Part 1, Chapter 9, 13

I took Shaolin with me and asked him for a favor. No matter how fast Shaolin ran, he would be slower than me flying through the sky, so instead of carrying him, I asked him to provide information.

“The Chinese Central Party and the Association have declared the recovery of Jiparyong’s corpse. It seems they will discuss the shares after retrieving it first.”

[Recovery costs, huh. A meaningless endeavor.]

Jiparyong’s corpse was probably being diligently moved by the Phantom Flame Spirits. While they were searching the vast lakebed, Jiparyong would have dug into the ground and hidden himself. All they would find were fragments of scales that had fallen off Jiparyong.

[Next.]

“Muljigi is currently confronting the Black Flame Dragon. Fortunately, there are no residential areas nearby, so there are no casualties. The Association is currently controlling the battle zone.”

[A spectacle, watching monsters fight each other.]

I personally wanted to witness the spectacle of the ape-like Muljigi fighting the dragon-like Black Flame Dragon. I had confirmed with my own eyes that Muljigi didn’t have a Core, so there was no need to waste time fighting to tear out its Core.

[It’s better to catch the Black Scorpions under the Black Scorpion.]

“Speaking of which, what could my brother’s plan be? It would be impossible to conquer with that much power.”

[He must have a hidden card. Someone who was once a Dongchang admiral couldn’t possibly misjudge that.]

“…There’s still no reaction regarding the Black Scorpion. Everyone’s attention is drawn to the Black Flame Dragon.”

[That’s fortunate.]

If the Black Scorpion appeared, its appearance would draw everyone’s attention. The image of the Black Scorpion from my memory came to mind.

[Speaking of which, Shaolin.]

“Yes.”

[On top of the Black Scorpion’s scorpion body, there’s a human woman’s torso with a snake’s head. It’s a naked body, not wearing a single thread.]

“……That’s amazing.”

Shaolin genuinely admired it. Shaolin, even if she secretly covered her important parts, never openly revealed all her clothes. …Not SR-6974, but there are certain photos you only see in Shaolin’s route. Photos of a woman sending semi-nude selfies while hiding her identity.

[Shaolin.]

“Yes.”

[You’ll reach SS-rank and gain public attention. So, don’t do cam broadcasts anymore.]

“……Do you dislike my naked body being exposed?”

[No. The whole world will be watching you from now on, so don’t do anything reckless.]

“Then I have one request.”

Shaolin pointed downwards with her eyes.

“The clothes I’ll wear from now on… will you weave all of them with your mana?”

[If I release them with mana, you’ll be naked instantly. You should know that much.]

“Of course I know.”

Shaolin blushed and licked her lips with her tongue.

“…That’s what makes it even more exciting. That you can drop me into hell anytime, anywhere, if you just wish for it…!”

[Hmm. I see.]

I didn’t slow down, pulling Shaolin’s body closer to meet my gaze.

[Should I make it so you can never show your face again?]

“……Hehe.”

[…No, it’s a joke. Don’t stick to me. Your chest is touching.]

“Hehehe.”

[……Do as you please.]

I left Shaolin to her own devices. Perhaps because I had entrusted the Core to Gaeul, Changyeom didn’t pop out and mess with my insides. Or perhaps, as he said, it was a situation that didn’t matter much since it was a monstrous human form.

……Speaking of which, he said it was fine to do it in monstrous human form if I wanted to. Should I ask about that this time?

[I have one more reason to catch the Black Scorpion.]

“Ah… will you catch it yourself?”

[Why? Do you want to catch it?]

“Yes. Since Jiparyong and Muljigi were taken from me, I feel like I need to catch the Black Scorpion to be satisfied.”

Shaolin was quite disappointed that she couldn’t play an active role. I wanted to create a scene where Shaolin stepped forward and majestically decapitated three S-rank monsters, but Bonghyo’s backstab drastically reduced Shaolin’s opportunities to act.

[Don’t worry. I’ve saved the best for you.]

“…?”

[Caliphella. For you, a spirit body, she will be the perfect opponent.]

“Then I look forward to it. But I still want to catch the Black Scorpion…”

[Then both of them-]

I felt a chill from the sharp sensation carried by the wind. My mana wavered on its own from the demonic energy, which held deeper resentment than even the Phantom Flame Spirits or their original form, banshees.

“……This energy.”

[Below.]

Shaolin and I simultaneously looked down.

“……Heh.”

In the middle of a crater where a missile had exploded, there was a woman maintaining a drawing stance, bathed in the morning dew. Ah, not a woman. With her ebony hair glistening with dew, I thought it was truly *her* instead of *him*. Her beauty far surpassed Shaolin’s, daring to rival even a Spirit.

“Has that person been like that all this time? As if they thought you’d come back and waited until you did.”

[…Even by rough calculation, it must have been well over 18 hours by now.]

What incredible tenacity. Did they really think I would use Solar Flare and launch a surprise attack? If so, then she… he was clearly a battle maniac and a murderer who showed a mad obsession with combat, just like in the original work.

[Shaolin. I have a request.]

“If you make me that outfit.”

Shaolin beat me to it. I placed my hand on Shaolin’s back and radiated mana to reconstruct his clothes.

[Then I’ll leave it to you.]

“Yes. I’ll defeat them quickly and be on my way.”

I dropped Shaolin. Shaolin smiled and nodded at me, then turned and began to fall towards the ground.

“Yaaaaaah! Where are you goinggg!”

Jilpungek, Himeji Hayate’s scream, echoed from the ground. I ignored it and continued flying towards my destination. I felt Jilpungek stirring mana as if to chase me, but Jilpungek wouldn’t be able to catch up.

[I am curious about the Round Table’s Strongest in Appearance competition, but…]

Ah.

Since Seok Harang joined, maybe not?

* * *

“I never imagined the Round Table members would fight each other.”

Jilpungek let out a hollow laugh as he fell from the sky and saw the identity of the monstrous human who had attacked him. A blue bodysuit covering the entire body, made of a latex-like material, covered the monstrous human’s body.

However, due to the close-fitting nature of the material, the monstrous human’s body was revealed without reservation. A slender waistline, slightly defined abs, and even breasts that, while not large, certainly had a noticeable presence.

“Hey, yesterday too, your outfit is too daring, isn’t it? Where did Unjang’s usual charisma go?”

“……Do you still not understand?”

The monstrous human Shaolin raised her arm. As she took a stance as if gripping a staff, Jilpungek’s expression became quite flustered, and his posture broke.

“No no no no no, that can’t be. Right. You changed your fighting style, didn’t you? That’s it.”

“Didn’t you already sense it when we met in Seoul? Or is it denial? Is it that hard for you to admit?”

The monstrous human Shaolin provoked Jilpungek.

“That I reached SS-rank first.”

“Ha. Who’s spouting such bullshit?”

Jilpungek, with his pretty face, spoke vulgar words and sneered at Shaolin.

“Me, jealous of you? Because you reached SS-rank first? Ha, don’t talk nonsense. What would I use my jealousy of you for? Just move aside. I have to go catch that Phoenix right now.”

“Shall we fight?”

“……Heh.”

Jilpungek drew his sword.

“Alright, alright. If you want to die so badly, I’ll gladly kill you. Don’t resent me later!”

“I won’t resent you. Losing in a fight against a strong opponent isn’t shameful, is it?”

Shaolin propped her chin with her hand and twisted the corner of her mouth.

“I win in martial arts, but no matter how much I try, I can’t beat you in beauty. So you are strong-“

Kaaang!

Jilpungek swung his sword without a word.

“I’m a man!”

“You’re a man prettier than a woman!”

“I’ll kill you!”

“If you can kill me!”

Unlike their childish bickering, the exchange between the two Round Table members was incredibly fierce.

A crater near Xi’an City, where no one paid attention.

The blades of the two martial artists clashed.

* * *

[Shaolin will win easily.]

I predicted Shaolin’s victory in the battle between the two martial artists. Jilpungek was certainly a formidable opponent, but there was a clear difference in the limits between SS-rank and S-rank.

[Eun Yuha must have arrived too.]

It wouldn’t be her personally. She wouldn’t come herself for negotiations between a nation’s supreme commander and its de facto second-in-command. She probably sent one of the men from the Eun family. Or perhaps Yuseong-man, who constantly sells off Yuseong’s assets.

[So, I’ve arrived, but.]

I left the grasslands and mountains and reached the edge of the desert. The strong traces of mana left by the monstrous humans remained, and I followed those traces to track their direction of movement.

[As expected, the Black Scorpion is the target.]

The Phantom Dragon Corps was heading straight for the Black Scorpion. I swung Deokbae around and warmed up.

[It seems they’ll only learn their lesson if their balls get crushed again.]

Someone in the original game’s community once asked if monstrous humans could be recruited as allies. So I personally replied to them.

[The only good monstrous human is a monstrous human that has become a Core. What do you think?]

“That means Phoenix-nim is confessing that you’re not good, doesn’t it?”

Bonghyo appeared. He was waiting for me alone at the entrance of the desert. For a smooth conversation, I folded my wings and aimed Deokbae in my human form.

“Choose. Do you want your left one to burst first, or your right one?”

“I have no intention of either bursting. That’s because.”

Chak. Bonghyo spread his arms wide and shouted.

“All of this will ultimately benefit the Azure Syndicate, beyond the interests of the Phantom Dragon Corps!!”

“……Alright. Go ahead and spin your sophistry. Anyway, the remaining power of the Phantom Dragon Corps won’t even be able to pierce the Black Scorpion’s skin.”

“Sophistry? That’s outrageous. Please listen first and then judge.”

I placed Deokbae on my shoulder. I was prepared to vertically strike upwards and crush both his testicles if he said anything foolish, and Bonghyo, covering his mouth first, smiled with his eyes.

“First, there’s the issue of the Core. Jiparyong was defeated purely by the strength of our Phantom Dragon Corps.”

“Shall we calculate the damage contribution? How much did the Emperor contribute to killing Jiparyong?”

“Their original affiliation might be the Azure Syndicate, but aren’t they currently registered with our Phantom Dragon Corps?”

“Don’t you know that what belongs to the Phantom Dragon Corps soon belongs to the Azure Syndicate, and furthermore, to me? Hwanryong submitted to me. That means whatever Hwanryong obtains is mine.”

“Was Phoenix-nim a wicked boss who stole the achievements of subordinates?”

“Who’s stealing achievements? I’m just demanding my rightful share.”

“Then what is the reward for our efforts?”

“Hmm, my recognition of you? The true joy of labor? Hehehe.”

I teased Bonghyo. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, so I needed to make him lose his composure and find an opening. At my ‘boomer’ remark, Bonghyo’s expression subtly crumpled.

“…Phoenix-nim’s recognition is gratifying, but it’s still far from enough to be satisfied with just the joy of labor.”

“Then what do you want me to do for you? I even lent you 500 Phantom Flame Spirits. What exactly are you demanding that you pulled off this useless stunt?”

“I demand autonomy for the Phantom Dragon Corps.”

Autonomy, huh. I chewed on Bonghyo’s words. And I instantly grasped the full scope of his plan.

“In other words, you want the Phantom Dragon Corps to establish an equal, horizontal relationship with the Azure Syndicate, rather than being subordinate to it?”

“Yes.”

“Why should I do that?”

“For Hwanryong-nim’s growth.”

“Yes.”

What kind of nonsense was this again? I decided his sophistry wasn’t worth listening to anymore and lifted Deokbae, which I had placed on my shoulder.

“That’s the purpose of what you’re demanding from me, even after stealing Jiparyong’s Core, trying to sneakily devour Muljigi and getting caught by me, and blocking my path to catch the Black Scorpion? Hwanryong’s growth?”

“Yes. To be precise, it’s the growth of Hwanryong-nim, who has entered ‘Mao Zeping’. By reorganizing the old Dongchang and reconstructing it into the Phantom Dragon Corps, removing the Godok within all its members, Hwanryong-nim will become the second most powerful being in this land. When the time is right, Hwanryong will abandon Mao Zeping’s body and truly reveal himself.”

“What about Mao Zeping’s body?”

“It will be alive. Yes, it will be alive.”

Bonghyo smiled sinisterly. Only then could I fully grasp Bonghyo’s true intentions.

“It sounds like you’re talking about a direction that benefits everyone, but in the end, you’re doing what’s best for yourself. For the Phantom Dragon Corps, for Dongchang, for Shaolin, and for Hwanryong.”

“I don’t deny it.”

Just as I designed and moved all my plans thinking only of the Azure Flame Phoenix, Bonghyo also acted by considering his own interests as much as possible. I understand his feelings.

But, it’s still annoying.

“Then why didn’t you tell me beforehand and pull off this stunt?”

“……If I had told you, you wouldn’t have listened, would you?”

“I would have listened, though?”

At my words, Bonghyo’s eyebrows furrowed. I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Anyway, smart guys always think whatever they want… they just think whatever they think is the only answer. Listen, Bonghyo.”

I tapped my wrist.

“I left you alone with the intention for you to assist Hwanryong well, not to backstab me like this, you know? So, I’ll just crush both your testicles along with your Core. Then you’ll just kick the bucket-“

“I heard you were looking for SR-6974.”

My hand, which was about to swing Deokbae, froze. Bonghyo looked at me with a victorious smile.

“I’m curious, but it’s not enough to make a deal with. Discard it then.”

“…….”

I’ve seen worse in Shaolin’s route, so I’m not particularly moved. An Easter egg won’t stop my anger.

“Then let’s die one more time, Bonghyo.”

I charged at Bonghyo and swung Deokbae.

“Then what about the Cube?”

“Oh.”

Too late.

Puk!

“…….”

Bonghyo died.

I poked Bonghyo’s body, which was bent in half at the waist, with Deokbae, but Bonghyo remained frozen with a look of shock.

“……You should have just tried to make a deal with the Cube from the start.”

Why did you hesitate and cause this mess? I extracted the Core from Bonghyo. How he knew about the Cube’s existence, I’ll find out later-

Kyaaaaaak!!!

“Ah. Seriously, the timing.”

A giant sand dune rose above my head.