Part 1 Chapter 9-31

The battle ended very smoothly. Lee Seung-hyung ran wild, the three S-ranks supported him from behind, and various A-rank ability users hunted the Black Scorpions that landed on the riverbank.

There were no accidents, as I had worried. I anxiously hoped that nothing would happen, and fortunately, nothing major did.

Things like Cheonja unleashing his Phantom Flame to personally beat down the Black Scorpions and encourage the heroes, or Lee Seung-hyung standing back-to-back with Cheonja and jointly unleashing flames to incinerate the Black Scorpions, were extremely minor occurrences.

Unsa Park Raon. Although he sustained minor injuries, he devoured dozens of Black Scorpions and, by combining forces with Wusa and Pungbaek, succeeded in catching no less than five S-rank Black Scorpions.

Praetor Baek Heea. Even as he was suddenly thrust into the front lines, he quickly reorganized the heroes and established a formation, safely dealing with the Black Scorpions.

Seolhwaryeong Seok Harang. From atop a wall of ice, she overlooked the entire battlefield, firing ice spears whenever heroes faced danger, ensuring no hero suffered serious injuries.

For me, other heroes getting injured wasn’t a particularly important concern. I watched the Black Scorpion hordes covering Qinghai Lake all drown in the lake via video, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“I worried for nothing.”

Surprisingly, there were no accidents. I had to watch the repeated videos of their exploits over and over again while eating a late-night snack with Deokbae and Gaeul.

Heroes who would become monstrous humans.

Just those who would become Villains.

There were familiar faces, and also those who weren’t visible yet.

However, I couldn’t directly interfere with them yet, and I had to be content with primarily recording only those who stood out.

June 15th, 4:44 AM.

With the completion of Core settlements for each country, verified by comparing the direct observations of 10,000 Chinese heroes with Watch data, the battle at Qinghai Lake came to an end.

* * *

June 15th, 8 AM, Association VIP Room.

“So, Eun Yuha-yang. How much did you earn?”

[Huhu, don’t be surprised. A whopping 21 S-rank Cores! 107 A-rank! And below that, there are too many to even mention.]

Eun Yuha, on the other side of the screen, was leisurely sipping her morning coffee. She seemed quite pleased with the massive amount of Cores the Korean heroes had earned.

[If everyone brings those into Korea, I’ll buy them all. Then some will be used for research, and the rest will be processed and sold… My heart really sank when I was assigned to such a strange location.]

“That’s fortunate. The Black Scorpions attacked the Korean heroes’ position first.”

[Indeed. How did they just happen to take up positions in such a location by chance? Who would have expected the Black Scorpions to go there?]

“Right.”

Eun Yuha looked at me with meaningful eyes, but I pretended not to notice and turned my head. I had no intention of putting Eun Yuha in my debt.

“So, what’s the public reaction?”

[There are two main reactions. One is ‘the rich get richer’. The Black Scorpions happened to rush towards the defensive line our heroes set up, didn’t they? They were assigned to the worst possible spot due to pressure from various countries, but it turned out to be the best location, which is truly astounding.]

“So, they at least saved face by getting some Cores.”

The Cores obtained by Korean ability users couldn’t be said to be many. Officially, over five hundred S-rank Cores were tallied, but the heroes, including the Praetor, only managed to obtain twenty.

“There were more people than Black Scorpions to begin with, so it couldn’t be helped. That’s a sufficient success. Coming back without injuries is the best.”

[Aren’t you disappointed? It seems things didn’t go as you expected, customer-nim.]

“What expectation?”

[To be honest, I thought you, customer-nim, would kill them all yourself, collect the Cores, and sell them to me?]

Eun Yuha expressed her disappointment. Even though she had preached the justification for many ability users to participate in the Black Scorpion subjugation, she still seemed to regret the Cores she hadn’t obtained, licking her lips.

“But you got the Cube, didn’t you?”

[……Ha. About that.]

[Commander-nim! Can’t I research that? I’m curious! Huh?!]

Beside Eun Yuha, a black-haired beautiful girl with sparkling red eyes was present. She had deep dark circles under her eyes, as if she had been researching all night.

Himeji Hikari. The heroine of the research world, she was showing immense interest in the Cube.

“I don’t think I mentioned the Cube to Hikari, did I?”

[I told her. …I never imagined she’d show this much obsession, though.]

[Commander-nim, and also, you know, who was it? Shaolin? I’m curious about the weapons she uses too! Are the weapons transparent, or do they cause diffuse reflection like yours, Commander-nim?! What’s the principle? I’m curious, so please tell me! Right now! Riiight nooow!!]

I lowered the screen. Hikari would probably badger Eun Yuha and want to talk to me, but talking to Hikari was something for after I returned to Korea.

“Leaving a message….”

I left a message saying I’d contact her later and that Hikari should be subdued on her own. I tidied my clothes and examined my face in the mirror from various angles.

“Cheon Gaeul really does makeup well.”

I gently stroked the Core in my inner pocket with my hand and stepped out of the room. Outside, two SS-rank heroes, Seok Harang and Shaolin, were waiting.

“So, you couldn’t even stay three days, let alone three weeks, and you’re leaving?”

“Indeed.”

I gestured with my eyes towards the Association staff member approaching from behind. Seok Harang raised her hand, indicating she understood.

“Yes, yes. It’s an official setting, so I’ll be polite. I can even use honorifics if you wish. So, Beast Tamer-nim, are you really going back home?”

“Of course.”

My schedule of leisurely wandering around quickly came to an end. A locust sleeping in Hulao Pass was annoying, but it wouldn’t go anywhere else if left alone, so there was no problem.

“So, let’s take care of that later when we have time, and for now, let’s return to Korea.”

“Cheonghwa-yang!!”

A young man’s voice echoed from afar. The young man, panting and running from the end of the corridor, was Cheonja, the Premier, who had earned the epithet Phantom Flame.

“Haa, haa.”

Cheonja, dressed in a red-themed suit, had his hair dyed gray due to the influence of his ability.

“Why are you leaving already? Won’t you stay at least for a day before you go!”

“All the S-rank monsters have been dealt with. I appreciate Cheonja-nim’s kindness, but I must politely decline.”

“Won’t you still have travel fatigue? It would be best to rest for a few days before returning-“

“Cheonja-nim.”

I even slightly released my mana, barely managing to curl the corners of my lips. Cheonja gulped and took a step back.

“If S-rank monsters like those from this incident ever run wild again, please send a formal dispatch request through the Korean Association. If there are any monsters remaining in this land, I would stay and deal with them before leaving, but there are still many S-rank monsters unexterminated throughout the world.”

“Th-that’s…!”

At my logical refusal, Cheonja frowned. My lips twisted involuntarily at his scowling face, and perhaps flustered that things weren’t going his way, his mana became quite erratic and his face flushed.

“Ch-Cheonghwa-yang!”

Thump.

Cheonja grabbed my hand with both of his.

Should I really cut it off?

“W-what if monsters run wild again? Would it be alright to invite you once more then?!”

“……Yes. If such a thing happens.”

I stared intently at Mao Zeping, who had followed behind Cheonja.

“Huhu.”

The Phantom Dragon, still residing within Mao Zeping, dismissed my gaze with a meaningful laugh. The handsome young man who accompanied him as if assisting, Baek Cheongyeong, slightly bowed his head, dressed in the attire of a Dongchang Director.

“I will search in every direction to see if there are any monsters.”

“……Ugh.”

Yu Hwang-suk, who was standing opposite the Phantom Dragon, looked at the Phantom Dragon and Baek Cheongyeong’s attitude with suspicious eyes. Since the incident of my airship being shot down suddenly changed their course to follow Cheonja, it would take a considerable amount of time to gain the trust of such a suspicious person.

[Just let a monster appear. Handle it well so it doesn’t cross my line.]

[It’s annoying… Just fly over and catch it yourself. That would work, wouldn’t it?]

The Phantom Dragon squinted its eyes as if throwing a tantrum. Seeing such an act on Mao Zeping’s face made me instantly nauseous. Shaolin, who was next to me, didn’t seem to be much different.

“It’s a shame… I had prepared a festival for the occasion.”

“My body may leave, but my heart will remain to enjoy it. I apologize.”

“Ugh.”

The country that earned the most Cores through the Black Scorpion party was undoubtedly China. Since the monsters originated from Chinese territory, the Black Scorpion subjugation was a battle over how many Cores could be ‘taken’ from China’s share.

And among them, Korea undoubtedly took first place, and there was no opposing public opinion regarding the exploits of Fire Fist and Seolhwaryeong.

It was truly a triumphant return.

I even received the Core of the Branch Dragon through some kind of deal with Baek Cheongyeong. Thanks to that, I successfully attributed the Cores of the Branch Dragon and two Water Keepers entirely to Cheonghwa’s achievements.

“Hmm….”

Baek Cheongyeong’s beaming smile sent shivers down my spine.

[Phantom Dragon.]

[Why?]

[Tell Baek Cheongyeong later. That… he’s too pitiful, so tell him to go easy.]

[…Understood. I’ll take care of that.]

Could the Phantom Dragon really control Baek Cheongyeong? There was a high probability that the Emperor, whom I had handed over as a check against Baek Cheongyeong’s excessive loyalty, would not act according to my intentions. I suddenly found myself in a situation where I had to trust the Phantom Dragon.

[Then let’s just suffer for five and a half years. We just need to defeat Seongju and the Otherworld God.]

[Understood. ……▣.]

“What?”

I almost grabbed Mao Zeping by the collar. What did the Phantom Dragon just say? I couldn’t hear what it called me.

[As expected. So that’s it. Hmm. That’s how it was.]

The Phantom Dragon genuinely smirked, looking at me meaningfully. I couldn’t understand what on earth it was saying.

[It feels like the target isn’t just Gaeul, but another one has been added…? Huhu.]

“……Since when did you two start looking at each other so passionately?”

Shaolin frowned, interrupting my conversation with the Phantom Dragon. I wanted to talk more with the Phantom Dragon, but it cleared its throat and avoided my gaze.

“Then, Cheonja-nim. May I excuse myself for a moment to resolve the problem of the monsters that will run wild, stimulated by the vicinity of Qinghai?”

“Y-yes, please do. Ah. Then for the send-off-“

“Perhaps the Premier should do it himself? Huhu.”

The Phantom Dragon even performed a cupped fist salute and stepped back. The Phantom Dragon, who had made the leech-like Cheonja stick to me until the very end, turned around without a word and left.

“Then, let’s go. I will guide you.”

Cheonja guided me with sluggish steps. Feeling frustrated, I strode down the corridor. Past the conference hall, in the empty lot where the Black Flame Dragon had been resurrected, a familiar airship was waiting for me.

Thump. Thump.

In front of the Korean heroes lined up in a five-person column, a black-haired, short-haired girl wearing a white beret saluted us.

“Beast Tamer Cheonghwa, Seolhwaryeong Seok Harang, Unjang Shaolin. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Baek Heea, captain of the Baeknaro ship, which will escort you to Korea.”

“……Nice to meet you.”

I bowed my head to Baek Heea, then boarded the airship without looking back.

“Huh, huh?”

“Um, you can’t just board suddenly-“

“I’m tired. I want to go back to Korea quickly.”

I grabbed Lee Seung-hyung’s waist, who was trying to block my way, and pushed him against the wall. I heard murmuring from behind, but I paid no attention and entered the room assigned to me.

“Hey, hey!”

Seok Harang hurriedly ran and followed behind me. She seemed flustered by my reckless behavior of ignoring Cheonja and giving a half-hearted greeting.

“What are you doing?! What if people say you have no manners?!”

“I want to go back to Seoul quickly. I decline bothersome ceremonies.”

“Ugh, seriously. I agree. Eheehee.”

Seok Harang closed the door and sat on a chair. I flopped onto the bed, and Shaolin, finding the door blocked, turned into an ethereal form and passed through the wall to enter.

“Why did you close the door?”

“You managed to come in just fine on your own.”

“…….”

“…….”

‘I don’t know anymore.’

No matter what anyone does or where, I should just mind my own business. I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. But I couldn’t even catch a wink.

[What were you two talking about earlier?]

[I’ll explain on the way.]

Seok Harang, who was next to me, asked me about the content of the conversation. I said I would explain later, but the content I didn’t understand myself bothered me for a moment.

‘…I’ll have to ask later.’

I re-checked the Cube-which I had obtained from the remains of the God of War-that I had entrusted to Cheon Gaeul and then retrieved and put back in my inner pocket.

‘I need to get back what I was ripped off of. Of course.’

The Azure Flame Phoenix had promised.

To give me something every time I awakened a Spirit. In fact, by releasing Snowy Night’s Rusalka, the Azure Flame Phoenix had lifted the restriction of ‘speech patterns’ on me.

‘I awakened the Phantom Dragon, and I even stole a Cube from the Black Scorpions and used it on it, but it ran off without saying anything.’

The flying date from Xinjiang to Beijing, carrying Azure Flame Phoenix, ended with Azure Flame Phoenix punching me hard in the solar plexus. Of course, I was too direct in revealing my true feelings, but it was also Azure Flame Phoenix who had said it would kill me if I lied.

‘So I need to quickly get one and confront it.’

Even though I held the Cube, Azure Flame Phoenix showed no intention of coming out. So I needed to quickly discuss the Cube’s stake with Eun Yuha and Hikari, or find a new Cube.

“Are you sleeping? It can’t be helped. I’ll handle the aftermath.”

Shaolin passed through the wall again and went outside. Seok Harang took that opportunity to lie down with me on the bed and poked my side.

“Explain it to me. What is it? What is it, what is it? What were you and the Phantom Dragon talking about?”

“I’ll summarize it in one sentence.”

I grabbed Seok Harang’s finger and threw it towards the door.

“It became a whole thing. Got it? I’m sleeping.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Hwaaak?!”

A moment later.

The airship’s Core engine began to emit mana, and the airship started to ascend into the sky. In just three or four hours until arriving in Korea, I was able to sleep deeply for the first time in a long time in ‘my room’ that I used in the original story.

Perhaps it was due to the comfort of the place.

I was truly able to fall into a deep sleep for the first time in a long while.