Ch.208Chapter 8. A Toast to Your Patriotism (9)

“Phew.”

Ymir, who had been watching the battle from the stands, let out a sigh of relief.

She had worried that Platinum Sun might need to intervene, but fortunately, that wasn’t necessary.

In fact, she felt somewhat happy that Goblin had figured out how to revert demons back to humans on his own.

Perhaps from now on, if there were demons, he might refrain from killing them.

“What? Goblin could turn demons back?”

“So he’s been killing them all this time when he could have reverted them?”

“……”

Whether they were saying this out of ignorance or malice was unclear.

The E-rank espers who had risen to D-rank alongside Ymir questioned Goblin’s true intentions.

“That’s not it.”

Ymir was about to speak up against those who were misinterpreting Goblin’s actions after he had reverted Ray Huang back to human form, but someone else stepped in first to deny their claims.

“If Goblin had known how to revert them to humans, he would have done so to the demons long ago.”

“What’s with you? Why are you suddenly picking a fight? Was I wrong? Are you saying Platinum Sun appeared and found a way to turn them back to humans or something?”

“Yes, you idiots.”

“What?!”

The masked young man with gold-dyed hair held his head high and mocked them, causing the students to flush with anger.

“Who do you think you are…!”

“Me? This kind of person.”

Click.

“Eek?! Tae Jo?! Why is Armored Taejo on Sejong Island?!”

“I have no reason to tell you.”

As the mask retracted downward like a suit, revealing the face of the blond young man, the students backed away in shock.

“Anyway, people like you know nothing except badmouthing those stronger than you. It’s because of people like you talking behind others’ backs that they become demons. Watch what you say. Got it?”

“B-but he’s a villain…”

“Villain or not, don’t spew such unpleasant things where others can hear. Tsk.”

With those final words, Armored Taejo dashed toward the competition venue.

Flames ignited beneath his shoes as he flew instantly to the arena, and Ymir scratched her cheek as she watched him go.

“Tch…”

The students who had been scolded by Tae Jo didn’t utter another word.

They clearly wanted to say something, but as Tae Jo had told them, they refrained from voicing their complaints.

Instead, they immediately took out their smartphones and began typing.

They were probably trying to vent their frustrations through the internet or social media since they couldn’t speak up in reality.

“……”

Ymir pondered for a moment.

If one could physically silence people from speaking publicly like that, what methods could be used to prevent them from spreading malice in the online world?

Ah.

She realized.

Where The Syndicate was focusing most of its attention, and what project they were undertaking to quell the world’s chaos.

Perhaps it was something even more difficult than world domination, yet a necessary procedure if one wanted to conquer the world.

The purification of the internet.

“Damn, why won’t this upload…?”

“Huh? Oh, crap. My phone just got hacked.”

“……”

Ymir discreetly put the Taegeuk Watch back on her wrist after keeping it in her pocket and checked the monitor broadcasting the arena.

Crash!

As the ice wall shattered, new figures began to rush into the competition venue.

“……”

Perhaps it was fortunate that it wasn’t her turn.

Ymir felt relieved inside as she scanned the figures one by one, forming a circular formation around the now-split Goblin.

“All S-rank…”

If, by chance, Goblin were to be in danger, someone would probably appear through spatial movement to help him.

“……”

Somehow, it felt a bit bitter, as if her place of activity had been taken away.

Already, real-time feeds were burning up with speculation about Goblin’s purification of Zenros and its possible connection to Platinum Sun. If Platinum Sun were to help Goblin now?

Then an uncontrollable fire would surely ignite.

But.

That would be a matter for that time.

“……”

Ymir continued to put on and take off the Taegeuk Watch repeatedly while keeping a close eye on the arena broadcast monitor.

On one hand, she wanted to go help Goblin herself.

On the other hand, she was trying to suppress the contradictory feeling of hoping Goblin wouldn’t be in enough danger to require her intervention.

“……”

“Huh? Hey, where are you going?”

“Bathroom.”

Ymir switched the Taegeuk Watch to radio mode to continue listening to the live broadcast through her earphones as she quietly headed to the bathroom alone.

* * *

“Stop, Goblin!”

After eliminating the demon Yeo Bong-seon and reverting her back to Ray Huang.

Just as Taowu approached my side after knocking Hayabusa out of bounds, the ice wall shattered and others emerged from all directions.

[Well, well. There were more big shots hiding than I expected.]

“Thanks for calling us big shots, but don’t think you can escape.”

Tae Jo in front.

Thunder Empress behind.

In the distance near the stands, Princess Bari was holding a silver-gleaming bow, seemingly ready to provide long-range support.

“You cruel bastard…!”

Armored Taejo took off his coat and draped it over Ray Huang.

“How could you completely strip someone like this… ahem.”

After casually throwing the coat over Ray and then approaching to adjust it properly like stacking a tower, he pointed at me again and shouted.

“Unforgivable!”

[I’m not sure what’s unforgivable, but I’ve lost interest.]

“What did you say?”

[The tournament ended when Hayabusa intervened. It’s a shame the finals didn’t properly conclude.]

“Y-you…!”

“Stop, villain!”

Behind the S-ranks, a group of agents appeared and aimed their guns at me.

[You are…]

“We’re from the Hero Association! Villain, Goblin! You can explain the details once we take you in!”

Led by Park Eun-jung, the “purified patriotic agents” surrounded me in unison.

They were burning with intense determination to arrest Goblin, no matter how strong he might be.

[The Dark Charisma did something quite unnecessary. Fixing these burdens only to have them interfere with others.]

“Even if we were burdens before, things are different now! We won’t back down just because you’re strong! Reveal your purpose for appearing here, Goblin!”

It’s truly remarkable to hear Park Eun-jung shouting like that.

I’m certainly satisfied with the effectiveness of The Syndicate’s ideological education conducted under the name of the Sephiroth Knights.

[I had no particular purpose for appearing. I was merely dealing with a hooligan.]

I reached out toward Taowu, and soon Taowu turned into white mist and seeped into me.

Whoosh!

White color began to seep into my previously all-black suit, and the S-ranks tensed up, directing an even sharper aura toward me.

[Well, I’ve gained something from this too-]

“Goblin.”

Flutter.

Someone called out to me from the direction of the stands, leaping up in an instant to block my path.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Hehe.”

[…Nadeshiko.]

I was about to disappear, but Nadeshiko deliberately blocked my way.

[What business do you have?]

“Can a hero just ignore a villain right in front of them? What other business would I have?”

[I thought you might have other business.]

“You’re right. I can’t just let you go.”

Flutter.

Nadeshiko gripped black and white fans in each hand and grinned.

“After capturing you, I’m going to extract your genes.”

[……]

Ah.

I see.

She’s not here as Nadeshiko of The Syndicate right now.

She’s here as the hero Nadeshiko, as a woman who wants to get pregnant.

[You’re going to sexually assault a villain?]

“You know villains don’t have human rights, don’t you?”

[And it’s okay for a hero to do such things to a villain?]

“It’s already humane just not killing you. No matter what method I use to subdue you, the fact that Nadeshiko subdued the villain Goblin remains unchanged. Hehehe. Moreover.”

Snicker.

Nadeshiko licked her lips and gave a suggestive smile.

“Goblin split into two. Hehe, I can catch you both from front and back?”

[Stop saying weird things.]

“Does it sound weird? Not at all.”

[…It seems pointless to continue this conversation.]

I should have given Nadeshiko instructions as a member of The Syndicate beforehand.

Of course.

While Nadeshiko was talking, I found an “opening” to escape.

That’s how it usually goes—when a villain is engaged in conversation and time drags on, they eventually find a way to escape while buying time.

“Grr, Goblin…!”

[Ah, Hayabusa.]

“You…!”

Hayabusa came beside Nadeshiko, clutching his shoulder, with bloodshot eyes pointing his sword at me.

“I will have my revenge, definitely…!”

[Against me? Why? You’re the one who turned Ray Huang into a demon.]

“That’s…!”

[Think about it carefully. Was it really right for you to intervene then? If you hadn’t, the finals would have ended smoothly, and I would have given you a good match before leaving.]

I provoked Hayabusa with a slight wiggle of my finger.

[You’re not worth fighting now. Fighting Ray Huang would have been more meaningful.]

“W-what did you say!”

[Rider, you take over. The original.]

Fwoosh.

I undid my transformation as a Rider.

And returning to my original form, dressed in a black suit, I raised my hand to my mask.

[If demons appear and chaos ensues because of talk about being the original Rider, I will abandon being a Rider.]

“……!”

Click.

[I am not a Rider-]

Just as I was about to remove my mask, everyone flinched in shock.

[I am Goblin.]

With those words, I exploded green magical power to leave the place.

[……!]

I noticed a small golden circle forming below me, and immediately threw myself into it.

In the blink of an eye.

I moved to a new location.

[……you.]

“……Was that meddling?”

[……Fortunately, there’s no one else here.]

Ymir greeted me while sitting on a toilet in the women’s restroom.

I just stood in front of her, remaining still.

[I should have just disappeared into the sky-]

Tap, tap.

“……!!”

[…….]

Ymir and I both held our breath at the same time.