Part 1 Chapter 8 17

A cadre breaks free from brainwashing by falling in love and realizing they are a Spirit. As the original work is a dating sim, the object of that love becomes the protagonist.

However, the Chaos Dragon is different.

The setting is that this cadre realizes they are a Spirit but remains in their monster state because the brainwashing hasn’t broken.

Due to the Chaos Dragon’s main body being an ethereal entity, it was capable of sufficient ‘metacognition’ regarding its own mind. Before Seongju could brainwash it, it managed to escape its physical body as a soul and maintain its consciousness.

However, that physical body became a monster-‘Chaos’-and began fulfilling its mission to destroy the world. Seongju did not know that the Chaos Dragon’s spirit was still alive until the moment it was dispatched to Earth.

– There’s no way it would willingly follow my orders if it knew it was a Spirit, right?

Such a being was the Chaos Dragon.

The reason was simple.

– Too lazy to find a way to break the brainwashing….

The brainwashed monster, Chaos, still maintained its identity as a cadre and diligently engaged in destructive activities.

The Spirit in soul form, the Chaos Dragon, watched from behind as its monster self rampaged.

– …Well, it’s not like I’m dying, so I’ll just leave it be.

After rampaging for about a week, Chaos, the body, and the Chaos Dragon, the spirit, merged into one and made a decision.

– Forget being a Spirit or a cadre, let’s just sleep.

Laziness.

The Chaos Dragon gave up trying to find a way to escape the brainwashing and fell asleep. Thinking that the world was doomed anyway, and it didn’t matter if it was destroyed or not, it decided to just sleep and did nothing.

– I don’t know how to break it, I’m too lazy to look for a way, and I can’t even kill myself, so I guess it’s better to just keep sleeping somewhere quiet.

So, it recognized that it was brainwashed but made no effort to break free. It wanted to spend the remaining approximately 25 years until the day of destruction sleeping soundly. After all, the other six cadres would diligently break the world apart.

In short:

Chaos Dragon (mind, Spirit): Slacking off?

Chaos (body, monster): Yeah, let’s do it.

And so, due to sheer laziness, both the monster’s and the Spirit’s egos abandoned their mission.

– So, if Seongju catches me slacking off, I’m dead.

The Chaos Dragon entered a coffin in a secret stone chamber located in the deepest part of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, lay down on top of a mummy, and fell into a deep sleep.

If not for the dimensional gate that suddenly opened above the First Emperor’s tomb, it would have continued sleeping for five more years.

– Is this Seongju’s warning for me to get to work quickly?

The Chaos Dragon fell into a self-fulfilling panic and eventually crawled out.

To pretend to be working, it turned Bonghyo, whom it had managed to lure, into a monstrous human, and at Bonghyo’s request, made Dongchang’s ability users its subordinates.

“I’m going to sleep, so you guys handle it.”

How many days had passed since it left everything to its subordinates and enjoyed what it called a ‘sweet sleep’? Suddenly, a cappella singing began to echo in its ears, and the Chaos Dragon recognized Phoenix’s mana mixed within that mana.

– Seongju is now sending even Phoenix to badger me!

So, it eventually led its subordinates out to rip off some heads. That’s what it said, but in reality, it came out to protest, saying, ‘I get it now, so cut it out.’ However, the opponent dropped a bomb on the Chaos Dragon.

– My brainwashing is broken.

Only then could the Chaos Dragon understand the meaning of the stories Bonghyo occasionally chatted about with the subordinates.

– Old farts always try to empathize by saying they had it tough too when they’re trying to reel you in.

– You mean Director-nim?

– Yeah. Back in my day…. I’ve done it all…. I know because I’ve been there…. All of that is just talk to reel you in, so you have to be careful.

So, the Chaos Dragon didn’t believe Phoenix’s words. Even if Phoenix was an extraordinary being among Spirits, it was hard to believe that Phoenix had broken Seongju’s brainwashing and was moving freely.

– If it’s a Spirit, why doesn’t it release Seongju’s restraint, the monstrous human form?

The Chaos Dragon accelerated its brain circuits and came to two plausible conclusions.

First. The Spirit Awakening Theory.

Like itself, Phoenix was brainwashed and had awakened as a Spirit, but had not yet fully broken free from that restraint. The Azure Flame Phoenix was struggling alone to awaken the other cadres and had come to the Chaos Dragon for help.

Second. The Phoenix Lie Theory.

In reality, Seongju had sent Phoenix to confirm the true intentions of the Chaos Dragon, who had awakened earlier than planned. The Azure Flame Phoenix had succumbed to Seongju and become his subordinate, coming to confirm if the Chaos Dragon’s brainwashing was broken.

The Chaos Dragon chose the latter conclusion. And by the time it realized its bet was wrong while talking, it was already too late.

– Let’s just fight first.

It was a declaration of war.

‘Why do I have to fight?’

The Chaos Dragon felt wronged. And it was angry.

‘I even sent a herald just in case this happened!!’

I’m working hard on my own, so don’t bother me.

I’ve turned one of those guys called the Round Table into a monstrous human, and I’m increasing my other subordinates. So please, don’t come to me, wake me up, and nag me.

With that intention, it sent a herald to Phoenix, who was already close by.

‘Weren’t you in the Korean Peninsula to monitor me?!’

If Phoenix had come to check on its brainwashing status, it would have been safe. It had at least put on a show of working, so Phoenix wouldn’t come looking for it again for a while. It was convinced it was a perfect plan.

It was useless.

The Chaos Dragon didn’t know.

It never imagined that Phoenix, too, had awakened as a Spirit but, for some reason, had not reached apotheosis.

If Phoenix had departed just one day later, Xiaolin would have arrived in Seoul.

Then Phoenix would have realized that the Chaos Dragon had awakened and begun its activities, and would have immediately sought out the Chaos Dragon under Xiaolin’s guidance.

If the two had met in a deep place, laid all their cards on the table, and had an honest conversation, they would have understood each other’s situations without any problems.

If. Truly, if. The Chaos Dragon had believed Phoenix’s words, the two would not have crossed the final line.

But such a flowery path was not for them.

The culmination of misunderstandings and a fantastic collaboration born from their mutual assumptions ultimately resulted in a fistfight.

* * *

Ka-ang!

A fist strike blocks the blade’s path. Phoenix, who blocked the Chaos Dragon’s blade with a gauntlet, turned its body and lifted its leg.

Kigigik!

The Guan Dao clashed with the armor. Phoenix rotated its waist in that state.

Kagagak!

A sharp spear pierced Phoenix’s abdomen. The spear tip grazed the armor on its abdomen, failing to inflict a fatal wound, but Phoenix’s armor had a long scratch.

[Hmm.]

Phoenix moved the mana throughout its body. The monstrous humans who were restraining Phoenix from three directions hastily pulled back and created distance.

Kwa-ang!

Flames erupted from Phoenix’s body. The flames spewing from between all its joints covered the entire surrounding area, but the monstrous humans had already fled far away and created distance.

[Who could it have possessed….]

Phoenix shook its hand to extinguish the flames, then glared at the monstrous humans pressing it from three directions.

The Sword monstrous human. The Guan Dao monstrous human. The Spear monstrous human.

They were faces Phoenix had never seen before, but they were Dongchang’s ability users who had been turned into monstrous humans by the Chaos Dragon.

‘It’s certain that it possessed one of the three.’

Because Phoenix had already pulverized the ability user the Chaos Dragon first possessed. In addition, it had torn, burned, and mashed several other monstrous humans.

‘Four left.’

Three monstrous humans surrounding Phoenix itself, and a handsome young man commanding them. He was probably Dongchang’s Admiral or someone equivalent. Though different from its memory.

‘It must be the previous or the one before that. That’s not important.’

[Right now, catching the Chaos Dragon and beating the shit out of it is the top priority!]

Phoenix clenched its fists and leaped to the side. It kicked up Deokbae, who was rolling at its feet, grabbed it in one hand, and then flung Deokbae towards the Guan Dao monstrous human.

Boowoong-boowoong-!

Deokbae spun horizontally and struck the Guan Dao monstrous human’s crown. The monstrous human’s head snapped back from the surprise attack, and Phoenix, in the meantime, extended its claws between the arms holding the Guan Dao and severed both arms.

Seogeok!

Red blood splattered from its claws. The monstrous human frowned without even screaming and retreated. Its eyes glowed gray, but it wasn’t the one possessed.

[Then I’ll borrow this for a moment.]

Phoenix gripped the Guan Dao and swung it downwards. The blade sliced diagonally across the monstrous human’s front, and the monstrous human fell backward and collapsed.

Koong!

Deokbae was embedded in the monstrous human’s crotch. Phoenix grabbed Deokbae’s handle, mashed it a couple of times, then extended it sideways, aiming at the Spear monstrous human.

[You’re next.]

“Aargh!”

The Spear monstrous human shouted and thrust its spear. The spear tip, imbued with gray mana, scattered into several strands, disrupting the vision. Phoenix responded to the attack, which seemed to mix feints and real strikes, by simply keeping Deokbae aimed.

Piyung-!

A mana bullet of flame, shot from Deokbae’s tip, pierced the Spear monstrous human’s forehead. The Spear monstrous human froze in its spear-thrusting posture, and Phoenix swung the Guan Dao, slicing off the Spear monstrous human’s genitals.

Seogeok!

The front of its pants split into two, and unspeakable things plopped onto the floor. The Spear monstrous human slumped down and collapsed.

[Neither of them? …No, it’s not.]

Phoenix threw the Guan Dao to the ground and aimed Deokbae again at the Sword monstrous human, who was snorting with tears in its eyes.

[It switched as soon as I killed it. My hunch must be pretty good, don’t you think?]

“You evil bastard, you’re not even human!”

[I’m a Spirit.]

“That’s what I’m saying, I’m a Spirit! I realized it! But I didn’t know how to completely break the brainwashing, so I just stayed put!”

The Chaos Dragon, possessing the Sword monstrous human, raged and swung its sword. The Chaos Dragon, using the possessed target’s abilities and techniques as they were, swung the sword quite plausibly, but unfortunately, its swordsmanship was not good enough to reach Phoenix.

[Did you really not know and just stay put?]

“Yes!”

[You didn’t even try to know, did you?]

Phoenix hit the nail on the head. While the Sword monstrous human’s sword energy dulled for a moment, Phoenix snatched the Sword monstrous human’s sword with its hand and shattered the blade.

[You just went beyond being lazy. It’s not just simple laziness.]

Phoenix grabbed the Sword monstrous human by the collar and growled.

[You just gave up on doing anything. Isn’t that right?]

“……What’s wrong with that?!”

The Chaos Dragon burst out of the Sword monstrous human and rolled on the floor. Phoenix threw the Sword monstrous human, whose collar it was holding, aside, then slammed Deokbae into the ground.

[You didn’t think of a way to break the brainwashing, nor were you looking for an opportunity to counterattack Seongju. Didn’t you just give up? Thinking that nothing would work no matter what you did, you simply accepted death.]

“Yeah, so what if I did?”

The Chaos Dragon gnashed its teeth fiercely.

“I’m going to die anyway, no matter what I do! You must have realized it too! We can’t defeat Seongju!”

The Chaos Dragon tapped its temple with its index finger and continued speaking.

“As soon as he comes down and fires a brainwashing beam, we’ll immediately become Seongju’s chess pieces!”

[Yes. That’s right. The moment you make eye contact, you’ll immediately become his slave.]

That was a certainty that Phoenix could not change, no matter what tricks it pulled. In terms of sheer combat power, Phoenix was equal to or even superior to Seongju, but Seongju could make Phoenix open its own legs just by blinking once.

[But that’s not something you, who gave up on everything, should say.]

Phoenix instinctively knew where the surging mana and rage within it were coming from. Although it was a little annoyed with the Chaos Dragon itself, there was someone even more enraged at the Chaos Dragon sleeping within Phoenix.

Azure Flame.

[Didn’t you ever think that if you had just a little more motivation, an opportunity for a counterattack might arise?]

“……No. Nothing like that.”

The Chaos Dragon raised its head with a gloomy expression.

“Seongju will eventually return, and we’ll become his slaves and kill everyone. No matter how much we struggle, everyone will die. No matter what we do, everyone will die.”

The Chaos Dragon twisted its lips and snorted.

“Why should I even try? It’s annoying. The world’s going to be destroyed anyway.”

[No, no. You’re trying to deceive yourself again. You’re deceiving yourself as if you had no choice but to give up. That’s why you parrot whatever nonsense I say.]

“……What are you talking about?”

[The cause and effect are wrong. You didn’t give up on everything because you knew the world would be destroyed.]

Phoenix raised Deokbae.

[You just don’t want to do anything. Anything at all.]

Its flames glowed bluer than ever.

[Destroying the world, regaining freedom. You’re just a lazy bum who wants to live life as it comes and just sleep. Even if you seem to show a little motivation, it’s just because you want to be more comfortable. Those subordinates? You probably just used them to make a comfortable sleeping place, didn’t you?]

“…….”

The Chaos Dragon bit its lip. It wanted to argue, but its lips wouldn’t move.

[You brainwashed yourself. That you couldn’t help it because of Seongju. You let go of everything because you didn’t want to do anything and found it annoying, but you needed a good excuse to justify it. Honestly, isn’t that right?]

Phoenix dragged Deokbae across the floor and walked towards the Chaos Dragon, who had frozen in place.

[You were afraid that if it was revealed you let the world be destroyed because you didn’t want to do anything, you’d look like too much of a piece of trash. Afraid of being criticized for your laziness.]

“…….”

[So today, I’m going to properly fix your bad habits. I received a very proper request.]

“…From what bitch?”

Phoenix raised Deokbae high into the sky and said calmly.

[From you, five years from now.]

* * *

The event of breaking the Chaos Dragon’s brainwashing, that is, the event of waking the deeply sleeping Chaos Dragon, was not actually about breaking the brainwashing itself.

It was a secret revealed only in the individual route, specifically in the omake ending.

The Chaos Dragon had thoroughly hidden the fact that it was aware of being a Spirit.

Waking it from its deep sleep and making it angry was not a procedure for brainwashing release, but merely a step to stimulate its emotions and bring out its hidden true feelings.

To break the brainwashing ‘on itself’ that it didn’t want to do anything.

And to make it strive for world peace on its own.

– If you have someone you love, wouldn’t you try to change yourself for that person?

The Chaos Dragon eventually fell in love, and for the person it loved, it gradually changed itself.

That was the way to awaken the Chaos Dragon into a true Spirit.

So, I had no choice but to pick it up.

The rod of love, Deokbae.

[Don’t resent me too much. This is all for your own good.]

I brought Deokbae down.

Puk.

Blood splattered.