Ch.610Chapter 23. Patriotic General Do Ji-hwan (14)

As expected, both Yoon Yi-seon and Kim Yoon-ji who came out behind me aren’t in their original forms.

Their appearance is clearly different from their usual costumes.

They’re wearing tight black latex-like suits that cover their entire bodies, the kind that female villains in Hollywood movies might wear.

With masks covering their faces too, it wouldn’t be strange if someone mistook them for clones.

‘Even if they discover I’m the original, it doesn’t matter, but I’ll play along a bit.’

Their smartwatches are currently being blocked by Thunder Empress through electromagnetic hacking, but there might be some abnormal device on their bodies transmitting mana signals.

We’re dealing with Chinese ability users.

Nothing would surprise me, no matter how bizarre things get.

The Syndicate just showed up with clones of the two S-class ability users who fought spectacularly yesterday, so how can we be certain they don’t have other non-electronic methods to communicate with their authorities?

So.

[I’m afraid you won’t be returning to China, “Zenros.”]

I’ll subdue them, render them unable to speak, and lock them in the Steel Prison designed for ability users.

[1:1. We’ll each handle our own opponents. The youngest will be handled by Fox Alter, and the second daughter by Lightning Alter.]

It’s not particularly matched by age.

Nor by compatibility.

“Tch, I should have won yesterday…”

“Yi-seon. I’m still your senior.”

“I heard rebellion against seniors is trending these days.”

“Not with me. I deliberately matched your ultimate skill.”

Since Yoon Yi-seon lost in yesterday’s match between the two, naturally she’ll face the more “difficult” opponent.

“Then, what about Goblin?”

[Obviously, I’ll take on that woman, the eldest daughter.]

Of course, I’ll handle the strongest and most troublesome enemy.

“Won’t it be dangerous? That woman’s magical power is no joke.”

[I know all the countermeasures, so don’t worry. If you’re really concerned, you can join me after defeating ‘Guan Yun’ and ‘Zhang De’.]

“Hmm… if you say so.”

Crackle.

“So I just need to defeat Guan Yun quickly and join you against the ‘Hegemon’?”

“I’ll join you right after dealing with Zhang De Zenros.”

[I’m sorry to disappoint you both, but I’ll be the one joining you after I defeat ‘Hegemon Yu-hyun’.]

We each raised our magical power and created distance between us.

“Ha, sister. They’re arguing among themselves about who’ll defeat us first?”

“Sister. Give the order now. I’ll stab these Alters in the stomach, destroy their cradles, and crush that fake Goblin’s lower parts.”

They glare at their respective opponents, grinding their teeth menacingly.

The eldest daughter—’Yu-hyun’—gripping her twin swords, points them at me with a light breath and speaks.

“After we each win… we’ll finish off whoever needs it most. Understood?”

She’s not talking about helping the disadvantaged side.

She means to press advantages further and end things quickly.

[You’re overflowing with confidence.]

“Overflowing with confidence? No. It’s belief in my own abilities.”

Clench.

As Yu-hyun tightened her grip, all three of them simultaneously kicked off the ground.

[!!]

Swift.

Suddenly Yu-hyun’s twin swords were thrusting toward me, and I deflected the attack by holding my Goblin club diagonally.

Clang!

The tremendous impact transmitted through the sword upon contact.

It felt like I was forcibly blocking an attack from a monster whose strength was beyond my capacity.

[What power…!]

“Haaah!”

She retrieves her twin swords and swings them again.

Even if I try to dodge by turning ethereal, her strikes seem capable of cutting through spirit forms.

[Troublesome.]

A modern person who is both an ability user and a martial artist.

All her stats are invested in physical enhancement through mana, like someone who’s spent their entire life training practical swordsmanship in some underground training hall.

[I really don’t enjoy facing these ‘wuxia’ type ability users from China.]

“I’ll make sure you never have to face anyone again!”

The Hegemon extends her sword to one side and steps forward toward me.

“I’ll cut both your club and your cradle together!”

[!!]

Two trajectories like crescent moons descend upon me.

Those trajectories were aimed precisely at the front of my pants.

[How unfortunate.]

But they didn’t connect.

The slashes fell just short, narrowly missing me.

[One millimeter deeper and I would have become a eunuch.]

“Kuh…!”

[You’ve modified your attack techniques to castrate your opponents? The killing intent in your sword remains the same, but the direction it aims for is different.]

Probably, this woman is also like that.

[Thanks to me, you can face enemy ability users without killing them, and this is how you show gratitude?]

“As a token of gratitude, I’ll cut it off painlessly in one go.”

[You’re modeled after Liu Xuande, but you act more like Cao Mengde.]

“Ha, what nonsense.”

Yu-hyun twisted the corner of her mouth and extended her swords to the left and right.

“My ancestor is Liu Bei, so it’s not just a motif.”

[…Really?]

“Of course. The bloodline has continued until now. Me being born as an S-class in 2002, as a direct descendant of Emperor Xiaolie—isn’t that obviously due to the power of bloodline?”

[That’s…]

There’s a reason.

If there’s one part of Chinese history that Hwan’s Will knows best, it’s naturally the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

‘So it’s a natural awakening.’

Hwan’s Will is old-fashioned.

And back in 2000 when Hwan’s Will was absorbing Korean culture, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was essential reading for adults.

-What’s that, you nerd?

-How can you not know the Romance of the Three Kingdoms? Isn’t that basic knowledge?

-Do you know about the Later Three Kingdoms period? You know Chinese history but not as much about our own country’s history?

-Ah, aah…

Well, some might not be interested, but the historical content most easily accessible to children at that time was the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

From Zhuge Wuhou wielding fire and ice swords in arcades, to children facing wooden puppets controlled by a demon lord in front of computers—there were many such children.

That must be why.

It’s natural that descendants of historically famous figures on the Korean peninsula awaken abilities and become “conceptualized” similar to their ancestors’ achievements.

If a descendant of Hwarang Guan Chang were born in South Korea today, his concept would be set as a Hwarang—the same principle.

The problem is.

‘They’re too well-known.’

Because of that cursed fame, this woman before me—a descendant of “Liu Xuande”—has magical power that’s exceptionally strong even among pure S-class users.

“You seem to be thinking about how to defeat me, but I’ll castrate you before you reach a conclusion!”

That’s why she’s more difficult to deal with.

[Wielding so much magical power for terrorism. Aren’t you ashamed?]

“If it means hosting the World Cup in our country, this much is no big deal!”

[Even if it means terrorizing a neighboring country?]

“For my country, I’m willing to commit terrorism against other nations!”

[For someone claiming to be from the same Liu family as your ancestor, you’re no different from the character of Cao Cao—ugh!]

Claaang!!

[Can’t you let someone finish speaking?]

“When facing a Goblin-type human, I was taught to prevent them from talking!”

[Whoever taught you that is quite fastidious!]

It’s not easy to get under her skin either.

[Is that the secret to your strength? The secret to keeping Guan and Zhang by your sides?]

“My ancestor did the same!”

[Damn.]

That cursed Liu Bei Hegemon theory.

Who would have thought it would apply to descendants this way?

‘What to do.’

The other two battles are also evenly matched.

That’s partly because the descendants of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are living up to their ancestors’ reputations, but also because our “Alters” aren’t using their “real power.”

“Haaah!”

“Hahaha! You’re so awkward with that weapon!”

The Firefox Alter is wielding and swinging a flaming sword.

“No chance! Do you think my crescent blade can’t cut through lightning?!”

“Tch…!”

The Thunder Empress Alter is firing electrical attacks from a distance, but all those ranged attacks are being blocked.

[You’re strong. Peach Sisters.]

Even though we’re playing as our alternate characters rather than our main ones, the fact that they can fight us this evenly means they’re that powerful.

[If it weren’t for Heavenly Demon, you would certainly have become China’s representative ability users.]

“You, you…!!”

The Hegemon’s face instantly contorts.

“H-how dare you mention that name in front of me…!!”

Generally speaking.

What triggers Chinese people’s anger is related to their ‘bloodline’.

[Aren’t you ashamed? That your country’s strongest ability user isn’t a pure Chinese, but a mercenary hired from overseas.]

“Y-you…!”

The fact that a foreign mercenary playing in their domestic league is the “strongest.”

[I heard Heavenly Demon’s fan club is larger than the combined fan clubs of all three Peach Sisters? Was it 100 million? That ‘difference’.]

“Sh-shut up…!”

[More popular than all three combined. As expected of a Korean. Of course… that doesn’t mean Heavenly Demon would bear a Chinese person’s child.]

“Ha, ha…! What about this?”

The Hegemon pointed her twin swords forward and glared.

“Since when did you think Heavenly Demon was Korean?”

[What?]

“Heavenly Demon is Chinese.”

[I’m talking about Heavenly Demon, Lee Ye-ryeong?]

“Of course, she’s Chinese too. Because…”

Tap tap.

“Everyone on this land…”

Hegemon Yu-hyun tapped the ground and sneered at me.

“…is Chinese.”

[Indeed.]

Now.

[You just made a mistake.]

The advantage has shifted to me.

[The mouth is the source of all evil.]

Having dared to say such things in a land governed by Hwan’s Will, naturally the will of this world is now…

[My victory.]

…with me.

[Let me show you. The power of one who has the world’s will at his back.]

“Wh-what…?”

[Goblin, Hwan-form. Hwan-guk-cheo-hyeong-in.]

Putting yourself in another’s position.

[Taste the power of the club imbued with Hwan’s Will.]