327 - 335
Chapter 327: Destiny
Project Erinyes was about to be complete after incorporating the ranking system, but Emilia still didn't rest. Countless artifacts were added into the system as [Quest Rewards] or [Shop Items]. All the knowledge and abilities of this world were contained in the system as well.
Furthermore, magic-engineered inventions were added into Erinyes.
"Rest a while, Emilia."
I immediately proceeded on with my mission to give Emilia a break. I was in charge of the final step. I selected 20 million humans regardless of their age or gender and placed them into [System Erinyes].
"The selected ones... is it a blessing, or a curse... I have no idea..."
Observing them gave me mixed feelings. They had a future... someday. A new life would unfold for these people when the 300 lords and 299700 warriors from the other world arrive. However, they had to lose all of their memories of their current lives. Moreover, I could not promise them that the future would hold a better prospect than their present.
"Likely a curse..."
I valued my present memory over the future. If I was given the opportunity to enter Erinyes, I would've abandoned the future. After all, happy memories could be found even in those days when I was exiled with my mother.
I even cherished the memories of when my father – Saturnus, that damned bastard – sent me to the Tundria temporary base camp as a slave soldier to fight the barbarians. The chills, anxiety, fear and thrill of my first ever battle, the sense of achievement that I felt when I acknowledged my survival, the half-rotten piece of meat that I ate voraciously on the brink of starvation...
"Die!"
And that spark of joy when I finally sliced Saturnus' head off. That feeling was simply irreplaceable.
Moreover...
"Your Imperial Majesty!"
"As expected from Your Imperial Majesty!"
"Your humble servant pledges loyalty to Your Imperial Majesty!"
My subjects and,
"Dear!"
My most beloved woman.
"Daddy~! Daddyyy~!"
Our precious daughter as well. I lacked the confidence to live on without these memories. I didn't want to in the first place. Who cares about the future, truly?
"Hu." I let out a long sigh. "What an agonizing task."
Indeed, the selection process was not easy. Amongst the selected candidates, there was bound to be people who shared my opinion...
"Is it done?" Emilia asked when the selection process was about to come to an end.
"Still left... one... more..." I struggled to reply to her question. The last candidate remained.
"I see..."
"..."
"It's going to be tough, but please... try to get through it well..."
"..."
"It won't be easy..."
I did not reply to Emilia's consolation. No, I couldn't.
Grasp!
I tightened both fists.
Grit!
And clenched my teeth.
Damn it...!
I wanted to scream my lungs out. Who the hell created such a fucked-up situation? God? Yes, it must be God. If God really existed, I wanted to grab him by the collar and ask him the reason for creating those Agnagas.
"Let's go."
However, I suppressed my emotions and began to make my way. I had no choice. All I could do was put the final selected candidate into [System Erinyes].
"F-Father...!"
"My dear daughter..."
"N-No! I don't want to!"
"..."
"I want to stay with mother and father! I don't want to go to sleep! No! I don't want to!"
My daughter. My lovely daughter. The most beautiful, lovely, kind and mature child in the world was whining at me. She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay with me. My heart ached so badly, as if it was going to shatter into a million pieces.
"My dear daughter... you are n..."
"No!"
"...!"
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"I don't want to be a nice daughter anymore! Never!"
That was Arshelly's first and final rebellion, the very last time I could see Arshelly show these kinds of emotions.
"Father... daddy...! I don't want...! Sob... sob-sob... P-please, don't leave me alone...! I don't want to sleep...! I want to stay by your side... Please? I will be a good child. Arshelly will behave, so please?"
It was getting hard to watch. Word after word, Arshelly's voice was making my heart ache.
Was there any moment... more painful... than this...?
Just one, perhaps, when my mother died in Saturnus' hands. That experience was as devastating as this.
"Daddy... mommy...!"
When Arshelly realized that I couldn't be persuaded, she began to plead with my wife.
Drip...! My wife was struggling to hold her tears in. She was sobbing silently. Of course, she was in as much agony as I was.
"Mommy... I don't want to... I want to stay by your side forever... sob... sob sob..."
Arshelly refused to give up.
"I-If I miss you..." Arshelly began to tear up. "What do I do? If I miss you two, how can I endure...?"
At that moment.
Brrrr...! I felt an emotion that could not be described in words. I couldn't take it anymore. If I continued to hear my daughter's pleas, my difficult decision might go down the drain.
No, it definitely would.
"Arshelly..."
With that, I stretched my arms towards her.
Ooooong! As I held Arshelly tightly in my arms,my powers began to torrent and put my daughter's biological activity to rest.
"D-Daddy...!"
"My dear daughter, Arshelly..."
"N-No... I don't want... I..."
"This horrible father of yours..."
"Daddy..."
"Loves you very much..." I could feel tears dripping down my cheeks. "I love you, my dear daughter..."
But I did not stop. Rather, I couldn't. I had to stay strong.
"I love you... I love you... I really really... love you... my dear daughter..."
"...ddy."
"Love you..."
"D...dd...y...m...mmy..."
With that,
Ssssss... My lovely daughter Arshelly closed her eyes and laid dormant in her specially crafted cradle.
"D-Dear! Heuk...!" Immediately, Brynhildr threw herself into my arms. "Sob... sob sob... our daughter... our poor daughter... sob..."
"..."
"What do we do now...? I miss her... heuk..."
She was crestfallen. I couldn't say anything to comfort her.
I want to... die...
It was because I felt the same way as her...
"Please... please live a happy life... my dear daughter..."
With that, I gently kissed Arshelly on her cheek.I would definitely miss this warmth from Arshelly's cheek.
She was the last selected candidate. After Arshelly had fallen asleep, the last battle commenced.
Roarrrrrr...! All the dragons soared into the air.
"Mennnnnnnnnn!"
As the commander-in-chief, I bellowed in my loudest voice towards the alliance army.
"Chargeeeeeeeeee!"
That signaled the start of the final battle between the alliance and the Agnagas. The battle lasted 3 days and nights.
Kill, kill, kill...!
I cut down enemy after enemy in this unprecedented chaos.
"Julius...!" When I regained my consciousness, "Don't... don't turn around... Julius... my dear love..."
My wife, Brynhildr, was dying.
"Brynhildr...!"
"Face... face the front..."
"...!"
"You... my dear... can't turn around to face me..."
My heart ached again.
"Go... you are the leader of the human race... This world's Messiah... so don't care about me..."
"..."
"My last moment... cannot be so unsightly... Julius... I wish to be... beautiful in your memories... I love you... all the time... forever..."
My wife's voice began to fade away.
Grip...! But I did not turn around. If I did, she would definitely be disappointed.
"Go... Julius...!"
"..."
"Hurry... claim the victory... Don't let our parting... be in vain... my dear love...!"
That was the end. I couldn't hear my wife anymore. It was a farewell. Even during her last moments, I could only hear her voice. I couldn't even manage to take one last look at her face.
"I love... you... Brynhildr..."
Grasp! I tightened my grip around my sword.
"I... I will kill them all... every single one of them...!"
I began to move. This intense battle was about to end.
I promise... our farewell will not go to waste...
I recalled my wife's last words and charged towards the enemy.
"Human...!" The last enemy spoke to me. "We are the only ones left on this battlefield."
The enemy, which could not be defined by any word, had already defeated Emilia.
"I'm surprised. I never expected to face such strong beings in this world. I've conquered countless worlds, but you all are the first to impress me. I admire your courage and bond. What is your name? I'm Rindermergel, the Relentless Predator, the one who consumes the stars."
Rindermergel the Relentless Predator. That was the name of the perpetrator who destroyed my happiness and this world.
"Answer me. What is your name?"
So, I replied.
"Your mom?"
"What did you say...!"
"Your mom."
"...!"
"Why, do you have a dick stuck in your earhole? You can't hear me, can you?"
"What is this..."
"Shut the fuck up, asshole. How dare you speak, motherfucker?"
I began to swear profusely at Rindermergel. As the Emperor, I had never sworn in my entire life before this, but now, I had to. The Emperor's elegance? Charisma? They were useless now, because everyone was dead. I was the only one left in this world, so who cares if I spout some vulgarities? It was the final battle anyway... the very last moment.
I had to swear to get some load off my chest.
"Shut the fuck up and just die, you fucker."
Simultaneously, I whipped out my ultimate trump card.
...A Joker.
Chapter 328: At the Eleventh Hour
The Emperor of Blood and Iron deployed his 'Joker' card, which led to both his and Rindermergel's demise. Kang Chul-In could not comprehend how the Emperor of the Blood and Iron defeated Rindermergel, because the emperor's old memory was truncated after his final speech.
However, he could see one thing.
"For... the future."
It was the Emperor of Blood and Iron's final state of mind.
To protect this world, no, for the reconstruction of this world, he sacrificed himself without hesitation when he could have instead been reborn as an Earthling and live a normal life without a care about this world.
The Emperor of Blood and Iron truly strived for a great cause!
"How was it?"
Kang Chul-In heard the Emperor of Blood and Iron's voice.
"... Emperor of Blood and Iron." Kang Chul-In stared at the Emperor, who stood just in front of him. "Where is this?"
"Here."
The Emperor of Blood and Iron tapped his own head.
"Whose?"
"Yours, of course. Who else? I'm already dead."
"True..."
"To be honest..."
"...?"
"I did have some pathetic thoughts."
"Pathetic thoughts?"
"For example, stealing the body of my reincarnation, Kang Chul-In."
"...!"
"Ah, of course..."
The Emperor of Blood and Iron added.
"Those who share the same soul can't take over each other's body... but there's still a way."
"A way...?"
"I can erase your memories."
"...!"
"And inject my own memories into your body."
What a ghastly statement.
"If I really wanted to steal your body, then it's more efficient to erase the memories of the individual called Kang Chul-In and replace them with my memories. It's less risky too."
"Risk?"
"The one who got his body stolen would constantly fight back to reclaim it."
"Ah...!"
"But what can he do when all of his memories are erased? His 'existence' itself would be deleted."
"A pathetic thought indeed. Really nasty."
Kang Chul-In was seemingly disturbed. Just the thought of it gave him the chills. The deletion of all of his memories... that could be the definition of a true 'extinction'...
"Hmm..." Kang Chul-In spoke. "Why didn't you?"
"What?"
"As you said, why didn't you erase my memories and put in yours? Isn't that a more perfect reincarnation?"
"You're right." The Emperor of Blood and Iron replied. "Actually, that was Emilia's suggestion as well."
"Emilia's suggestion..."
"She trusted me but not my reincarnation."
"Ah?"
"Of course she didn't. Nobody could predict my reincarnation's personality, capability and attitude towards our great cause. From her perspective, it would be a hundred times better to entrust me with the world's future."
He was right. To protect this world from the second coming, also known as Apovigna in Pangaean language, of the Agnagas, a motivated and capable individual was needed. In other words, the Emperor of Blood and Iron was clearly the better candidate over Kang Chul-In.
"Therefore... Emilia hoped that I would reincarnate completely. In fact, she strongly encouraged me to do so."
"I would think so."
"If Agrippa the Archwitch didn't have the power to foresee 1000 years into the future, I might have erased your memories and reincarnated completely... no, I definitely would have."
"Why didn't you?" Kang Chul-In had to ask the same question to the Emperor of Blood and Iron. "Why didn't you reincarnate perfectly? That would have been better for you."
"..."
"It shouldn't have been easy to suppress your temptation, either."
Yes, temptation. If the Emperor had achieved a 'complete reincarnation,' he could have reunited with his beloved Arshelly.
"You're right." He agreed. "Even as we converse now, I still wonder how things would have been if I had reincarnated fully. However..."
"...?"
"I was the one who erased the memories of 20 million people. Even worse, I erased the memories of my own daughter, Arshelly. Do I deserve to reincarnate completely? As Arshelly's father and the leader of the human race, I did not wish to become an ignoble existence. I wanted to be an honorable and proud man."
Thump! Kang Chul-In was shocked to his core.
This guy... he is a real man, alright.
Surprisingly, Kang Chul-In admired the Emperor of Blood and Iron inwardly. At this point, he had to acknowledge the truth. The Emperor of Blood and Iron wasn't a lame
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apparition with dodgy intentions. He was the real Messiah of this world.
"Also..." The Emperor of Blood and Iron added. "Through Agrippa's prophecy, I saw potential in this man called Kang Chul-In. Vigor, perseverance, patience to endure through any rigor, a reasonable amount of evil, courage to explore new options, an ambition to become stronger and the talent to bring it to fruition. Furthermore, a good brain and cruelty to kill the enemy without hesitation. The only downside is your shitty temper..."
"Ahem...!"
"You have the potential to save this world. Hence, I decided to entrust this task to you, instead of reincarnating completely myself. To be honest, you are the greatest man I've ever seen in my life, and I'm not saying this just because we share the same soul."
That was a compliment, from the Emperor of Blood and Iron himself.
"Who are you to assess me?"
Of course, Kang Chul-In replied in his typical, rude manner.
"What a temper." The Emperor of Blood and Iron shook his head, as if he were too tired to respond. "Somehow, you seem to have an even shittier temper than me."
"A kettle calling the pot black."
"..."
"Ah, do you know?"
Kang Chul-In began his counterattack.
"Know what?"
"What's my hobby?"
"How the hell would I know?"
"Sometimes in my free time, I purchase and read old books about Pangaea. Your name appears every now and then, so I tend to pay extra attention when reading the archaic texts."
"...!"
"Now, guess. How do you think you are described in these texts?"
"T-That...!"
"Want me to elaborate?"
"I thought I got rid of them all...!"
The Emperor of Blood and Iron was genuinely disconcerted.
"Seems like you tried to bury your embarrassing past, but what now? Countless historians have secretly recorded your terrible wrongdoings down."
"Those bastards...!"
"You shouldn't have gone overboard. You closed down every candy shop in the empire just because a hair was found in Arshelly's candy..."
"E-Enough!"
"You once squandered 9% of the empire's annual budget because you dumped your paperwork on your servant. Right?"
"..."
"Who was it that promised the empire's knights that he would teach them swordsmanship, only to end up beating them up? You even said that pummeling someone is the best way to relieve stress, didn't you?"
Kang Chul-In revealed the Emperor of Blood and Iron's dark and embarrassing past relentlessly.
"Is my personality still more atrocious than yours?"
"..."
"Heh... what a saint you are, Emperor of Blood and Iron."
Objectively, both of them had shitty personalities. It was difficult to tell whose was worse.
"T-That's not the point!"
The Emperor of Blood and Iron quickly changed the topic. He realized that he had no right to critique Kang Chul-In's personality.
"Anyways, you should know that that's not important. The second coming of the Agnagas is imminent. Kang Chul-In, you have to be prepared against the approaching threat."
"Is there even a threat?" Kang Chul-In asked. "What threat?"
"Didn't I just tell you? The second coming..."
"An anticipated threat is no longer a threat."
"...!"
"I get it, so pass me the rest of your memories and get lost."
The Emperor of Blood and Iron realized something from Kang Chul-In's blunt words.
"You've decided, I see." The Emperor of Blood and Iron smiled.
"You've decided to protect this world from the second coming of the Agnagas."
"Do I have a choice?" Kang Chul-In shrugged. "My dream is to conquer the world and become the Emperor. I can't just let those bastards destroy my nation. Also... I will never let Arshelly go, Emperor of Blood and Iron."
"...!"
"I will protect my daughter. Not only her, but also my people, family, subordinates and this world. I don't like how I'm cleaning up your mess, but... I will never repeat the tragedy that you had to face.
This was Kang Chul-In's will. Moreover...
That's right, Kang Chul-In. You are now complete. A man who overcomes his past mistakes is bound to be stronger than anyone... You finally appear trustworthy...
This was the Emperor of Blood and Iron's motive... genuine growth! He wanted Kang Chul-In to grow not only in strength, but also as a human. The Wheel of Return had fulfilled its duty!
"Good." The Emperor of Blood and Iron smiled in satisfaction. "I believe in you, Kang Chul-In."
"Suit yourself."
"..."
"Didn't I tell you to get lost?"
Kang Chul-In lashed out at the Emperor of Blood and Iron again.
"Fine." He nodded. "Well then... I leave it to you, Kang Chul-In."
"You worry too much."
With that, the Emperor of Blood and Iron began to fade into thin air.
"Please..." The Emperor of Blood and Iron pleaded for the last time. "Please take care of my daughter, Arshelly. My daughter, not yours. Remember. Arshelly is my daughter."
For a moment, the veins on Kang Chul-In's forehead popped up.
"You bastard... how dare you...! Arshelly is my daughter, not yours..."
However...
"..."
The Emperor of Blood and Iron was nowhere to be found. He had pissed off Kang Chul-In just before running away. A cheap move indeed.
"Real man my ass." Kang Chul-In muttered. "I take it back. Sneaky bastard."
They say people who are alike loathe each other. These two men who shared the same soul could never become friends. They clashed at every encounter.
Let's just concentrate.
Kang Chul-In focused on absorbing the influx of data and memories from the Emperor of Blood and Iron.
***
"Kang Chul-In, Kang Chul-In!" Dorian shouted. "Hey!"
"..."
"Reply to me!"
"..."
"Can't you hear me? Huh? Hey! Why aren't you replying to me? Huh?"
However, Kang Chul-In remained silent.
"Eek... What's going on...!"
Kang Chul-In had been frozen in place for 48 hours. He was merely breathing with his eyes closed.
"That should be the cause, right...? Should I forcefully take it off?" Dorian pondered. It appeared as if the strange silver substance surrounding Kang Chul-In's whole body was the cause.
"Damn it... I can't be reckless too..."
Dorian had yet to finish his sentence, when...
Flick! The Ectoplasm Oversuit wrapped around Kang Chul-In's body suddenly opened up.
Chulkuk, chulkuk! It then began to shapeshift.
"W-What!"
Dorian was flabbergasted.
Chulkuk, chulkuk! The Ectoplasm Oversuit refused to stop its transformation.
And after some time,
"Wow... wowww...! T-This is really...!"
Dorian was in great admiration of the Ectoplasm Oversuit in its final form.
"What the heck is this...!?"
Suddenly,
"Phew...!" Kang Chul-In let out a long sigh and began to gradually open his eyes.
Chapter 329: Let's Head to the North!
"K-Kang Chul-In...!" Dorian was shocked to see Kang Chul-In, who just regained his consciousness. "You... you... what's up with you..."
Something was strange. Kang Chul-In, who woke up after 48 hours, was a totally different person from before. For Dorian, the feeling he had when he saw Kang Chul-In was extremely hard to explain. If someone had to describe it, they'd say that Kang Chul-In looked wiser than before. Immeasurable wisdom and insight seemed to radiate from his eyes. His atmosphere was no longer that of 'dominance,' but more of 'the Supreme Being's composure.'
"What... happened...? No, that aside..." Dorian asked cautiously. "Are you... really Kang Chul-In...?"
Kang Chul-In replied.
"In your eyes."
"...?"
"Do I still..."
"...?"
"Look like Kang Chul-In?" Kang Chul-In asked, eerily.
Shiver! A chill ran down Dorian's spine.
"You... who are you..."
"Pfft."
"...!"
"Naïve." Kang Chul-In smirked. "Why, are you surprised?"
"...!"
"Kek... that's why you are called an idiot. It's so easy to trick you."
That cunning smile. He was the Kang Chul-In that Dorian knew.
"Kang Chul-In..."
"Learn to be more skeptical, idiot."
"Hey..."
"How many times do you want to be..."
"Heyyyyyyyy!"
"...!"
"Hey, you bastardddddd!" Dorian screamed. "You bastard, you...!"
"Who told you to be so naïve?"
"Urgh... Urghhhh...!"
"Tsk tsk."
Despite Dorian's roar, Kang Chul-In was as easy going as ever.
Tremble tremble...! As a result, Dorian's body trembled as he tried to suppress his simmering rage.
If only I could just beat that guy up...!
He wanted to punch Kang Chul-In in the face. Of course, he didn't, or rather, he couldn't. If he did, Kang Chul-In would take out a horrifying revenge on him.
"Argh!" Dorian exploded in anger.
"Hmm... seems like someone is quite furious, huh?" Kang Chul-In made fun of Dorian as he twitched his lips.
"If you were me, you would be angry too."
"I wonder?"
"..."
"The problem began when you asked whether I am Kang Chul-In."
"R-Really?"
"I am me. Why did you ask such a retarded question?"
"Hmm... t-that is... you look... somewhat different..."
"Like how?"
"The atmosphere..."
"...?"
"So right... hmm... How do I put it... anyways... urgh..." Dorian began to ramble.
"You don't even know what you want to say, do you?"
"I do!"
"Answer my question then?"
"That is... if one's friend froze in place for 48 hours and woke up with a change in ambiance, anyone would think like me."
"48 hours?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"..."
"You didn't respond to my call, but I didn't want to force you awake in fear of the adverse consequences. In any case, it was weird. You admit this, right?"
"I do."
"And you've definitely changed."
"That..." Kang Chul-In replied. "...Is to be expected."
"Expected?"
"This suit."
"The one you're wearing now? The Ectoplasm Oversuit that the monkey mentioned?"
"Yes."
"What about it?"
"Inside this..."
"..."
"The life of the Emperor of Blood and Iron of the ancient empire is recorded down."
Kang Chul-In revealed all the details of his conversation with the Emperor of Blood and Iron.
"Gasp...!"
"I could absorb all of the Emperor of Blood and Iron's memories – from birth to death – from this Ectoplasm Oversuit."
"...!"
"Moreover, in the collection of memories..."
"H-Huh...?"
"Also lies the secret about this world."
"By secret, you mean..."
"The Great Summoning."
"...!"
"And the system." Kang Chul-In did not try to hide anything. "You and I, the other Lords, and the explorers... why were we Earthlings summoned to this continent? The answer lies in the Emperor of Blood and Iron's memory from 1,000 years ago."
"Gasp...!" Dorian was shocked to his core. "T-Then... Kang Chul-In, you... you know everything? About this world's secret?"
"Of course."
"Huh..."
"What we've been experiencing... is part of a giant project that was planned 1,000 years ago."
"I-I don't really get you... Kang Chul-In... I don't understand..."
"If you want, I will explain step by step."
"Hmm...!"
"However." Kang Chul-In added. "When you hear this story, you will have to face the unforgivingly tough reality."
"..."
"And..."
"Yes? And what?"
"I'm not really happy with the word choice but... let's just call it a great cause. In return for listening to the story, you have to help me achieve the great dream. Without abandoning it halfway, till the end."
"A great cause? What kind? Don't tell, you are referring to your ambition..."
"You idiot!"
"Ah, why..."
"I can conquer this continent myself without your help."
"T-That's true, now that I think about it..."
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"What I'm referring to..."
"Uhuh..."
"Is protecting and reconstructing this world."
"...!"
"Our opponent is not the Gullveig Alliance. The alien race Agnaga – the conquerors who wreaked havoc in this world 1,000 years ago – is our true enemy."
"W-What...!"
"Pangaea is a land of sorrow. It had been devastated by the Agnagas in the past. That tragedy... is about to repeat itself."
"...!"
"Let me ask you again, Dorian Explorer." Kang Chul-In's voice carried an immense weight. "Will you or will you not listen to my story. Choose. I'll leave that decision to you."
"Hmm...!"
"Even if you choose not to, I won't blame you."
"G-Give me some time..."
"But I will call you a coward."
"...!"
"Forever."
Provocation! It was a cheap move, but...
"Okay, okay!"
Dorian fell for it too easily. He seemed to be naïve in every circumstance.
Kang Chul-In laughed. That was the reply that he wanted to hear.
"What is it? Tell me! Tell me now!" Dorian urged Kang Chul-In. "What's making you act so pretentious?"
"First."
"First?"
"Let me reveal my secret."
"Your... secret?"
"I am..." Kang Chul-In said. "Someone who has lived twice."
"Huh?" Dorian tilted his head in puzzlement. "What do you mean? Are you James Bond?"
"..."
"Live twice?"
He was making a reference to the fifth film of the 007 series, "007: You Only Live Twice," made in 1967.
"..."
Kang Chul-In stared at Dorian pityingly.
"Hey! Kang Chul-In!"
"What?"
"You are thinking that I'm an idiot, aren't you? Huh?"
"N-No..."
"Right? Huh? Are you looking down on me? Huh!?"
Dorian seemed unable to control his anger nowadays.
"Put your nonsense aside."
Kang Chul-In didn't want to deal with the pubescent Dorian, thus he decided to go ahead with his story.
"Just listen."
"Ok."
"Let me reiterate. I've lived twice."
"...?"
"I've returned."
"...!"
"I am..." Kang Chul-In dropped the bomb. "Someone who has returned to the past."
"...!"
"Using an ability called Soul Backup..."
"W-Wait!" Dorian stopped Kang Chul-In. "What does that mean?"
"It's exactly as I said."
"Yeah, so what does that mean?"
"I've returned to the past."
"Argh!"
"...?"
"So what does 'returning' mean!?" Dorian shouted.
"... This bastard." Kang Chul-In frowned.
"You keep looking down on..."
And...
Bam!
"Ugh!"
Kang Chul-In's fist landed straight into Dorian's solar plexus.
Dorian Explorer (Male/Pubescent). He was going through puberty at a late age.
***
3 hours later...
"S-So..." Dorian, with his eyes swollen and bruised, began to speak. "You are overwhelmingly stronger than me, because you've returned to the past?"
"Yes."
"You could become strong in such a short duration thanks to your superiority in information?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm the normal one here, I guess? And you are a cheater."
"..."
"Of course... I knew it... you swindler... d-don't hit me!"
Dorian was about to criticize Kang Chul-In when he freaked out at the sight of Kang Chul-In's fist. He didn't want to get beaten up further. Previous attempts to rebel didn't end well...
"Hmm... so the second coming of the Agnagas is imminent, right?"
"Yes. But I suspect there's already one bastard who has infiltrated into the system."
"S-So fast?"
"From my understanding, I'm the only one who can be a variable in Erinyes."
"Then?"
"Andrei Ivanovic."
"...!"
"That guy is fishy, no matter how I look. If he turns out to be the Time Lord Milenius..."
Kang Chul-In shared his deduction with Dorian.
"That bastard definitely knows about the Wheel of Return. He probably observed me since before I returned, from the currently non-existent past. To be precise, he was trying to figure out who would be the Emperor of Blood and Iron's reincarnation."
"Huh...!"
"If he tried to organize the second coming of the Agnagas before I returned, then I would have recognized and responded to his challenge after returning to the past."
"In other words... he waited for you to use up the Wheel of Return, is that it?"
"Highly probable. Otherwise, this nobody called Andrei Ivanovic would not have become an Overlord or become the second most powerful man in the Gullveig Alliance. It's too grandiose to be a butterfly effect."
It was purely a deduction, but Kang Chul-In was exactly aware of Milenius' actions.
"Hmm... so what now? How are you going to stop the Agnaga?"
"First," Kang Chul-In replied. "We have to destroy the Gullveig Alliance."
"Hmm... that's true. We better have our rear clear. Ending the war with the Gullveig Alliance will be our first priority."
"We have to end it as quickly as possible."
"I agree."
"And then?"
"I have a plan." Kang Chul-In tapped his head with his finger.
"Really?"
"The information from the Emperor of Blood and Iron... if I ponder based on this..."
"Then...?"
"I already have the means to annihilate the Agnaga."
"...!"
"Well, it's not going to be easy... but we won't have to worry about being caught off guard. An anticipated threat is..."
"No longer a threat!"
"Yes, that's right." Kang Chul-In nodded. "The only thing we lack is strength."
"Strength... it sounds like..."
"I'm already miles ahead of the enemy."
"...!"
"This battle, I won't lose."
What confidence! Kang Chul-In was confident in a 100% win-rate.
Kang Chul-In... you have definitely changed...!
Dorian realized why he had sensed a change in the air around Kang Chul-In.
The superiority in information... wisdom, it's wisdom! He is no longer the brainlessly strong Kang Chul-In! He is now as cunning as a snake...!
The analogy was slightly weird, but Dorian was right. Kang Chul-In, who had absorbed the Emperor of Blood and Iron's memories, was now a different man. To start with, he had already accumulated an immense amount of experience over the two lives. And now, he had taken in the memories of a man who previously operated a great empire. It would be to no one's surprise that there was a hint of wisdom in Kang Chul-In's demeanor.
His temper was still as atrocious as before, though!
"Let's go." Kang Chul-In began to make his way while Dorian was still in the midst of contemplation. "We don't have much time."
"W-Wait for me!" Dorian hurriedly chased after Kang Chul-In.
***
"All men, advance!" Kang Chul-In commanded his army immediately upon his return. The target was Styx, the lifeline of the Gullveig Alliance.
It was where the Gullveig Alliance's main army was posted at!
Chapter 330: The Battle of Styx (1)
On the road to Styx, in the port city in the Valhalla base...
"W-What do you mean...!"
"As I've explained."
"E-Eek?!" Kwak Jung freaked out. "D-Do you expect me to believe that?"
His response was not exaggerated. After his visit to the underground historic site in Esmeralda, Kang Chul-In revealed that he was someone who had returned to the past. How could one not be surprised?
"It's up to you to believe it or not." Kang Chul-In shrugged. "However, if you really can't believe it then I expect you to follow my orders without any questions, even if you don't understand their rationale."
"..."
"I won't entertain any objections."
"Huh..."
"Or disobedience."
"...!"
"Instant death." Kang Chul-In warned. "Any infringement and I will swing my sword."
"...!"
"Even if it's you."
"Your Majesty..."
Kwak Jung couldn't utter another word.
This man... he is serious...!
Kang Chul-In's declaration was shocking. Even though Kwak Jung was frequently beaten up by Kang Chul-In whenever the latter felt like it, he was still his master's favorite subordinate. To warn him of the death penalty... it indicated how firm Kang Chul-In's resolve was.
"Your Majesty... what you just said, is it true?"
"I won't say it twice."
"..."
"I didn't tell you that story to ask for your consent. It was to prevent you from going astray if you don't understand my orders."
"Argh...!" Kwak Jung moaned.
He could neither believe nor not believe Kang Chul-In's story.
It doesn't seem like he's lying, however... He recruited me when I was a mere gang member. He also somehow realized that I had lung cancer and brought me to do surgery..."
Kwak Jung pondered about Kang Chul-In for a moment.
True... if he had lived twice, he would have known much more than the rest. He would know how to become strong quickly, and he would have seen through the Lord's personalities and traits... Damn, this man... knows too much to be someone from the present..."
He began to piece together the truth. The astonishing moments that Kang Chul-In had shown... they were possible if he was indeed someone who had returned from the past. It was just difficult to believe it, even though his brain could comprehend it.
"Just take it easy." Dorian told Kwak Jung.
"Sorry? What do you mean?" Kwak Jung replied in confusion.
"It's simple."
"S-Simple?"
"Yep."
"H-How...?"
"Think about the reason."
"Reason?"
"Why do you think us earthlings were summoned to Pangaea?"
"...!"
"Level up. Lord shops, quest system. Haven't you wondered who made these things?"
"W-Well..."
He was curious of course. Pangaea gave ordinary earthlings an opportunity to experience miraculous events. Anyone would have wondered what the fundamental reason for all these were.
However...
"Even now, quite a few explorers are researching to uncover the secrets of this continent. I also have quite a lot of friends who study ancient ruins professionally."
"Hmm..."
"It's weird from the very beginning. The humans, units, objects and buildings that we Lords can summon, where did they all come from?"
"..."
"Those summoned humans? They can't remember anything. If we ask them about it, they reply that 'we were asleep beyond the dimension' like robots."
Dorian was right. Nothing made sense in Pangaea. Even if one tried their best, not a single inquiry could be addressed in this continent.
"But when we listen to Kang Chul-In, it all makes sense."
"...!"
"1,000 years ago. Dragon Lord Emilia and the Emperor of Blood and Iron fought with the Agnaga, which led to the demise of both parties. However, before they died, the two of them created System Erinyes to prepare for the second coming of the Agnaga and to reconstruct this world. At the center of it all is Kang Chul-In, the reincarnation of the Emperor of Blood and Iron."
"Ahem...!"
"Well, doesn't it make sense? Even if you don't want to believe it, there's no other plausible explanations. Also..."
"Also...?"
"Look at me!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Do you think I believe Kang Chul-In because I'm really an idiot?"
"..."
"I only believe him because he seems believable! Do you follow me?"
Kwak Jung did not reply.
"..."
He just stared at Dorian with an awkward expression.
"What an analogy..." Kang Chul-In swept his face with his palm.
"W-What?"
Dorian raised his eyebrows after observing Kwak Jung and Kang Chul-In's response.
Brrrr...! His body trembled.
"You guys..." He began to ramble in anger. "You two were thinking that I'm an idiot, weren't you!?"
He exploded.
"..."
Kang Chul-In and
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Kwak Jung were at a loss for words.
"Is he going through puberty?"
"I think so."
They then had a discussion about Dorian's condition.
"What the... at that age?"
"Mental maturity isn't always proportional to age."
"Ahem...! W-We shall have to be careful..."
"Yes. It's a sensitive period, alright."
"I agree. I was reckless during puberty too. I think that was when I began to go astray..."
"Treat him well."
"Ah, yes... as a senior..."
The two of them arrived at a conclusion that Dorian was definitely going through puberty.
"You bastards...!" As a result, Dorian really hit the ceiling. "I'm out!" He sulked.
"Don't look for me! I warned you!" Dorian left as he huffed and puffed.
"..."
Only the two of them were left in the room. Kang Chul-In and Kwak Jung shook their heads.
"I really think he's going through puberty."
"I concur."
The subject and his sovereign shared a consensus.
"Anyways." Kang Chul-In changed the topic.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Whatever I say from this point onwards, make sure they are addressed without any delay."
"Certainly." Kwak Jung nodded.
It didn't matter whether he believed or not. How could he disobey this man?
Kwak Jung might complain now and then, but he would comply to any of Kang Chul-In's commands. No, any officer in the Valhalla Kingdom would.
"So..." Kang Chul-In began to hand his instructions over to Kwak Jung.
***
Meanwhile, in Styx, in the Gullveig Alliance's camp...
"Brynhildr." Mei Ling spoke. "You are our hero who will stand on the frontlines and fight against Kang Chul-In."
"Yes, your Majesty." Brynhildr, the white knight, kneeled in front of Mei Ling. "I, your humble servant, will do you proud and defeat Kang Chul-In no matter what."
Such confidence! Brynhildr was confident that he could defeat Kang Chul-In this time. That confidence was well-grounded. He had perfected his light-speed sword skills, which allowed him to challenge anyone.
However...
I'm sorry, Brynhildr.
Mei Ling's eyes were cold.
But I hope you don't blame me too much. I can't earn your loyalty; hence this is the only decision I can make as a Lord.
Mei Ling was cold-blooded at this moment. A disposable talent; that was Mei Ling's perception of Brynhildr. She had already planned with Kwak Jun and Milenius to use Brynhildr as the bait to hunt Kang Chul-In down.
"Go, Brynhildr." Mei Ling commanded. "Kang Chul-In will arrive soon. Please lead our alliance to victory."
"Yes, your Majesty!" Brynhildr replied and excused himself politely.
***
Pssssshhhh! Poseidon, the ironclad battleship, cleaved through the water. Once a possession of Neptune Spear, it now belonged to the Valhalla Kingdom.
I won't lose this battle.
Kang Chul-In stood on the stern of Poseidon and braced himself as he observed the port city, Styx, from a distance.
He had to win. Styx was the lifeline of the Gullveig Alliance, which led straight to its heart. Kang Chul-In had to emerge victorious and conquer the enemy's central region. Only then could he conquer Pangaea and prevent the second coming of the Agnaga once and for all, thus completing the Emperor of Blood and Iron's legacy.
However, this was under the assumption that there wasn't any variable that could exceed Kang Chul-In's expectations.
Brynhildr.
That man was the most likely one. The Emperor of Blood and Iron's wife... to be precise, the man who used the armor, sword and swordsmanship of 'Brynhildr Freyja Norn Arondight'. Nobody else could stop Kang Chul-In.
Of course, even he only had a minuscule chance.
"Your Majesty!" Suddenly, Clémenceau, the Trident fleet admiral cum naval commander, reported to Kang Chul-In. "We are sufficiently close to the enemy fleets now. We will be in the range of fire within five minutes."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Send the Poseidon to the rear and put the Serpent on the frontlines."
"Will do, your Majesty!"
Serpent, the ironclad battleship, was the vanguard of the Trident fleet, equipped with thick plates of armor that could resist most bombardment.
"Also."
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Send in the Trinidad fleet first."
The Trinidad fleet comprised of 'extremely special' wooden ships that were manufactured in the Balnibarbi region.
"Straight away, sir?"
"We can't afford to test the waters. We have to launch an all-out attack from the very beginning."
In other words, Kang Chul-In was ready to overwhelm the enemy with numbers as soon as the battle commenced.
"Your wish is my command." Clémenceau saluted towards Kang Chul-In.
Pow, pow!
At that moment!
The announcement regarding the firing of the Gullveig Alliance's cannons echoed in the battleship.
"I shall go first."
Kang Chul-In began to make his way.
"Y-Your Majesty?"
"I shall entrust you with the commanding of the fleet!"
"...!"
"Ah, also." Kang Chul-In added. "Even if I'm mingled with the enemy, fire without hesitation."
He wanted to penetrate the enemy defense alone and wreak havoc, even if that could lead to fragging!
"That's too dangerous, Your..."
Clémenceau desperately tried to hold Kang Chul-In back, but... Kang Chul-In had already leaped off the stern of the battleship.
"...!"
Everyone was shocked, or rather, aghast. Kang Chul-In was not dashing across the water like he previously did in Venedig.
Flick! A pair of brilliantly shining wings emitting an immense amount of energy appeared on Kang Chul-In's back, just like a jet engine!
***
In Styx, the port city, in the Gullveig Alliance's camp...
"Report the current situation to me as soon as possible." Mei Ling ordered.
"I do not want any delay in the battle report. Understood?"
"Yes, your Majesty!"
The commanding officers replied loudly.
Tsk, tsk... they are gonna lose anyway...
Kwak Jun clicked his tongue as he watched the scene. All the data of the Gullveig Alliance's strategies, tactics and its army composition had been handed over to the Valhalla Kingdom.
If you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle. Furthermore, the Valhalla army was extremely proficient in battle. Over time, the Valhalla army would attack the weak spots in the Gullveig Alliance army and annihilate its camp!
I will surrender to the Valhalla army when the timing's right...
Just as Kwak Jun was lost in thought...
"Arghhhhhhhhh!"
"D-Demon! A demon...!"
"Argh!"
He heard an ear-piercing scream from outside the command center.
And...
Banggggg! The wall of the command center crumbled down with a huge sound. Then... the 'demon' emerged through the collapsed wall.
"W-Who are you?" Mei Ling shouted. "Who could you be..."
However, she couldn't complete her sentence.
Crack! Saturnus, the Emperor of Lunacy and Night who had crawled out of hell, grabbed Mei Ling by her head.
"H-Heukk...!"
"Die." Saturnus ordered a death sentence. "Weak bitch, you are not worthy of your title."
As soon as he finished his sentence...
Crack! Mei Ling's head was shattered into pieces.
Chapter 331: The Battle of Styx (2)
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"...!"
Everyone in the Gullveig Alliance's command center was flabbergasted.
Dead... Mei Ling was dead, with her head crushed and disfigured some more. That was a pitiful death for the Heavenly Queen of the North, the leader of the Gullveig Alliance.
Pat, pat. Saturnus brushed the blood and cranial fluid off his hands apathetically. He didn't show any other movements.
"From now on." He declared. "I, Saturnus, the Emperor of Lunacy and Night, shall take over this place."
***
Banggggg!
In the middle of his flight, Kang Chul-In was surprised to read a notification.
[Syncing Ectoplasm Oversuit... 13% (Approximately 521 hours, 21 minutes, 21 seconds left)]
This mysterious suit had yet to sync completely with Kang Chul-In.
Nonetheless...
[Muscle strength, 75% increase!]
[Stamina, 64% increase!]
[Reaction speed, 33% increase!]
[Defense power, 16% increase!]
[Anti-Magic power, 16% increase!]
His main abilities were upgraded significantly, and they kept rising proportionally to the sync percentage. At this rate, nothing could stop Kang Chul-In when the sync was complete. He would truly be the strongest man alive.
In addition...
Sonic Ring.
It was about time for the cormorant to fetch him the item that would complete the Trinity Impact set. With that, Kang Chul-In would have the power to even kill a god.
Come, Brynhildr.
Kang Chul-In believed firmly that the white knight would appear in front of him. He had to. Brynhildr would also have realized that this battle was the last chance for him to stop Kang Chul-In!
***
Meanwhile, as Kang Chul-In commenced his battle on both the Khartoum river and the land, so did the battle to conquer the Styx fortress.
"Men...!"
Lucia bellowed.
"Chargeeeeee!"
Immediately,
"Let's go!"
"Let's defeat the enemy!"
"Let's show them our strength!"
"For Valhalla!"
"For His Majesty, the Supreme King of the West!"
The strongest army in Pangaea began to charge towards the port city.
***
"H-He's coming...!"
"He's flying...?"
"What the shit...!"
"The Supreme King of the West... he can fly... so it was really true?"
The Gullveig Alliance's navy soldiers fell into a trance when they saw Kang Chul-In approaching from far. How could a man fly?
He wasn't riding on anything, nor did he use any magic...
Suddenly, the Gullveig Alliance's fleet admiral shouted through the magic-engineered loudspeaker.
The soldiers who got themselves together hurriedly adjusted the magic-engineered cannon's angle and locked their targets on Kang Chul-In.
"No. 1 cannon, ready!" "No. 2 cannon, ready!" "No. 3 cannon, ready!" "No. 4 cannon, ready!" "No. 5 cannon, ready!"
The cannons charged almost instantaneously.
"Fire!" Tens of cannons fired energy balls at Kang Chul-In.
However,
"A-All miss...! We can't hit him!" Someone shouted.
He was right. None of the energy balls landed on Kang Chul-In, but it wasn't because he dodged them.
Instead, the massive amount of mana surrounding his body acted as a barrier, fending off the raining bombs.
Even the Gullveig Alliance's fleet admiral was astonished. The cannons didn't work? Then there wasn't a way to stop Kang Chul-In from boarding their battleship. That would be catastrophic. Kang Chul-In was the strongest and most devilish man in Pangaea. A battleship would crumble into pieces the moment they allowed him onboard.
Meanwhile, Valhalla's Trinidad fleet approached the Gullveig Alliance warships at an alarming speed. The Trinidad fleet comprised wooden battleships that were shaped like pencils, as they lacked a deck.
Wooden warships... We shall ignore those insignificant things...
The fleet admiral began to brainstorm rapidly.
What matters are the Trident fleet and the Supreme King of the West...!
How much damage could those wooden battleships inflict? They didn't even carry any cannons. Instead, they seemed to carry soldiers to get them to board the enemy warships. It was an amusing thought. The Gullveig Alliance's battleships weren't the best, but they were built with steel and equipped with magic-engineered engines. All they had to do was run the wooden battleships over.
The Gullveig Alliance's fleet admiral ignored the Trinidad battleships and decided to attack the Valhalla Kingdom's main force.
Furthermore...
He deployed the Gullveig Alliance's biological
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weapon.
The Chimeras emerged from the depths of the Khartoum river. It was a disturbing and detestable scene, but at the same time it was also a sight to behold. It was rare to see hundreds of underwater chimeras leap out from the water and into the air!
Small fries.
Kang Chul-In laughed. Even the horrifying Hydro Serpent had turned into sashimi in his hands. Those chimeras could do nothing against him. It seemed like the Gullveig Alliance's navy force was sub-par in both the past and the present.
Flick! Kang Chul-In whipped out Kaiforce.
Ssssss...! Dark mana began to precipitate around the sword.
"Hell Road, activate."
Kaiforce's true ability began to reveal itself.
Ssssss...! A curtain of black mist began to envelop the Khartoum riverbed.
Tens of thousands of Chimeras! Countless apparitions crawled above the water surface and began to grab onto the Chimeras.
The fleet admiral nearly shat in his pants.
What the hell was going on? Tens of thousands of apparitions in the middle of the day?
"G-Ghosts!"
"Don't come...! Don't come! I said don't come!"
They even grabbed onto the Gullveig Alliance's soldiers by their legs. They were evidently trying to drag them into the river!
Styx is a river of sorrows; millions of soldiers would have died here over the years.
Kang Chul-In could recall the Emperor of Blood and Iron's memory. Regardless of when, Styx was constantly plagued with battles like Esmeralda. It was a good place to utilize the [Hell Road] ability.
"T-The Supreme King of the West is a necromancer...!"
As a result, the Gullveig Alliance's fleet admiral mistook Kang Chul-In for a necromancer.
Pow!
At that moment.
Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow! Ear-shredding explosive sounds could be heard.
"T-The ship's tilting!"
"Bombs, they are bombs!"
The Gullveig Alliance's battleships were quickly engulfed in explosions.
"S-Sir! Look there!"
"...!"
"Those wooden ships... they were bombs!"
That was right. The Trinidad battleships were suicide ships full of explosives!
Bang, banggg! One by one, the Gullveig Alliance battleships began to lose balance.
"M-My god...!"
The fleet admiral finally realized that he had made a grave error. However, it was too late. The suicide ships were light, allowing them to collide swiftly with the Gullveig Alliance battleships.
The Full Metal Dragon soared across the sky and bombarded the battleships indiscriminately.
Pow, pow! Moreover, Zeppelin was firing from afar, just barely in the range of fire.
"...!"
The Gullveig Alliance's fleet admiral froze.
O-Our army... has no... air force...
Currently, all of the Gullveig Alliance's air force had been deployed to fight Hecate's Temeraire.
"God damn it!" He was furious.
Thump!
Suddenly, something fell from the sky.
Flick! Then there was a flash of dark light.
Thump! The fleet admiral's head fell onto the ship's deck and rolled.
Pssssstttt! Blood spurted out like a fountain.
And his body fell limply on the floor.
"From now on." Kang Chul-In declared. "I will take over this ship."
It was a declaration from the strongest man in Pangaea.
"..."
Nobody could argue against that. The battle was already in Valhalla's favor. It was wise to surrender now to live.
"Says who?"
There was one exception. Brynhildr! The knight in the brilliant white armor was pointing his sword Arondight at Kang Chul-In.
"Oh?" Kang Chul-In grinned. "Long time no see, cormorant."
"..."
"I knew you would come."
He faced Brynhildr with an expectant expression.
Sonic Ring! It thrilled him to think that he could obtain the final piece of the Trinity Impact set.
"Did you bring your fish?"
"What the heck is this fish you always talk about...!"
"The Sonic Ring."
"...!"
"The artifact of god speed. The last component of the Trinity Impact."
"H-How did you know...!?"
"Hey, cormorant." Kang Chul-In shrugged. "I know everything."
It was an arrogant remark, but it was true. Kang Chul-In, who had absorbed the Emperor of Blood and Iron's memories, knew all of this world's secrets. He had an information superiority that was incomparable to anyone else.
"Since long ago."
"...!"
"I've been waiting for you to get the Sonic Ring. For me to complete the Trinity Impact."
"You... really knew? That I would obtain the Sonic Ring?"
"Of course." Kang Chul-In nodded."Why do you think I let you off? Three times some more."
"..."
"Because I admire your spirit?"
That was impossible. Kang Chul-In did not tolerate challenges. He would have killed anyone else without hesitation.
"Or because you are cute?"
"..."
"You are alive because you are my cormorant."
"..."
"Seems like you've finally obtained the Sonic Ring... so it's time for you to die. Let me..."
"Wait." Brynhildr cut him off. "You really know everything?"
"What?"
"That's what you said. Then you should know who I am."
"Well..." Kang Chul-In replied. "I don't give a damn."
"..."
"I could know if I wanted to, but why should I bother?"
He was being genuine. Kang Chul-In knew that Brynhildr was neither the Emperor of Blood and Iron's wife nor Arshelly's biological mother. Only the Emperor of Blood and Iron could use the Wheel of Reincarnation. Empress Brynhildr wouldn't have been qualified to use it... In other words, the Brynhildr in front of him was merely a lucky explorer who happened to come across the properties of 'Brynhildr Freyja Norn Arondight'.
"You don't know?"
"I don't care who you are. I only need the Sonic Ring."
"Oh really...?"
"Hand it over." Suddenly, Kang Chul-In became a plunderer. "The Sonic Ring."
Simultaneously,
Flick! He launched a surprise attack on Brynhildr.
"...!"
An unexpected attack! Brynhildr hurriedly moved to dodge Kaiforce. No, he couldn't dodge it completely. Kang Chul-In's attack was just that fast!
Crack, crack!
That one attack which he couldn't dodge... split his helmet into half, vertically.
"Slow." Kang Chul-In taunted. "Right, let's see how this cormorant looks like..."
At that moment...
"...!"
Kang Chul-In froze in place.
Thump! Brynhildr's helmet fell onto the ship's deck.
His face... was none other than...
God damn it!
Kang Chul-In's face crumpled.
Chapter 332: The Unexpected
The helmet dropped on the ground. Brynhildr, whose identity was finally revealed, began to speak.
"Even now..."
"..."
"Do you think you know everything? After realizing who I am?"
Kang Chul-In couldn't say a word.
Drip...! Drenched in sweat, he avoided eye contact with Brynhildr. The Supreme King of the West himself was avoiding eye contact! That was how astonishing Brynhildr's true identity was.
"Answer me."
"..."
"You think you know everything?"
"..."
"Do you still not give a damn about who I am? This ring is the only thing that matters to you?"
Such sharp criticism! Brynhildr had never gotten an edge over Kang Chul-In before, but now the tables had turned. Kang Chul-In was now on the losing end.
It was because...
Han Ye-Sun...!
Brynhildr was Kang Chul-In's first love and Arshelly's teacher.
Throb, throb! Kang Chul-In got a massive headache and swept his face with his hand.
What kind of bullshit is this...!? Han Ye-Sun is Brynhildr...?
He got the chills.
No... this can't be...
Kang Chul-In tried to deny it. He couldn't and didn't want to believe it, because that also meant that... Han Ye-Sun had been lingering around him ever since his previous life, parrying swords with him.
"What..." Brynhildr, no, Han Ye-Sun spoke. "You surprised?"
She then stepped towards Kang Chul-In.
"D-Don't come near me."
Kang Chul-In stepped back.
"Are you avoiding me?"
"Who's avoiding you!?"
"Seems like you are."
"N-No, I'm not!"
"Then why are you stepping back?"
"...!"
"Do you know that you are stepping back every time I step forward?"
She was right. Step by step, Kang Chul-In was unconsciously moving away from Han Ye-Sun.
"T-That is..."
"Avoiding me, huh?"
"Ahem...!"
"Until when?"
"Err..."
"Bastard."
"...!"
"Oppa... you really are a bastard." Han Ye-Sun began to ramble again.
"..."
Kang Chul-In was dumbfounded. Why did his first love become Brynhildr the white knight and challenge him? Why? For what reason?
"Bastard or whatever..." Kang Chul-In replied furiously. "Why did you fight me?"
Putting his confusion aside, Kang Chul-In had to clarify a few things.
"Those who challenged me so far had two outcomes. They either died or became my subordinate."
"..."
"Do you want to die? If not, why would you go to the extent of hiding your identity to fight me?"
Yes, that was the question. Kang Chul-In could not comprehend her intentions at all.
"Don't tell me..."
"Don't tell you what?"
"You wanted to make me suffer by killing my first love...?"
"No!" Han Ye-Sun screamed.
Beep! It was so loud that Kang Chul-In went deaf for a second. If there was a glass cup around, it would have shattered...
"Is that how you think of me?"
"W-Well...!"
"Do you think I'm that trashy?"
"..."
"No matter how much I hate you, I would never think as such! I'm no psychopath!"
"S-Sorry..."
"I..." Han Ye-Sun sulked. "I-I just..."
"...?"
"Wanted to..." She finally revealed why she had stood in Kang Chul-In's path. "Stop your rampage."
"R-Rampage?"
"Yes."
"What rampage?"
"Oppa..."
"...?"
"You wanted to earn money."
"T-That's true, but..."
"You craved success."
"That's true too, but..."
Han Ye-Sun was right. Kang Chul-In had longed to earn money and lead a successful life.
"Wait, so..." Kang Chul-In asked in frustration. "What does me craving money and success have to do with you hiding your identity and displaying your sword skills to me?"
Anyone would crave a luxurious life, especially in Korea, where it was hellish to make ends meet.
"War."
"War?"
"You became a war-maniac."
"...!"
"That's rampage. What else could it be?"
"Hmm...!"
"I saw what was written on the world community. You are constantly instigating war to fulfill your ambition."
"Well..."
"Oppa... many people are dying because of your greed..."
"..."
"Why are you so fixated on war? Would you be satisfied if you had the whole of Pangaea in your hands?"
"That's not it..."
"What's after Pangaea? Earth?"
"Hu..."
"I don't want you to be a demon. Oppa, please stop here."
That seemed to be the reason for Han Ye-Sun's efforts to stop Kang Chul-In.
"Pfft." Kang Chul-In laughed.
"W-What!"
"Kek... kekeke..."
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"O-Oppa, are you laughing at me?"
"S-Sorry... i-it's too..."
However, Kang Chul-In...
"Hahahahaha!"
He ended up bursting into laughter.
***
Meanwhile, in Styx, at the Gullveig Alliance command center...
W-What the fuck!?
The catastrophe occurred in the blink of an eye. Kwak Jun couldn't make sense of the situation.
Who is that demon...!?
That was Kwak Jun's impression of Saturnus, a demon from Hell.
"Commander-in-chief, Kwak Jun."
Suddenly, Milenius appeared from nowhere and spoke to Kwak Jun.
"Y-Your Majesty Andrei...!"
"It's an order."
"W-What order..."
"Nothing happened here."
"...!"
"At least until the battle's over."
In other words, he didn't want the Alliance army to realize Mei Ling's death.
"T-That..."
"As long as the command center operates well, the death of this bitch won't leak out from here."
Milenius nudged Mei Ling's corpse with his foot.
"Why, you can't do it?"
Kwak Jun did not reply.
It's a golden opportunity indeed, but...
If he could let the Alliance army know about Mei Ling's death, Valhalla would definitely win this battle.
In that case, Kwak Jun would have done a fantastic role as a spy, and thus receive a grand reward from Kang Chul-In... However, that was only if he could escape that red demon and Andrei Ivanovic.
Suddenly...
Milenius' telepathy infiltrated Kwak Jun's mind.
T-This is...!
Your M...!
For a moment, Kwak Jun almost fainted from the goosebumps.
...!
It was freaky. In other words, Kwak Jun had been manipulated by Milenius all this while!
...!
Kwak Jun clenched both fists.
Fuck...!
Things went astray last minute. He had never expected things to turn out this way at the most critical moment.
"All officers..." Kwak Jun began to speak. "Focus on the battle..."
In the end, Kwak Jun chose survival. He didn't have the luxury to consider Kang Chul-In's rewards, when he was on the brink of death.
Milenius was satisfied.
Milenius was now bowing to Saturnus, as he had lost his power to control space and time for messing around in a forbidden zone. However, he was once the great Time Lord whom even Emilia feared. Controlling someone like Kwak Jun was child's play.
"My son." Saturnus spoke. "Where is Julius?"
"Yes, Master..." Milenius bowed with respect. "Your son should be fighting against Brynhildr at the Khartoum river by now."
"Brynhildr?" Saturnus' eyebrows twitched. "Brynhildr, huh...?"
"Anything that concerns you, Master...?"
"Brynhildr Freyja Norn Arondight is my daughter-in-law, isn't she? Why is that meagre bitch fighting my son?"
"T-That's not it..." Milenius explained. "This Brynhildr is merely an explorer who inherited your daughter-in-law's possessions and swordsmanship... as you know, only your son has the Wheel of Three Lives..."
"Hmm...!" Saturnus stroked his chin. "I see..."
"Yes, Master..."
"Well, anyway."
"Yes?"
"I wish to meet my son now. Where is he?"
"The naval battle is occurring in that direction."
Milenius pointed at the west.
"Is that so?" Saturnus began to make his way. "Alright. Wait for me, my son..."
A horrifying murderous intent exploded out from his blood-red eyes.
"It's time for your father to take revenge..."
***
Kang Chul-In calmed down after laughing for a long time.
"That was the reason?" He was dumbfounded. "For hiding your identity and challenging me?"
Han Ye-Sun's pretty face crumpled.
"Is it so funny that I tried to stop you from becoming a lunatic?"
"It certainly is."
"W-What...? H-how can you say that...? Oppa, you are really... you are laughing at my heart now...?"
"It's a redundant thought."
"R-Redundant?"
"Of course." Kang Chul-In snorted. "I didn't go crazy. Rampage? Nonsense. Of course, I was once like that before..."
He was right. Before he returned, Han Ye-Sun's descriptions were suited for Kang Chul-In. In contrast, the present Kang Chul-In was working hard to inherit the Emperor of Blood and Iron's legacy. Rampage? Ridiculous.
"Money? I earned enough."
"Yes... I know... you are very rich..."
"Reputation? Hitler has nothing on me."
"Is that something to be proud of?"
"A-Anyways."
"..."
"I achieved success long ago. Why would I go on a rampage?"
"B-But!?"
"...?"
"I-I saw."
"What?"
"You murdered Albrecht Vilhelm and Ao Xin..."
"..."
"How could a human do that? Well, I've also killed people, so I have nothing to say. But to kill someone so brutally... t-that's too... inhumane..."
"..."
"Oppa... you are that violent..."
"Enough!" Kang Chul-In cut Han Ye-Sun off. "This is too much."
"W-What's... too much...?"
"Do you really believe that?"
"...!"
"I didn't kill Vilhelm and Ao Xin. It was Andrei, that vampire bastard."
"R-Really?"
"What happened was..."
Kang Chul-In revealed Andrei Ivanovic's true identity to Han Ye-Sun. It was cumbersome, but he had to. He couldn't let this innocent lady misunderstand him anymore...
"S-So that's... what happened?"
Han Ye-Sun was shocked.
"Did you really think I created that mess?"
"I-I... w-well..."
"...?"
"I thought you couldn't control your lunacy... and went on a rampage... sob..." She then began to cry. "Sob sob... W-What a relief..."
"..."
"You didn't become a monster... really... such a relief..."
After saying that, Han Ye-Sun let go off Arondight and threw herself in Kang Chul-In's arms.
"Oppa...!"
However, Kang Chul-In didn't hug her back, or rather, he couldn't.
"Danger!"
Kang Chul-In shoved Han Ye-Sun aside.
Bangggggg! With a thundering roar,
Thump! Someone fell from the sky.
"Who are you...?" Kang Chul-In questioned the stranger.
"Who else?"
A huge man.
Grin! He grinned freakily and answered.
"Julius. I am your father." [1]
Kang Chul-In felt as if he received a blow to his head.
[1] CuppyNote: The original line here was: "It's me." "...!" "Your father."
Chapter 333 In vs Saturnus (1)
"Saturnus...!"
Kang Chul-In could recognize the gigantic man – no, demon – after a short while.
"Oh?" Saturnus grinned hideously. "You recognize me, son?"
"..."
"Why the silence? Don't tell me, my adorable son cannot recognize his father?"
Kang Chul-In didn't reply.
What bullshit... why is that crazy bastard here...?
He was utterly puzzled. Saturnus belonged to the deepest depths of hell (if it existed). Why was he alive? He didn't even have the Wheel of Three Lives.
Moreover...
He's young.
The gigantic man didn't have a single wrinkle on his face. He was Saturnus in his prime.
"Surprising, isn't it?" Saturnus spoke. "Your father, whom you killed, has resurrected marvelously. Isn't it surprising?"
"A little bit?"
"A little bit my ass. Kek...!"
"A little bit."
Kang Chul-In refused to lose this argument.
Right, I'm surprised. You motherfucker.
In fact, he was extremely astonished. He rummaged through all the data in his head, but nothing hinted at Saturnus' return in the slightest. In other words, it was truly a surprise!
However, only amateurs express their surprise. Kang Chul-In taunted Saturnus nonchalantly.
"What's the big deal? It's just a retard who crawled out from hell. Why, was the hell fire a little too hot for you?"
"Kek... keke...!"
"You dare to laugh?"
"...!"
"You should have remained in hell. What a nuisance... even this crazy old geezer has revived..."
He meant it. Kang Chul-In was trying to inherit the Emperor of Blood and Iron's legacy and fight against the Agnagas. In such circumstance, the appearance of Saturnus was quite a disruption to his plan.
Mainly because...
This bastard, he's strong.
Kang Chul-In could sense that Saturnus' combat power was greater than any opponent he had ever faced.
"Kek...!" Saturnus laughed. "Bastard, well I guess you're not exactly a bastard... but I see that you are quite good at talking shit. But isn't it time to know your place? Are you good enough to play with words, with this father of yours?"
His sharp insight was almost frightening.
"Son, you are weaker than you were 1000 years ago. Can you even protect your wife and children from me?"
Saturnus discerned Kang Chul-In's strength without error. Versus the Emperor of Blood and Iron in his prime, Kang Chul-In only had a 30% chance of winning.
"Not bad, for an old geezer." Kang Chul-In didn't bother to make a false show. "But let's get one thing straight."
"What?"
"Who's your son?"
"What?"
"I'm not Julius; I am Kang Chul-In, the Supreme King of the West. If you want to meet your son, try digging the ground. Maybe you can find a piece of his bones or two."
"You expect me to believe that, son?
"Up to you to believe it or not." Kang Chul-In shrugged. "Let me reiterate..."
At that very moment,
"I'm Kang Chul-In, not Julius!"
Swish! Emitting a beam of dark light, Kaiforce sliced through the air towards Saturnus.
It was a surprise attack!
***
Meanwhile.
"Y-Your Majesty?" In the middle of the battle, Lucia instinctively realized that there was a problem with Kang Chul-In's health.
[Warning, warning!]
There was a notification in front of her. System Erinyes had sent her a warning message!
[Messiah, in danger! Messiah, in danger!] [Messiah, in danger! Messiah, in danger!] [Messiah, in danger! Messiah, in danger!]
The notification indicated that Kang Chul-In – the Messiah – was in danger.
Ba-dump, ba-dump! Her heart began to race. Her magic-engineered heart, which was 50 times stronger than a normal heart, was beating vigorously.
[Guardian Angel system, online!]
Subsequently, her true awakening occurred... 'Lucia Headmistress.'
***
A thousand years ago, Dragon Lord Emilia had programmed Lucia secretly to protect the Emperor of
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Blood and Iron's reincarnation.
You've spent your entire life under Julius' shadow... You love him, but... you can't express it... such a tragic fate...
I, Dragon Lord Emilia, wish to make a proposal to you, Lucia.
To become a cyborg.
Of course, I'm not referring to a full machine. Just a portion of your body can be substituted by magic-engineered parts.
It will help you...
Stay by Julius' side.
Certainly. If you accept my proposal, you can proudly stand next to the reincarnation of Julius. As his aide...
Are you sure?
Alright. Ah, and also...
I will register an extremely special system into your soul.
Guardian Angel.
This system will activate only when Julius' reincarnation is in grave danger. You will lose your consciousness and fight only to protect him. Even if it may cost your life...
With that, Lucia went under surgery to become a cyborg and was sealed in Erinyes as a weapon to protect Kang Chul-In. She had no regrets. After all, the sole reason for her existence was to protect Julius.
Your Majesty...
Lucia pictured Kang Chul-In before she lost her consciousness.
I protect you not because you are Julius, his Imperial Majesty's reincarnation, but because I... I love you, your Majesty...!
Her love for him was genuine. Ever since the Great Summoning, Lucia had admired Kang Chul-In. Thus, there was no question regarding her sincerity.
Your Majesty... I will protect you at all cost! Even if that may cost my life!
Lucia swore.
[Consciousness, halted!]
With that, she lost her consciousness.
[Unlocking the weapon's seal!]
Sssss...! Aegis and Zenith were enveloped by a curtain of brilliant white light.
[Aegis, the Shield of God – unlocking the item seal! (Item rank changed from Unique to Epic!)]
[Zenith, the Sword of Heaven – unlocking the item seal! (Item rank changed from Unique to Epic!)]
The unconscious Lucia grasped onto the upgraded Aegis and Zenith with her left and right hand respectively.
[Messiah, tracking location!] [Messiah, location identified!] [Protect the Messiah!]
System Erinyes gave Lucia a duty.
Immediately,
Psssh! Lucia began to dash to protect Kang Chul-in!
***
Clang! Kaiforce came to a halt.
"Son." Saturnus smiled with a hint of lunacy. "Can you even scratch me with such lousy skills?"
"...!"
"If you want to entertain me, at least try your best."
He was mocking Kang Chul-In.
What the fuck...!
Kang Chul-In was astonished.
So easily?
He couldn't believe his eyes. Kaiforce, the Demon Sword, an Immortal-rank item, was parried too easily.... with one hand at that.
Well, at least it wasn't a finger.
"Or..." Saturnus began to move. "Do you want me to entertain you?"
"...!"
"Like this?"
Saturnus flung his fist towards Kang Chul-In's face.
Bang! An ear-shredding sound echoed in the surrounding.
"Cough!"
Kang Chul-In vomited blood.
Insane...!
The shockwave from that attack was horrendous. How could one yield such power...? Saturnus in his prime was 'the Pinnacle' itself.
"Or..."
However, there was no time to be bewildered.
"Like this?"
Saturnus launched his second punch at Kang Chul-In.
I have to doge this!
Kang Chul-In instinctively rolled to dodge Saturnus' fist. Yes, it was clearly better to avoid the attacks. Not only was it impossible to divert the impact, but it would also involve more than one or two bone fractures upon a direct hit.
Swish! Saturnus' fist missed Kang Chul-In's flank by a tiny margin.
I dodged it! Next is...
However,
Crack, crackkk! With a splitting sound,
"Urgh...!"
He began to feel an intense pain from his side.
[Warning, warning!]
A notification popped up.
[Ectoplasm Oversuit, 9% destroyed!]
[Absorbing the user's mana, restoring the damaged part of the suit!]
[Ectoplasm Oversuit is absorbing the user's mana, healing the damage!]
Surprisingly, the suit was restored in less than a second. As expected from the Ectoplasm Oversuit... no wonder Vulkan praised that it was the greatest artifact ever made. But there was something even more astonishing.
Strong...!
It was Saturnus' immense strength. It wasn't even a direct hit, yet Kang Chul-In could feel its impact.
"Kek... keke...!"
"..."
"Tsk tsk... you are so weak, son... struggling after just two punches... disappointing..."
Saturnus was totally relaxed.
Does this make sense?
Kang Chul-In was flabbergasted. What was with this monstrous power? What, and how? Even if he rummaged through all his knowledge and the Emperor of Blood and Iron's memories, he couldn't find an explanation to Saturnus' strength.
"Oppa...!"
At that moment, Han Ye-Sun got herself up and joined Kang Chul-In.
"Leave." Kang Chul-In stopped her. "You will die if you stay."
"...!"
"That crazy old geezer is out of your league. Don't get involved and leave."
"No." Han Ye-Sun shook her head. "I will stay."
"Didn't I tell you to leave? Even if you stay..."
"I know. I'm no match for him."
Han Ye-Sun knew as well. She might have perfected the light-speed sword skill, but she would still die a dog's death if she challenged Saturnus.
Moreover,
"I... am of no help, right?"
She would be a burden if she did try to help.
"Of course."
"So leave..."
"Take it."
Han Ye-Sun passed something to Kang Chul-In.
"You need this, don't you?"
It was a ring. This glimmering, light-blue ring imbued its user with the Hyper-speed ability, and was known as the Sonic Ring.
The last component of the Trinity Impact set!
Chapter 334 In vs Saturnus (2)
"This...!" Kang Chul-In was shocked. "So easily?"
Han Ye-Sun passed him the ring without any resistance.
"Because you need it, Oppa."
"But..."
"I can give you everything."
"...!"
"Whatever it is."
Kang Chul-In was lost for words. What followed shocked him even more...
"I gave you my heart and body long ago, anyway."
"Ahem...!"
"I've never gotten anything back. I don't plan to ask either."
That was her true feelings.
I love you... Oppa.
She had never forgotten Kang Chul-In for even a second. She didn't wish to, even after he became a villain with three wives.
"..."
Kang Chul-In kept silent as he didn't know what to do.
Then he stepped forward.
"If you are not leaving, then step aside. You will get hurt."
He was in the middle of a fight. Saturnus was the strongest enemy that he had met in his entire lifetime, a nemesis whom even Kang Chul-In couldn't guarantee a win against without some luck.
"Kek... kekeke...!" Saturnus snickered. "Interesting... very interesting... kek... keke...!"
"What's so interesting?"
Kang Chul-In gave Saturnus an unpleasant look. Kang Chul-In knew why that crazy bastard had left him and Han Ye-Sun alone for a while. It was because Saturnus was confident that he could toy with and kill Kang Chul-In at any moment!
"Is it so interesting?"
"Why wouldn't it be, son?"
"...?"
"Including that girl over there..." Saturnus pointed at Han Ye-Sun. "Wouldn't it be fun if I toyed with you in front of all your women, and then boiled you to death in a cauldron? How about your kids? Do you want me to fry or dissect them from head to toe? Kek, kekeke... Wait, no... I should cook and put them on your dinner table as your last meal. Hehe... hehehe...!"
Lunacy. Saturnus was spouting words that were not meant to be spoken. Moreover, the fact that he genuinely meant what he said made it even more sickening. In fact, he was sharing his own experience. This insane demon was an unprecedented psychopath.
"..."
Kang Chul-In did not reply to Saturnus. Words were useless. Instead, fists were the better means of communication.
Tap tap! He began to walk towards Saturnus. At the same time, he placed the Sonic Ring on his finger.
[Obtained the Sonic Ring!]
There was a notification.
[Epic] Sonic Ring
Equipment type: Accessory (Ring)
Durability: 100/100
Option 1: HP +500
Option 2: Mana +500
Option 3: Attack power +200
Option 4: Muscle strength +500
Option 5: Agility +1000
* Cool time: 240 hours
The options were fantastic, as expected from a member of the Trinity Impact.
Light.
Kang Chul-In could feel his body become lighter. This seemed to be the reason behind Brynhildr's – no, Han Ye-Sun's – lightspeed sword.
That aside,
[Trinity Impact, complete!]
A notification that he had collected all three items also popped up.
[Set item effect]
Trinity Impact: For one attack, increase in physical * magical attack power +1000% / critical hit rate +50% / Accuracy +50%
* Cool time: 8,760 hours
Kang Chul-In finally obtained it... the absolute power, enough to even kill a god!
However,
Not now.
Kang Chul-In could not use the Trinity Force unfortunately.
It complicates things if I use it here.
He had to refrain from using his new-found ability. Kang Chul-In was currently planning for the second coming of the Agnagas, and the Trinity
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Force was one of his trump cards. For that matter, Saturnus was an 'unexpected variable', which wasn't in his original plan.
In that case...
Clench! Kang Chul-In gripped Mitra and Kaiforce tightly.
"Let me tear open that mouth of yours."
Immediately, Kang Chul-In charged at Saturnus.
***
The north of Pangea, in a large underground hall in Shatyameba...
"With this, I..."
Lee Ji-Tae – no, Cereb the great mind of Agnaga – mumbled to himself. Cereb looked absolutely hideous and bizarre. He had a huge brain. More massive than an advertising balloon, it dangled from an underground structure. Tens of thousands of wires linked the brain to communication devices.
"...Can form the army...!"
Cereb, who had become one with this underground structure known as the 'Agnaga Sanctuary', awakened his true abilities.
Pzzt, pzzzzt!
Sparks began to fly from the wires connected to his enormous brain, and the communication devices began to broadcast on an unknown frequency.
Cereb infused his sinister ideology into the frequency.
Shockingly, Cereb was infecting the Shatyameba inhabitants with the Agnaga virus through a special frequency only known to the Agnaga. Even the most advanced technology on Earth couldn't do that.
"Urgh, urghhh...!"
"A-Arghhhh...!"
"M-My body... keuk... urgh..."
"Kek, kekeke...!"
The Shatyameba inhabitants were helplessly infected by the virus. They then began to evolve due to genetic mutation. Long ago, something similar happened in Nosferatu.
Cereb did not stop there. Not only did he connect to the infected victims,
But he also gained access to their brains, which allowed him to see, hear and feel all kinds of data in real time. There was only one reason for this. Cereb planned to control all the Agnaga soldiers simultaneously. Through this, Cereb could unite the whole of Agnaga under a single influence, a hive mind. That was why he was called the great mind and commander of Agnaga. With a brain that can process information like a supercomputer, Cereb could command his army using 'perfect strategies' and 'perfect battle tactics,' making it invincible.
From this moment onwards, the infected Shatyameba inhabitants would relentlessly attack the Valhalla Kingdom.
Kang Chul-In...!
He recalled his nemesis.
I'm taking my revenge now... just wait. The Agnaga army shall trample on your land!
The second coming of Agnaga coupled with his revenge for Alex Rothschild were about to commence.
***
Kang Chul-In decided to go all out.
[Activate Overpower!] [Activate Amplify!] [Activate Hyper-speed!]
Not only did he activate all three items in the Trinity Impact set,
Pzzzzzt, pzzzzzzzzt! But he also immediately entered the fourth phase of Overdrive.
[Amplify Brain Power!]
Moreover, he activated the Oraclomind to enhance his sensory abilities to the maximum.
Too many conditions... what a pity.
Kang Chul-In smacked his lips.
[Full Moon], [Spellthirst] and [Violent Storms].
It would be great if he could use all the buffs he possessed in his arsenal. However, none of the buffs could be activated due to their conditions. Although, that wasn't to say that the situation was dire.
Clang, clang! Kang Chul-In could now fight on-par with the ancient tyrant.
Kaiforce shapeshifted into a metal chain and wrapped around Saturnus' neck.
"Keuk...!"
"Let me rip it apart."
With that,
Grip! Kang Chul-In strongly pulled Kaiforce towards his body to rip Saturnus' neck apart.
"...!"
Saturnus flinched from the pain of the saw tooth digging into his skin.
"Keuk... bastard! Getting better, aren't you?"
"Shut up and die!"
Kang Chul-In gripped Kaiforce even tighter.
Rip, rip!
With the sound of skin tearing, blood began to drip down from Saturnus' neck.
What the fuck...! Kang Chul-In was appalled. So little damage?
Anyone else would have had his head sliced off immediately. This demon, however, only had a small cut on his neck. How durable was his body?
Let's see if you can handle this.
Kang Chul-In began to make his move.
Flash! He charged at Saturnus with incredible speed and positioned himself at his blind spot.
Just when Saturnus was caught off guard,
Flick, psshhh!
Kaiforce, now a gimlet, landed below Saturnus' ribs, and a vortex followed.
Whooooshhh! The whirlwind that could rip even metal apart began to form around Saturnus' body.
More!
Kang Chul-In refused to stop. He couldn't. Desdemona the Ancient Black Dragon could withstand this attack too.
Saturnus wouldn't suffer heavily from this attack, so Kang Chul-In needed an additional attack to land a critical blow.
"Keuk...!" Suddenly, Saturnus laughed. "You dare? Keuk...!"
He moved at a speed comparable to Kang Chul-In and 'perfectly' dodged the additional attack.
Bangggg! He then flung a horrifying punch at Kang Chul-In's face.
I can't survive this!
Kang Chul-In instinctively knew that he would die instantly if he got hit. That punch had devastating power, enough to demolish a skyscraper in one shot...
I guess there's only one way...
He decided to whip out his trump card, and that wasn't the Trinity Impact. It was the ability that made him the strongest and worst Overlord in his previous life. He had to use it, now!
Before the effects of the three items of the Trinity Impact ended!
Pzzzt, pzzzzzzzzzzzt! An incredible amount of electricity was discharged from Kang Chul-In's body.
Outrage Drive, the 5th and final phase of Overdrive...
The strongest, most extreme secret move was about to make its appearance!
Chapter 335: Project King Slayer
[Warning, warning!]
The augmented reality programme in the Ectoplasm Oversuit warned Kang Chul-In, as he activated the Outrage Drive.
[Power, 500% increase!]
As expected from the final phase of Overdrive, Outrage Drive displayed a magnificent increase in power.
[Stamina decreasing by 500 units/second!]
[59 seconds remaining for Outrage Drive!]
However, there was a substantial penalty that followed its use.
1 minute.
Kang Chul-In pondered hard about that short duration. He had to subjugate Saturnus and send him back to hell. Otherwise, he would be the one to rest in his grave!
Ssssss...! Kaiforce began to emit black and evil energy.
Simultaneously, Saturnus threw a heavy punch at Kang Chul-In.
"Get lost..." Kang Chul-In mumbled. "To hell!"
He then parried Saturnus' fist with Kaiforce.
Clang...! An ear-piercing screech echoed as Kaiforce and Saturnus' fist collided.
"...!"
Saturnus was appalled.
"What, surprised?"
"...!"
"This is nothing much, huh?"
Kang Chul-In, who had been pushed back so far, could now fight on equal terms with Saturnus.
"Bite hard, Saturnus."
"...!"
"Let me break all of them."
Kang Chul-In was obviously referring to his opponent's teeth.
"Bastard...!" Saturnus hissed.
Crack! At that instant, Kang Chul-In headbutted Saturnus on his nose because their faces were in close proximity.
"Keuk...!"
Saturnus' nose bled, and his head was flung backwards. Meanwhile, Kang Chul-In grasped onto both Kaiforce and Mitra and followed up with his Hyper-speed sword skills.
Swish!
He began to slash at Saturnus without mercy.
Pssssshhh! Red blood spurted out.
It's happening!
Kang Chul-In grinned. Outrage Drive was really incredible. Despite seemingly impossible to cut previously, Saturnus' body was now covered in injuries and was spurting out blood.
"Die!"
Kang Chul-In stabbed Kaiforce into Saturnus' abdomen. He believed that even Saturnus couldn't survive the Demon Sword in his belly.
However,
Clang! Kang Chul-In was astonished.
"This crazy bastard...!"
Saturnus had bitten Kaiforce to nullify its attack.
"Kehuehue...!"
He laughed creepily with Kaiforce in his mouth. It was a truly shuddering laugh. Shockingly, he could laugh despite having a few of his teeth broken and his mouth full of blood. Kang Chul-In immediately let go of Mitra and held Kaiforce with both hands. He wanted to add more force onto Kaiforce.
"Bastard...!"
"Kehehe...!"
"Die!"
"Heh...!"
At that moment,
Crack! Saturnus grabbed Kang Chul-In by his upper body with both hands.
"...!"
It was Kang Chul-In's crisis now. Saturnus' incredible grip pressured Kang Chul-In's upper body. He was doing a 'bearhug,' attempting to crush Kang Chul-In!
"Urgh...!" Kang Chul-In moaned in agony. "You crazy... fucker..."
"Kehehe...!"
It was a close match. Kang Chul-In wanted to stab Saturnus and Saturnus wanted to crush Kang Chul-In.
The battle of two spears! One was sharp, and the other was blunt, but they were the same. Both of them neglected defense and focused all their strength to destroy the opponent!
[40 seconds remaining for Outrage Drive!]
However, Kang Chul-In was at a disadvantage.
Damn it...!
He couldn't overwhelm Saturnus even with a 500% power-up. If Saturnus had gone all-out since the start, Kang Chul-In would have been murdered before he could even activate Outrage Drive... he was indeed the ancient emperor who had cast fear onto the whole continent.
"Heh...!"
Suddenly, Saturnus' punch landed on Kang Chul-In's flank.
Crack! Kang Chul-In almost screamed from the sharp pain that followed.
My breathing...!
He didn't feel good. His breath became shallow. One of the crushed ribs must have punctured the lungs. However, Saturnus refused to stop his punches. Although they didn't carry the full power, they were still as powerful as a tank.
"Keuk...!"
Finally, Kang Chul-In couldn't hold back his moan.
And that one punch!
Banggggg! Saturnus' fist struck Kang Chul-In's solar plexus hard.
"Urgh...!"
Kang Chul-In coughed out blood and was pushed back together with Kaiforce.
"Heh... son...!" Saturnus grinned. "Not bad, huh?"
"Keuk...!"
"But... I don't think you can entertain me for long, can you? How long more? One minute? No, 30 seconds?"
"...!"
"Kek, kekeke... alright, let's play to our hearts' content. You will be an empty shell after a while... I waited a thousand years for this revenge; I can wait for another
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one minute, no problem."
Saturnus had sharp eyes. He could discern Kang Chul-In's status in one look and even had room to relax. Kang Chul-In had never faced an opponent like this in his entire lifetime. Saturnus was his true nemesis and predator. Even without a single artifact or magical ability, he could display such incredible strength.
Should I use it? Kang Chul-In pondered.
[25 seconds remaining for Outrage Drive!]
He was running out of time. After 25 seconds, he would be rendered unable to fight due to the aftermath of the Outrage Drive. Kang Chul-In had to defeat Saturnus within this short duration to fulfill his ambition and uphold the Emperor of Blood and Iron's legacy. If only the Ectoplasm Oversuit was fully synchronized... he could have easily killed Saturnus. What a shame.
Clench! Kang Chul-In gritted his teeth.
"Hu..."
"Why, son? Are you furious at your incompetence?"
"No way."
"Kek... acting tough, are we? Your limits have already been revealed..."
"Any last words?"
"...?"
"I will let you talk some more bullshit before you die."
Suddenly, Saturnus began to feel uneasy from observing Kang Chul-In's face— his eyes, sealed lips, and tranquil expression. His composure proved that Kang Chul-In wasn't exaggerating.
It's all or nothing.
Kang Chul-In decided to use the Trinity Impact. He couldn't defeat Saturnus with Outrage Drive alone. Therefore, he had to make use of his trump card.
"You only live once." That was Kang Chul-In's motto. It was game over if he died. Why prepare for tomorrow then? His utmost priority was to eliminate the 'variable' in front of him.
"Trinity Force... Acti..."
Kang Chul-In was about to activate his trump card when suddenly,
Thump! A blue silhouette fell from the sky.
It was Lucia, his soul mate and aide.
***
While Kang Chul-In and Saturnus were battling it out at the Khartoum river, Milenius had assumed control over the command center.
"Kwak Jun."
"Yes, Your Majesty Andrei..."
"Prepare it."
"Y-You mean 'that' thing?"
Kwak Jun was shocked. Milenius was referring to the Gullveig Alliance's arrangement to hunt Kang Chul-In down, with Brynhildr as the bait.
"Now's the golden opportunity to eliminate Kang Chul-In. We have to use it now."
"Yes..."
"Execute it right away."
"Will do."
Kwak Jun followed Milenius' command without resistance. He didn't have a choice. Otherwise, he would die.
Heh... Emperor of Blood and Iron... and Emperor of Lunacy and Night... an opportunity to kill the father and son...
After handing out the command, Milenius grinned.
Saturnus... how dare you treat your creator like a slave? Me, a member of the mighty Agnaga?
That was right. Milenius had never genuinely served Saturnus. In fact, he had been forced to obey him.
"All men!" Kwak Jun ordered. "Deploy project 'King Slayer'!"
King Slayer. It was the Gullveig Alliance's joker card to hunt Kang Chul-In down.
***
"Back off, Lucia!" Kang Chul-In shouted. He was about to activate the Trinity Impact but couldn't do so with Lucia around.
However...
Lucia faced Saturnus, while Kang Chul-In stood behind her back.
This is...!
Kang Chul-In immediately realized the state Lucia was in.
Emilia...!
It was obvious. The Emperor of Blood and Iron didn't have a clear memory of Lucia, so only Emilia the Dragon Lord could do such a thing. In other words, she had programmed Lucia to protect Kang Chul-In.
"Oh?" Saturnus grinned. "Cyborg... made by a dragon? Kek... as expected from my son... quite a casanova... to have a knight in shining armor."
Saturnus didn't bat an eyelid upon Lucia's appearance. There was no way he would. Lucia might have awakened, but she was still substantially weaker than Saturnus. She could only buy time for Kang Chul-In to evacuate to safety...
Brrrr...! Kang Chul-In was genuinely furious.
"I can't let this happen..."
Lucia was very special to him. A sovereign and his aide shared a bond tighter than anything else. In addition, Lucia was a loyal subject who had accompanied him ever since the Great Summoning. How could he use her as his shield, in front of Saturnus? He could never do that. Kang Chul-In was too prideful of a man to sacrifice Lucia just for his ambition. He was the Supreme King of the West. He could never appreciate such a circumstance.
"Lucia!" Kang Chul-In bellowed. "Leave, now!"
"Didn't I tell you? Leave."
However, all Lucia did was reiterate her given task with a robotic voice. She didn't respond to Kang Chul-In at all.
[10 seconds remaining for Outrage Drive!]
At that moment, a notification appeared in front of Kang Chul-In.
[Warning, warning! Outrage Drive is ending soon! 9s... 8s... 7s...]
It was a crisis. At this rate, Kang Chul-In would collapse due to the aftermath of the Outrage Drive.
"God damn it!"
Kang Chul-In dashed.
He then grabbed Lucia by her neck and threw her back.
Oooooongg...! Subsequently, he garnered every last bit of his strength.
One blow to finish him off.
His next task was to activate the Trinity Impact.
Now was the time, before the effect of the Outrage Drive ended!
"Come at me, son!"
Saturnus opened both of his arms at Kang Chul-In. The tyrant who turned Pangea into a bloodbath 1000 years ago was confident.
"Die, you fucker...!"
Kang Chul-In was about to activate the Trinity Impact, when...
Bangggggg! A tremendous sound echoed in the air.
Bang, bang, bangggggg...!
The Gullveig Alliance naval fleet began to explode.
"...!"
It caught everyone off-guard. It was a serial explosion, at that.
"T-That is...!" Han Ye-Sun was appalled. "Oppa, we have to escape!"
In the sky above Khartoum River, a Gullveig Alliance aircraft was about to drop 'something big.'
"...!"
Kang Chul-In was shocked as well.
What kind of bomb is that...!
It was obviously a bomb, but it was absolutely enormous. Almost as big as a small castle... its potential destructive power seemed to match that of an atomic bomb.
At that instant, Milenius' voice could be heard from the aircraft, and immediately, the gigantic bomb fell straight from the sky. Milenius planned to kill Kang Chul-In, Saturnus, and Brynhildr with this single attack!
"Oppa...!"
Han Ye-Sun rushed towards Kang Chul-In. The bomb of the century landed on the battleship where the three of them stood.
Banggggggggggggg!
A massive explosion engulfed all of them.