Ch.532Chapter 20. American Doblin (22)

The Goblin had only revealed his identity to collaborators or agents of the Syndicate.

Except for one tavern owner, he hadn’t disclosed his identity to regular tavern owners or peddlers, and even when showing himself, he never revealed his true face.

That’s why nobody knows who the Goblin really is.

Since he operates in Korea with a Korean concept, people assume he’s Korean, but no one can be 100% certain he’s actually Korean.

In the midst of all this, the Goblin died.

Though he was a villain who killed villains and demons, his final actions were truly heroic.

“Normally, when someone inherits an ability user’s legacy, they inherit their ability. But the Goblin is different.”

“Why is that?”

“Because only a few people know, and nobody knows who the Goblin really is.”

The Goblin is just a masked gentleman in a suit.

Occasionally he would appear with a flowing coat, but besides his costume, there’s nothing particularly distinctive about him.

“Ymir. What do you think the Goblin’s ability is?”

“…That’s a core debate topic that people always fight about on the wiki.”

“What do you think my ability is?”

“Oh, um, there are many theories but… the most representative one is… material creation?”

That’s an absurd statement right from the start.

“Isn’t it that you use mana to create various forms through the routine of swinging the Goblin’s club? Shape transformation would be included in that, and also…”

“Right. That’s close. Then could anyone use that ability?”

“Anyone… huh?”

Ymir shifted her gaze to her own hands.

“So if I just create a Goblin’s club and swing it around, pretending to be him, I could be the Goblin too?”

“That’s right. If you’re careful not to get caught, anyone can act like the Goblin. The defining external features of the Goblin are just the mask, suit, and club.”

In the past.

Just like how Haeguneul tried to copy the Goblin Rider, anyone can imitate the Goblin’s appearance.

“But that alone doesn’t make someone the Goblin’s successor. What symbolizes the Goblin is this.”

“Your pectoral muscles?”

“…The mindset.”

I lightly tapped my clenched fist against my heart.

“Never compromising when facing villains and demons who deserve to die. If you have that mindset, anyone can become the Goblin. And right now, the Goblin is being mourned worldwide.”

The incident in Japan has garnered significant attention in America.

Beyond Cheong Hyeseong’s rampage, many are condemning Japan for the Goblin’s explosive death.

-You killed him! You’re the one who killed the Goblin!

While some blame Cheong Hyeseong, the one who went berserk, most are directing their anger at the Japanese politicians who caused Cheong Hyeseong’s rampage.

“In this situation, what if a man called ‘Doblin’ appears in America wearing just an eye mask?”

“To borrow Yi-seon’s expression, people would say ‘This isn’t the Goblin!!'”

“Right. It would be hard to think of him as the Goblin if he’s not wearing a Goblin mask and his lower face is completely exposed. But.”

I tapped my chest lightly again.

“If this ability user called Doblin acts like the Goblin, follows the Goblin’s ideology, and shows a similar fighting style to the Goblin?”

“…You’re trying to plant a seed of doubt in people’s minds? Make them think, ‘Wait, could Doblin actually be the Goblin?'”

“Correct.”

“And what effect does that achieve?”

“Resurrection of the dead.”

That’s a tremendous effect.

“To let people know that someone who died is actually alive, that he lost his memories, drifted across the Pacific to America, and became an American hero.”

“The dead are alive… You plan to imprint this idea on people through Doblin, and then apply the same concept to the senior members?”

“The circumstances are a bit different, but similar.”

Depending on the situation, we can flexibly change the process, but that’s the core of the basic plan.

“Korea! Your hero has returned! As an American. That’s the idea.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure exactly what it means, but I get the general feeling.”

Ymir pointed at my face with an expression that suggested she understood everything.

“By putting forward this Doblin character, Do Ji-hwan plans to move separately. Right?”

“……”

“People never thought Do Ji-hwan was the Goblin in the first place, but by introducing Doblin, you’re creating another layer of separation between Do Ji-hwan and Doblin… Wait?”

Ymir expressed confusion while unraveling my plan herself.

“Shouldn’t you avoid showing your face then?”

“Hehehe.”

“You don’t actually think people won’t recognize you just because you put a dot on your face… do you?”

“Of course not.”

The dot is just a ritual of sorts.

Even if I appeared with a dot on my face, people who saw me would suspect I had returned from the dead.

They even tried feeding me foods I’m allergic to, but I showed meticulous preparation by taking allergy prevention medication beforehand.

“Are you planning to change your lower face when you appear as Doblin?”

“Not particularly.”

“…Then people will compare Doblin’s lower face with Do Ji-hwan’s and think ‘Isn’t Doblin actually Do Ji-hwan?'”

“That doesn’t matter. Because…”

I picked up the Goblin’s club and lightly tapped the floor.

“Our Syndicate has one technique that’s perfect for planting ‘doubt’ in people’s minds.”

“Doubt?”

“Yes. I think I mentioned it in passing before, but it should be implemented faster now that you’re creating a doppelgänger.”

“What is it?”

“Clones.”

“……”

Ymir tilted her head, increasingly unable to understand.

“Human clones…?”

“Yes. The Syndicate plans to introduce human cloning technology too. What’s important is that it makes people misunderstand… You really can’t guess my plan and our goals at all, can you?”

“To be honest, I don’t understand the purpose. The clones, Doblin’s appearance, putting a dot on your face and wearing an eye mask. It’s not like your goal is to create confusion…”

I lightly flicked my finger toward Ymir.

“…Should I make it into complete chaos?”

“You know what? The biggest enemy to the minds of middle-aged Koreans in their 40s and 50s is stress.”

“Teacher…”

Ymir looked up at me with a dejected expression.

“So you’re going to make the situation a complete mess so that Haeguneul can’t make proper judgments?”

“Exactly.”

Chaos.

Destruction.

Oblivion.

“This entire plan is about screwing over Haeguneul. No matter how much their strategy team plans, searches for information, or investigates, all their plans will turn to bubbles.”

“So you’re just complicating things over and over to annoy them?”

“Correct.”

“What about the confusion people will experience?”

“If you get stressed by that confusion, you’re third-rate. If you analyze and solve that confusion, you’re second-rate. If you enjoy the confusion as it is, you’re first-rate.”

It’s not difficult at all.

“Don’t think about anything else, just think about this one thing: The American hero Doblin might be the Goblin. People will run with that bait themselves, and meanwhile, we’ll do what we need to do.”

“What do we need to do?”

“Patriotism.”

Ymir narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

“You’re trying to deceive me by saying it’s about serving the country, aren’t you? I’m not falling for it.”

“The patriotism I just mentioned has a double meaning. One is going to Japan to find something for Korea.”

One of the purposes included in our trip to Japan.

“The other is.”

I approached Ymir while unbuttoning my shirt.

“It is exactly what you’re thinking.”

“Oh, um, I won’t believe it until it’s confirmed—”

I laid Ymir down on the sofa and brought my face close to hers.

“No need to think so complicatedly. You’ll go bald that way. Don’t think about anything else.”

I pressed my forehead against Ymir’s and met her gaze.

“Just think about oppa. Understand?”

“……”

“If you think too hard, you lose. Are you feeling headaches and complications? Then.”

Ymir licked her lips, looking at me with expectant eyes.

“I’ll make your mind go completely blank so you can’t think about anything else.”

“I don’t beli— mmph…!!”

* * *

Osaka International Airport.

A private jet enters the airport runway.

Kimura Unagi, who was waving a flag and signaling to the pilot, tilted his head in confusion as he watched the shaking aircraft.

“Turbulence?”

Though the wind wasn’t strong, the plane was unusually bouncy.

Whoever was on Faygreen Company’s private jet, it was shaking so much that Kimura wondered if it might crash.

“…Nah, that can’t be.”

Kimura Unagi dismissed the thought and composed himself, and soon the plane landed very slowly and stopped at its designated position.

The door of the plane opened.

“Whoa?!”

Even before the stairs were in place, two people were standing at the edge of the plane.

A black-haired man and a blonde woman. The black-haired man was holding the woman, who had her arms crossed, and lightly jumped down from the plane.

“Oh my—”

Rustle.

The man landed so lightly that Kimura felt embarrassed for shouting unnecessarily.

Step, step.

The man walked away with a refreshed stride, bringing the woman with him.

What was peculiar was that the woman seemed about to faint, barely walking as she was led by the man.

When Kimura saw the face of the woman who was moving as if limping, he clicked his tongue at the completely exhausted woman.

“…Got involved with the wrong ability user. Tsk tsk.”

Knowing better than anyone what happens when an ordinary person meets an ability user, all Kimura could do was offer his condolences to the blonde woman.