Part 1 Chapter 5 (14)

May 7th, 11:50 PM, New Seoul Government Building.

Thump!

The desk shook violently. The fist that slammed down on the ebony desk was red as if on fire.

“Still no news?!”

Seonui Cheol’s expression twisted fiercely. The scar on his left eye twitched, expressing his anger as if he would devour the person sitting opposite him.

The Chief of Staff, who had been suddenly called in the middle of the night and unfairly bore the brunt of the anger, wore a tearful expression.

“We are searching everywhere, but the damage from the great battle is so extensive that….”

“The Praetor has become a wreck! Don’t you know about their relationship?!”

The disappearance of Kang Soyeon, a non-ability user employee of the Association. Given that her last destination was the research complex in Daejeon, many harbored reasonable suspicions.

Team Leader Kang Soyeon, perhaps she got caught in the aftermath of the battle? Unable to escape the fight between two S-class ability users, perhaps she was annihilated without even leaving a body behind?

“What about Gwanggeom?! If someone had been caught in the fight, he would have noticed!”

“Oh, we finally received an answer today. There were no traces of people during the battle….”

“Then you should tell me who he fought with!!”

Seonui Cheol flared up again. His rage pierced the sky, showing no sign of calming down.

“Find her! Find her by any means necessary! Force the Praetor, who’s still digging around in Daejeon, to rest, and find even her corpse. Understand?!”

“Yes, yes!”

The Chief of Staff hastily bowed his head. Seonui Cheol gulped down the herbal tea with trembling hands.

“Fuck!”

With a curse, the teacup shattered against the wall. Yet, Seonui Cheol’s anger didn’t seem to subside; he covered his face with both hands and tilted his head back.

‘Cheongsong…that bitch.’

Seonui Cheol knew. Who Cheongsong was. For what purpose she had helped him work.

But Seonui Cheol was not an easy person to be swayed by such a novice. Seonui Cheol had gained power by appropriately appeasing and using Cheongsong.

The problem was that Cheongsong had now disappeared without any contact.

It couldn’t be death. The Pine Tree Unit was still normally restricted mentally. If so, there were two remaining possibilities.

Either Cheongsong had betrayed Seonui Cheol and fled, or she had been captured by someone. In South Korea, there was only one group with the guts to oppose the government and the Association.

“…Those Heroes, they went into Yuseong, didn’t they?”

“Ah, yes! Yuseong officially announced this morning. They are commencing next-generation combat suit development with the help of retired Heroes….”

“Nonsense. Isn’t it just a corporation trying to raise a private army? Chief of Staff, summon Eun Jaemin tomorrow morning. This is a declaration of war. Against the South Korean government.”

The Chief of Staff hesitated before answering.

“Chairman Eun Jaemin departed for the United States on yesterday’s flight. So did President Eun Jaeyoon of Yuseong Tech and President Eun Jaehwan of Yuseong Life. The remaining bloodline of Yuseong is the Yuseong who went to Seoul-“

“That scoundrel?”

The Chief of Staff nodded. A naive fool who, wanting to personally see the ruined Seoul, childishly took one of the spots allocated by the government. Eun Jaemin himself had bowed his head and asked Seonui Cheol to send Eun Yuha as Yuseong’s representative.

“…Damn it. They’re not even worth taking hostage. What’s the point of summoning them?”

They were like a wild colt, prancing around and taunting the President to their face. If it weren’t for Yuseong’s protection, the Pine Tree Unit would have kidnapped them long ago without a trace and publicly shamed them.

“No. Still, summon them. Even if the Yuseong family men protect them, just making that gesture will get a reaction.”

“…That also seems difficult.”

The Chief of Staff brought up a screen. On the screen, a blonde and a white-haired girl were smiling, photographed affectionately.

[YU-HA★] #Harang_and_Seoul_Date #Alone_in_Korea #Successful #3N4D #Gotta_Restore_Seoul_HQ #Developing_New_Yogurt_Smoothie_Menu^^7

“…It seems she will be with Seolhwa Princess for quite a while.”

“Were they this close?”

“Chairman Eun Jaemin and Seolhwa Princess did have frequent scandals. During the last Seoul Reclamation Operation… some people even saw them together in the lounge during a preparatory meeting.”

“So she’s a prospective sister-in-law, huh. Ugh. I can’t do anything about this.”

Beep. At that moment, an urgent telegram arrived on the Chief of Staff’s smartwatch. Seonui Cheol picked up the water bottle from the corner of his desk and gulped it down.

“What is it?”

“…Your Excellency, from Gwanak.”

The Chief of Staff turned the screen with a stiff face.

“……What?”

The peak of Gwanaksan. There, numbers made of blue flames appeared.

– 23 : 59.

Before they knew it, the clock had passed May 8th by one minute.

* * *

“…Indeed.”

Gwanggeom sipped his canned beer and glared at the screen. In the video relayed via drone, blue flames burned, ticking like a timer.

A countdown. Gwanggeom couldn’t help but understand.

He was calling. Changyeom, an executive of the Dark Legion.

“…….”

Gwanggeom clenched his hand then opened it again. His hand trembled as if he had essential tremor. Although he couldn’t get drunk from alcohol due to his mana, this time, his entire body trembled as if he were intoxicated.

“……Karma, is it.”

Gwanggeom put down the beer can. Beep. At the same time, an alarm rang on his smartwatch.

[Seok Harang] : Teacher! It’s Harang. You’re not drinking alcohol again tonight, are you? Don’t just drink, go out and meet some women too! The Hero unnies are all crazy about you, so why do you keep pretending not to know? Ah, that’s not what I meant to say.

“…….”

Gwanggeom read the message sent by Seok Harang with a dry expression. Soon, the next message arrived.

[Seok Harang] : It’s nothing special from midnight, I just wanted to text you this. Thanks to you, Teacher, I’ve become famous and everything, so I’m really grateful to you. It’s not a special day, but I just texted you! ^-^

“…….”

Gwanggeom picked up a new beer can to open it, then immediately put it down.

[Seok Harang] : I love you♥ Please give me pocket money when you see me later ♥♥

“……This.”

Gwanggeom chuckled and covered his face with both hands. He didn’t want to show his current expression to anyone.

“……Alright.”

Gwanggeom didn’t reply. Instead, he stood up and took down the Iron Sword hanging on the wall.

“……I’ll return alive and reveal all the truth.”

Before Changyeom does anything to Seok Harang, I will kill Changyeom.

Even if that was his last heavenly mandate, Gwanggeom repeated to himself.

And a day passed.

* * *

May 8th, 11:55 PM, Haeundae D Island.

Waves crashed against the cliff, surging.

Amidst the sound of the quiet sea breeze, footsteps could be heard.

Thump, thump.

The blue-haired girl in a black suit and trousers carried a bouquet of chrysanthemums in her arms and walked into the mountains. The bouquet, made solely of pure white chrysanthemums, looked like an offering for a grave, and also like a bridal bouquet.

In the middle of the hill-like mountain path, there was a grave. A grave with only a tombstone, without even a coffin. It had no name, only the date of death: ‘~2000.10.13.’

Phoenix knelt and placed the flowers on the tombstone. Then, she immediately stood up, put her hands together in prayer, and bowed at the waist.

“…….”

The man stood beside her, silently waiting for the prayer to end. He, too, wore a black suit and a black tie. His neatly trimmed hair and beard suited his mature age quite well.

After finishing her prayer, Phoenix walked down the path. The man followed behind her.

A deserted park at night. Phoenix pointed to a bench. The man, Gwanggeom, followed her and sat on the bench.

“Here.”

“…….”

Phoenix offered him a canned drink from her pocket. Gwanggeom silently accepted the drink. It was a cold cola, as if freshly bought from a convenience store. Phoenix held another identical one in her hand.

Silence. There was much they wanted to say to each other. Only the sound of the waves and the fizzing of carbonation echoed in the park.

It was Phoenix who spoke first.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For me having to kill you.”

Gwanggeom let out a hollow laugh. The carbonation flowed down his throat, quenching his thirst.

“Is my death already a foregone conclusion?”

“Of course. You’re out in many ways. From the Dark Legion’s perspective, socially, and for the fate of this world. …Well, still.”

Phoenix pushed her can sideways. It was a toast in the middle of drinking, but Gwanggeom clinked his can against hers.

Clink.

“Aren’t you going to leave a last message for your daughter? Like, just one phone call right before you die. Even if you say something like that, I won’t listen.”

“That won’t happen. Are you sure you’ll be alright? I didn’t come here to arrest you.”

Gwanggeom pointed to the Iron Sword hanging at his waist. Its shape was dull and plain compared to moonlight. But that sword was Gwanggeom’s soul partner, having traversed every battlefield with him.

“I came to kill you.”

“Is that so.”

Phoenix poured the rest of the cola into her mouth.

“Can I ask one last thing?”

“Just one.”

“Rusalka.”

Gwanggeom’s expression stiffened for a moment.

“Did Rusalka pass away peacefully in the end?”

“……Ah. She left with a smile.”

“Is that so…?”

Phoenix chuckled. Her attempts to suppress her laughter only made her laugh more, and Gwanggeom instinctively felt uncomfortable.

“That’s a relief. I was very worried about her in many ways.”

“…This isn’t the time to be so relaxed, is it?”

“Why?”

“Because an hour before you arrived….”

Gwanggeom’s eyes flashed. The cage of light that had spread around the island revealed itself.

“I’ve deployed my Ultimate Skill like this.”

“…You want to fight here?”

Phoenix pointed to Rusalka’s tombstone. Gwanggeom, smiling for the first time, pointed to his own heart.

“The tombstone is just a symbol. The real one is buried in my heart.”

“Wow, trying to act cool. But since it’s my father-in-law doing it, it’s actually pretty cool. As expected, the best-looking middle-aged man.”

“……What?”

“Pfft. Look at you, flustered in front of your enemy.”

For the first time, Gwanggeom showed confusion. Phoenix waved her hand and rose from the bench.

“I just said something meaningless. Right? After all, your attempt to talk like this is just to buy time until your Ultimate Skill is complete.”

“……Knowing that, why did you deliberately come in here?”

Phoenix looked up at the night sky.

Already, swords of light were tightly woven around the island, blocking any escape.

A light barrier that blocks everything from the outside, even mana. If the Barrier is completed, spatial transfer through the Divided Spirit, Mini Phoenix, will also become impossible.

“Well.”

Phoenix took her stance. She raised both fists and bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity.

Vwoom-!

Gwanggeom drew his sword. A golden light settled on the blade of the Iron Sword.

“Once the Ultimate Skill is activated, you won’t be able to escape from here either. Right? Mad Dog.”

“I didn’t expect to hear that alias again.”

The gaps in the light barrier surrounding the island disappeared. Now, this island had become a separate world, cut off from the outside.

“Isn’t that right? A technique that revives you even if you die, as long as your will isn’t broken. Do you think that’s realistically possible?”

“Exactly.”

Gwanggeom raised his sword and took his stance.

“That’s why it’s an Ultimate Skill.”

“This is why Power Hiders are like this.”

The first in the world to break the 96 Affinity Rate barrier, a feat even the Round Table couldn’t achieve. If he had revealed that power to the world, he would have been the first recluse to achieve the SS-class accomplishment.

A rare overpowered character with a Light-attribute Affinity Rate of 99, whom you only encounter as an enemy on Seok Harang’s route. If Gwanggeom could have been recruited as a companion, the original game would have become a true Gwanggeom Musou.

“Hiding your power normally and only unleashing it when it’s important. Aren’t you ashamed to show that to people? It’s deception.”

Blue flames flared up in Phoenix’s hands. Changyeom soon took the form of gauntlets.

“Though it’s the same for me!”

Waves crashed against the cliff. They surged skyward and then fell back to the surface.

Tick. The hour hand on the park’s streetlamp moved. Midnight, when the hour, minute, and second hands all overlapped.

At that moment, both of them simultaneously pushed off the ground and charged at each other.