Ch.116116. Second Round Begins, Red Dragon Takes a Blow to the Back of the Head

“Kang Yerin.”

Ugh.

That’s the third time already.

Why are you calling me by that name?

I am Sulphur.

The last hero remaining in this world and the one who will kill Gerogius.

Don’t do that.

I hate hearing it.

When that low-pitched voice resonating from your skull calls out those three syllables, I feel like my head might break.

It makes me want to abandon everything—my promises, my goals—and just throw myself into your broad chest.

So stop it.

Don’t test me.

I can’t give up.

I have reasons why I can’t give up.

“Tsk tsk. You’ve lost your mind, Gerogius. Shut your trap and hand over my Switch. I need to transform before I can decide whether to fight or not.”

Give it back.

Milky Way, give it back.

The one I received from you, the only thing I have left.

My last… precious possession.

When I can’t see you, I need that Switch to remember you.

So please give it back, please.

I’m begging you.

I acted well, didn’t I?

It didn’t show at all.

“I’ll ask you one last time.”

Last time?

Ask what?

“Are you Kang Yerin or Sulphur?”

……

What would happen?

If I answered right now that I am Kang Yerin.

I wonder.

Would Gerogius kill me?

Does he still hate me?

Would he think I’m dangerous?

Or…

Would he forgive me?

Would he let me stay by his side?

Like before.

Could I call him…

Ui-seok again?

Ah.

At times like this, I really miss the Yellow Dragon.

Because then I’d know if my choice was wrong.

I…

……

……….

I’m afraid.

I’m afraid of his reaction if I acknowledge who I am.

What a coward.

Being a hero isn’t for just anyone.

He never hesitated when revealing Red Dragon’s survival or Gerogius’s true identity.

But I’m so afraid of what comes next.

So terribly afraid.

I simply can’t say a word.

Ah.

I’ve come this far.

Gerogius needs Sulphur, recognizes me as a hero, and acknowledges me as his arch-enemy.

I’m afraid of losing that relationship.

I am.

***

“Are you Kang Yerin or Sulphur?”

I asked that while holding out Milky Way’s Switch to Kang Yerin.

Snap!

She didn’t hesitate long before snatching the Switch. She attached it to the transformation device on her left arm and transformed immediately.

[MILKY WAY!]

[Now Break the SE7EN’S SEALS!]

A hero in a pure white suit appeared.

“I’m in a foul mood, so stop looking at me with those horny eyes, you bastard. I may look like this, but I’m a man. The stench is driving me crazy, damn you.”

Sulphur moved toward the inner passage.

“Sulphur.”

“What?”

“Get four hours of sleep.”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

He replied curtly and disappeared into the darkness.

***

“Huff, huff.”

Red Dragon, Jung Ui-seok, was breathing heavily.

He was being treated for his injuries in a base tent set up in front of the barrier in Calcutta where the second round would begin.

“Oppa, just bear with it a little longer.”

Choi Minseo wrapped the green dragon around Ui-seok’s arm and continued the treatment for quite some time, but there was no sign of improvement.

“A little longer? How much longer? Why can’t you put out one simple spark?!”

“Minseo is doing her best. Don’t be so irritable.”

Shin Yukyong interjected. Ui-seok clicked his tongue.

The flame that had attached to his right arm when Gerogius struck him simply wouldn’t extinguish. The most they could do was prevent it from spreading throughout his body.

“First that army skill, now this flame—what the hell is that guy’s true identity?”

Looking at the battle results, the villains had managed to get the Symbol. His sacrifice of his right arm had become a meaningless act of recklessness.

Everything had been going wrong since they struggled against the Artificial Monsters. Ui-seok felt his irritation rising.

There’s no way anyone could be better at this game than me.

When he first possessed this world, he had been immersed in his sense of justice.

But after using a bug once and seeing the problems grow beyond repair, he unconsciously thought:

This is ultimately a world inside a game.

Without a chance to correct that mistaken perception, without learning how to love the world or people, without developing a proper sense of justice or value for peace, he had lived only enjoying being revered by the world.

The only thing he could teach the Dragon King Sentai as their master was combat techniques.

Rather, he had been influenced by their values.

Accumulating wealth with Ji Se-hwa, building power with Shin Yukyong, and pursuing pleasure with Choi Minseo.

During the Civil War, when the world worshipped and praised him, he came to see this as a utopia created just for him.

From then on, he had no limits. While he didn’t commit meaningless evil acts, he didn’t refuse indulgence either.

He began to rationalize that committing the sins required by the Apocalypse was actually for the good of the world.

Still, there were no problems. The Apocalypse remained strong, and he and the Dragon King Sentai were the strongest heroes.

The invisible holes began to accumulate and burst three months ago, when they entered the final battle with the Artificial Monsters.

But in the end, he killed them all.

He killed the leader of the Artificial Monsters and the mastermind, E.lena.

He was actually relieved that the final scenario was the Incursion.

Because he believed without doubt that he was the strongest.

But what the hell was this situation?

In the first battle, they had lost more than sixty T10-level heroes.

Of the twenty-four Dragon King Sentai members, only nine remained.

Gerogius.

Just thinking of that name filled Ui-seok with rage.

“The mechs and weapons are all set up. Ui-seok, how are you feeling?”

Kang Yerin asked as she entered the tent.

“Can’t you see? It’s annoying, so go outside and organize the heroes.”

“I have important information. About the other world.”

“What is it?”

“I heard during yesterday’s battle that you and us existed in their world too. Apparently, we were all killed by Gerogius.”

“What? Why are you only telling me this important information now?!”

Ui-seok lashed out at Kang Yerin. She sighed and replied:

“I tried to tell you, but you delegated all the second round preparations to me. Besides, I’m the only one who knows the details about the weapons and mechs.”

In reality, Kang Yerin had been managing everything for the Dragon King Sentai, so her workload was always excessive. Ji Se-hwa, Shin Yukyong, and Choi Minseo were always busy staying by Ui-seok’s side.

“Damn it. So Gerogius isn’t a possessed player? The premise was wrong from the start. That means he’s not using a bug—he is the bug itself. He might be a hidden GM account. If he’s killed me before, he knows my weaknesses better than anyone. Damn it.”

Ui-seok grew anxious. Ji Se-hwa clung to his arm.

“Don’t worry too much, oppa. Whatever he is, if we cut him, he’ll bleed, right?”

“I wish I could be as stupid as you.”

“That’s why my tongue work is the best, isn’t it?”

“Unnie, again!”

Choi Minseo snapped at Ji Se-hwa. Kang Yerin frowned at them.

“Anyway, we must win the second round. There are five special barriers within the battle zone, right?”

Ui-seok answered Shin Yukyong’s question.

“Yes. They can only be broken through with specific systems, and you have to maintain your abilities. We’ll also encounter villains in the same locations and have to fight them. We need to break through all of them to get the Symbol.”

“We’ll win. I refuse to experience such a tragedy again.”

Shin Yukyong expressed her determination as she tucked her dagger into her waist.

“Why are you suddenly so serious?”

“What do you mean? I’m always serious. I’m a hero, so I must protect the citizens.”

“Even if we win this time, we won’t get stronger.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve already reached my limit. But you, Jung Ui-seok, haven’t. I thought you would win the first round easily like usual, but I was quite disappointed.”

“You’re as honest as ever.”

“Isn’t that Yukyong unnie’s charm?”

Choi Minseo laughed lightly.

“We can use the Joker this time too. Their Ursula will betray them today.”

“Are you sure? What method did you use?”

“Hehe, it’s a secret.”

Choi Minseo grinned.

The Dragon King Sentai finished their preparations and left the tent.

Thirty minutes until the start of the second round.

Considering the distribution of abilities, the participating members consisted of the five aces of the Dragon King Sentai, three others with non-overlapping systems, and four crew heroes.

Around them, the hero army and association staff controlled the situation.

During battle, no one could enter from outside the barrier, but they could see inside. They took precautions to prevent the battle content from being exposed to the media.

“Let’s deploy the mechs too.”

Since this was a battle of technology, the partner mechs, the crystallization of scientific technology, would surely be helpful.

The five Dragon King Sentai members boarded their mechs.

However, since Gold Absolute had died yesterday, Black Shield, Park Hayoung, substituted as the pilot for the empty mech.

She was an original debut member but had been pushed back to 8th rank due to skill differences. With Absolute and Exile gone, she was now sixth again.

The Dragon King Sentai and heroes waited for the barrier to open.

Finally, as the countdown finished and 10 seconds remained.

BOOM!!

Purple poison gas explosively erupted from their rear base.

“What the?!”

“What’s happening?!”

Ui-seok checked the situation through external cameras. Heroes and association staff were collapsing and dying from the poison.

“Damn it! What’s going on suddenly?!”

“There’s no time. Focus on entering first.”

Everyone was in chaos with 3 seconds remaining.

—WHOOSH!!

A pure white wall appeared before their eyes.

Perceiving it as an attack, Ui-seok immediately fired missiles from his mech and sprayed with the Gatling gun, but it was as if space had been separated—not a single shot reached the barrier.

“Damn it! Who the hell is it?!”

BANG!

Ui-seok slammed the control panel.

Simultaneously, the countdown changed to 0.

WHOOSH!

The barrier opened, and the second round began.

And beyond the pure white wall, like the Milky Way, a figure soared into the air and gave him a light salute.

As if mocking him.

Ui-seok scraped his vocal cords extensively.

“GEROGIUS!!!”

As he entered the barrier, the Milky Way wall disappeared, and Ui-seok immediately fired his jet engines roughly, chasing after him into the battlefield.