novelSame Goal, Different Paths (2)
| ← Ch.256 | Ch.258 → |
The meeting with Wicked progressed smoothly. Wicked, who asserted her dominance over the current Djinn society, was full of confidence and vigor.
"The Association said they would carry out their mission in April, in the middle of spring. But I don't think they will be successful."
I agreed inwardly with Wicked's assessment.
The first assassination team formed by the Association wouldn't be able to kill Orden. In fact, they would suffer immense losses from traitors among them. The only problem was that I never mentioned who the traitors were in the original story.
Everything from this point on... was a mess, to be honest. I had forced the story to progress to end it. I remembered writing only a few lines about the Hero Association's first assassination team.
I didn't know what idiotic author wrote this story, but I sure wanted to give him a beating.
"So we plan to wait for them and set out in June. If they finish off Orden, that'll be good for us. If they don't, we'll just have to do it ourselves."
"Who's participating in the assassination team?" Boss asked Wicked.
Boss didn't flinch even in front of Wicked's presence. The current Boss had the ability to stand head-to-head with Wicked.
"Noteworthy members, you mean? Evil Society's executives including Kim Hakpyo, Terror and his subordinates, Destruction and his subordinates...."
The names Wicked listed were all infamous Djinns.
"I don't plan on leaving that scoundrel monster alive. Other Djinns think the same way. If Plucas-nim were still alive, he would've done the deed himself."
Hearing this, Boss frowned."Plucas?"
"You've heard of him too. Plucas-nim is the devil Chae Joochul hunted." Wicked talked about the devil without sounding mad. It was because Plucas wasn't the devil she served. Djinns served different devils, and the one Wicked served was the famous 'Baal'.
"How about it? I think we're far more likely to succeed than the Hero Association."
Djinns were the ones who saw initial success in the original story. After the Hero Association's defeat, they infiltrated Orden's kingdom, cut off one of his arms, and killed a countless number of his subordinates.
It was thanks to them that the follow-up group consisting of Chae Nayun, Yi Yeonghan, Rachel, Yun Seung-Ah, and Kim Suho could succeed.
On a side note, Kim Suho wasn't part of the first assassination team because the Hero Association wanted to keep him in check after his conquest of the Tower of Wish. Of course, now that Kim Suho's fighting the Demon King, he was in no position to even think about Orden.
"If you participate as well, I, Wicked, will acknowledge your authority over the parts of Pandemonium you currently control."
Boss' eyebrows twitched. It was certainly a generous offer, considering Djinns usually stood with other Djinns no matter how bad their relationships were.
"How is it? I think it is a fantastic deal, " Wicked said as she turned her attention to me. Her eyes scanned me."I liked the way Black Lotus shot down Orden on air."
"...."
It was a typical compliment, but Boss frowned unhappily. She glared at Wicked who was staring at me.
"So?" Wicked turned her gaze back to Boss.
Only then did Boss look at me. I nodded, and Boss gave a nod of approval to Wicked."... We will participate, but we won't take orders from anyone." She declared.
Meanwhile, my mind was on another question.
Did the Chameleon Troupe participate in the Djinn's assassination team in the original story?
"Hahaha—! Not taking orders from someone who is weaker! Right, that is the Chameleon Troupe!" Wicked laughed heartily in a way that made it hard to understand what she was thinking."Now that we've come to a decision, let us eat!"
... Three hours after the meeting.
The Chameleon Troupe and Wicked left, but Wicked's subordinates who remained in the meeting room didn't. Six executives were left without their boss, and they gathered up their underlings and started a discussion.
"... Will we really let them be?" Wicked's sixth executive, Yi Junghan, broke the silence.
"You think I will? Those bastards even stole from my personal vault!" The first executive shouted angrily. KWANG—! He even slammed his fist down on the table.
In reality, the Chameleon Troupe had established reasonable rules when they took over Pandemonium, but no Djinns liked to suffer even the slightest loss. It was especially so for high-ranking Djinns like Wicked's executives, who had benefited a lot by working with Satan's Servants.
"But Boss will be angry...."
"No, Boss wants this too. Didn't you feel it? Think back to how those two fools acted so arrogantly, not even taking off their robes and hoodies. Boss let it slide because of our current situation, but otherwise she wouldn't have hesitated to slaughter them."
The executives began to interpret Wicked's intentions on their own. They claimed that they knew how Wicked thought and that she would be happy to know that they killed the two arrogant fools.
"Perfect. We will kill those bandits the moment our work is done." The second executive, Yoon Yonghan, added to the words of the first executive, Kirken.
"No, why don't we kill them before? After all, we can always form a new assassination team."
"Hm... that's not a bad idea."
Then, the fourth executive, Plaiun, spoke, "Leave the trap to me.... "
"Plaiun, I told you to learn Korean. How are you going to live in this day and age without knowing how to speak Korean?"
"... Sorry, but I don't have talent in speaking. I'm thinking about learning a translation skill."
"... Just speak in English if you're going to mix them together."
Kirken nagged at Plaiun but translated his words to the others anyways. Just like that, the six executives of Wicked came to a consensus. Just as they were about to dismiss the meeting...
"Um... Kirken Hyung-nim."
The sixth executive, Yi Junghan, carefully spoke up.
"What."
"Rather than killing them all, why don't we humiliate them to make a greater example out of them?"
"Humiliate?"
"Y-Yes."
Seeing Kirken furrow his brows, Yi Junghan laughed and continued."One of them had quite the figure.... Don't you think so?"
"Who? Their boss?" Kirken thought of the Chameleon Troupe's Boss who didn't show even the slightest sign of fear in front of Wicked.
"No, not her. It's...." Embarrassed, Yi Junghan let out a dry cough. He scratched his neck awkwardly and stared at Kirken.
Goosebumps immediately shot up on Kirken's back."You mean... Black lotus?"
"Well, his skin seemed fair... but don't misunderstand. It's not like I want to. I just think this is the best way to give them greater humiliation...." Yi Junghan salivated as he gave a half-hearted excuse. Kirken frowned in disgust, looking at Yi Junghan drooling.
"Hmm...."
Homosexuality wasn't uncommon among Djinns. In fact, it was treated like a normal fetish. Kirken nodded without objecting to it.
"... Do what you want."
"Haha, thank you, Hyung-nim."
Yi Junghan smiled brightly and bowed.
... Faraway, there was someone spying on their private conversation.
"T-T-Those crazy bastards!"
Inside the command room of the Genkelope Vessel, Captain Horner yelled furiously. He was observing the meeting room in case anything happened to the Ship Commander, and now he was glad he did.
"Impudent fools! They dare to insult our Ship Commander!?"
The usually calm captain was full of rage. Horner took a deep breath to calm his hands, trembling from anger. Then, he immediately made a call.
—Yes, Captain.
"Lieutenant, it's an emergency."
[Alcatraz], the prison most feared by the Tower of Wish's Players.
Horner spoke to the lieutenant of the ship who was in charge of this prison.
"I will send over pictures of Players. Follow them and arrest them no matter what. It doesn't matter what they are charged for. Spitting on the ground, smoking in the streets, playfully fighting each other... treat even the lightest crime as treason."
—... May I ask what happened?
"It has to do with Ship Commander Extra7's safety."
The lieutenant, who was hesitant at first, jumped in surprise when he heard Horner's explanation. He replied with a voice full of tension.
—Yes, understood!
"Let us stuff these criminals in jail."
Once again... three hours later.
"W-What!? We didn't even do anything!"
"Fuck, what's going on!?"
"Let go of me! Do you know who I am!? I am Kirken! With the flicker of my hand, I can bury you all in the depths of—"
"Additional two years for resisting arrest."
"... Hold up, two years?"
About 40 Djinns were dragged into the Genkelope Vessel's [Alcatraz Prison].
They were charged with obstruction of business.
Apparently, they had talked too loudly in a restaurant.
**
30F.
"Too slow."
The Demon King's words fell heavily. Kim Suho took in his voice while sprawled on the ground.
"Looks like you've reached a wall."
Kim Suho had already lost 30 times. Although he managed to succeed in making the Demon King bring out his full strength, he couldn't last a minute against him in that state.
Kim Suho looked at the Demon King who had taken off his armor. He didn't wear armor for protection. It was simply to limit his speed.
The Demon King spoke, "Knight, you are in quite the miserable state."
The Demon King had the face of a king. Even Kim Suho, who didn't believe in physiognomy, knew that the man in front of him was a king. His skin was far paler than humans', and his eyes and hair-color were darker.
"If you do not show any more progress, I will not accept your challenges any further."
The Demon King left those words behind and turned around. His fluttering cape covered Kim Suho's sight.
Kim Suho was vexed. He felt like crying, so he closed his eyes.
Consecutive losses, hopeless defeats, continued despair, and a wall that seemed too high to cross... helplessness seeped deep into his bones. Voices telling him to give up rang out in his mind.
At the same time, a countless number of people appeared beneath his closed eyelids. They were those who believed in him. Among them were Kim Hajin and Yun Seung-Ah. The trust they had in him pushed him further.
'I can't give up. I can still go on. For my friends who trust in me, I... '
He raised his body once more.
"... I can win."
Even as he was swept away by a torrent of magic power, had his hands torn apart by the difference in their strength, and had his legs and ribs broken, what was being broken wasn't his sword but his body. As long as the sword remained, there was a chance. As long as there was a chance, he wouldn't give up.
"I can win...."
The strength of a sword depends on the conviction of the knight. The stronger the conviction, the sturdier the sword.
Kim Suho still believed in the words his master once told him.
"... Um."
It was then.
The Witch approached Kim Suho, who was gasping for breath. She handed him a small pouch.
"This is... ?"
"Your sparring partner left it for you."
Kim Suho stared at it blankly. He remembered what Kim Hajin told him, 'Open this when things aren't looking good. It'll help a lot. '
"I thought you forgot about it, so here you go."
Hearing the Witch's words, Kim Suho smiled, 'Forgot? How could I forget something Hajin gave me? I just haven't used it because I didn't want to get weaker. '
"Isn't it about time that you seek some help?"
The Witch's voice sounded kinder than usual.
"Haa...."
Kim Suho let out a sigh. After thinking about it for a bit, he reached forward and grabbed the pouch.
It was light.
He had no clue what was inside, but considering who it came from, he had high expectations.
With a deep-seated belief, he slowly opened the pouch.
"Eh?"
Inside it were three coupon-like pieces of paper.
[Point Coupon]
[Point Coupon]
[Special Consolidation Coupon]
**
[Korea - Seoul]
A month later, on the day of the Orden Assassination Team's departure.
—The Hero Association finished preparing for assassinating Orden. Effective goods taken from the Tower of Wish are also being utilized in full force....
While watching TV, I suddenly thought of Kim Suho.
"... Has he used them yet?"
Suho should be in a bloody battle against the Demon King. I had no doubt that the Demon King in this world was stronger than the one I wrote.
As such, I left two [Point Coupons] and one [Special Consolidation Coupon] for Kim Suho, which I used Setting Intervention to materialize.
I didn't want to give them away for free since they were so precious, but with Kim Suho's high stats, they were more effective on him, and since making Kim Suho stronger was good for me as well, I did it without hesitation.
To be honest, I didn't have much choice.
—The Orden Assassination Team will set out in one month.
The news anchor on TV reported on the Hero Association's Orden Assassination Team. The 'one month' he was talking about was nothing but a smokescreen tactic. Today was the actual day they would set out, and I would have to retrieve the girl with the Authority of Healing while they were distracted....
—Jin Seyeon, Aileen, Shin Jonghak, Yi Yongha, and many other famous Heroes are participating in this campaign.
But the anchor's next words made my thoughts freeze. I stared at the TV with a serious expression.
"... Wait, wait, wait."
A sudden suspicion arose in my head.
Thinking about it now, Aileen never appeared after the Orden arc in the original story. Jin Seyeon didn't appear either and neither did Yi Yongha.
It was because I had transitioned to focusing on Kim Suho's point of view.
Kim Suho defeated Orden with his allies, and what happened afterwards was never revealed since I went on hiatus as devils were starting to make their move.
"This...."
I looked at Aileen who was smiling brightly on TV.
A character that stops appearing in a novel... Though it wasn't explicitly stated, that was no different than dying.
Could it be... ?
"That's where she dies?"
Goosebumps shot up on my body.
There wasn't a single character among them that could die. They all had important roles in stopping the future calamities.
But as I said before, I didn't know who the traitor was. Because I never wrote it explicitly. I'd glanced over it in the original story with a single sentence.
"... Kim Hajin, you idiot."
I blamed myself and stared into the TV.
—Aileen-ssi, do you have anything you want to say? Like words of encouragement.
—Words of encouragement? Well, we're going to win for sure. Oi, Jin Seyeon, Yi Yongha! You guys come say something too.
—... Yes, um, it's Yi Yongha. My wife let me go, so... I love you Younghee!
—Ah geez, stop that!
Jin Seyeon, Aileen, Yi Yongha, and even Shin Jonghak. The four of them were full of energy.
—Thank you. That was the Spirit Speech Master Aileen. Back to you.
As the reporter ended the interview, I fell into thought.
Jain and Cheok Jungyeong should be able to kidnap the girl with the Authority of Healing even without me.
But if Aileen's party was in a life-or-death crisis, if the ominous feeling I had was true, then the only person who could save them was... me.
"Ah, fuck."
I cursed and picked up the Desert Eagle. Then, I immediately contacted Boss.
**
[Pandemonium Fighting Arena - Jin Sahyuk's Waiting Room]
"Fuck you, you fucking fuck! Why the fuck would you come with me!?"
Jin Sahyuk let out a flurry of swear words. The person on the receiving end was, of course, Bell. Used to Jin Sahyuk's cursing, Bell simply shrugged.
"Why not? I have to check whether or not you're betraying us."
"... Are you crazy? Did you finally lose your mind? Did you—!?"
Jin Sahyuk was mad solely because of Bell.
Bell had just declared that he would be joining Wicked's Orden Assassination Team. The Chameleon Troupe was participating as well, and Bell should fully know what would happen if they met.
Looking at Bell's snickering face pissed Jin Sahyuk off.
Bell spoke, "You're the one who took that crystal from Orden without even telling me."
"... Ha, do I have to get permission for everything?"
Jin Sahyuk planned to go back to the past with Kim Hajin. That way, she would be able to figure out his identity. However, Bell was planning to hinder her plans.
"Ei, Sahyuk, you know you're just going to tremble in front of him anyways. I bet you'll just stutter all the time too."
At that moment, Jin Sahyuk's shoulders flinched. However, she soon straightened her back and stood tall.
"Y-You're crazy. W-What do you m-mean I'm going to s-stutter!"
"... You've been having nightmares, right? I saw it. Spare me~ Spare me~ Don't do it~"
Bell snickered and projected a hologram in the air.
Jin Sahyuk stared at it in silence. The screen made of magic power displayed a video of her that she was unaware of.
—No, stop. Don't do it...
—It hurts, fuck... fucker....
—Spare me... it hurts... I'm... sorry....
This was likely another one of Bell's skills. Jin Sahyuk couldn't think of anything at this moment.
Her mind turned blank. No, it turned desolate.
Next, it exploded.
The explosion erupted through her skull and rose up into the sky.
"You... you...."
Jin Sahyuk decided to be truthful to her feelings.
"YOU MOTHER FUCKER!"
A roar shook the earth. The windows in the waiting room shattered, and the furniture flew into the air.
"Haha, what's wrong? I thought it was adorable. If I show this to Kim Hajin, he won't hate you so much anymo—'
"SHUT IT!"
A magic spear shot forward. Bell leisurely transformed his body into magic power. As such, Jin Sahyuk's spear was unable to pierce his body.
"... ?"
At least, that's how it should have been.
Bell noticed a sharp pain where the spear phased through him. At first, he thought he was mistaken. But he was wrong.
Ssk—
"What?"
Bell looked at the injury on his thigh. Then, he looked back at Jin Sahyuk. She was overcome with rage and attacking blindly.
Ssk—
His hand was cut. This time, it was a bit deeper.
"Ah... I get it."
Looking at the wound, Bell smiled. Before he noticed, Jin Sahyuk had advanced by another level.
'Looks like my death isn't far off. '
Bell received Jin Sahyuk's attacks with happiness.
The pain he received as the spears phased through his body sent him into ecstasy.
"Good, good... a bit more, a bit more..."
Bell climaxed under the ecstasy of the pain.
| ← Ch. 256 | Ch. 258 → |