Part 1, Chapter 8, 18

Thwack.

The sound of flesh tearing echoed. Red blood splattered on my armor, and Deokbae didn’t just crush the opponent’s shoulder; he mangled it.

[……Unexpected.]

It was truly unpredictable. I never imagined that the last remaining monstrous human of Chaos Dragon would throw their body to save their master.

“……Did you say my master does nothing?”

The handsome young man clutched his dislocated shoulder, his eyes flashing. I retrieved Deokbae and took a large step back.

[Your name?]

“I discarded it when I became a monstrous human. Now, I am Bonghyo, a monstrous human of the Dragon Corps.”

[…Bonghyo? Xiaolin’s brother?]

“Yes. Though we are half-siblings.”

Bonghyo staggered and stood up. His shoulder was so tattered by Deokbae that it looked better to just tear it off entirely. However, Bonghyo endured the pain without any sign of discomfort and continued his words.

“My master, Chaos Dragon-nim, has not given up on everything.”

[Then?]

“They decided to do nothing!”

[……?]

What in the world was this nonsensical talk? For a moment, I wondered if my ears were playing tricks on me. As I fell silent, Bonghyo spread one arm and raised his voice.

“Have you ever slept with all your might?! My master uses all of their life’s energy to sleep! They are by no means doing nothing! They are diligently doing nothing!”

[What kind of crazy sophistry is this?]

“It’s not sophistry! A truly excellent leader, you see!”

Bonghyo spat blood-literally spat blood-as he shouted. I had to take a step back at his bizarre behavior.

“They can display sufficient leadership just by placing capable subordinates in the right places! You, as the head of an organization, should know this!”

[Right. So what does that have to do with them quitting everything-]

“My master has already done everything by making me a monstrous human! The reason is!”

Bonghyo clenched his fist with a confident smile.

“Because I will fulfill all the roles given to Chaos Dragon-nim!”

[……Mao Zeping’s children, they all seem to have a screw loose. Are you trying to become Zhuge Wuhou or something?]

“If my master wishes it, I can choose that path anytime. In fact, I’d much prefer it.”

Bonghyo pointed to his arm. Thud. The tattered muscle tore, and his arm rolled onto the floor.

“At least I won’t die of old age in Wuzhang Plains, will I?”

[So you’re saying you’ll do the work of an executive of the Dark Legion in place of Chaos Dragon?]

“That’s right. My master has already done everything. By making me, Bonghyo, a monstrous human!”

I instinctively knew. I didn’t know how capable this overly self-conscious handsome young man was, but if I left him alone, there would be no sign of Chaos Dragon’s mental state ever improving.

‘Should I beat him to death too?’

But the fact that he was Xiaolin’s half-brother bothered me. I hadn’t paid much attention to characters from before the original story, but facing him now, a critical setting from the original story came to mind.

‘Xiaolin’s videos.’

All sorts of videos from when Xiaolin was actively hiding her identity and running wild. The capable individual who completely erased them from the internet and protected Xiaolin’s identity from being exposed was this man right before my eyes, Bonghyo.

‘Does he have the originals?’

[……Good. Then I shall ask.]

I cast a Barrier around us. Chaos Dragon secretly tried to back away and create distance, but I trapped him with a flame Barrier that included him, preventing his escape.

“H-Heek?”

“Where do you think you’re going to run off to?”

Whoosh.

I transformed into my human form and cleared my throat. Bonghyo’s eyes lit up at my human form, which resembled Chaos Dragon, but he soon looked flustered by my next words.

“So, self-proclaimed Chaos Dragon’s minion, mister.”

“……I am neither a minion nor a mister. To be precise, I am merely their trusted subordinate.”

“Yes, if you’re a trusted subordinate, then explain it. How were you planning to run wild in this land? You’re not just thinking of preparing a slightly better bedroom for Chaos Dragon, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Bonghyo smiled gently, with one hand behind his back. Chaos Dragon subtly approached Bonghyo and grabbed his arm.

“To allow my master to sleep in a more comfortable place, I plan to completely overturn this land.”

“How?”

“By eliminating Mao Zeping.”

“Oh-ho.”

That’s a rather plausible goal. To think of eliminating his own biological father, without caring about their kinship, solely for his master, Chaos Dragon-he was quite an exemplary subordinate.

“How?”

But one only knows the concrete plan after hearing it. A grand dream is useless without concrete means and power to execute it.

“You’re not just going to declare war and be done with it, are you?”

“Of course not. I have lived my entire life to depose Mao Zeping.”

“……?”

That’s the first I’ve heard of that. As I frowned, Bonghyo seized the opportunity and continued.

“Originally, I became Mao Zeping’s subordinate to seek revenge on him. Though he is my father, he is a wicked enemy who brutally murdered my mother. Not just me, but all his children were born without love.”

“Yes. I know that well.”

Xiaolin is a prime example.

“So, I worked as Mao Zeping’s trusted subordinate and recorded all his corruption. Bribery, sexual favors, elimination of political rivals, etc. I know all those things.”

“Where are those records?”

Tap, tap. Bonghyo tapped his temple. I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Do you think that would be accepted as evidence even if I used my ability to mind-read? Sigh.”

“If I had tried to leave records, my heart would have burst and I would have died. He embedded poisonous worms in his children’s hearts. Instead, I just kept the information to depose him in one blow in my mind, but-“

“……? Wait. Poisonous worms?”

I didn’t understand. What was this sudden talk of poisonous worms? As I interrupted to ask, Chaos Dragon suddenly interjected into the conversation.

“There was a worm in their heart.”

“Heartworm?”

“…No, a worm that could kill the target anytime if a suicide command was given. I removed it when I made them a monstrous human. It wasn’t out of pity for them.”

“……..”

The misunderstanding was cleared. But there was one more part I didn’t understand.

“What about Xiaolin?”

“She was there. She’s not now.”

Xiaolin had never once told me about the poisonous worm in her heart. She had only complained a few times about receiving unreasonable orders from her father, Mao Zeping, but I never imagined it was enforced by some physical or supernatural means.

“Still, that’s a relief. The fact that she’s not there now-“

“It already burst. With a bang.”

“?”

“She was forced to commit suicide. After… perhaps after losing the battle with you at the Amnok River, she was summoned by Mao Zeping and forced to commit suicide.”

“???”

It was a dizzying secret that far surpassed my understanding. Setting aside the fact that Xiaolin was a main heroine, I couldn’t comprehend what Mao Zeping had done.

“She’s S-rank, though?”

“Yes. But he said she had no more value after being defeated by you.”

“She’s a Round Table Hero, though?”

“He didn’t seem to like that she conspired with you at the Round Table.”

“……So, to summarize, because I defeated Xiaolin, Mao Zeping lost her utility value?”

“That’s about it. It was even more so since her identity was exposed. Originally, his plan was for Xiaolin to die from the after-effects of the attack she suffered from you, to enrage the public and plan an advance towards the peninsula.”

“…….”

It was surprising again, as if for the first time. This world doesn’t go my way; all sorts of incidents and accidents happen in places I don’t know about.

‘To think even Xiaolin would become a monstrous human, and a monstrous human of Chaos Dragon at that.’

And that most of these incidents and accidents were butterfly effects caused by my influence. Should I really perform an exorcism or something? I felt an involuntary surge of annoyance, closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them and asked the two of them.

“So, where is Xiaolin now?”

“I resurrected her.”

Chaos Dragon cowered, hiding further behind Bonghyo.

“Bonghyo smuggled Xiaolin’s body, and I, I resurrected her and sent her to you.”

“When?”

“This morning. I, I thought you being in Korea meant you came to catch me….”

“…….”

We misunderstood each other. I had seriously misunderstood. I pressed my throbbing temples with my hand. A headache spontaneously arose.

“Alright. Then let’s do this.”

I released the Barrier and picked up Deokbae.

“First, I’ll beat you up, then make sure you can’t move at all. Variable elimination. What a great method, isn’t it?”

“……And the method for that variable elimination?”

“Locking all the problematic guys in a grave.”

I kicked off the ground and ran. Brushing past Bonghyo, I grabbed Chaos Dragon by the head. Chaos Dragon flinched and tried to escape into Bonghyo, but my hand, grabbing the back of his head, was faster.

“Aargh?!”

“Master!”

“Don’t move. If you move, I’ll burn you all.”

Blue flames sparked from my hand gripping his hair. Chaos Dragon, perhaps out of fear that his hair might burn, froze in place, and Bonghyo also stopped, fidgeting.

“Alright, resurrecting Xiaolin was well done. That’s commendable.”

“Th-Then let go of me…!”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that your rotten mental state needs fixing, does it?”

I scattered mana throughout Chaos Dragon’s entire body. Chaos Dragon, reading my intention, struggled and tried to escape, but my mana was already tightly gripping his Core as if seizing it.

“It’s no use. Possessing others to escape is over now. First, let’s have an honest talk, just the two of us-“

Whoosh.

I heard the sound of wind. I hastily kicked Chaos Dragon away from me.

Kagagak—!!

A blade-like wind arose. A Kamaitachi, a long-range slash that infuses mana into sword energy and shoots it, assailed me. I enveloped myself in mana, creating a shield in the direction the sword strike came from.

Slice, slice!

“…….!”

The shield was cut. Fortunately, the blade-like wind exhausted its power by cutting the shield and vanished, but the problem was that a mere long-range slash had cut through my shield.

Wind, blade. And a fierce killing intent felt from afar.

“Today’s really messed up.”

How could things get so twisted? I let out a hollow laugh at the beautiful woman in a suit approaching on the wind.

“Domo, I am Jilpungek.”

Jilpungek Himeji Hayate, a Round Table Hero and the brother of another main heroine, Himeji Hikari. An S-rank ability user and swordsman, he looked at me, licking his lips.

“Would you care for a match?”

“……What are you saying to a delicate young lady?”

I shrugged nonchalantly, deflecting his killing intent. But Jilpungek smiled broadly and even clapped.

“Indeed. To deflect my killing intent. You’re no ordinary skilled individual. As expected of the martial artist who defeated Xiaolin.”

“……Pfft, idiot.”

Chaos Dragon scoffed at me from the side. I snorted and scoffed back at him.

“You’re the idiot. I’m the one who defeated Xiaolin, aren’t I? So do you think Jilpungek, who’s inferior to her, would be any different?”

“This is too much. How can you assume I’m beneath Unjang?”

“Well, you’re just an S-rank… No, don’t mind it. It might be better to live without knowing anyway.”

Xiaolin, as a main heroine, could rise to SSS-rank, but Jilpungek is a tragic beauty who can never escape the limits of S-rank. I deactivated Deokbae’s weapon form and put his Core into my pocket.

“Are you saying you won’t fight? By putting away your weapon?”

Jilpungek glared at me, his eyes flashing with killing intent, but I shook my head and raised my hand.

“No. But I know how sharp your sword is. I’m being considerate.”

“Ah-ha. Still, it would be better to draw a weapon.”

“Don’t worry. No matter how much you rampage, you won’t be able to beat me.”

Jilpungek is a swordsman, but the foundation of his mana is the wind attribute. According to the mana attribute theory his sister actively advocates, I, with my fire attribute, am nothing short of his ‘hard counter’.

“I’m quite busy and distracted right now, you see? So, could you please get lost? I’ll deal with you next time.”

“You can’t just provoke me like that and leave, can you? And it has to be now. I just cut in line, you know.”

Jilpungek lowered his stance and gripped the hilt of his sword. Faced with the sudden appearance of a challenger, I reluctantly roused my mana. Jilpungek seemed pleased that I was showing fighting spirit.

“I’ll defeat you in one blow.”

“Hold on, just a moment.”

Bonghyo suddenly intervened. Jilpungek’s killing intent turned towards him, but Bonghyo covered his mouth with his hand and grinned.

“It seems you were truly distracted?”

“Huh?”

Bonghyo suddenly darted in front of me. As he rushed forward as if to block my vision, I extended my leg and kicked him away.

“Kuh-huhk?!”

Bonghyo flew backward, his waist bending limply. Bleeding and in pain, he was strangely smiling.

“……!”

Chaos Dragon, who had been hiding behind him, was gone.

“Oh, miss. He’s hiding back there, h-huhk?!”

Chaos Dragon lunged at Jilpungek. Jilpungek’s mana began to twist, and I quickly threw myself forward, extending a fist.

Ka-ang-!

Fist and sword collided. His blade was imbued with gray illusionary mana.

“Domo, Phoenix-ssi.”

Beyond the blade, Jilpungek’s eyes shimmered gray.

“It’s Chaos Dragon.”

Chaos Dragon had taken over Jilpungek’s body.