feeling great."
"..."
"Why don't you gather your courage up at least once?"
"No, Alfred."
Lucia shook her head.
"My duty is to protect his Majesty."
"Can't you continue doing that after your confession?"
"..."
"Seems like that is hindering you."
"... I would be lying if I told you it isn't."
"But still..."
"It's fine, Alfred."
Lucia had a bitter smile across her face.
"I am not... a human, am I? And his Majesty is soon to be crowned. How can someone like me, who can't bear a child, be his spouse?"
"Hmm..."
"I'm fine with how things are now."
Lucia said.
"I am an artificial being with an infinite lifespan. I will be satisfied if I can serve his Majesty at least until his last moments."
"Lucia..."
Alfred looked at Lucia with sympathy.
It was all Kang Chul-In's fault.
He was so indifferent to the feelings of the women around him, that he didn't have the slightest idea of Lucia's feelings towards him. Instead, he was a workaholic who focused solely on his duties.
"Excuse me."
Lucia bid farewell and left the scene. She was definitely going to some corner to sob alone.
Oh no, I have to do something!
Alfred couldn't bear this anymore. He decided to become the cupid between Lucia and Kang Chul-In.
***
"W-What is this?"
The wedding ceremony ended with Dorian Explorer catching a bouquet thrown by Ninetails.
"Why is this being given to me...?"
A bouquet is usually tossed by the bride to a fellow woman.
Dorian, who caught the bouquet without thinking, was puzzled.
"Hahahaha~!"
"Your Majesty, seems like you wish to marry as well!"
"So cute!"
"Are you jealous of his Majesty Kang Chul-In?"
There was laughter everywhere.
"Well, not too bad."
Kang Chul-In nodded his head in satisfaction.
A marriage!
In the past, he struggled to even take care of his mother, not to mention a marriage. Now, he was a powerful overlord who just held a grandiose wedding with three beautiful women.
That ties up the domestic affairs.
However, Kang Chul-In couldn't relax.
The second Lord's meeting was just around the corner after which he would have to resume his quest to fulfill his ambition.
***
That night, Ninetails and Kang Chul-In welcomed their first night together.
"...It's true that I fell in love with you at first sight."
Kang Chul-In and Ninetails had a heart-to-heart over a bottle of wine, as husband and wife.
"Heung..."
Of course, Ninetails was the first to become drunk. She began to approach Kang Chul-In.
"Husband~!"
"Come here."
Kang Chul-In embraced Ninetails tightly.
At that moment, he could sense her sweet aroma, warmth and the softness of her nine tails overwhelming his entire body.
"I love you, husband."
"..."
"Cheh, are you embarrassed?"
"No way."
"Don't lie! Husband is surprisingly quite a..."
Ninetails tried to tease Kang Chul-In but,
"Heub!"
She couldn't continue due to his sudden kiss.
Ah...!
Kang Chul-In's swift tongue began to swim around the inside of Ninetails' mouth relentlessly.
Soon after, a 'change' happened in Kang Chul-In.
"Oh my!"
Ninetails found herself lying on a luxurious bed.
Swish!
The couple began to mingle in each other's heat.
"Ah, husband...!"
Ninetails moaned and let Kang Chul-In guide her body. He was like an untamed beast, as he released all of his pent-up sexual desires onto her.
Slip,
Slip!
The next moment,
Ninetails realized that all her clothes were off.
"H-Husband!"
She could only stare at Kang Chul-In with a blushing face.
"...!"
A 'large and beautiful' something came up into her vision.
"...Gasp!"
Ninetails was shocked.
"H-Husband... h-how...?"
"Any problem?"
"How... t-this can't happen!"
"...?"
"T-That...!"
Ninetails went pale. She was still staring at Kang Chul-In's 'amazing something'.
"Well then, here I go."
He paid no attention to Ninetails' astonishment and pounced on her without mercy.
Chapter 246: The Crowning!
Translator: Leyy3
That night.
Rumble,
Bang!
An unexpected thundercloud enveloped the sky.
Roarrrr!
Heavy rain began to crash down as well.
Noisy and eventful.
...Just like Kang Chul-In's first night.
***
The next morning...
"His Majesty has arrived~!"
With Alfred's announcement, Kang Chul-In and Ninetails entered the Lord's Hall.
Something was off, however.
"Good morning."
"G-Good... hah... morning... everyone..."
Unlike Kang Chul-In who looked fresh, Ninetails appeared to be in a bad condition.
She had messy hair, blank eyes, dark circles around her eyes, and pale lips.
Brrrr...!
Her legs were also shaky.
That wasn't the queen of Fox Valley that everyone knew. Instead, Ninetails looked more like a chronically ill person.
"...!"
All of the subjects in the hall couldn't help but be shocked.
W-What even... he is even good in bed?
Kwak Jung, in particular, was shook to the core.
It was a form of jealousy.
As a man, no, as a member of the male species!
God damn it! How can a human be so good at everything?
At one look, Kang Chul-In was 100% the reason for Ninetails' pitiful look.
For the past three years, including his previous life, he had been holding his sexual urges in.
As he released it all on Ninetails, it wasn't surprising for her to be so fatigued.
In addition, his technique was truly amazing...
Good at fighting, rich, smart, a playboy... And now, he's even good in bed? Damn it! How is this fair?
Kwak Jung was right.
Except for his bad temper and carelessness in domestic affairs, Kang Chul-In boasted perfection in every field. He unintentionally made everyone in his surroundings harbor an inferiority complex.
He is strong!
A true man!
How passionate was his first night even...!?
Amazing!
The subjects of Laputa admired Kang Chul-In.
And,
"Long live his Majesty, Kang Chul-In!" "Long live his Majesty, Kang Chul-In!"
They began to cheer for him in a grandiose way, embarrassing Kang Chul-In.
"... These idiots."
Kang Chul-In covered his face in fatigue.
He welcomed loyalty anytime, but this time it was too embarrassing and absurd for him to deal with.
He could even imagine them applauding for him one day for taking a large dump.
"That's enough!"
Kang Chul-In raised his hand and stopped the cheering.
"Keep your imaginations to yourselves. Let's begin the morning meeting, understood?"
"Yes, your Majesty!"
The subjects replied loudly. Any more teasing and they would be in for horrifying mental training.
"Kwak Jung, commence your report."
"Yes, virility king... N-No, your Majesty...!"
Kwak Jung shocked himself with his wrong choice of words.
"I-I apologize!"
"Hands in the air."
"Yes..."
"Also."
Kang Chul-In added.
"Come to the mental training room after lunch."
"E-Eek?!"
"See you later."
Kang Chul-In had an ominous smile on his face.
Me and my big mouth...!
Kwak Jung regretted it but it was too late. Kang Chul-In rarely retracted his words.
"Let's start the meeting."
"Yes... your Majesty..."
Kwak Jung, looking depressed and fearful, commenced the meeting.
***
A few days later, the crowning ceremony was held.
Bang, bang!
The magic-engineered artilleries shot blanks into the air.
"From today onwards, our territory shall be called the Kingdom of Valhalla!"
Kang Chul-In announced.
The Kingdom of Valhalla!
The nation borrowed its name from Kang Chul-In's old territory in his previous life.
"Wahhhhhh!"
"Long live his Majesty, Kang Chul-In!"
"Long live Valhalla!"
A total of 150,000 people cheered for their new nation and king.
In addition, 20,000 soldiers, who boasted the greatest military power in Pangaea, pledged their loyalty to Kang Chul-In.
His new royal guards, in particular, were especially enthusiastic.
"The royal guards of the Kingdom of Valhalla greet his Majesty!"
Admiration and affection towards Kang Chul-In overflowed from these soldiers' eyes.
That was because,
"Your Majesty...!"
A man stood in front of Kang Chul-In.
He was once a slave in the Absilon territory.
Rok.
He was a man who had lost his beloved lady to Lord Gonzales and had become a slave afterwards. He surrendered to Kang Chul-In and signed up for the Laputan army.
And now, he was a disabled veteran equipped with a magic-engineered mechanical arm, eye and leg.
"Rok, your humble servant and the Lieutenant Colonel of the royal guards, greets his Majesty!"
Wi-ing, chuk!
Rok's mechanical right arm folded into a salute.
"Ah, it was you?"
Kang Chul-In recognised Rok and nodded.
"Yes, your Majesty!"
"I've heard about your great accomplishments on the battlefield. I apologize for giving you little attention due to my busy schedule."
"Not at all!"
"...Can you lower your voice?"
"No can do!"
"..."
"How can I show your Majesty such a half-hearted attitude!?"
A lieutenant colonel.
With that title, Rok displayed an unwavering military discipline.
Well, of course, the man he was saluting
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to was the king... the head of state himself.
"That's true, but is there a need to shout?"
"Yes, sir!"
Rok shook his head.
"Your Majesty had already given this lowly slave two new lives."
"Me? Two lives?"
"Yes, your Majesty!"
Rok began his story.
"Your Majesty has saved me from my hellish days. When all the Absilon people feared and called you names, I didn't. I was happy to see you, and you were like a god to me.
"Hmm..."
"I lost my beloved woman to the evil Lord Gonzales, and even became a slave. But I was too weak to take any form of revenge. To someone like me... your Majesty was godsent."
That was true.
Kang Chul-In's appearance was indeed a turning point in Rok's life.
"I got back my stolen wife. I witnessed my enemy getting castrated and beheaded."
Rok began to tear up.
"Hence, I enlisted in the army. I only fought for your Majesty. Along the way, I got some accolades and could even advance in ranks to become a lieutenant colonel. Moreover, your Majesty even gifted me a new life when I had become a disabled soldier."
Rok was right.
The Immortal Project.
The project aimed to sponsor living expenses and cut taxes for disabled veterans. For those still in service, it gave them magic-engineered artificial limbs, eyes and more.
Kang Chul-In adopted the system from the United States of America, a nation which treats its veterans with respect!
That was in contrast to some rotten nations, like South Korea, which asked the injured veterans to pay for their own treatment!
"Your Majesty!"
Rok sobbed.
"Your Majesty has given me two new lives. When even the gods had abandoned me, you didn't. In fact, it's not just me who thinks this way. All the soldiers of the mechanized unit will agree with me. Right, my men!"
Rok shouted at his subordinates.
"Yes, sir!"
"We all agree, sir!"
"His Majesty is a god!"
The members of the mechanized unit all replied simultaneously.
"His Majesty is even greater than the Buddha, Jesus and Allah altogether!"
An earthling soldier, previously an explorer, even compared Kang Chul-In to an amalgamation of different gods.
Was this surprising?
The Immortal Project was a sliver of hope for the disabled veterans who had to suffer through physical and mental trauma like PTSD.
Such massive support from the government fueled greater loyalty and patriotism in these veterans.
"This life~! For his Majesty~!"
Rok began to sing the military cadence.
"Even if our flesh rots..."
"Even if our bones break..."
"Even if our breaths cease, what's there to be afraid of..."
"Since our body and soul belong to his Majesty and his nation..."
Subsequently, the rest of the mechanized unit joined in.
This cadence, known as "The March of Blood and Iron," was the most popular amongst the Valhalla cadences.
Keuh...
Kang Chul-In let out a satisfied expression. He was deeply moved.
Burning loyalty!
As a conquest lord himself, to have such loyal subordinates was a blessing.
"No, no."
However, Kang Chul-In shook his head.
"Your true savior is not me. It's none other than yourselves."
He rebutted his soldiers' remarks.
"...!"
Kang Chul-In continued.
"I didn't grant you guys new lives. In fact, you all earned them yourselves. I simply remunerated you based on your hard work. Therefore, don't waste your gratitude on me. Be instead thankful to yourselves, your family members, and also to your future."
He was being genuine.
Kang Chul-In was not a man to put on a façade and sugarcoat his words.
"Don't eulogize me. Be proud of your lives and fight for what you believe in. I am just an ambitious man who plans to conquer Pangaea with your sweat and blood. I do not deserve to be hailed as a hero."
There wasn't a single word of lie in his statement.
Kang Chul-In was selfish without a doubt, but his genuine remarks ignited loyalty in not only the soldiers of the mechanized unit, but in all the Valhalla people's hearts.
"Long live his Majesty, Kang Chul-In!"
"Long live Valhalla!"
"We will join you in fulfilling your ambition!"
"We want to be the people of the world's most powerful nation!"
The crowd began to roar.
"Your ambition has given us lowly beings food and clothes. How can we ever criticize it!?"
"We have nothing else to ask for!"
"We have enlisted of our own will! How can a soldier fear his own death?"
This was a praiseworthy sight.
As all the people began to follow Kang Chul-In as one, the nation's power seemingly increased. Loyalty and patriotism may be invisible, but they were forces to be reckoned with!
[Notification!]
At that moment!
[The people's loyalty has reached rank U!]
[The people's patriotism has reached rank U!]
A notification popped up in front of Kang Chul-In.
This is...!
The 'U' referred to 'Ultimate', which was a tier higher than S+++ rank. It couldn't go any higher.
Moreover,
[Due to the rank U loyalty, the enlistment rate has increased by 20%!]
[Due to the rank U loyalty, the combat power of the soldiers has increased by 10%!]
[Due to the rank U patriotism, the incorruptibility of the subjects has increased by 20%!]
[Due to the rank U patriotism, the people's respect for their leader and their sense of duty have increased by 120% and 20% respectively!]
Kang Chul-In was endowed with great benefits.
Subsequently,
Flash!
A brilliant and breathtaking golden light fell from the sky and shone upon him.
"Ohhhh!"
"Keuh...!"
All the people of Valhalla were witnessing this scene. Meanwhile, Kang Chul-In had to deal with a flood of notification.
[Kang Chul-In's status has been upgraded from an Overlord to a King!]
[Majesty has increased by 15%!]
[Charisma has increased by 15%!]
[Intimidation against beings under level 70 has increased by 30%!]
On top of these bonus abilities given to a new king,
-
Lord points +20%.
-
Honorary title (The system decides based on traits).
-
All abilities +10%.
-
Politics (both internal and external) +1 tier.
-
New stat point 'monarchy' granted.
-
Three mine lottery tickets given.
-
Abilities of the main founding fathers of the nation (main subjects) +10% increase.
Additional benefits were bestowed upon Kang Chul-In.
Furthermore,
[Honorary title granted!]
Kang Chul-In finally received his unique title, given only to those who were crowned.
[The system bestows Kang Chul-In, the King of Valhalla, the title: 'Supreme King of the West'!]
The ruler of the west!
The Supreme King of Ishtar region!
This indicated that Kang Chul-In now had total control of one third of Pangaea.
[Rewards are given.]
[Permission to use level 4 magic-engineered satellite Cosmic Force is granted!]
Kang Chul-In finally received his last reward.
It was the one which had been veiled in mystery.
Chapter 247: Seeing the Big Picture
Translator: Leyy3
[Summon Legion]
-
The King's call transcends both time and space...
Type: Summoning
Cost: 1,000,000 Gold
Number of uses: 1/1
Explanation: By borrowing the power of the magic-engineered satellite Cosmic Force, the user can teleport 30,000 allied forces to his location (range: infinity). The teleported allied forces can return to their original location if the user wishes them to.
T-This is crazy...!
The fourth ability of the Cosmic Force shook Kang Chul-In to the core.
This is cheating...!
This ability was a strategically valuable tool. In fact, it could be the 'joker' card which had the power to turn the tables.
Think about it.
Using this Summon Legion ability, Kang Chul-In could invade empty territories, distract enemy forces, send reinforcements and more. There were many different ways in which it could be utilized.
What if he snuck into the enemy's vital infrastructures in the middle of a war and activated the Summon Legion?
It could be catastrophic.
The enemy would be drowning in chaos, while Kang Chul-In could enjoy all the benefits before running away.
"...Let's just hope being a king isn't too difficult."
Kang Chul-In was extremely delighted.
Didn't a movie mention it before?
With great power comes great responsibility!*
Kang Chul-In could understand what that statement meant.
He was thankful to have such a great ability, but at the same time he was worried about the troubles ahead.
"Congratulations on your crowning, your Majesty!"
"Congratulations!"
Meanwhile, the people continued to cheer for Kang Chul-In.
"Long live the Supreme King of the West!"
"Long live Valhalla!"
Kang Chul-In decided to conclude the crowning ceremony.
"I hear all of you!"
Kang Chul-In announced in a deep, majestic voice.
"I thank all of you for your hard work. Never forget that all of us here are proud citizens of the Kingdom of Valhalla. That's all!"
That concluded the ceremony.
The Overlord Kang Chul-In no longer existed.
There was only the Supreme King of the West.
***
In the land of Cyamodus in the secret chamber hidden deep within the territory...
"Is this... my last chance, keuk...!?"
Rothschild, who had been staring blankly into the mirror, let out a twisted grin.
"I have... no future. Absolutely... none... So embarrassing. How did I even end up in this state...?"
Rothschild was utterly devastated.
He had red eyes, huge dark circles, sunken cheeks, and messy hair.
He had pale lips as well.
The sociable golden boy no longer existed.
He was literally a mad man now.
Who in their right mind would massacre his followers and even murder his own father?
"Kek, kekeke... I don't even have anything left to recuperate..."
His voice had a tone of self-scorn.
Rothschild was truly at the end of his rope.
His clones, which were powerful means of survival, were deactivated for another 9 months. The Absolute Return Scroll was consumed meaninglessly, and his infrastructures were destroyed completely.
In addition, Rothschild had killed his father on impulse.
Since his family now knew about his immorality, he could no longer return to Earth to withdraw more gold.
"This is my last chance... last chance..."
Rothschild bit hard on his lower lip and opened up his inventory.
Drip, drip.
Fresh blood spilled over from his torn lip, but Rothschild didn't care at all. Instead, he licked his blood off and began to brainstorm.
My last bit of gold... I have to recuperate with this no matter what... I have to get stronger...
This was his last hope.
If he failed this time, it was game over.
He would rather take his own life than to become a fugitive.
***
With one week left until the second Lord's meeting, Kang Chul-In announced the birth of the Kingdom of Valhalla via the Illusion Network. With that, an air of tension enveloped the whole continent.
The Gullveig Alliance of the north.
The Kingdom of Valhalla in the west.
Two new superpowers had emerged in a mere span of two months.
"What are your thoughts?"
Kang Chul-In asked Kwak Jung in the office.
"The south is problematic."
Kwak Jung replied.
"The south?"
"Your Majesty controls the west, while Vilhelm controls the north. While these two giants clash, there may be a new superpower that develops in the south..."
"A three-way battle?"
"That's right."
Kwak Jung's eyes beamed.
"Don't they say that "rock, paper, scissors" is the most chaotic battle
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of all?"
"...!"
"One may backstab the other or two parties may hold hands. There are so many different combinations in this scenario that can prevent us from doing anything in the future even with power."
"...!"
"This may hinder you from achieving your goal as well."
"... Amazing."
Kang Chul-In was genuinely surprised by Kwak Jung's insight.
This brainy former gang member seemed to know even the events in the past. He was Lee Gong-Myung's rival for a good reason.
"Then what's the solution?"
Kang Chul-In asked.
"In this kind of scenario, it would be troublesome if one enemy borrows the strength of an external party... but there's no such external party in this Pangaea, is there? Another scenario would be if one party is so incomparably strong that it can destroy the other two parties. That, however, is not the case here."
"Oh-hoh."
Kang Chul-In seemed interested.
He recalled how in ancient Korea, Shinla* borrowed the Tang Dynasty's power to unify the peninsula. It was similar to what Kwak Jung was saying.
Kwak Jung, of course, wouldn't have known that.
"In the third scenario, one party may have an internal conflict..."
"...!"
"Due to the stabbing of backs within the group, that party may meet its demise. If that happens, we can have a nice one versus one situation. "
"...!"
"Well, of course, our Valhalla is one concrete nation, not an alliance. We won't have to worry about that unless there's a rebellion somehow."
This triggered Kang Chul-In's memories from his previous life.
What was the reason for the Ishtar Coalition's doom?
Wasn't it because of Overlord Aleister's betrayal?
That party which collapsed due to internal conflict in Kwak Jung's story referred to Kang Chul-In's Ishtar Coalition in the past.
"Hence, what your Majesty can do is..."
"Go on?"
"Nip it at the bud."
"...!"
"Or plan early."
"Plan early?"
"What I mean is..."
Kwak Jung sipped on a glass of wine before continuing.
"What if we plant some of our men in the Gullveig Alliance? We need allies who can attack the enemy from within when the timing is right!"
"...!"
"Valhalla is a nation, thus there is no room for any impurities to seep in. In the first place, this was one of the reasons why I strongly recommended your crowning!"
Kwak Jung's insight was truly god-like.
Not only did he grasp the political situation in Pangaea perfectly, he also figured out Kang Chul-In's mistakes in the past and even provided solutions to them.
Moreover, he recommended Kang Chul-In become the king to prevent any internal conflict in advance. What an amazing tactician, indeed!
"Therefore..."
"...?"
"Your Majesty has a critical role to play in the upcoming Lord's meeting."
"Critical role?"
"A-Actually... I dare to ask your Majesty to do one thing..."
"Anything."
Kang Chul-In nodded his head without hesitation.
"Isn't a tactician the mentor of a king? As long as you don't say some bullshit, I am always ready to listen and respect your opinion."
"Hehe... I must admit I do say some bullshit."
"Glad you are aware. Now tell me about your plan."
"Ah, about that..."
"...?"
"How about searching for potential spies in the Gullveig Alliance during the upcoming Lord's meeting, your Majesty?"
"...!"
"If you successfully plan ahead and conquer the south via the Pandemonium region to prevent a third superpower from forming..."
Kwak Jung said staunchly.
"On the very day when the above comes true, you may be able to conquer the whole of Pangaea."
"...!"
"Well, easier said than done of course, but... Kuhuk!"
Suddenly, Kwak Jung found himself struggling to breathe.
It was because Kang Chul-In had grabbed him by the collar!
"You bastard!"
"K-Kuhuk! Y-your Majesty! W-Why would you...!?"
"How do you even think of these!?"
"I-I beg your pardon?"
"I'm truly amazed."
"...!"
"Adopting you as my tactician may be the best thing I have ever done in my life."
Kang Chul-In's eyes blazed with enthusiasm.
How could he not think of that before?
How could he not see the big picture?
Kwak Jung's ideas were simple, but they were sound.
If only Valhalla could avoid a three-way battle, it would emerge victorious in this power struggle!
"Y-your Majesty?"
"Go ahead with your plan."
"Sorry?"
"Your big picture. Make it happen."
"...!"
"As you've said, the day when your ideas become reality, we will conquer this continent!"
Kang Chul-In was absolutely sure.
He also trusted Kwak Jung who synthesized such a magnificent strategy.
If only this can work! If only!
Kang Chul-In felt his heart race. It's been a while since he last felt a similar emotion.
He would never forget this conversation in his lifetime.
***
The second Lord's meeting commenced.
-
The one who claimed the highest honor!
Two years into the Great Summoning, the surviving Lords waited for one man's appearance.
-
Kang Chul-In, Overlord Rank 1 and the King of Valhalla, has arrived!
Soon after, Kang Chul-In made his appearance.
Chuk!
All the Lords kneeled in front of him without exception, regardless of whether they liked or despised him.
It was an unspoken rule for a Lord to show his or her respect to the one at the summit.
Kang Chul-In walked towards the center of the hall.
And,
"How have you been?"
He grinned and asked Alex Rothschild, who was kneeling as well.
"Looking good."
It was truly a cheeky and aggravating grin.
You fucker!
Alex Rothschild had to suppress his accumulating anger.
Pfft.
Whatever.
"Well then, have a good life."
Kang Chul-In walked away in a relaxed manner.
Rothschild?
He was already a nobody.
At the current state he was in, Rothschild was no longer Kang Chul-In's nemesis.
In addition, Kang Chul-In had been actively tracking Rothschild's movements through the Fox Valley Intelligence Agency. He knew all the tricks up his sleeves.
I only have one goal in mind.
Kang Chul-In didn't even glance at Rothschild.
To search for allies to plant in the Gullveig Alliance.
His ambition was too great for him to waste time dealing with a mad man's vengeance!
"Kang Chul-In!"
Suddenly, a woman approached Kang Chul-In.
"Hecate?"
"Hey, I heard yours is big?"
"...?"
"There are rumors that the King of Valhalla is an immensely virile man."
"..."
"A real man, huh?"
Kang Chul-In didn't know how to react to this surprise attack.
Chapter 248: The Second Lords' Meeting
Translator: Leyy3
'This damned...!'
Kang Chul-In's face crumpled.
"H-He's good at it?"
"It's big?"
"Is he the "strongest" at night, too?"
A few Lords started to look at Kang Chul-In with shocked faces after hearing what Hecate said.
'...I'm gonna go crazy.'
Kang Chul-In's face continued to crumple in real-time.
Ah, how fast rumors spread.
The rumor 'his Majesty is a real man!' must've spread from the Valhalla Kingdom to enter Hecate's ears.
Of course, the relationship through the marriage of Hecate's and Kang Chul-In's people probably had a lot to do with it as well.
"What an outrageous guy... he's even good with nighttime activities..."
"Just take it all!"
"Ugh...my pride..."
"Just how good is he that there are rumors like that?"
The gazes of the Lords that looked at Kang Chul-In were filled with envy, respect, and more... they were mostly positive.
Why?
Because it was the dream of all men to become the greatest male!
"And you said no when I asked."
Hecate opened her mouth and bothered Kang Chul-In again.
"So you were one of those no sex before marriage people?"
"Of course not."
"Then why'd you reject me?"
"You're not thinking of me like a dog in heat, are you?" he asked in a somewhat cold voice.
"I just thought you'd say yes if I asked. Hmmm..."
"Know the place and time, Hecate."
"Fine."
Hecate unexpectedly obeyed Kang Chul-In instead of showing her dirty temperament.
"Since there are times when you don't want to do it."
"It's fine if you understand."
"It's a relief that it stands."
"..."
"There was a time when I seriously contemplated whether you rejected me because you were sterile."
"..."
"Good thing you're not."
Kang Chul-In, who had reacted coldly to her words, couldn't find anything to say.
Well,
'She's not your average crazy person.'
Hecate, the 'female Kang Chul-In,' the manifestation of lunacy, was truly the real 'crazy bitch in the district.'
He had expected too much from her... hoping that she would take it normally...
"Huuu."
Kang Chul-In let out a long sigh and passed Hecate.
"What are you looking at? Have you never seen a person before?"
He threw a threatening look at the innocent Lords.
"T-That's not it, but...!"
"She said you're very virile so... my respect..."
"I apologize, Supreme King of the West Kang Chul-In..."
"I-It's nothing..."
The Lords that had been looking at Kang Chul-In were taken aback and began to apologize. They didn't want to stand out in a bad way and suffer from it.
"Instead of being interested in someone else's virility..."
Kang Chul-In spoke up as he began to talk again.
"Think about raising your own. Those weak things might get stronger if you work for it."
Now he was basically admitting to his virility, not caring.
***
<
The host of the Lords' Meeting, Akan, appeared to start it.
Is that guy the system? Or its informant?
Unlike the other Lords, Kang Chul-In was thinking about something else while looking at Akan.
According to the Emperor of Blood and Iron, the great force that had led everyone here to the Pangaea continent was because of the 'Erinyes System.'
He didn't know for sure, but if the Emperor of Blood and Iron knew about it, it was definitely around since a thousand years ago.
<
"Great god," my ass.
Kang Chul-In inwardly laughed at Akan.
Bullshit... The god is probably just the system, Erinyes. There wasn't something like a god in the first place.
Kang Chul-In was able to think this far about the Great Summoning after his meeting with the Emperor of Blood and Iron.
<
Only Kang Chul-In was able to understand what Akan was saying.
The system must be messed up because I returned to the past with Soul Backup. Since its temper is becoming shaken up, it makes sense why the growing quests became muddled.
Of course, he hadn't known that someone's house being destroyed by Laptua due to his lack of piloting skills would be the main cause
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of all this.
<
Akan disappeared after speaking and,
Flash!
With a shining light, different kiosks began to be set up in the Lords' Hall.
They were to be used for the following.
[An item exchange will take place for the next 2 hours.]
[The system mediates the exchange of gold for the item in order to prevent scam or fraud, and there is a 4% fee taken from the amount that you receive from the seller!]
It was for the trade amongst the Lords, the item exchange.
Let's see if there's anything useful.
Kang Chul-In grinned and began to move between the kiosks.
This item exchange was truly the flower of the boring Lords' Meeting.
Think about it.
How many times would there be a chance for the Lords that had been stuck in their territories to exchange what they had?
No one knew who lived where and who had what, so of course, an item exchange couldn't take place. This was the only time when Lords exchanged all kinds of items.
"Husband! Here, here!"
Just then, Lee Chae-rin called Kang Chul-In over from her flashing Mithril kiosk.
"I know."
Kang Chul-In spoke.
"I've been watching you since I entered the Lords' Hall."
"Gasp! R-Really?"
"Do you think I wouldn't be able to recognize my woman out of 200 people?"
"H-Husband...!"
Lee Chae-rin's body trembled. It was because Kang Chul-In's words were too sweet and pleasing to hear.
"Then, I'll do my work."
"I'll be waiting."
"I'm telling you just in case, but..."
"Don't buy useless things? Don't overspend?"
"Just don't do that, at least..."
"Don't worry!"
"Alright. And be careful of Hecate, that crazy bitch!"
"...I will."
Kang Chul-In, who had unintentionally been about to nag, put Lee Chae-rin's heart filled gaze behind him and began to look at the items the Lords put out.
There should be at least one thing that's useful...
Kang Chul-In scanned the kiosks with the eyes of a hawk.
The most important thing right now was insight.
You had to have the ability to recognize a good item at a single glance to benefit from this.
Why?
Because obviously, no one would put out items that screamed 'I'm a good item!'
Everyone wanted to become stronger than each other, so why would a Lord give a really good item to sell?
However, if you had outstanding insight, you could find the 'hidden honey' that others weren't interested in!
[Selling the best health potions!]
[Selling the Cold Breeze accessory set!]
[Selling the Obsessed Tracker's Bow Gun. (Ask for price)]
The 200 flashy signs made Kang Chul-In dizzy, but there really wasn't anything worth using even when he looked again.
It's filled with trash.
If it was a mediocre item, it was expensive, and everything that was cheap was useless.
There was no way someone would buy those things unless they were a pushover.
"Hey! Kang Chul-In! Shopping is the best for relieving stress, huh! Hahaha!"
It seemed there was a pushover amongst all of this trash.
"Wow, there's a lot of interesting items!"
"..."
"Spend some money! Don't save it all like you're some kind of miser!"
Dorian Explorer shook his hand at Kang Chul-In with a large bag on his back.
"Tsk, he was scammed again."
Kang Chul-In shook his head.
No matter how many times he thought about that, that guy was the greatest pushover among all the pushovers.
[Selling this and that. Come by to see.]
Just then, a sign that looked spiritless at a glance entered Kang Chul-In's sight.
"Hing... Nothing of mine is being sold..."
He heard a depressed voice.
"We're in the red this month too... What should I do... Whew... If this doesn't work out it's bad... Hng..."
It was a familiar nuance of speaking.
Kang Chul-In had also always had a deficit in the past, too.
The kid's working hard.
Kang Chul-In grinned passing by the pretty girl's sign.
Pause.
He stopped in his footsteps.
"Please take a look! I'll give it to you cheap!"
He stopped because of the artifact he saw on her thin white neck as she shouted passionately.
No way!
His eyes flashed like a hawk.
That sparkling necklace looked similar in its design to his Overpower bracelet.
If he was right, that artifact that that girl had was...
The Amplifier Talisman...!
It was probably the last part of the Trinity Impact set he had.
"Hey, kiddo..."
Kang Chul-In turned around to speak to the girl.
"Hello, little miss?"
But there was an unwanted person who was there already,
"I'm Alex Rothschild."
"H-Hello!"
"Can I look around at the items you have?"
"Of course!"
"Haha, then shall I take a look?"
Rothschild smoothly led the conversation with the pretty child and had an animated talk with her.
That bastard.
A vein popped out of Kang Chul-In's forehead.
Grin.
A murderous smile also appeared.
He's doing all kinds of things.
He thought he had crushed Alex Rothschild well, but he was annoying him even here.
"I'll buy everything here."
Rothschild attempted to ridiculously spend his money.
"Of course, there's a condition."
"C-Condition?"
The pretty little Lord's eyes widened.
"B-But..."
"It's not hard, my lady. I just want to become closer with a cute little lady like you, and..."
But Kang Chul-In wasn't one to stay still.
That trash-like bastard. Does he want to flex in front of a little girl now?
He couldn't let the potential owner of the Amplifier Talisman and Alex Rothschild become close!
"Hey, you!"
Kang Chul-In got in between them,
"Little lady?"
"Y-Yes?"
The pretty little Lord jumped in surprise when Kang Chul-In called her.
Of course she would be surprised.
To a pretty little child like her, Kang Chul-In was like a scary demon or a monster.
He could be compared to the boogeyman from children's books.
Don't worry, I don't bite.
But Kang Chul-In was confident.
He had a strong card to lower her guard.
"The items on that kiosk, I'll buy everything."
"...!"
"Right now."
"B-But, this person already..."
"I'll give you two times that."
Kang Chul-In began to do Rothchild's specialty, flexing.
"No, three times."
"...!"
"So sell it all to me."
Rothschild's face next to him turned rotten.
Why?
Because Kang Chul-In was using the 'I'll show you the money' skill that he always used!
Chapter 249: The Second Lords' Meeting (2)
Translator: Leyy3
Surprisingly, Rothschild was the one who acted first.
"What... what is this bullshit, Kang Chul-In!?"
Rothschild grabbed Kang Chul-In's collar.
"...!"
The commotion attracted everyone's attention.
"W-What the... What's wrong with Rothschild?"
"Is he crazy?"
"He must have gone nuts... Did he just grab Kang Chul-In's collar, of all people?"
"He should have just hung himself instead, tsk tsk..."
All the Lords thought Rothschild had a death wish. Nobody dared to grab the Supreme King's collar for no good reason.
"Oh-hoh?"
Whatever.
"Dear Sir Rothschild, what do you think you are doing?"
Kang Chul-In didn't mind the other Lords at all. In fact, he did not even try to unravel Rothschild's grasp.
Grin.
He just gave Rothschild an extremely annoying smile. Kang Chul-In, the stronger of the two, knew that this was the best way to enrage his nemesis.
"You are disturbing me even in..."
"Won't you let go?"
"...!"
"Or should I break your hand first?"
Kang Chul-In grabbed Rothschild's wrist firmly.
Shiver shiver!
Rothschild's arm began to shake uncontrollably.
"Keuk!"
"So weak."
"Urgh..."
"Why don't you exercise more, weakling?"
Kang Chul-In sniggered.
T-This crazy bastard, his strength...!
Rothschild couldn't even react to Kang Chul-In's taunts. His grasp was just too powerful, which rendered Rothschild immobile.
Keke... you dared to grab my collar, you bug?
Kang Chul-In grinned in a condescending manner.
He had a good reason for that. In the Lord's hall, no bonus attributes were applied. This meant that everyone, including Kang Chul-In, was an average being, just like before the Great Summoning.
"You measly bug, you dare to grab my collar?"
"Kang Chul-In!"
"Coming to your senses now? The rankings aside, you are no match for me."
"..."
"Get lost."
It was the truth.
Kang Chul-In vs Rothschild?
Even in a normal fist fight without any abilities, Rothschild was Kang Chul-In's prey. The latter had boasted tremendous fighting skills even before the Great Summoning.
"Mark... my words..."
Rothschild gritted his teeth.
"I think I've heard that line at least ten times."
"You bastard... I swear to kill you with my own hands, Kang Chul-In."
"Wanna bet? On who will die first?"
"Anytime."
"Oh-hoh, what fighting spirit."
"..."
"Try your best, then. Your fate has already been sealed."
Grit!
Rothschild clenched his teeth even tighter and turned away from the girl's sign.
I have you in the palm of my hand.
Kang Chul-In grinned.
You must be so desperate to even try to persuade this little girl. I assume you are trying to regain your influence to form that damned Baldur Alliance? You think I will let you do as you wish?
Having had the discussion with Kwak Jung to prevent any third party from forming, Kang Chul-In needed to focus on the bigger picture. He had no reason to entertain small fries like Rothschild.
Well, of course, he would kill them without mercy if he had the opportunity.
"Excuse me..."
The girl Lord spoke to interrupt Kang Chul-In's train of thought.
"Y-You are really buying all of this, right?"
"...!"
"They are 186,420 gold altogether!"
"..."
"I will specially discount 420 gold for you!"
Three times.
The items on the table cost 62,140 gold in total, but they were not even worth 20,000 gold in reality. It was a tremendous loss.
God damn it!
Kang Chul-In's facial expression changed.
He had always been frugal due to his humble background.
Hence, it wasn't surprising for him to feel uneasy about squandering so much gold. As the old saying went, never bite off more than you can chew.
[Lord Lily Sephardi has sent a trade request. Accept? Yes/No]
The item trade notification appeared without mercy.
I'm really a pushover.
Kang Chul-In closed his eyes.
As the Supreme King of the West, he could never withdraw his words!
'Yes.'
[Withdrawing 186,420 gold from inventory.]
[17 items acquired, including a girl's Magic Wand!]
Kang Chul-In could almost hear Timothy's nagging.
Your Majestyyyyyy! Are you trying to squander all the gold away now that our land has become affluent?!
***
Rothschild walked away while clutching onto his red and swollen arm.
I'm so powerless...
There was no hope.
Even his physical attributes couldn't compare to his nemesis'. He really had his back against the wall.
"Alex Rothschild?"
A pale man walked towards Rothschild, who was almost about to go insane.
"What a pitiful state you are in."
"You are?"
"Don't tell me you don't recognize me."
"Of course I do."
Rothschild shook his head.
The pale man
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was a higher-ranking Lord than him.
Andrei Ivanovic, the vampire Overlord!
This man seldom stepped out of the northernmost area of this continent to reveal himself. It was rare for him to approach someone first.
"What business do you have with me? Aren't you a member of the Gullveig Alliance?"
"There's no rule that bans a member of the Gullveig Alliance from conversing privately with Lord Alex Rothschild."
"..."
"You don't have to be on guard, Rothschild. I came here to your benefit, not loss."
"What do you mean?"
"Want to become stronger?"
"...?"
"What if I told you that there is a way to become stronger?"
It was a temptation.
An extremely alluring one indeed!
"Well."
However, Rothschild didn't immediately take the bait. He was cautious of any potential traps.
"You are offering to make me stronger without anything in return... do you think I will fall for that temptation?"
"Wake up, Rothschild. Are you not anxious enough?"
"...?"
"I'm a former member of the KGB [1]. My information network there is still in operation."
"Now's not the time to talk about things back on Earth..."
"Seems like you can't return there anymore."
"...!"
"You are struggling to escape from Kang Chul-In's influence here in Pangaea, and you are a wanted man in your family. I didn't expect you to reject my offer so quickly. Perhaps you still have a trump card hidden up your sleeves?'
"...!"
"Or have you already given up on living?"
Andrei laughed, flashing his sharp canines.
This vampire knew that Rothschild had murdered his father and had stolen his family's fortune.
"Listen carefully, Rothschild."
"..."
"I'm essentially giving you a chance. I can't prevent your family from chasing after you, but you will definitely need my help to escape from that threat called Kang Chul-In."
"Why are you telling me all of this?"
"Why you ask... let's save the details for later. There's too much of an audience here."
"..."
"I will contact you privately. Farewell."
Andrei spoke and walked past Rothschild.
***
In the second Lords' Meeting, where conspiracies were everywhere.
"I'm sorry."
Kang Chul-In had to face a refusal.
"This is Sumire's keepsake. It's not for sale."
The little girl Lord--- no, the rank 14th Lord, Lily Sephardi, bowed to Kang Chul-In.
Damn it.
Kang Chul-In had to grit his teeth.
It was because,
[Epic] Amplifier Talisman
Equipment type: Accessory (necklace)
Durability: 100/100
Option 1: Health +250
Option 2: Mana +250
Option 3: Attack Power +50
Option 4: Spell Power +50
-
Amplify: Release energy stored in the talisman, increasing the user's energy emitting rate. +120% energy emitted for 5 seconds.
* Cooltime: 240 hours.
The artifact on the girl's necklace was the last component of the Trinity Impact!
"Are you really not selling this?"
"I'm not."
"I will give you 300,000 gold."
Kang Chul-In offered a huge amount of gold (although the Amplifier Talisman was worth much more than that), but Lily didn't budge.
"I'm sorry."
"500,000 gold."
"It won't do."
"700,000 gold."
"It's still a no."
"1,000,000 gold."
Lily flinched when she heard the incredible sum of money.
1,000,000 gold!
That was almost worth 337,642,480 dollars on Earth. For a single item, the cost was unbelievable.
"I can't sell this even if you offer 10,000,000 gold. I'm really sorry."
Bow!
Lily seemed disinterested in the gold.
From how she refused to sell the Amplifier Talisman even for 10,000,000 gold, Kang Chul-In could tell how stubborn she was.
"Why?"
Kang Chul-In asked.
"I told you. This is Sumire's keepsake."
"Who is Sumire?"
"Sumire is..."
Lily's tone changed.
"She was my secretary."
"..."
"6 months ago... 6 months ago... sob, there was a war and... she fought hard but... sob sob."
Overwhelmed with emotions, the girl began to tear up.
Shit.
Kang Chul-In now realised why Lily was so adamant about not selling the Amplifier Talisman.
She was an emotional girl who became a sovereign at such a young age. She would of course have depended on her secretary greatly.
To lose someone like that in a war?
The pain.
One could not simply overcome that easily.
Because of that, the lost one's keepsake held a special, priceless meaning.
"I'm really sorry..."
Lily apologised to Kang Chul-In.
"I really want to sell it too. My territory isn't doing well financially, and everyone is poor."
"..."
"But selling this talisman... is like bidding farewell to Sumire forever. That's why I can't get myself to sell it."
It was a sticky situation.
Kang Chul-In, who had the Overpower Bracelet, only had to purchase the Amplifier Talisman and loot the Sonic Ring from Brynhildr to complete the Trinity Impact, the most powerful item set of all. The problem was that Lily had no intention of selling it.
Should I just rob her?
For a moment, a nasty thought appeared in Kang Chul-In's mind.
But he erased it immediately.
I am the Supreme King of the West. Using force to steal an item from a little girl is ridiculous. I didn't become strong in order to commit such immoral acts.
He had the pride of a sovereign.
The girl wasn't his enemy.
She was just a Lord who happened to possess a good item.
To forcefully take her belonging?
That was just inhumane.
He would be no different from a mountain thief.
It wasn't even a conquest activity; it was more of a pure possessive impulse.
"Hu..."
Kang Chul-In let out a long sigh.
"Don't cry, kid."
Surprisingly, he comforted Lily.
Pat, pat~.
He even patted her head.
"It's okay. I know how you feel. I had also lost my secretary before."
"R-Really? Sob..."
"Of course."
"Sob sob..."
"It will be fine, and you won't ever forget her."
He was speaking the truth.
He had lost not only Alfred, but also his own life before.
Didn't he miss seeing Alfred when he first returned to the past?
Even the cold-hearted Kang Chul-In indulged in reminiscences now and then.
That was why he comforted Lily.
Of course, part of the reason was that Lily reminded Kang Chul-In of his lovely daughter, Arshelly.
"Anyways, I won't bug you to sell the item anymore. In return..."
He added.
"There's a condition."
Kang Chul-In did not let this opportunity slide.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KGB
Chapter 250: The Second Lords' Meeting (3)
Translator: Leyy3
"A c-condition?"
"I need your talisman no matter what. It holds enough value for me to even risk a war to get it. It's true that I've thought of forcefully taking it from you."
"Gasp!"
"But I won't do that. I understand how you feel more than anyone else. How could I do that?"
"I-In that case..."
"I have two conditions. Firstly, I do not want you to tell anyone that I have my eyes on the talisman. Secondly, if you plan to relinquish that item someday, it must be to no one but me."
It was a simple suggestion that could satisfy both Kang Chul-In and Lily.
Since Kang Chul-In knew who possessed the Amplifier Talisman, he was in no rush to obtain the Sonic Ring. For Lily, she did not have to relinquish Sumire's keepsake.
"These two conditions – no, let's term them promises. Can you keep them?"
"Certainly! I will not give this Talisman to anyone..."
"Only to me."
"Erm... okay."
"Promise?"
Kang Chul-In held his pinky up.
"Sure!"
Lily locked her tiny pinky with his.
"Also."
"Hmm?"
"We can make a deal."
"A... deal?"
"As a Lord, you will definitely face situations that seem to be out of your control."
Kang Chul-In spoke with confidence.
She will most likely die or lose her Lord title. Then the Amplifier Talisman will be lost.
Kang Chul-In could deduce Lily's fate to some extent.
He had no memories of this girl from his previous life, meaning that she would undoubtedly face a crisis in the future. Just like Lee Chae-Rin's case.
"R-Really?"
"Everyone faces obstacles in life. Especially Lords."
"T-That is true!"
"You can request for help if you need it. I promise to help you. In return..."
Kang Chul-In lifted his chin and gestured towards Lily's Amplifier Talisman.
"I shall take the talisman."
"..."
"Do you understand now? Your talisman is worth your territory's fate and your own life. How about that? Isn't that valuable enough for Sumire's keepsake?"
"I-Is that so?"
"I do not know what kind of secretary this Sumire was, but she was brave enough to fight and die for you on the battlefield. A warrior like her would be happy to see her keepsake being used to save her master."
"...!"
"If this deal comes into fruition and it saves you as the result, Sumire would definitely have been happy if she were alive."
Not a single wrong word.
Brrrr!
Lily's body trembled.
Thanks to Kang Chul-In, she realized how sacrificial Sumire's death was.
Tears formed around her eyes.
"T-Thank you... Sob, thanks to you big brother, I could recall how much Sumire cared for me..."
"...What big brother? I am an uncle..."
"Thank you oppa!"
After saying that,
Lily ran into Kang Chul-In's arms and embraced him tightly. She had received much emotional support from him.
A heartwarming scene to witness.
Kang Chul-In suppressed his desire for the item and portrayed true maturity, so Lily could empathize with his genuine heart.
How could this conversation be more win-win?
However, the crowd did view this scene in the same manner.
"Woah... he was that kind of person?"
"That crazy bastard! Flirting with a young girl in the middle of the day!"
"The Supreme King of the West is a pedophile?"
"Oh god..."
"How did he even tame that young girl? Can he even see her as a woman in the first place?"
The Lords gossiped amongst themselves.
It was all due to Hecate's statements earlier, which brought upon further misunderstanding.
"Jesus... rumors refer to him as the virility king, but is he really trying to display his virility to such a young kid?"
At that moment, Lee Chae-Rin stepped in.
"Shut your dirty mouths please!"
A sharp, screeching reprimand. She glared at her audiences.
"How dare you spout such impure thoughts? Does Kang Chul-In, the Supreme King of the West, really look like a Lolita to you people? Huh?"
Lee Chae-Rin was fuming with anger.
Wasn't that obvious?
Her beloved husband was being severely misunderstood. No woman would keep quiet about that.
"Well then, it's a promise."
"Yes!"
Kang Chul-In and Lily, however, paid no attention to the others.
My image is already so shit, whatever.
Especially for Kang Chul-In, he had always been called 'demon', 'man-eating Overlord', 'serial killer', 'agent of death,' et cetera. Another nickname did not matter to him at all.
"I reiterate..."
However, Lee Chae-Rin refused to let this pass.
"The next person I see spouting nonsense, I will never forgive
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you! Remember this. This is my declaration as not only the wife of the Supreme King of the West, but also as the Overlord Lee Chae-Rin!"
Boom!
It was a cold, threatening declaration.
Nicknamed the 'Overlord of Gold' or the 'Golden Summoner', Lee Chae-Rin's voice mattered much...
"Huh?"
"What the, Kang Chul-In and Lee Chae-Rin have something between them?"
"Not just something, but husband and wife?"
"But I heard that Kang Chul-In's wife is the queen of the demi-humans."
"Two?"
"What even, two wives?"
... or not.
The threat failed to deter the gossiping. Instead, it instigated more curiosity from the Lords.
However, most of their responses were simpleminded.
Kang Chul-In...!
To think of gaining power via arranged marriage!
What a scary man!
All the Lords and Overlords within rank 20, including Albrecht Vilhelm, became alert.
It indicated how crucial the bond between Kang Chul-In and Lee Chae-Rin would be in the fight for hegemony in Pangaea.
***
The item trades were followed by a ball.
"So? What is it that you want to say?"
Hecate, who was holding Kang Chul-In's hands, broke the silence. They were slowly waltzing to the music.
"Decide."
Kang Chul-In's eyes gleamed.
"Join me. Or... fight me."
That wasn't the best line to say during a dance, but he still spoke in a firm tone.
"What if I choose to fight?"
"Then I plan to invade your territory immediately after this Lords' Meeting."
"Manly, aren't you?"
"I'm not kidding. You should know better."
He was being genuine.
Kang Chul-In, who had experienced betrayal by a member of his alliance in the past life, knew that Hecate could prove to be a troublesome enemy to deal with.
Even if Hecate didn't betray him in the past, how could he be so sure that Hecate wouldn't betray him this time?
He had already discussed with Kwak Jung to form one strong nation.
A single power.
To achieve that, Hecate had to be dealt with.
"Well, that is true."
"I don't plan to leave a potential source of danger behind me."
"Don't you think that telling me this will trigger me even more?"
Hecate was right.
If Kang Chul-In wanted to prevent any source of backstabbing, he had to persuade Hecate to form an alliance, not threaten her like this.
"Are you the kind to sway from persuasion?"
Kang Chul-In, however, thought otherwise.
Hecate was a different breed of woman. Straightforward messages worked the best for her.
"Hmm..."
"To be honest, you won't even care about your territory as long as you have your one flagship, Temeraire."
"...!"
"Join me."
"What?"
"Be the captain of my airforce and navy."
"Are you asking me to be your dog...?"
"Too much."
Kang Chul-In shook his head.
"After the war, I will grant you a port city that is five times larger than your current territory. I will acknowledge it as an independent nation with no form of intervention from elsewhere."
In other words, Kang Chul-In had suggested Hecate leave the power struggle in Pangaea in return for an independent nation. In this manner, she could retain her title as an Overlord.
In addition,
"Sounds not too bad."
It was the perfect bait for someone like Hecate, who lived for personal entertainment over ambition. Kang Chul-In knew that she had to satisfy her desire to destroy things.
"But you know..."
"...?"
"I don't get what you are trying to do. What do you plan to achieve by engulfing all the neighboring nations?"
"I plan to unite this continent under one hegemony."
"...What a tremendous ambition."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Could be sarcasm, who knows?"
"I will take it as a compliment."
Kang Chul-In smiled.
Hecate had the left corner of her lip rolled up. One could only see that expression when she saw something interesting.
"Suit yourself. When do you need the reply?"
"Now."
"Isn't that too early?"
"I know you will take the offer. Don't pull out."
Kang Chul-In let go of Hecate's hand.
"Well then, see you in my territory."
"I haven't replied to you yet."
"Then it's a war."
"I like your toughness, but is that even feasible?"
"Feasible or not feasible, since when did that matter to you?"
"...!"
"You just need something to destroy aimlessly. Your territory exists just to provide you with cash."
Finally, Kang Chul-In unveiled Hecate's true nature.
"Give me your territory, and I will let you destroy all you want."
"How much?"
"Everything."
"Sounds good."
"Send an OK sign soon if you like the idea."
Kang Chul-In turned his back towards Hecate.
Settled.
Kang Chul-In was confident that Hecate would join him.
She was the female version of Kang Chul-In. Only he could satisfy her hunger for destruction. Hecate knew that instinctively as well.
She may be crazy, but she was certainly not dumb.
***
"We need to find allies to plant within the Gullveig Alliance."
Having successfully (?) recruited Hecate, Kang Chul-In continued to roam around the ballroom to accomplish his mission.
Who can I trust? I hope for someone reliable.
He recalled a list composed by him and Kwak Jung.
The list included names of a few Lords who were part of the Gullveig Alliance. The list was as follows:
Priority 1: Lord Christopher Willis.
Priority 2: Lord Hidetoshi.
Priority 3: Lord Vito Clemenza
Priority 4: Overlord Andrei Ivanovic
Four names.
If even one of them agreed to become an internal spy, Kang Chul-In's ambition could come into fruition.
Excluding Andrei, all of them had caused small troubles within the Gullveig Alliance. In other words, the list was created based on previous history of non-compliance.
Furthermore, each one of them had distinct geographical and military traits, which could prove to be immensely critical in the future war.
However,
This could be the most important gamble in my life.
He could not trust any of them.
Even if he managed to persuade one of the four candidates, he could be in big trouble if the candidate betrayed him.
Therefore, Kang Chul-In had to plan additional measures so that he could prevent any backstabbing.
Actually, direct contact itself is a problem.
There were eyes everywhere. Kang Chul-In had no room for privacy. This was one of the downsides of being a celebrity.
"Good evening."
At that moment.
"Your Majesty Kang Chul-In."
A man who spoke perfect Korean slowly approached him.
"I haven't seen you around."
Kang Chul-In turned around to face the stranger.
"Yes, your Majesty. You won't recognize me for sure."
"For sure?"
"I'm not a Lord."
"...!"
"I am Kwak Jung, his Majesty Vito Clemenza's tactician."
Kang Chul-In nearly spewed out his Champaign.