Ch.12Persuasion

1.

Six hours after leaving the hideout.

“It should be around here.”

Having arrived at the <Verdant Forest> located in the northern part of the island, I moved forward following <Yellow Dragon’s> memories.

The Verdant Forest, true to its name.

Massive trees and various plants grew densely, slowing my pace.

Thanks to <Nahan’s> sturdy physique, it wasn’t as difficult as it looked, but due to the incident at dawn and insufficient sleep, I was gradually becoming exhausted.

“Ah, whatever. I might as well take a break.”

Finally, I found a suitable rock to sit on, then took out my water bottle and drank.

After moistening my throat, I consumed jerky and dried fruits purchased from the island market.

Naturally, I expected my stamina to recover after this brief rest and food intake.

“…Now I’m sleepy after eating.”

Instead, I felt even more tired.

Well, after living peacefully for nearly a month, I’ve been running around like crazy yesterday and today.

I thought I’d just live peacefully for a year and be done with it, but I never expected to be thrown into the middle of an incident.

‘But what can I do?’

If I want to live, I have to move.

Barely shaking off the encroaching fatigue, I got up and started walking again.

‘<Black Wolf’s> memories.’

Unlike the <Original Work> content or <Setting Book> that had been naturally absorbed into my head, these memories seemed to unlock only when directly confronting related <Events>.

In other words,

the only <Black Wolf> memories currently available to me were those related to <Yellow Dragon>.

Even those were mostly basic information like <Yellow Dragon’s> hideout, behavior, and speech patterns.

‘Still, this information should be sufficient for <Acting> as <Yellow Dragon>.’

I might not be able to wield power like <Yellow Dragon>, the strongest of the Ten Greats, right away, but I could at least act the part convincingly.

I had acted as Black Wolf at dawn yesterday to get out of a situation, so if I could also act as Yellow Dragon like I did with Black Wolf?

‘I might be able to complete the designated request.’

As I was walking and about to reopen the designated request given by the Emperor…

【Entering <Yellow Dragon’s Barrier(SS)>!】

I felt a sensation like passing through a thin, soft cloth all over my body.

‘Just as I remembered.’

A space covered with a top-tier barrier to prevent detection by <Black Wolf> faction members.

-So, what are you planning to do now? …No, what are your plans, Leader?

This was where Black Wolf had recruited the fifth member of the <Black Wolf> faction.

Ruins of a broken hut,

Tree stumps with only their bases remaining,

A wide-open sky as a result.

Just as battlefields naturally recover over time after a war, this place had also recovered, but traces of battle remained vividly.

“Did they fight and become friends?”

They’re probably still on good terms, right?

…Ah, whatever.

“Ten Greats or not, if they’re part of <Black Wolf>, they all have <Restrictions> except for Lactea.”

They can’t attack me anyway.

…Probably.

“Enough of that, let’s get moving.”

I had three days left, including today. I needed to quickly understand <Yellow Dragon’s> power, meet the fifth member, and handle the designated request.

“Was this really a fight between humans?”

I cleared away the excessively scattered debris while looking around for <Yellow Dragon’s> mark.

After walking less than ten steps, my gaze fixed on one spot.

“…Found it.”

A massive boulder that someone seemed to have placed on the chaotic plain, and beneath it, where the ceiling was covered, a slightly raised mound.

A greatsword embedded with its scabbard,

Armor neatly arranged beside it,

A crude necklace.

“Looks expensive at a glance.”

I tried to call up the system thinking it might be a high-grade artifact, but it was merely decorated with a golden exterior without any special effects.

Clank, click.

Rattle.

Swallowing my disappointment, I put on all the equipment, and the necklace I wore began to glow.

【Common-grade Artifact – <Reina’s Full-Length Mirror(C-)> activates.】

【”You are my only light, so be a little more proud of yourself.”】

Since the Emperor had made it himself, the inputted name and voice were Reina’s, allowing me to see <Yellow Dragon’s> appearance.

Magnificent armor mixed with gold and platinum colors,

A massive sword that looked sharp at a glance,

An impressive helmet engraved with the Yellow Dragon黃龍.

It was several times better than Black Wolf, who had nothing but a shabby robe and mask, looking like a beggar.

-Brother, can’t you speak more nicely?

“…Right.”

Anyway, it was better than Black Wolf.

“I wonder if it’s heavy?”

Clank.

Since it looked quite heavy given its elaborate appearance, I moved my body slightly, but apart from the slightly obstructed view due to the helmet, it was comfortable to move in.

Afterward, I practiced and adapted to minimal movements like vertical slashes, horizontal slashes, and diagonal slashes with the greatsword.

“Good. Next, skills.”

After contemplating what to check first, I decided to reconfirm <Black Wolf’s> skills.

【Skill List – <Black Wolf>】

-Passive: Black Wolf(Ex)

-Skill 1: Black Curtain黑幕(Ex) (Partially unlocked) (4/6)

-Skill 2: (Access restricted). (Ex) (6/15)

-Ultimate: (Access restricted). (Ex) (10/15)

So far, only the first skill, Black Curtain黑幕, had been unlocked for <Black Wolf>.

【Skill 1. <Black Curtain黑幕(Ex)>.】

◆ Effect

: If an opponent has felt fear toward <You> even for a moment, from that moment on, they will perceive <You> as death itself. The status ailment <Fear(Ex)> toward <You> will linger until the moment of their death.

A skill that inflicts the status ailment <Fear(Ex)> if someone has felt fear toward me even once.

Whether it was Gapelt, an A-rank magician, the thirteen dead knights, or even the Emperor at S+ rank.

The moment they were affected by <Black Curtain>, they immediately cowered—truly an overpowered ability.

Of course, it seemed that high-ranked individuals like Reina could somehow overcome it if they felt emotions stronger than <Fear>, but they couldn’t completely resist it.

‘I’ll learn more as I go.’

If I gather more information about the skill, I can apply it in various ways.

“Oh, right, there was a passive too?”

Belatedly checking the <Black Wolf(Ex)> listed as passive, I called up the effect window.

【Passive. <Black Wolf(Ex)>.】

◆ Effect

: Designate a target to contract with, placing a <Soul Restriction> on them. Accept the restricted target as a member of <Black Wolf>. Your power grows stronger as the number of members increases.

*However, if a member dies, <You> will also die.

◆ Number of members

: Currently… (8/10) people

…This is driving me crazy.

‘So that’s why I got a warning that I would die when Hanryang was in danger?’

Damn it.

I was planning to leave them behind and run away in the worst-case scenario, but it turns out I’ll die if a member dies.

‘…Fine. Let’s just accept it and move on.’

From the moment I realized I was the black curtain, preventing the bad ending became my responsibility.

So whether I live as <Black Wolf>,

Or as <Yellow Dragon>.

Let’s move as safely as possible and clear the <Main Quest>.

“Okay. Done with Black Wolf.”

The rest seemed to unlock after preventing 6 and 10 of the 15 bad endings respectively.

“That’s a shame.”

<Black Wolf> and <Black Wolf> faction as described in the original work seemed to be among the strongest in the world, but right now, all I can do is put on a show.

Still, we’re not even past the prologue yet, so for now,

【Currently Equipped Items.】

-Transcendent – Iaso’s Ring(SS+)

-Mythical – Vulcanus’s Ring(A+)

-Mythical – Sword Ghost’s Necklace(A+)

-Legendary – Robin Hood’s Subspace(A-)

-Common – Reina’s Necklace(C-)

I can cover with equipment power.

I’ll just have to prevent bad endings as quickly as possible to get the next skill.

“Anyway, I’ve checked Black Wolf and the artifacts… Only <Yellow Dragon> left? I hope it has some useful attack skills.”

Muttering with a small wish, I called up <Yellow Dragon黃龍>’s skill list.

【Skill List – <Yellow Dragon黃龍>】

-Passive: Sun’s Blessing(Ex).

-Skill 1: Sun Annihilation日光殲(EX). (New!)

-Skill 2: (Access restricted). (6/15)

-Ultimate: (Access restricted). (10/15)

Like Black Wolf, Yellow Dragon also had only the passive and first skill unlocked.

“Let’s see…”

【Passive. <Sun’s Blessing(Ex)>.】

◆ Effect

: Sparkles brightly. So cool. If someone who holds <Respect> for you faces that sparkling light, they will be afflicted with the status ailment <Adoration>. Sun’s Blessing is the best in the world!

“…So that’s why it was sparkling.”

The more flashy, the more poisonous?

I’m not sure since I haven’t used it directly yet, but it felt like a downgrade of <Black Curtain>.

“Right. It’s just a passive. I didn’t expect much. As long as the main skill is good.”

Pushing aside the passive that felt like a white elephant, I displayed the effect of <Sun Annihilation>.

“Show me, Sun Annihilation. Unlike the passive, you have a cool name.”

【Skill 1. <Sun Annihilation日光殲(EX)>.】

◆ Effect

: FLASH──!

*However, consumes all aura! Exhaustion exhaustion! You’ll collapse!

“…What is this.”

It was a moment when I somewhat understood why Nahan was the leader of the <Black Wolf> faction.

I thought about using it once to check, but the warning about exhaustion was flashing red.

After contemplating for a while,

“…I guess it’s like a flash grenade. Then it’s not completely useless.”

Making a somewhat rational judgment, I sat down on a moss-covered hut fragment.

“Anyway, that completes my inventory check… Oh right. What about <Acting>?”

The blue window that hazily appeared whenever I immersed myself in the character of <Black Wolf>.

I didn’t remember what was written there because I was too focused on acting without time to check.

I tried to display the information for verification like with the skills, but.

【Access Denied.】

: Condition not met.

Only an unfriendly status window appeared, yielding no particular results.

Since I could still act without it, I decided to look into it later and dismissed the window.

“Now, the very last thing.”

The Emperor’s second request.

Rustle.

Creak.

I took out the <Designated Request Letter> that I had kept outside my armor and opened it.

『Trust no one easily.』

This is what I wrote.

Flip.

Just as I was about to turn the note over to check the content without wasting time.

“Hey, if it’s something good, let me see too.”

Someone snatched my <Designated Request Letter> and quickly distanced themselves.

“Trust no one easily? Tsk, I thought it might be an erotic picture when I saw you hunched over it from a distance, but it’s just text. I came running for nothing.”

My heart nearly sank as they approached without any presence while I was trying to concentrate, but I didn’t show it and turned my head to follow them.

Sturdy muscles,

Long, disheveled white hair,

Squinted eyes beneath.

Looking like a well-built neighborhood grandfather, he was the fifth member of <Black Wolf>,

◆No5. Dalan – Bizarre Dragon怪龍(S+) (New!)

One of the Ten Greats.

Bizarre Dragon Dalan.

“It’s been a while, Leader.”

Immediately entering <Black Wolf> mode, I ignored his greeting and answered briefly.

“Bring it here.”

“Of course I should give it to you. By the way, the handwriting was pretty. Did you get a lover?”

“I wrote it. Bring it here.”

“…Hehe, is that so?”

Dalan, showing a benevolent smile, approached me again and handed over the paper.

Thump.

As I casually took the <Designated Request Letter> and was about to take it back, Dalan’s squinted eyes opened slightly, revealing a sharp gaze.

“I’ve been watching because many things seemed suspicious, but even the handwriting isn’t the Leader’s.”

Pressure emanating in an instant.

“Are you <Eclipse日蝕>?”

Killing intent that seemed to whisper he would slaughter me regardless of my answer.

‘I’m going to die.’

Like reflexively closing my eyes when a fist flies toward me, I activated a skill to survive.

【Skill – <Sun Annihilation日光殲(EX)> activates!】

The optimal action judged unconsciously. Block Dalan’s eyes, then create distance.

【FLASH──!】

But instead, a sword energy containing terrifying intent was released.

SLASH!!

A destructive power that left my mouth agape.

【Critical hit!】

【<Yellow Dragon’s Barrier(SS)> is destroyed!】

【*However, consumes all aura! Exhaustion exhaustion! You’ll collapse!】

My vision rapidly blurring.

‘If I collapse now, I’ll really die!’

【<Iaso’s Ring(SS+)> activates!】

【Recovers a small amount of <Aura>!】

When I barely regained consciousness after trying to hold onto my fading awareness, I found myself in a stance as if I had just swung the massive greatsword.

What I saw was the half-destroyed barrier.

Clouds split in half and trees cut in two,

And,

“L-l-leader. I apologize sincerely for doubting you. Shall we talk now? Conversation is good.”

Dalan, who had somehow been “persuaded,”

“By the way, an imperial order to capture <Black Wolf>? What are you planning to do now?”

“…What?”

“Haven’t you seen the content yet? Look. ‘Please capture and bring <Black Wolf>.’ They’re asking the Leader to capture himself.”

All I could see was the request content that made my head throb.