《Solo Swordmaster》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1: A Second Chance ¡°Ugh¡­ fuck me.¡± The building that was fine a minute ago was reduced to rubble. In the middle of the ruins, was Limon. He ran his bloody hand through his hair. Glancing at the countless guns pointed at him, he calmly collected his thoughts. ¡®What did I do?¡¯ If the opponents were some kind of criminal, he wouldn¡¯t have given it a second thought. Whether he was going against the mob boss of a vicious crime syndicate. A politician controlling national affairs, or those who corroded the country and were a danger to humanity. He had never once held his blade back. But this time, things were different. The people pointing guns at him weren¡¯t criminals. Many were his colleagues. Colleagues he shared the same dinner table with just the day before. ¡°Guys¡­ I really can¡¯t understand¡­¡± That was why Limon couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Just¡­ why?¡± He¡¯d fought for humanity his whole life. He wasn¡¯t trying to argue that he only did the right things, but he had never acted out for personal gain. There was a time when he was acknowledged for his devotion and was hailed a hero. The monarch of ten thousand. It only served to add to his confusion. ¡°I said¡­ why¡¯d you set up all this ridiculous crap just to kill me, you assholes?¡± It wasn¡¯t lament, sarcasm, rage, or an outcry. It was entirely beyond his understanding, and he simply questioned why things were the way they are. False accusations should have been enough. Why did they have to sacrifice his subordinates as well? But there would be no verbal answer. Instead, a man revealed himself from behind his men. ¡°Ah.¡± Limon smirked, realizing who was behind all of this. ¡°A pawn is only kept for its usefulness.¡± And Limon had outlived his. Besides, it was human nature to desire control over others. If a mad dog could not be tamed, it was natural to put them down ¡ª even if that mad dog was the nation¡¯s greatest protector. ¡°You don¡¯t need some goner like me anymore, huh?¡± He knew there were many people who were uncomfortable with him. But he didn¡¯t care. Narrow-minded criticism from the feeble was something he had always dealt with. He thought that at the very least, no matter what anyone said, his country would still never betray him. But that was a lapse in judgment. Maybe even arrogance. The country Limon almost died multiple times for didn¡¯t need him anymore. Instead, they flung false accusations at him¡ª that he was in the way of national interest ¡ªin a bid to get rid of him. Even though Limon still possessed enough power to go against the entire world. Well, that could very well have been the truth. The time Limon was God had passed. He wasn¡¯t what the country needed anymore. Now, they just called him a ¡®goner¡¯, a man out of time. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Finally understanding everything, Limon realized why he was cornered into this predicament. His critical error. ¡°I was a fool for protecting a world like this.¡± He ignored money and power. He prioritized his obligations and responsibilities. He did favors and made concessions for the weak. And even though he sneered when called a patriot, he had put his life on the line to protect the world. That was his error. If only he had amassed riches and consolidated power. If only he had wielded his authority. If only he had ignored the people and lived selfishly. ¡­And if only he had accepted her offer. At the very least, he wouldn¡¯t have felt this dirty getting stabbed in the back. ¡®If only I could have another chance¡­¡¯ If only Limon had the power to turn back time. What would it be like to have lived differently? When¡­ Three beams of light fell from the sky. [A small number of Constellations were watching you and were moved by your prayers.] [The Fate Teasing Troublemaker offers you a contract. If you accept, you will gain the power to change your fate.] [The Guardian of Merciful Resurrection offers you a contract. If you accept, you will gain the power to revert death.] [The Crow Guardian of Glory offers you a contract. If you accept, you will gain the power to find glory.] [Which Constellation would you like to form a contract with?] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** Limon blinked at the three beams of light, along with the messages that followed. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ His mind was frozen, unable to comprehend what was happening. On the other hand, everyone else was shocked. ¡°What? How could a Constellation?!¡± ¡°That light¡­ C-could it be a Monarch-rank Constellation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! Not one, not two, but three of them?!¡± Their reactions filled the silence from just moments before. Watching them make a fuss, Limon began to grasp what had just happened. He knew what he had to do. ¡°Before he forms a contract! Do it!¡± Upon this unexpected development, the mastermind quickly ordered his men. But Limon was already on his feet before they could squeeze the trigger on their guns. And their jaws dropped at what Limon did next. Slash¡ª! The three radiant beams of light had been smashed, crumbling into fragments. ¡°Fuck off, you fake sons of bitches!¡± Limon furiously shouted amidst the specs of shattered light. And glaring at the stars in the sky, he also raised his middle finger. ¡°My fate¡¯s mine! If I die, it¡¯s on my own terms! You think I¡¯ll hand that to you fucks this cheap?¡± ¡®Holy shit¡­ he¡­!¡¯ Everyone there was dumbfounded. Most people didn¡¯t even have the chance to make a deal with a regular Constellation, and only the luckiest of the lucky could deal with a Monarch-rank Constellation. It was every player¡¯s dream. And yet, not only did Limon refuse such a fortune, he had cut down their blessings with a sword. How was that even possible?! They were at a loss for words. There was no way Limon had just acted on his impulses. But underneath all their shock, they understood. This was Limon Asphelder. The Limon Asphelder. Once at the top of the world as humanity¡¯s savior, he also could not be leashed. ¡°The fuck ya looking at, huh? You think I¡¯ll let any of you go after all this?¡± Crackle¡ª Limon finally erupts. But as he charges towards the men, a storm of light ravages the night sky. [SYSTEM ERROR NUMBER k94n0a4 ¡ª FORCED SYSTEM DISCONNECT DURING CONTRACT] ¡°Huh? Fuck is it now?¡± The light fragments Limon had shattered started to jolt and swirl around him. ¡°What are you guys, door-to-door salesmen? I¡¯m not making a deal, you clingy bastards!¡± Limon swung his sword again, screaming at the light particles slowly approaching him. But no matter how much he cut, it only dispersed, condensing around him. Limon and those around him couldn¡¯t hide their bewilderment at the unprecedented phenomenon. The Constellations, on the other hand, were startled by Limon¡¯s actions. [Having a hand stolen, The Fate Teasing Troublemaker is writhing.] [Losing one of their wings, The Guardian of Merciful Resurrection is taken aback.] [Robbed of a pair of eyes, The Crow Guardian of Glory is outraged.] [Fragments of the damaged Constellations absorbing into the recipient.] Crackle¡ª Enraged at Limon¡¯s transgressions, the three Constellations in the sky flashed brightly as strong winds blew and the earth shook. ¡°Huh? What are you doing to me, you assholes?! Fuck off!¡± And as the others gazed on, the light was sucked into Limon¡¯s body like a whirlpool. ¡°I said, fuck off!¡± And the moment the final spec of light entered Limon¡ª The world crumbled. *** The fatigue of having not slept for a century, yet the haziness of wandering in a century-old dream. It was a strange sensation. A boundary of thoughts, somewhere between the realm of dreams and reality that made it even harder to escape. And as Limon was losing himself wandering in the endless void, a voice pulled him back to reality. ¡°Boss, boss?¡± ¡®Who¡¯s voice is that?¡¯ It felt so strange, despite being one he was familiar with. ¡°See, this is why people call you a bogan¡­!¡± Flick¡ª ¡°Eek?!¡± ¡°Says who, you bastard?¡± Regardless of whether he was fully conscious or not, his body responded immediately upon being called a bogan. His finger rose, flicking the forehead of the person shaking him awake. ¡°It hurts! Why would you hit my face of all places? What if it leaves a mark?¡± It seems like the flick was very painful. ¡°Are you going to take responsibility if I can¡¯t get married?!¡± As he looked at the woman holding onto her red forehead yelling at him with teary eyes, Limon finally remembered who she was. And a strange expression washes over his face. ¡°Yoo Na-kyung?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The Yoo Na-kyung, my team member?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m your team member, is there another Na-kyung around?¡± As if something got unclogged, the memories of the woman quickly flooded back into Limon¡¯s mind. Name: Yoo Na-kyung. Age: 26. Occupation: Special government employee. Status: My team member. Characteristics: Quite arrogant. Height 158, weight¡ª But he pushed it all away and asked her the biggest question on his mind. ¡°How are you alive?¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2: Beware the Raging Bull Yoo Na-kyung was taken aback at the sudden question. ¡°¡­Did I ever die?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Then why would you ask that?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know?¡± Limon tilted his head. Yoo Na-kyung was undeniably human. She was not some zombie, and he¡¯d never heard anything about her dying before, either. Of course she was alive right now. And yet, Limon couldn¡¯t sit well with this apparent truth. Like he¡¯d seen her die with his own two eyes before. ¡®Why did I ask that?¡¯ Watching Limon, Yoo Na-kyung didn¡¯t hide the suspicion on her face. ¡°Boss¡­ are you senile by any chance?¡± Flick¡ª ¡°Eek! I told you to stop hitting there! This definitely counts as workplace violence!¡± ¡°Would you like to see what violence actually is?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Yoo Na-kyung hurriedly shook her head at Limon, who had his fists clenched. She knew from experience that her wild boss wouldn¡¯t just stop at a forehead flick if he actually used violence. Silencing Na-kyung, Limon shelved his thoughts. ¡°So which rat bastard is it this time?¡± ¡°Eh? How¡¯d you know there was a new report?¡± ¡°If you woke me up for anything that wasn¡¯t an emergency, I¡¯ll blast your forehead open.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too harsh on your only team member?!¡± Despite complaining, Yoo Na-kyung pulled out the report and quickly read aloud its main points. ¡°9:12pm: Violations against the Player Special Administrative Act verified at coordinates BVI-52.15. 9:15pm: Culprit escapes the police. 9:17pm: Culprit was identified¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡± ¡°They¡¯re asking for us to catch some madman who¡¯s gone wild after drinking.¡± ¡°¡­What the hell, I¡¯m being dispatched to go after one fucking drunkard?¡± Limon furrowed his brows. In the past, he was called the nation¡¯s hero and the ¡®Guardian of Humanity¡¯, only involved in the nation¡¯s most pressing affairs. Yet here he was now ¡ª a minor position with only one subordinate, getting assigned tasks like this. He couldn¡¯t help but feel how different times had become. Limon didn¡¯t hide his frustration, but Yoo Na-kyung didn¡¯t worry too much about it. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t go, no one can really say anything. You¡¯re off duty today.¡± She only nodded nonchalantly, and casually asked Limon. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re not gonna go?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon scowled at his stubborn teammate¡¯s face. She was right. He was off duty today. Even if there was a report, he wasn¡¯t obligated to move. And it didn¡¯t matter if he wasn¡¯t off-duty, either. Given his past contributions, even if he has been reduced to a mere team leader, no one would blame him for slacking a little. Despite that, Limon still reached his hand out with a sigh. ¡°Enough nonsense. Bring me my coat.¡± ¡°Yes sir! Here it is!¡± Yoo Na-kyung smiled, as if she expected his response, and handed him his coat. Limon glanced at her cheeky expression as he put his coat on. Picking up his sword, he asked, ¡°So, whose head do I have to shove up their ass?¡± *** The Golden Age, when life flourished. Primitive humans, no different from beasts, achieved civilization by communicating with elementals. Through these elementals¡¯ power and wisdom, elementalists and sorcerers looked after the world. The Silver Age, when Incarnations descended. They bore knowledge of the Gods, teaching the people to create a prosperous agricultural society. And using the magic received from these gods, priests and witches ruled the world. The Bronze Age, when the seven dragons appeared. Previously in a deep slumber to escape ancient calamity, they finally awoke. They taught their followers Psionics, and while they devoured the Incarnations, their followers conquered the world. The Heroes¡¯ Age, when the humans killed the dragons. After the first Swordmaster, the Sword Emperor, slayed the seven dragons, the title became a symbol of absolute power, and no one dared to oppose it. But nothing lasts forever¡­ The Iron Age, when Constellations arose. And times change. After the appearance of the dungeon and Constellations, the legend of the Swordmaster fell into obscurity, replaced by the mystical players. Through contracts with Constellations, they acquired power known as ¡®skills¡¯ and took their place as the dominant faction in society. With a wave of their hands, they could build a skyscraper, A machine transcending time, Or easily cure a previously incurable illness. With these skills that made the impossible possible, the world developed dramatically. And so, players became idolized. Swordmasters were only a few inherently talented people who devoted their entire lives to honing that talent. On the other hand, players could acquire definite power with little effort. It was almost too good to be true. High-level players, in particular, could attain tremendous wealth and power with their unique skills. Nevertheless, Sheriff Hwang did not believe that the rise of players were all sunshines and rainbows. Vrooom¡ª How so? ¡°{Seo Yongchan, stop immediately! You are in violation of traffic laws!}¡± If there were no such thing as players, he wouldn¡¯t need to be on a frantic chase in the middle of the city. ¡°Suck an egg! How dare a damn pig living off my taxes tell me what I can or cannot do?¡± ¡°{Why you¡­! I¡¯m trying to be civil! Stop right now, or I¡¯ll crash you!}¡± ¡°Hahaha! Go ahead and try!¡± Gallop Gallop Gallop¡ª ¡°Aaaargh! That damn son of a bitch!¡± A young man was racing the roads like a horse out of its reigns. Sheriff Hwang grinded his teeth as he chased Seo Yongchan in his police car. When you¡¯re a cop, it was more likely people would speed up when ordered to stop. But Seo Yongchan¡¯s reckless driving wasn¡¯t what grinded Sheriff Hwang¡¯s gears. A body of brass the size of a truck, two horns as sharp as a spear, and sulfur smoking from its nostrils. ¡°If you¡¯re drunk, go to bed! Who the fuck rides around recklessly on a familiar?!¡± Sheriff Hwang cursed watching Seo Yongchan running around on his monstrous brass bull. ¡®Damn these player bastards!¡¯ If it were a sports car, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to crash head-on into him. But he couldn¡¯t, not with that brass bull. Even the familiars of low-level 20 players could make a truck fly with one crash. Seo Yongchan was a high-level player in the 80s. What hope does a police car have, when even a missile might not stop his familiar? That was why Sheriff Hwang disliked players. If their level were even a little high, they¡¯d completely disregard the authority of law enforcement, and police arms were no match for them. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s PAB?¡± ¡°They said they¡¯re on their way!¡± ¡°Goddamnit, it¡¯s been ages since we radioed them, and they¡¯re still on their way?!¡± Sheriff Hwang was anxious. The only way they could catch Seo Yongchan was with the help of PAB agents. That was exactly what the PAB organization was created for. But how much destruction would be done before they arrived? ¡°Ahahaha! I¡¯m freeee!¡± ¡°Th-that little¡­¡­!¡± Perhaps it had gotten bored of just running. Even though it wasn¡¯t a car, the brass bull tried to drift, squashing many parked cars with its posterior. Sheriff Hwang was appalled, seeing Seo Yongchan scream in delight with both arms out. Just how many cars got destroyed? Though, that didn¡¯t matter anymore. Seo Yongchan had changed his course. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡°Stop, you fuck! There¡¯s no traffic control over there!¡± Everyone had already evacuated to leave a road big enough for the bull. That was also why there was yet to be any casualties. However, that left the other smaller roads open. What would happen if that thing got onto one of those? The number of deaths would be unimaginable. ¡°Shriek!¡± ¡°Wh-what is that thing?!¡± ¡°Holy fuck!¡± The ominous prediction had turned real. The brass bull running wild had run onto a road with people. Thankfully, the bull ran with such an odd roar that many of the pedestrians crossing the street quickly ran away in fear and shock. But not everyone was so fortunate. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Huaagh!¡± ¡°N-noo!¡± Maybe her ankles got sprained when she was getting pushed around by those trying to escape. Sheriff Hwang¡¯s eyes widened as he saw a woman fall in the middle of the road, struggling to get up. Beside her, was a small girl in tears holding her hand. He grabbed the loudspeaker, howling at the top of his lungs. ¡°{Seo Yongchan, you fucking dipshit! Can¡¯t you see the people in front of you?! Stop!}¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°{Stop immediately!}¡± His intoxication must¡¯ve blinded him. He appeared flustered, as if he¡¯d just discovered the mother and daughter on the crosswalk. But that was all it was. Seo Yongchan couldn¡¯t stop the brass bull, nor could he cancel its summon. The bull was too fast, and with the alcohol slowing down his thoughts, stopping the bull wasn¡¯t even an idea that appeared in his mind. ¡®They¡¯re done for!¡¯ The brass bull was running like crazy. The woman wrapped the girl in her arms and covered her with her body. But it was useless. Even a brush against that massive beast would turn a human body into paste in an instant. As Sheriff Hwang grimaced picturing the horrible sight he was about to witness, Bamf¡ª! ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ The cavalry had finally arrived. Sheriff Hwang couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Only the woman and her daughter were there a moment ago. And yet, in the blink of an eye, another man and woman had appeared there as well. But he only had a moment of shock. When he saw their white coats with their gaudy design, his expression brightened without even realizing it. There was only one group of people who still wore something so outdated. ¡®PAB! They¡¯re finally here!¡¯ If it were the PAB, of course they could pop out of thin air. The Player Administration Bureau. An organization specifically created for the regulation of high-level players. The agents were mostly high-level players themselves. Dimensional players, especially, could save the mother and daughter with ¡¸Teleportation¡¹ even if they couldn¡¯t stop the brass bull. An immediate disaster had been avoided. ¡­But instead of running away with the mother and daughter, the PAB agents merely stood in place. Sheriff Hwang¡¯s moment of relief was quickly thrown back. ¡®Huh? Why aren¡¯t they moving?¡¯ Sling¡ª But that too, only lasted for a moment. The man in the white cloak took a step forward with his sword drawn. Realizing what the man was planning, Sheriff Hwang was appalled. ¡°Holy shit! You¡¯re gonna stop that thing head first?!¡± ¡®That guy¡¯s desperate to die.¡¯ He may have only been in the level 80s, but Seo Yongchan was still in the top 0.01% of players in the entire world. On top of that, his brass bull was built specifically for combat. And yet, there the man stood, trying to stop that monster¡¯s attack alone with just a flimsy sword. Pure fucking insanity. The only ones capable of such a thing were the Ten Great Monarchs, or the Grand Dukes comparable to them. But once the man started moving, Sheriff Hwang¡¯s foul mouth dropped open. One step as he cut off its thick neck. One step as he cut its four legs, the bull still moving after death. One step as he turned around to kick its side. In just three steps, the man had butchered the brass bull and shoved its remains to the side of the road. He sheathed his sword¡­ Only to complain to the woman behind him. ¡°Oi, you told me there was only a drunkard. The hell¡¯s this cow head?¡± ¡°Seems like a snack to go along with him and his alcohol.¡± ¡°There¡¯s people who eat even brass bulls with a drink?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s registered if they¡¯re a player who consumes metal to use their skill.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Fucks sake. Ain¡¯t a single normal player out here.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a player too?¡± ¡°Did I stutter?¡± ¡°Just what is your opinion of me, boss?!¡± He¡¯d just destroyed a metal bull the size of a house. Sheriff Hwang was bedazzled out of his mind, staring at the man casually talking as if he¡¯d just stomped an ant. By his side, stood Officer Kim. His dumbfounded voice snapped Sheriff Hwang out of his trance. ¡°Sheriff Hwang¡­ what did we just witness?¡± ¡°A familiar above level 80 was just decimated by a single person in less than a second.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°¡­Maybe if they were a Monarch.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of such a Monarch.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sheriff Hwang blankly agreed. Among the countless players in the world, there were only ten who could be called a Monarch. They were those who dealt with a Monarch-rank Constellation and were able to reach the ultimate realm of level 100. But to his knowledge, there wasn¡¯t a single white-haired man among the 100 Grand Dukes, much less the ten Monarchs. ¡®Wait, white hair?¡¯ Sheriff Hwang¡¯s eyes widened, taking a good look at the man. Indeed, there was one person who came to mind. Finding a small scar by the white-haired man¡¯s eyes, he unknowingly mumbled a name. ¡°Asphelder?¡± ¡°Asphelder? You mean The Limon Asphelder?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m certain of it.¡±¡® Sheriff Hwang said definitively. He was barely mentioned nowadays, but he was once the most infamous person in the world. He was a hero, even dubbed the ¡®Guardian of Humanity¡¯, before the world entered the Iron Age and players appeared. ¡°He¡¯s mankind¡¯s last Swordmaster.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3: Conscience ¡°¡­I thought Swordmasters only appeared in history books.¡± ¡°Of course. He¡¯s a great man, but even in the PAB, he¡¯s been relegated to a trivial job.¡± Officer Kim was confused at Sheriff Hwang¡¯s collected explanation. ¡°Trivial?¡± ¡°Yep, they say he¡¯s basically been disowned.¡± ¡°But why? Shouldn¡¯t he be highly desired everywhere?¡± It was an obvious conclusion to come to. His past fame aside, his ability to cut down Seo Yongchan¡¯s familiar in a single hit was extraordinary. Whether it be a guild or a governmental branch, a man of his caliber would be valuable anywhere. But Sheriff Hwang was indifferent. ¡°Have you ever worked in a group project?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± ¡°How would it feel to have a group member complaining about everything without actually contributing anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be pissed.¡± ¡°And if that group member had a rotten personality and a horrible temper, but you couldn¡¯t kick him out because of his history with the company?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be really pissed.¡± ¡°There you go.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Not understanding his explanation, there was a blank expression on Officer Kim¡¯s face. ¡°That man¡¯s a Swordmaster, not a player. He can¡¯t enter the dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°Do you get it now? Why everyone avoids him?¡± Sheriff Hwang clicked his tongue. Power wasn¡¯t the only reason high-level players were treated so well. It was also because of the enormous amount of technological and socio-economic benefits the treasures in the dungeon provided. ¡°Even if he¡¯s stronger than high-level players, there¡¯s no benefit in keeping him around.¡± That was precisely why Limon was a pain in the ass. An anachronistic swordsman that provided no benefits to the world because he couldn¡¯t enter the dungeon. But they couldn¡¯t exactly treat him poorly either, when he held the title of a hero in the past. No one could be as troublesome as him. ¡°They put up with him because they needed his strength then. But there are Monarchs greater than him now. Who¡¯d want to keep around an old fart that does nothing but complain?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I see that now.¡± ¡°Move on if you get it. There¡¯s a lot of cleanup to do.¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± Sheriff Hwang sighed as he looked over the roads. They were utterly wrecked from Limon kicking the brass bull across it. ¡®I feel bad for whoever Limon¡¯s subordinates and supervisors are.¡¯ *** A neatly ironed suit, a luxurious watch, a shiny head and a plump belly. Just a glance would tell you that he was an aged, wise man of dignity. Bang¡ª! Director Kang Jungsoo slammed his deck. ¡°Just what the hell did you do?!¡± At his outburst, Yoo Na-kyung only blinked with wide eyes and asked, ¡°Are you talking about confiscating the tea leaves and cake in your secretary¡¯s office without permission?¡± ¡°No¡­! Wait, hold on. I¡¯ve been getting complaints from finance that my refreshment fees have gone up. That was you?!¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Can¡¯t we see it as a one-off sustenance irregularity?¡± ¡°Are you listening to yourself?!¡± ¡°I have a condition where I don¡¯t feel well If I don¡¯t consume sugar. I¡¯d appreciate it if you gave our team refreshment fees as well.¡± ¡°You damn¡ª!¡± Veins bulged on Kang Jungsoo¡¯s forehead, but only for a moment. He pressed on his temples, forcing himself to calm down. There were more pressing matters at the moment. ¡°Forget about the snacks. Explain the mess you made yesterday.¡± ¡°The mess?¡± Yoo Na-kyung looked empty-headed. Kang Jungsoo pointed at the report on his desk in frustration. ¡°This, I¡¯m talking about this!¡± ¡°Oh, yesterday¡¯s bull incident?¡± ¡°Yes! How could you act without permission and make such a big mess? What are you going to do about the cleanup?¡± Kang Jungsoo was frantic. It would have made any other agent flinch from fear. In the workplace, it was an unspoken rule to tread lightly to avoid angering your boss. Especially for civil servants. But Yoo Na-kyung had grown away from such fears thanks to her boss, who was unusual in many ways. Rather, she thought what he was saying was strange. ¡°Uhm¡­ Director. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s basic protocol for PAB to act first, report second. What do you mean, permission?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was a valid point. PAB was created to keep malicious players under a tight leash. Naturally, there were many emergencies where they had to be dispatched urgently. It would be unreasonable to have to request permission from the higher-ups every single time. ¡°Plus, all we did was prevent human casualties. How¡¯s that a big mess?¡± ¡°Are you seriously asking that right now?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Y-youuuu!¡± Kang Jungsoo was red with anger and blue with shock. An apology should¡¯ve come first. But seeing Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s genuine look of confusion, he was at a loss for words. ¡°You! Just how did you train your subordinates?!¡± Kang Jungsoo changed his target. He decided that he¡¯d rather chew out the boss, than continue talking to a brick wall. Knowing that hounding a boss was as typical as doing it to their subordinates, this was an apparent, even habitual act of his. But Kang Jungsoo put a hand over his mouth the moment that boss opened his. ¡°Huh? What do you want?¡± He was so worked up that he¡¯d forgotten the reason he couldn¡¯t harp at her boss. The young man with white hair yawned on the sofa, lounging as if the director¡¯s office was his living room. ¡°Did you just say that¡­ to me? Kang Jungsoo held his breath at Limon¡¯s low pitch, and gathered every inch of courage he had to answer sternly. ¡°¡®Y-you¡¯, you say? How could you address your superior that way¡­¡± ¡°Oi, Jungsoo.¡± ¡°Oh, Uhm¡ª Come to think of it¡­ I have an urgent meeting to attend. I should be on my way.¡± ¡°Kang Jungsoo.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, sir.¡± The little bit of courage Kang Jungsoo had mustered immediately dissipated. Saving face didn¡¯t matter. If he didn¡¯t change his tone immediately, he would never see the light of day. That was what his instincts told him when he saw those piercing, gold eyes. Limon asked the now silent Kang Jungsoo. ¡°How old are you again?¡± ¡°¡­46, sir.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯ve grown. Feels like just yesterday you pissed yourself from how scared of me you were.¡± ¡°Pff¡ª!¡± ¡°Ahem! Uhm¡­ Sir. Please, not the old stories¡­¡± Seeing Yoo Na-kyung barely hold in her laugh with her hand, Kang Jungsoo finally realized the hole he¡¯d dug himself into. He should have just turned a blind eye. What kind of glory was he seeking, trying to reprimand the geezer with a youthful face, only to lose face himself? ¡°Yeah, whatever¡­ Hey, you remember what your grandfather introduced me to you on that day?¡± ¡°¡­He told me to always remember your grace because you were his savior.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I must¡¯ve saved that guy¡¯s life on the battlefield like three times. You wouldn¡¯t even have been born if he died.¡± ¡°B-but that¡¯s personal¡­ and this is work¡­¡± ¡°And what¡¯d you say? You referred to me by ¡®you¡¯! Did your grandpa tell you to talk to me like that? Should I call Deokjin right now and check, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I made a mistake!¡± Kang Jungsoo crumbled immediately. The director of the PAB held the reins for everything player-related. But what could he do to the guy? Even his grandfather, a war hero, would get on his knees for him. What would happen if Limon told his father, Kang Deokjin, about what happened today? He didn¡¯t think he would still get a beating at this age. ¡°Tsk, tsk. Kids these days.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** Limon swung his feet onto the table, resting his face on his hand. ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°You¡¯re flipping your shit first thing in the morning because something went wrong, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°So what is it? I don¡¯t have any guesses.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Kang Jungsoo started to boil inside once again at Limon¡¯s ignorance and at his subordinate¡¯s chirpy add-ons. But they weren¡¯t being petty. They truly didn¡¯t know the reason. ¡®No buildings were destroyed this time, right?¡¯ ¡®And we didn¡¯t even beat them half to death like last time.¡¯ That¡¯s right. To Limon, partially decimating a building was a piece of cake. He¡¯d also beat up the culprits he caught. Compared to that, this incident went rather peacefully. They couldn¡¯t understand what the problem was. Kang Jungsoo would¡¯ve held back tears if he knew of this¡ª Was that something to be proud of? Unaware of their thoughts, Kang Jungsoo finally opened his mouth. ¡°Sir, did you not destroy Seo Yongchan¡¯s familiar yesterday?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Y-you know. The drunkard who flew with the bull you kicked yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, that little shit?¡± Limon shook his head. Looking back, he faintly remembered some dude stuck under the bull, screaming. He¡¯d just forgotten because the brass bull had such a loud presence. ¡°And what about that little shit?¡± ¡°Mr. Seo Yongchan is demanding compensation for yesterday¡¯s damages.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Limon looked bewildered. ¡°What bullshit is that? What did I destroy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kang Junsoo held his words. How was he going to explain this? Or to be exact, how was he going to explain this without getting dragged by Limon? But to his relief, his worries didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Eh? You can¡¯t go in now¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up! The bastard¡¯s inside right now, right? Are you taking his side because you¡¯re a civil servant too? Huh?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not about that¡­¡± ¡°Then move, bitch!¡± Slam¡ª! Right when it got loud outside, the door to the director¡¯s office slammed open. A young man covered in bandages stomped in, shaking off the secretary who was trying to stop him. Seo Yongchan bitterly looked around the director¡¯s office. He scanned over a startled Kang Jungsoo and a blinking Yoo Na-kyung. When he found an indifferent Limon, his eyes widened. ¡°Was it you? The guy who cut down my Colchis Bull? As if he was already certain the man was Limon, Seo Yongchan didn¡¯t wait for an answer. He simply plopped down on the sofa across from him, crossed his legs, and continued bluntly. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hear it. How are you gonna compensate for my bull?¡± ¡°Mr. Seo Yongchan, just what are you doing?!¡± ¡°What? Is there a problem with me sitting on the sofa bought with my tax money?¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Kang Jungsoo¡¯s face strained immediately. He may have crumpled under Limon, but that was because he was Limon. He still held the title of PAB director. To the players, he was the King of the Underworld. It was natural he¡¯d be infuriated that not only did a neophyte like Seo Yongchan burst into his office, he also had the audacity to act so arrogantly. ¡°What? Got your panties in a twist? Then compensate me, yeah?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª!¡± But Seo Yongchan didn¡¯t even move a muscle in front of Kang Jungsoo. Rather, he got condescending and confronted him. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a conscience! How dare you give me that attitude when you¡¯re the ones who fucked up my familiar!¡± ¡°Aaargh!¡± As Kang Jungsoo nearly boils over at Seo Yongchan behaving like a moneylender demanding his money, Limon begrudgingly opened his mouth. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking just to make sure¡­¡± Normally, Limon wasn¡¯t one who¡¯d let a cocky attitude slide. He should¡¯ve dropkicked Seo Yongchan already. But this time, he simply observed. Seo Yongchan was just too ridiculous. ¡°No way¡­ You came all the way here to make us pay for that cow head I chopped off yesterday?¡± ¡°No way? What do you mean, no way?! You weren¡¯t even thinking of compensating me?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ yeah. I wasn¡¯t expecting to hear demands for damage compensation.¡± ¡°Ha! You¡¯re one funny guy.¡± Seo Yongchan shook his head, as if he was the dumbfounded one, and glared at Limon, ¡°Do you know how much that familiar was?¡± ¡°How much was it?¡± ¡°Over eight hundred million. Eight hundred million! if you blew off all that money, of course you should pay up. How dare you shamelessly try to turn a blind eye?!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ That is pretty pricey.¡± Limon nodded. Even if it was a player who earned a fortune from the dungeon¡¯s treasures, that was still not a meager sum of money. A typical player wouldn¡¯t be able to make that much, even in a lifetime. So Seo Yongchan throwing a fit was somewhat understandable. ¡°But why are you asking us for it?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°According to the Special Management Act¡­ when an unauthorized skill is used¡­ the party directly involved is responsible for all damage¡­ Yeah? Limon glanced around for approval to whether he remembered correctly. ¡°It is as my team leader said.¡± Yoo Na-kyung followed up courtly. But the reaction of the other person surprised Limon. ¡°In principle, that is correct¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Limon looked bemused. Kang Jungsoo was normally strict about expenditure. Yet here he was, avoiding a direct answer. Instead of standing with Limon, he looked troubled. ¡°Special Management Act, my ass. You think you can steal my money with that sort of crap?¡± Seo Yongchan laughed at them like he was mocking them for bringing something like that up. With his chin raised, he spoke with arrogance. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Am I supposed to?¡± ¡°My brother-in-law is Lee Chun-gi! Lee Chun-gi! One phone call to him is all it¡¯ll take to change the special whatever act!¡± Alongside nine others, even a toddler in today¡¯s age would¡¯ve recognized that name. Limon finally understood why Kang Jungsoo kept his rage within himself, despite the circumstances. And what gave this son of a bitch the balls to act the way he did. ¡°Lee Chun-gi, the Infinite Monarch?¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Choice Anyone could become a player by making a deal with a Constellation. But not all players were the same. A player¡¯s standing was decided based on the rank of their Constellation and the skills it gave. Monarchs were the zenith of all that. Ten superhuman beings who dealt with the greatest Constellations and grew their unique skills to their limit, reaching level 100. Even a nation¡¯s government couldn¡¯t look down on them, and every branch of power would bow their heads in front of them. True to their name, they were the Absolute Rulers of this era. ¡°Why? Are you just realizing that you crossed the wrong person?¡± It was an extraordinary background to have one of the ten Monarchs as your brother-in-law. On top of that, Seo Yongchan himself was a high-level player in the 80s. No one could be as demanding as he was. Once you¡¯ve reached the stars, regular humans down on Earth would look more like mere ants. ¡°I told you you shouldn¡¯t have ambushed me. Why would you get on my nerves doing such a nasty thing, huh?¡± ¡°¡­Ambush?¡± ¡°Fucking hell, you got drunk and ambushed me while I was defenseless!¡± Limon blinked and turned to Yoo Na-kyung, his eyes asking: ¡®Hey, does running wild on a bull count as being defenseless these days?¡¯ ¡®If that was defenseless, would arson count as fireworks?¡¯ ¡®Then what the fuck is this dude going on about?¡¯ ¡®I dunno¡­ Maybe he blacked out?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s gotta have heard something. There¡¯s mountains of evidence in the security footage.¡¯ ¡®Could it be someone lied to him about what happened?¡¯ After a moment of being in thought with Yoo Na-kyung, Limon was frustrated. He couldn¡¯t figure out the answer himself, and decided to just ask up front. ¡°Just to make sure, what evidence are you going off on when you say I ambushed you?¡± ¡°What evidence do I need? Unless you used some dirty trick up your sleeve, there¡¯s no way my familiar would get destroyed by a goner like you.¡± Limon unknowingly furrowed his brows. Not because of Seo Yongchan¡¯s absurdity, but because he¡¯d realized the real reason why he was still throwing a fit. ¡®Hm. It seems like his pride was hurt.¡¯ Until now, Seo Yongchan must have lived up among the stars looking down on everyone. Now that one of the faces of his pride, his prized familiar, was utterly decimated in a single second, he probably couldn¡¯t accept it. Especially not when it was some goner. And Limon knew well from experience how people like him tried to boost their egos. ¡°A civil servant assaulting an innocent civilian, how could this be?! I get goosebumps thinking that humans like you live off my tax money, goosebumps!¡± How did they do it? Simple, really. It was strange, but people like him think that their pride would stand tall again once they brought down the other party. ¡°You think I¡¯ll stop with just compensation fees? You wish! Once I set my mind to it, ruining a goner like you is a no-brainer.¡± If that were to happen, Seo Yongchan¡¯s threats couldn¡¯t be seen as merely a facade. Whether it was security cameras or blackbox footage, all he had to do was erase the recordings. It really wasn¡¯t hard to do if he even had just another high-level player to work with. And witnesses? Even easier. As long as they didn¡¯t have a death wish, anyone would gladly keep their mouths shut if he even slightly flashed his Monarch-related background. And with some cash, he could create brand new witnesses that weren¡¯t there before. Just like that, the incident¡¶The Infinite Monarch¡¯s Brother-in-Law Explodes in the Middle of Traffic!¡·would get completely erased, and in its place would be Seo Yongchan¡¯s Limon assault story. But Limon wasn¡¯t the one who took Seo Yongchan¡¯s threats to heart the most. ¡°Mr. Seo Yongchan, are you threatening a PAB agent in front of me?¡± ¡°What? Like I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Please talk some sense!¡± Kang Jungsoo strained his face. He had held everything in because of his Monarch-related background, but even that had a limit. He cried out at how far Seo Yongchan had stepped out of line. ¡°If you keep lashing out like this, I will talk with the Infinite Monarch myself! Is that what you want?¡± Seo Yongchan flinched at his stern voice. Even if he was family, the name of the Monarch was still sacred, even to him. Of all people, if the director of the PAB contacted him directly because of this incident, even a family member like Seo Yongchan would get greatly punished. ¡°Tsk¡­ Alright, fine.¡± After a moment of hesitating between his pride and his fear, Seo Yongchan finally stepped back. ¡°Since your director is begging so earnestly, I¡¯ll make an exception this time with just compensation fees.¡± ¡®Just when did I beg earnestly, you piece of shit?!¡¯ Kang Jungsoo cowled at his cocky tone, but didn¡¯t hound him any longer. No matter the circumstances, talking to a Monarch was still overwhelming. It was a relief if this situation could be resolved with just some money. Pointing his finger at the man seating across him, ¡°¡­But only if that man gets on his knees and apologizes.¡± Upon hearing that, Kang Jungsoo froze in place and Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s eyes widened. But Limon only slightly tilted his head. ¡°¡­¡­You want me to kneel?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? You gotta show basic courtesy if you hurt someone!¡± ¡°Mr. Seo Yongchan, that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to? That¡¯s fine as well. I¡¯ll just get scolded by my brother-in-law and call it a day.¡± ¡®Idiot!¡¯ Kang Jungsoo held back his curses. Negotiations and settlements were just thrown out the window. He had looked away just in case, but also closed his eyes when he saw Limon throw a punch towards that stupid face. Pow¡ª! *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡®As I planned.¡¯ Limon had thrown a punch at his face. Watching his fierce expression, triumph washed over Seo Yongchan¡¯s face. ¡®He really got mad just like that, that stupid old man¡¯. From the moment he barged in till now. Seo Yongchan¡¯s entitlement wasn¡¯t the only reason why he acted so cocky the entire time. He was trying to provoke Limon on purpose so he¡¯d come at him like this. He had a reason for that ¡ª to knock down Limon head first to get even with him! Of course, that plan was only possible if he took down Limon one on one, but Seo Yongchan was confident. Before, he was drunk and didn¡¯t have his gear equipped ¡ª which was why he couldn¡¯t block the attack. As long as he had his gear equipped and prepped for combat, there was no way he couldn¡¯t handle a goner like Limon. Seo Yongchan had no doubt in himself. Until he was decked squarely in the gut by Limon. ¡°Urk?!¡± Seo Yongchan was taken aback. Before he knew it, the fist he was sure he blocked was embedded in his stomach. But suitting his title as a high-level player, Seo Yongchan was able to tank the hit, and tried to counterattack. Although, reality is sometimes disappointing. Slap! Slap! Slap! ¡°Hey, you little son of a bitch.¡± Kick! Kick! Kick! Kick! ¡°If you did something wrong, you should know how. To. Feel. Remorse.¡± Baam¡ª! ¡°Compensation fees? Kneel? You have an earnest death wish, don¡¯t you?!¡± ¡®Th-this can¡¯t be.¡¯ His cheeks were swollen from getting slapped. His body was kicked around like a football. His face was punched several times. Getting dunked on by Limon, not even allowed a moment to breathe, let alone counterattack. Rather than rage, Seo Yongchan felt a sense of bewilderment. High-level players were the embodiment of superhuman beings. Their levels made their bodies as strong as steel, and their reflexes fast enough to catch a flying arrow. And armed with items, Seo Yongchan could crush a tank with one hand. So how could Limon, no more than an ¡®ordinary person¡¯, hurt so badly? Seo Yongchan couldn¡¯t understand, but that didn¡¯t last long. The pain from the unending physical abuse caused him to flip out. ¡°Y-you son of a bitch! You think you can get away with this?! If I tell this to my brother-in-law¡­..!¡± ¡°Tell him, my ass. It won¡¯t change the fact you¡¯re going to die soon.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Limon finally stopped his barrage. He pulled Seo Yongchan up by his hair and met his eyes with a bleak smirk. ¡°I could say the same for you. Did you think you could get away with your life talking to me like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Chills ran over Seo Yongchan¡¯s back. He was quite the troublemaker himself. As soon as he saw the bloodthirst glowing in Limon¡¯s golden eyes, he knew. Limon was equally¡ª No, he was undeniably a crazier scumbag than he could ever be. ¡®That bastard, he means it!¡¯ At that moment, Seo Yongchan let go of all the rage and resentment he had, and his survival instincts rushed in to do the talking. ¡°W-wait. Let¡¯s talk¡­¡± ¡°Too late, you son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Aaargh!¡± Not even giving him a chance to speak, Limon smashed Seo Yongchan¡¯s chin into his knee. He smashed it in so hard, broken teeth swarmed out of his mouth. But Limon didn¡¯t stop there. He pinned Seo Yongchan writhing on the floor with his foot, and faintly grinned. ¡°A dead man won¡¯t need this either, right?¡± Amidst struggling in pain, Seo Yongchan¡¯s eyes widened. Limon had murder in his eyes. ¡°N-not there¡­!¡± ¡°Yes there, you little bitch!¡± Ignoring Seo Yongchan¡¯s desperate cries, Limon ruthlessly landed a kick. Snap¡ª ¡°AAAAAAGH!¡± The cry of a man. *** Seo Yongchan ended up passing out. It was inevitable. It wouldn¡¯t be possible to maintain consciousness after all that awful shock. What was even more awful was that Limon¡¯s beating still didn¡¯t stop. Pow! Pow! Pow! ¡°How dare you pass out, you son of a bitch! You think this is your living room?! Alright then, sleep as much as you like! I¡¯ll make you sleep forever!¡± ¡°S-sir! Please settle down. He might actually die if this goes on!¡± Kang Jungsoo couldn¡¯t bear to see any more of the brutality and stopped Limon. But Limon¡¯s response only made him freeze. ¡°But¡­ I am going to kill him¡­?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯m beating him to death,¡± Limon answered nonchalantly. ¡°What? Did you think I said I¡¯d kill him as a joke?¡± ¡°I mean, he¡¯s¡­! He¡¯s the Infinite Monarch¡¯s brother-in-law! What are you going to do if the Infinite Monarch finds out about this?!¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t. There¡¯s plenty of people in the PAB who erase this kind of evidence.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯re a crime syndicate?! Besides, dozens of people probably saw him break in all the way here, you can¡¯t hide that!¡± ¡°What, and you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Please, talk some sense!¡± ¡°Welp.¡± Limon licked his lips listening to Kang Jungsoo¡¯s hollering and glanced down at a ragged Seo Yongchan. ¡®Do I kill him or not?¡¯ Should he ignore the Infinite Monarch and the law, and just kill this bastard? Or should he hold back like a law-abiding civil servant? While he was deep in thought, Seo Yongchan started to change. Wisp¡ª ¡°The hell?¡± His eyes may have rolled to the back of his head, but he had still resembled a human being. A black glow flashed across his eyes. And as his vision cleared, Limon could only look shocked. Chapter 5 Chapter 5: Decision Limon blinked at Seo Yongchan, trying to process what the curse of sight had just shown him. ¡°Hey, is this his skill, too?¡± Limon asked, looking to Kang Jungsoo and Yoo Na-kyung. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°That, right there. Can¡¯t you see it?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®that¡¯, boss? The two people¡¯s confusion spread to Limon. Seeing how their eyes were searching their surroundings, he realized that they couldn¡¯t see it. Seo Yongchan¡¯s head had transformed into that of a cow¡¯s. ¡®Am I the only one that can see this?¡¯ If he saw this in the past, the first thing Limon would have done was draw his sword. In the past, it was a rule of thumb that whenever something bizarre occured, nine times out of ten, it was the work of a priest of a witch¡¯s magic. Although, rules had changed. ¡®Hm. It looks to be some kind of skill.¡¯ Limon may not have been a player, but he was still a PAB agent. He knew there were plenty of metamorphosis skills. But that was also why he was so taken aback. ¡®¡­Why would a metamorphosis skill activate now?¡¯ Fundamentally, skills could only be activated by the user¡¯s will. But Seo Yongchan had passed out a while ago. Even as a cow head, his eyes were rolled to the back of his head. Limon couldn¡¯t help but have a bad taste in his mouth. ¡°Hey, are there any skills that only activate once the person blacks out?¡± ¡°What kind of crap is that?¡± Flick¡ª ¡°Eek! Why are you hitting me again?!¡± ¡°How can you call your boss¡¯s question crap, huh?!¡± ¡°Your question needs to make sense! Where in the world is there a skill that only activates when you¡¯re blacked out?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense, does it?¡± ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t!¡± Limon looked away and shook his head after seeing Kang Jungsoo. His expression was asking him what kind of moronic question that was. ¡°Well, if such a thing had occurred before, there would be no way no one knew about it.¡± Whether it be a Constellation wanting a live sacrifice, a wonder drug that brought back the dead, or the players who made multiple deals with a single Constellation. The world of players was full of ludicrous rumors. But there wasn¡¯t a single story about a player casting a skill while unconscious. It was just that stupid of an idea. ¡®¡­The problem is that that stupid idea actually did occur.¡¯ Limon was deep in thought. Why was this happening? But no matter how much he tried to think, he couldn¡¯t come up with an explanation at all. ¡°Why are you even asking this?¡± ¡°Uhm, well¡­¡± Limon went quiet and looked at Yoo Na-kyung and Kang Jungsoo¡¯s confused expressions. Would the two of them be in awe and surprise if he told them that Seo Yongchan¡¯s head looked like a cow¡¯s? Or would they look at him like he¡¯d gone insane? Unfortunately, considering how they¡¯ve already reacted, it seemed like it would be the latter. ¡°Actually, nevermind.¡± Limon gave up trying to explain. Instead, he poked Seo Yongchan¡¯s cow head with his finger. ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯m hallucinating¡­¡± From the horns rising from his head to the feel of fur on his face, Limon confirmed that Seo Yongchan¡¯s head was indeed a cow¡¯s. ¡®How strange.¡¯ He was a Swordmaster. He wasn¡¯t some clumsy rookie that couldn¡¯t differentiate between hallucination and reality. And the fact that this wasn¡¯t a hallucination only meant one thing. ¡®Was this little shit hiding his natural cow head with a skill?¡¯ That was the most logical conclusion that would explain it. If Seo Yongchan was concealing his real head with a skill, it would make sense that his true form would reveal itself once he passed out. Of course, that meant that Limon would have to come to terms with the shocker that Seo Yongchan had always had the head of a cow. But that wasn¡¯t an issue, as Limon was a very open-minded person. The Demon War in Europe, the Great Spirit Rebellion over the Americas, the Alliance of the Seven Dragons Council. As a Swordmaster, Limon took part in many world-defining wars. He had encountered countless monsters and the inhumane. After everything he¡¯s been through, he wasn¡¯t that surprised to see a cow¡¯s head. ¡®But how am I the only one able to see that?¡¯ Was it because he was the one who beat up Seo Yongchan, or perhaps because he was a Swordsmaster? And no matter how much he blabbered on about it, no one¡ª including Yoo Na-kyung and Kang Jungsoo ¡ªwould believe him. As the way things were, he wouldn¡¯t be able to give a convincing explanation for why he killed Seo Yongchan. He¡¯d be executed on the spot. ¡®Well¡­ now what?¡¯ Limon stared at Seo Yongchan¡¯s cow head. He had been pondering whether to kill him or not since the start of all this. Now, the fact that Seo Yongchan actually had a cow¡¯s head all along was just another factor tipping the balancing scale. Although, between sparing or killing him, the answer was already decided from the very beginning. ¡°Hey, Jungsoo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If someone complains about this later, you can blame me.¡± ¡°Who else would be responsible if not you, sir?¡± Limon became offended at that response, but only for a moment. As he put his foot on Seo Yongchan, Kang Jungsoo widened his eyes as he instinctively tried to stop him. ¡°Sir, wait¡­!¡± But it was too late. Before Kang Jungsoo could finish his sentence, Limon already landed the fatal blow. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** The Infinite Art Museum. Despite its notoriety for housing internationally infamous paintings, it didn¡¯t have a lot of visitors. After all, it was made specifically for one person in mind. ¡°There is something I need to report.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Young master Seo Yongchan got into an incident at the PAB headquarters.¡± Neatly tied hair. A spotless white suit. Rimless glasses and a composed demeanor. The man radiated a particularly calm aura. He didn¡¯t even bother looking up at the sudden report. His eyes fixed on a painting, he simply asked a question. ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°They say that there aren¡¯t any issues with his life.¡± ¡°It sounds like everything but his life is an issue.¡± ¡°¡­¡­According to the Healers, he is in a ¡®half-dead¡¯ state. It¡¯s a miracle he is still alive.¡± ¡°Hm. It appears that my brother-in-law has been through a rough patch.¡± ¡°Yes. The general consensus among the Healers is that his male functions would be difficult to recover without the Divine Monarch¡¯s intervention.¡± High-level Healers could reattach severed limbs. If even those Healers were unable to help, it would have been more fitting to describe Seo Yongchan as a ¡®living corpse¡¯ than ¡®still alive¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± But the man wasn¡¯t surprised, nor did he empathize with the horrific news. He only muttered to himself quietly. ¡°I told him time and time again to stop drinking and acting out. It seems my advice was lacking.¡± His tone rang of regret, but his expression was ever so cold. Park Hyun-gun didn¡¯t need to see his face to know what the man was thinking. If he had actually pitied Seo Yongchan, instead of expressing it only through his words, he would have started searching for a way to receive the Divine Monarch¡¯s help. As Park Hyun-gun predicted, the man had already moved on from his brother-in-law. ¡°I¡¯m asking just for clarification, but who did you say was with my brother-in-law at the time of the incident?¡± ¡°Limon Asphelder, sir.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. The PAB director has already confirmed that it was Limon Asphelder¡¯s arbitrary decision and has suspended him.¡± It was the obvious outcome. Even Limon couldn¡¯t just get away with making someone a living corpse. Considering who his victim was, it was a rather generous punishment. Almost too generous, in fact. ¡°Limon Asphelder, you say.¡± The man ruminated on the name. Looking over the title of the oil painting in front of him, he continued. ¡°The last Swordmaster, the nation¡¯s hero, the Guardian of Humanity. He is a man of great respect.¡± The name of the oil painting was ¡®The Twilight Hero¡¯. It was a renowned piece of art, featuring a great swordsman who saved the world by going against the Demon God when he descended on Earth. Its price tag ranged in the dozens of billions, at least. It would easily net over a hundred billion if he¡¯d put it up for auction. He reached his hand out to the painting, and said in an icy voice, ¡°If only that honorable name remained inside the history books.¡± Rip¡ª! In the blink of an eye, that world-renowned cultural artifact was shredded into bits of paper. But neither the man who committed such a brutal act, nor Park Hyun-gun, displayed any emotion at such a loss. Park Hyun-gun only answered as if he had been waiting. ¡°I will take care of it.¡± What was he going to do, and how? It lacked explanation, but the man didn¡¯t ask to elaborate. Not because he trusted Park Hyun-gun, but because he didn¡¯t care about it anymore. The time when he ruled the world as the strongest was in the past. It was just a story from back when duels between knights determined the outcome of a war, and when one could become a hero simply by handling a sword well enough. This era had Constellations and skills. Limon wasn¡¯t even a player. He was too insignificant to matter. Instead, the man changed the subject to one who was ¡®worthy of attention¡¯. ¡°Besides that, what happened to her?¡± His question was ambiguous. But Park Hyun-gun understood right away. There was only one woman the man was interested in. ¡°It has been confirmed that she has entered the country, but we are still locating her whereabouts.¡± ¡°You mean you couldn¡¯t even find a trace of her even though I assigned the best Tracers in the guild to you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I have no excuses, sir.¡± Park Hyun-gun was shaking. He knew he was done for if the man felt displeased that he had failed to track her down. ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s not someone that¡¯s easy to find, anyway.¡± But the man didn¡¯t blame him. He only added one more thing calmly. ¡°Use as much money as you need. Hire more of the best tracers.¡± ¡°What if it creates a dispute between the other guilds?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is the results.¡± On the surface, it was an act of generosity. But underneath, it spoke of a hidden message ¡ª given the incredible support, Park Hyun-gun had to provide good results. Or else, he would be in a lot of trouble. ¡°¡­I swear by it.¡± And still, Park Hyun-gun hung his head. No, he had to. The man in front of him did not tolerate failure. Among the Ten Great Monarchs standing on the zenith of all players, he was the most thorough. He was Lee Chun-gi, the Infinite Monarch. ¡°Then, I shall be awaiting positive results.¡± He walked off, leaving the bowing Park Hyun-gun behind. The man had completely forgotten about the Swordmaster. He¡¯d soon disappear into history anyways. Chapter 6 Chapter 6: An Unexpected Visit ¡°Excuse me, boss. There¡¯s something I really wanna ask.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why do I have to be suspended with you?¡± Yoo Na-kyung sullenly asked, sipping from her soju glass. ¡°The boss¡¯ fault is his subordinate¡¯s responsibility,¡± Limon responded apathetically. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s more likely the boss would mistakenly defend their subordinates, or push the blame onto them?¡± Yoo Na-kyung shedded another tear, and replied with confidence. ¡°Obviously the former! Well, if the boss was someone with morals.¡± ¡°Yep, and that¡¯s how the good bosses lose their jobs while the bad ones get promoted, making the latter more common.¡± ¡°Why are you so cynical?!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know? There¡¯s no hope or dreams in the real world.¡± ¡°Wow, how awful.¡± Yoo Na-kyung acted shocked, as if she was a child who had just learnt Santa Claus wasn¡¯t real. Limon let out a laugh. Of course, that was just a joke. If their superior, Kang Jungsoo, really did dump the responsibility onto them, it wouldn¡¯t have ended with a mere suspension. Yoo Na-kyung, blankly muttering to herself, also knew of this. ¡°How ironic.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Our director¡¯s probably working his ass off after reprimanding us. And yet here we are, comfortably drinking after being suspended.¡± ¡°Well, what can we do? He¡¯s the director for a reason.¡± Limon laughed hoarsely. It was a case involving not just any regular player, but a Monarch¡¯s family member being violated. Kang Jungsoo was probably sweating his scalp off handling this incident. Perhaps it¡¯s made his head even shinier. ¡®Maybe I should get him a nice hair growth solution next time.¡¯ If Kang Jungsoo could read Limon¡¯s thoughts as of now, he would¡¯ve begged him to just stop making a mess. But his pleas would never come to fruition. If they did, Limon would have never been demoted from the hero of a past nation to just a team leader in the first place. ¡°Besides, It felt good.¡± ¡°Did it?¡± ¡°Yeah. He was so full of himself, that guy. The way he turned a blind eye to almost killing people, and only talking about his money and compensations.¡± ¡°That bastard would have said the same shit even if he did kill people.¡± ¡°No way, right? He¡¯s still a human.¡± ¡°Once shits like him are drunk on power, regular people stop looking like such.¡± Limon smiled coldly. People usually feel human only when with others they¡¯re equal to. That¡¯s why people find common ground like age, location, jobs, and hobbies to socialize and relate to one another. But not those drunk on power. The essence of power is domination. Limon, who had seen many innocent people corrupted by power, was well aware of this fact. And above everything else, Seo Yongchan had always had a cow¡¯s head. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if he didn¡¯t feel anything towards other humans. ¡°¡­Now that you mention it, I still don¡¯t understand why you kept him alive.¡± ¡°What? Was I not supposed to?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just odd. I thought you were going to kill him for real.¡± ¡°Well, I did want to kill him.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you?¡± Yoo Na-kyung tilted her head. It was a genuine question she could ask only because she was drunk. The Limon she knew wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d take into consideration someone¡¯s background, regardless of whether it was the brother-in-law of the Infinite Monarch, or anyone else with a powerful background. Limon¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°Civil servants get fired if they murder as they please.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Mmhm. Where else would a goner like me go if I get fired?¡± ¡°How realistic.¡± Yoo Na-kyung snickered as she emptied her glass. Limon smirked and poured more soju into her empty glass. *** It had been quite a while since they started drinking together in a shabby caravan. Only after empty bottle after empty bottle was stacked on top of each other, did Limon toss a dead-drunk Yoo Na-kyung into her home and walk out onto the streets. Muttering as he looked up into the night sky, ¡°I miss the old days.¡± Before there were players. If it was the Heroes¡¯ Age, he could have done whatever he wanted with Seo Yongchan, whether he killed him or sold him into slavery. The Swordmaster was the Absolute Ruler back in those days. He was more god-like than all Ten Great Monarchs combined. It was to the point where if he killed a regular man and called him a monster, people would have believed and cheered for him. But that was all in the past. As players and their skills rose to the top, Swordmasters only fell. Just as the warship¡ª once called the ¡®fortress of the sea¡¯ ¡ªbecame no more than scrap metal after the development of aircraft and anti-ship missiles. The Sword Tower that once had countless disciples couldn¡¯t handle the operating deficit and went bankrupt. And those who boasted about their connections to Swordmasters gradually distanced themselves. Soon, the title of Swordmaster became a title of ridicule ¡ª that they were just goners drunk on their past glory, who knew nothing besides swinging a sword. ¡®Well, that doesn¡¯t really matter.¡¯ Limon wasn¡¯t affected by that fact alone. Losing power and meeting his downfall was separate from why he spared Seo Yongchan. There was only one reason he let Seo Yongchan live. He had felt something from Seo Yongchan¡¯s head turning into a cow¡¯s. Something¡­ else. He didn¡¯t notice it at first. But after thinking about it more closely, Limon realized. He had felt displaced by Seo Yongchan¡¯s head. But what he didn¡¯t realize then was that it originated from a mix of two different auras. And the combined, disgusting aura cleverly disguised between that of a human¡¯s, was like watching a half-rotten brain wriggle. ¡®I don¡¯t know whether he was possessed, amalgamated, or if it¡¯s a parasite¡­¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t just some ghost. Nothing like a chimera, either. It was a rare mix of auras that even Limon, who¡¯s been around for a rather long time, had never seen before. One thing he was certain of was that whatever that thing with Seo Yongchan was, it was not fundamentally human. ¡®It¡¯s not something I can be rash with.¡¯ What was it, and what was its relation to Seo Yongchan? He couldn¡¯t just kill him when he didn¡¯t know anything. Not only could Limon end up unleashing a greater evil by killing him, he could also gather more information by keeping Seo Yongchan alive. And if that caused a problem in the future? That would just give Limon the justification he needs to kill him then. ¡®Although, maybe even this is an old-fashioned way of thinking.¡¯ Limon chuckled. He couldn¡¯t help himself. No matter how much he tried to adjust, he was still an old timer. After all, he was just a goner behind the times. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡´The backwaters of the Yangtze push the front waves The front waves collapse from the shoals If the front waters go back to the ocean without collapsing They will stay unsunken and return to being the backwaters.¡µ* *t/n: in hanja Was it because he¡¯d thought of memories that meant nothing anymore? Maybe he was just getting particularly drunk from the moonlight today. Mumbling to himself with no one to listen to him, Limon strolled aimlessly through the dimly lit streets. He was suspended, anyway. He was going to take his time on his night walk home, since he wouldn¡¯t have anything to do for the next few days. But less than a few steps in, Limon stopped in his tracks. ¡´The backwaters of the Yangtze push the front waves The front waves collapse from the shoals If the front waters go back to the ocean without collapsing They will stay unsunken and return to being the backwaters.¡µ* *t/n: in hangul ¡°Hm?¡± Limon narrowed his eyes as he heard a voice echo in the silent night sky. Not because it returned his words, or its clear, beautiful voice. It was because he¡¯d noticed them approaching too late. ¡°Who are you?¡± Limon asked curiously. Regardless of what anyone said, he was still a Swordmaster. His senses were sharp, unparalleled as compared to most Tracers. Of course, if the Tracers heard of this, they¡¯d be offended. ¡°How dare you compare me to some goner?!¡± But what could they do? Sometimes, the truth¡¯s a bitter pill to swallow. It was incredibly rare for someone to be able to go under Limon¡¯s radar and get that close to him, even for the Monarchs. Who was it that accomplished such a feat? The owner of the voice slowly revealed themself to Limon. ¡°I apologize for the discourtesy.¡± Straight, black hair tidied with a jade binyeo*. An oriental dress embroidered with silk and silver threads. Fair skin shining white under the moonlight. *t/n: korean ornamental hairpin The visitor walked out of the dark as if to remove the curtains of the night. Too noble to be a girl, but too young to be a woman. ¡°Pardon me. Are you the Master of Swords*?¡± She asked politely. *t/n: = Swordmaster but in hanja/chinese ¡°Master of Swords¡­ I was once called that, yes.¡± Limon had a strange expression. Back when the Swordmaster was the Absolute Ruler, people would give him several names, such as ¡®the nation¡¯s hero¡¯ or ¡®Guardian of Humanity¡¯. One of them was ¡®Master of Swords¡¯. But Limon hadn¡¯t heard that name in a long time. Not only were most of his titles forgotten, there was also only one group of people who called him that. ¡°And the answer to my question?¡± Flinch¡ª She shivered slightly, as if she was scared of how Limon would react if he knew her identity. But that only lasted for a moment. As if to prepare herself, she raised her head. Looking straight into Limon¡¯s golden eyes, she said in a trembling voice, ¡°Would you believe me if I said I was Li Chingwei, Princess of the Black Dragon Clan?¡± ¡°How could I not?¡± As opposed to her worries, Limon didn¡¯t get angry. Nor did he draw his blade. He¡¯d already guessed her identity the moment she stepped out of the darkness. It was obvious. There was no way Limon, of all people, wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize a Psionics technique. And no matter how big the world was, there was only one Psionics user that could stay out of Limon¡¯s radar. ¡°So, what business does a Princess of the Seven Dragons Association have with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you for a favor, Master of Swords.¡± ¡°You? A favor? From me?¡± Unbelievable. It¡¯ll be more plausible for the moon to randomly shatter into pieces. A member of the Seven Dragons Association would never ask a favor from him. Especially not the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan. ¡°Yes.¡± And yet, it happened. After a moment of blankly staring at her, Limon looked up to the moon. ¡®Times really have changed.¡¯ Why did the norms change so drastically every era? Complaining to himself, Limon asked Li Chingwei. ¡°What is it?¡± Limon braced himself. It couldn¡¯t have been a light matter if the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan came all the way to ask him personally. He told himself he wasn¡¯t going to be surprised, no matter her request. And yet¡­ ¡°Marry me.¡± Limon couldn¡¯t help but be completely stunned. Chapter 7 Chapter 7: ¡°Marry me.¡± The Seven Dragons Association. The foundations of this organization went beyond when Swordmasters were active. Back then, the Gods and magic were at their prime. The world was in chaos from the many indiscriminate witch hunts and religious wars. They greatly harmed the common man, as did their faith in those Gods. They quickly grew to become subjects of resentment instead. Then, the Seven Dragons appeared, marking the end of the Silver Age and ushering in the Bronze Age. Ancient beings who hibernated to avoid calamity, had awoken from their slumber. They manipulated the mysterious ¡®Psionics¡¯, preying on the Incarnations with their great power. Amazed at their feats, those who had been persecuted by the Incarnations became their followers. The Seven Dragons accepted them, even passing down their Psionic techniques onto them. Consequently, the number of followers of the Seven Dragons soared, becoming the Seven Dragons Association. A religious group that accepted the Seven Dragons as their Gods and, at one point, a force that conquered the world. However, that was the Bronze age. After the first Swordmaster, the Sword Emperor, slayed the Seven Dragons and brought the world into the Heroes¡¯ Age, the Seven Dragons Association lost its dominance and collapsed. But as someone once said, the rich thrive for three generations, even after their ruin. They may have collapsed, but the Seven Dragon Association did not disappear completely. With the vast resources they had amassed and their Psionic powers, they picked up the shards of their broken organization, waiting for the prime opportunity to return. However, the stars would never align for them. Whenever they tried to take back their grasp on the world, people were there to hinder them with all their might. And on the frontlines of those people, was the Swordmaster and Guardian of Humanity, Limon Asphelder. In short, the Seven Dragons Association and Limon were mortal enemies. But, times change. The world no longer needed Limon to fight the Seven Dragons Association. Rather, assassins were constantly sent after the Seven Dragons Association instead. The fight was over, but the age-old resentment wasn¡¯t something that washed away easily. ¡°I like your tea.¡± ¡°I used the cheapest tea bag at the market.¡± ¡°As expected, the Master of Swords must be popular to purchase tea with such a rich flavor for so cheap.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The girl admired as she held her tea cup. That was why Limon looked at Li Chingwei in such a stunned expression. ¡®Who knew the Black Dragon Princess would call me popular?¡¯ Of course, he had heard a lot of other things. ¡®Damned bastard¡¯, ¡®asshole bound to get eaten by a dragon¡¯, things like that. The Seven Dragons Association would give him new nicknames and judge him whenever they got bored. The fact that there was a rather ordinary name like ¡®Master of Swords¡¯ among them was a miracle and downright inexplicable. On top of that, among the Seven Dragons Association royalty, the Black Dragon Princess resented Limon the most. To hear such a thing from her of all people¡­ He would definitely get institutionalized if he told anyone about it. ¡± It was also quite a surprise.¡± ¡°What was?¡± ¡°I heard the Master of Swords was living a humble life, but I did not know it would be this humble.¡± Li Chingwei looked around the room, fascinated. From the yellow-stained walls, the worn furniture, to an old TV even a junk shop wouldn¡¯t bargain for. The studio was filled with signs of poverty. ¡°Humble my ass, I¡¯m living here because I¡¯m poor.¡± ¡°The Master of Swords¡­? Poor¡­?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Li Chingwei looked perplexed, as if she¡¯d just heard a weird joke. ¡°It was my understanding that the Master of Swords had a vast amount of assets to his name.¡± ¡°Those got donated a long time ago.¡± ¡°Oh, indeed.¡± Finally understanding, Li Chingwei grinned. ¡°You made a noble decision, donating all of your assets.¡± ¡®Yeah¡­ ¡® ¡°It wasn¡¯t my decision.¡± ¡°¡­???¡± Question marks appeared above Li Chingwei¡¯s head. She couldn¡¯t understand what it meant to donate, but not make that decision. Limon snickered at her. ¡°I told you. I didn¡¯t ¡®donate¡¯ them, they ¡®got donated¡¯.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°Interesting, isn¡¯t it? The guys in National Assembly did some stuff and changed the law, and now things are like this. Limon laughed. It was funny to him that the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan was this stunned by his current financial state. ¡®I mean, it is pretty surprising.¡¯ Limon originally had a lot of assets. Back in the Heroes¡¯ Age, when the Swordmaster was considered the Absolute Ruler. There were always people who didn¡¯t hesitate to throw money to get acquainted with him, and Limon wasn¡¯t one to refuse money put in front of him. At the time, his wealth filled dozens of warehouses, to the point he had to build another one. But after the world entered the Iron Age, as his tax exemption incentive from the state disappeared, so did his fortune, as it washed away like a mirage. Special taxes, the Patriot Act, superhuman donation laws, and so on. After all these laws were passed, the majority of his fortune was thrown out in a few short years from the sudden tax attack. Even the Sword Tower, the Swordmasters¡¯ shrine, couldn¡¯t continue operations and went bankrupt. On top of that, every time he almost killed someone or destroyed a building, more money went down the drain as compensation. There was no way he would still have anything left. ¡®If I saw this coming, I would¡¯ve stashed away some money beforehand.¡¯ He always wondered why the wealthy would bury their gold underground like squirrels with nuts in the past. Looking back, it was an act of foresight. Even though most of those rich people died without leaving behind the location of where they had buried their gold. Thanks to them, it was Limon¡¯s hobby at one point to dig up such owner-less gold. But no matter how early one regrets things, it is always too late. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** Instead of staying attached to the fortune he never would¡¯ve used, Limon focused on a more realistic problem. ¡°Anyways, can I have the explanation now?¡± ¡°What explanation¡­?¡± ¡°The request you made earlier.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± Maybe it was due to the sudden change in subject. A confused Li Chingwei finally connected the dots and nodded. After taking a deep breath, she told him with a grave expression. ¡°You don¡¯t have to have a child with me.¡± ¡°¡­Say what?¡± ¡°Please be my husband, even as a formality. The Black Dragon Clan will promise to do its best to serve the Master of Swords.¡± ¡°Uhm, excuse me?¡± ¡°I will not ask for anything else. If you just hold the position, I will give you whatever you desire. If I am not enough, there are plenty of other women you¡ª¡± ¡°Pause! Pause! Pause!¡± After a while of opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish, Limon, perplexed and bewildered, raised his hand to stop the Black Dragon Princess. ¡°Oi, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Eh? Was it not?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m asking about the reason you came to see me, not about the marriage.¡± Limon crossed his arms, and stared straight at her. ¡°I don¡¯t see why the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan would go to such lengths just to bring a goner like me in as a member of the family.¡± ¡°¡­How did you know?¡± ¡°After hearing all that, I¡¯d be stupid not to know.¡± He didn¡¯t have to give her children, and all he had to do was stay as her husband in the records. On top of that, they¡¯d give him anything he wanted, and it didn¡¯t matter if he took in other women? No matter how he looked at it, they weren¡¯t marriage conditions. They were employment conditions. In other words, Li Chingwei wasn¡¯t proposing. She was just selling herself to borrow his power. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the reason is complicated.¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± Limon said indifferently. Li Chingwei may be the Black Dragon Princess, but marrying Limon wasn¡¯t something that would go down well. It was ridiculous for a Princess of the Seven Dragons Association to marry Limon. It¡¯ll be warranted for her followers of the Black Dragon Clan to revolt at such a treasonous idea. It couldn¡¯t possibly be a simple reason if she was asking him despite all the heat she would receive. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that complicated reason. I don¡¯t even want to know.¡± He might have been curious in the past. So curious, he would have wanted to capture and torture a couple keymen to find out. But times had changed. After the Seven Dragons Association stepped out into the light, murdering them was no longer an option ¡ª not that Limon cared enough to do so in the first place. ¡°Rather, of all people, why me?¡± ¡°Because even if you marry me, you are not one to covet our Black Dragon Clan¡¯s fortune.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Go after the Black Dragon Clan¡¯s wealth? He¡¯d rather go after dog shit. Besides, the Black Dragon Clan would rather kill themselves and their fortune than pass it down to Limon. That was how tense the relationship between Limon and the Black Dragon Clan was. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only one out there.¡± ¡°Yes, but it cannot be anyone else.¡± ¡°How come?¡± If what she needed was a moderately useful token husband, there were plenty of fish to suit her needs. She was still the Black Dragon Princess, a girl of the utmost noble blood. Despite everything that¡¯s already been said, Li Chingwei still hesitated to give the reason to why she chose Limon specifically. ¡°The Master of Swords is the only one who will not die, even if he marries me.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying that anyone else who marries you will die?¡± ¡°Yes. I am almost certain.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There is a high possibility the person that marries me will become a target of frightening enemies.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± ¡°That¡­ is not something I can reveal right now.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Limon felt odd. ¡°This certainly doesn¡¯t seem ordinary.¡± Come to think of it, a princess of the Seven Dragons Association looking for a husband in itself was a serious thing. The Princesses of the Seven Dragons Association wouldn¡¯t hesitate to overturn an entire nation to find their perfect husband. For one of them to settle for a political marriage¡­ It required no further explanation. Her choosing Limon over anybody else already spoke of the extent of her fear of this unknown enemy. ¡°I just want to know, what do you think are the chances of me dying if I marry you?¡± How much was he risking? ¡°None.¡± Li Chingwei answered without hesitation. ¡°I want an answer, not flattery.¡± Li Chingwei shook her head. ¡°It is not.¡± Looking at Limon with deep sunken eyes, she asked rhetorically. ¡°No one but the Seven Dragons Association can kill the Master of Swords, yes?¡± Limon blinked blankly, and it wasn¡¯t until a while had passed that he burst out into laughter. ¡°Bwahaha! Alright, you know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± He continued laughing for quite some time. Barely composing himself, Limon drank his tea and continued with what he was saying. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like a bad deal. Not like I have any more reputation to lose for being a token husband, and I¡¯ll probably be able to live comfortably enough.¡± He never would have imagined he would become a token husband to the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan in the past. But times had changed. He was no longer an Absolute Ruler. No one would care if Limon, a lowly civil servant, married whomever. There was no reason for Limon to turn down the offer. Despite that¡­ ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to say no.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Do you not like me?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be damned if I said I didn¡¯t fancy a beauty like you in today¡¯s society.¡± ¡°Then why are you rejecting me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a civil servant.¡± Limon shrugged. He put down his tea cup and went on. ¡°I don¡¯t know when the nation will call on me to go after the Seven Dragons Association. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be awkward for the both of us if I married you?¡± He knew it was a stupid argument. There were plenty of politicians getting sponsored by the Seven Dragons Association around the world, and the martial artists of the association were quickly gaining popularity by becoming actors. There wouldn¡¯t come a day when Limon would have to fight the Seven Dragons Association. Even if such a day ever came, people would ask for the Monarchs¡¯ help, not him. And yet, there was nothing he could do. No matter how much times had changed, he was a man of the old days who had fought against the Seven Dragons Association to protect the world. ¡°¡­I see the Master of Swords is still the Guardian of Humanity. ¡°It¡¯s just an old man being stubborn.¡± Limon shrugged, replying to Li Chingwei in a disappointed tone. ¡°Sorry to waste your time.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Li Chingwei didn¡¯t show disappointment even under Limon¡¯s cold, indifferent, stare that spoke differently from his words. She only showed a bitter smile. ¡°Being able to meet the Master of Swords directly was already more than I thought I could have accomplished.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8: ¡°You have no idea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to see you off, do I?¡± ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡°Alright, goodbye then. Make sure the door¡¯s completely shut on your way out, it¡¯s broken.¡± While Limon waved his hand without even looking back, Li Chingwei politely bowed and left without displaying another emotion. The alley Limon lived in was lonely and bleak, even chilly. But as if she was walking through a garden, Li Chingwei didn¡¯t falter one bit as she effortlessly made her way through the complex, dark labyrinth that was the alley. ¡°Was that really necessary, Princess?¡± A voice called out. Since when have they been there? Li Chingwei stopped in her tracks as a masked man in black hakama* stepped out of the shadows. *t/n: traditional Japanese clothing, worn by samurai. ¡°I told you not to follow me, Chao.¡± ¡°Yes, so I waited.¡± ¡°You know that is not what I meant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chao was silent. Whether he affirmed or denied it, he¡¯d be lying. Of course, remaining silent in this situation was also still disrespectful. Li Chingwei sighed, giving up on pressing further. ¡°Do you not like my decision?¡± ¡°I dare not argue with the Princess¡¯ actions, but¡­¡± Chao¡¯s head fell even lower. After a few moments of hesitation, he bit down on his lip and continued. ¡°I am unable to understand what you did here today.¡± If it was any other time, he never would have acted out of line. His role was to simply escort and serve the Black Dragon Princess. He did not have the right nor the wisdom to interfere with her actions. But this time, he couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Why him of all people?¡± ¡°Was it that shocking that I proposed to him?¡± ¡°It was not just shocking. The clan elders will not tolerate this.¡± The elders would froth at their mouths just taking in someone who wasn¡¯t part of the Seven Dragons Association as the King¡¯s son-in-law. But what if that person was Limon Asphelder? They just might come chasing with knives in their hands. That was another example of how horrible the relationship between the Seven Dragons Association and Limon were. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Li Chingwei did not agree with the obvious facts. Rather, a faint smile lingered on her lips. Chao, recognizing that smile, could not hide the bewilderment in his eyes. ¡°Chao, what would you do if a family member picked up an abandoned gem off the streets?¡± ¡°After a thorough examination, if there is nothing wrong with it, I would dedicate it to you, Princess.¡± ¡°That is not what I meant.¡± One could say he was hard-headed, loyal, or even both. Li Chingwei was troubled at Chao¡¯s immediate response. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get angry and tell them to throw it away, right?¡± Chao finally understood what the Princess was trying to say, but he couldn¡¯t agree with it. ¡°¡­A nobody the likes of him¡­ an abandoned gem?¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s expression subtly changed, as if she¡¯d heard a nonsensical joke. Looking at Chao with an indiscernible face, she abruptly asked. ¡°Chao, you are 27, yes?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°As I thought. You speak like someone from the Iron Age.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I am not blaming you, Chao. It is just that the people of this era regard the past as merely the past.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Chao was puzzled by her vague explanation. Bearing a gentle smile, she continued. ¡°Many others besides you think the same ¡ª that a Swordmaster¡¯s power is meaningless in this day and age.¡± Even most of those born at the end of the Heroes¡¯ Age would think the same, too. It had been decades since then. The old Swordmasters were tossed aside for the new Constellations and players. ¡°That is why you refer to him as a nobody.¡± Chao flinched. Not just because he couldn¡¯t grasp the highly esteemed Princess¡¯ words, but also because of the deep, somber glow of a quagmire in her beautiful, obsidian eyes. ¡°But Chao, you have no idea.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know what a Swordmaster really is.¡± Her eyes were too dark for a young girl. Li Chingwei slowly raised her head, leaving a frozen Chao. He looked like he¡¯d just seen an incomprehensible wonder. She looked towards the full moon in the night sky. ¡°If you knew what a Swordmaster was, you wouldn¡¯t have such nonsensical delusions.¡± ¡°Delusions¡­?¡± ¡°That the reason Swordmasters lost their grace and met their downfall, is because of the Iron Age and the appearance of players.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°It is not completely wrong. Players are indeed one of the reasons.¡± Players were astonishing beings. Not only could they use mysterious abilities with little effort, they could also get all treasure from the dungeon that benefited the world. ¡°Swordmasters wouldn¡¯t have fallen as they did if they could enter the dungeon.¡± The way Li Chingwei put it, the mere inability to enter the dungeon was reason enough for Swordmasters to be disregarded. But even so, she was certain. The real cause behind the Swordmasters¡¯ downfall was not just that. ¡°But the biggest reason is because we are now in a time of peace.¡± Sure, there may have been international disputes, but wars and conflict nearly disappeared entirely. ¡°After we entered the Iron Age, the world became plentiful. There was no longer any reason to fight one another as the dungeon provided us with wealth and progress. Even the Seven Dragons Association, hellbent on overturning the world, had risen to join as a member of this era. That was how great the benefits of the dungeon were. So great, it¡¯ll intoxicate the masses and make them forget the brutal past. ¡°That is why you have come to think like that ¡ª that human weapons like the Swordmaster are no longer needed.¡± Players gave various benefits. But Swordmasters only knew how to fight. The more the two were compared, it was inevitable that people would start to look down on Swordmasters. ¡°You have no idea what a foolish thought that is.¡± Were Swordmasters unnecessary in this time of peace? It was something only those drenched head-to-toe in the complacency of peace would think. The way Li Chingwei saw it, it was no different than claiming the military wasn¡¯t necessary since wars were unlikely to break out. If something were to happen, no one would be able to take action. Of course, it wasn¡¯t completely hopeless. ¡°But there¡¯s Monarchs.¡± ¡°Monarchs¡­ Indeed. They, too, have undoubtedly reached the peak of human performance.¡± The ten who reached level 100. Their power was magnitudes above the other players. Just one of them could cause the rise and fall of an entire nation. If Monarchs and Swordmasters were equally superhuman, it was only natural that people who provided the world with great wealth and abundance would be considered over those who could only swing a sword. And with ten of those Monarchs, people naturally turned their backs on Swordmasters, treating them as relics of the past. ¡°But do you really think they can replace the Master of Swords?¡± To Chao, who had seen a Monarch¡¯s power before, it was obvious. He changed his answer. ¡°¡­Monarchs are superhuman.¡± No matter how strong Swordmasters were, they could not be stronger than the Monarchs. ¡°It is as I said. You wouldn¡¯t know what a Swordmaster really is.¡± As if she¡¯d already known what Chao¡¯s answer was going to be, a bitter smile lingered on her face. ¡°But you will soon come to find out.¡± Why Swordmasters couldn¡¯t enter the dungeons, and why there were only 13 of them over the course of a millenia. Why, after hundreds of years of fighting, the Seven Dragons Association called Limon the ¡®Master of Swords¡¯ in awe. Why Li Chingwei put herself in danger at this time to meet Limon in person. Why Limon was trying to stay as humanity¡¯s last shield amidst his downfall. How absurd it is to compare the Monarchs to a Swordmaster. Who the enemy they should really be wary of is. Not many people knew these things. But in time, they would. Rather, they¡¯d have no choice but to. ¡°Talent stands out, and those standing behind the king cannot overpower him.¡± That was why Li Chingwei had come to this place. Excusing the marriage proposal, she was already in a tangled situation in the Seven Dragons Association. And yet, the only way to save the day was to win Limon¡¯s heart. And now was the only time that was possible. ¡°Just what is a Swordmaster, for you to speak of him with such reverence?¡± As expected, Chao could not understand the Princess¡¯ stance. She turned around to face Chao¡¯s troubled look. Thinking about the alley she walked through, with Limon¡¯s house at the end of it¡­ she silently spoke. ¡°Swordmasters are¡ª¡± *** ¡°Yawn¡­¡± Limon strained his mouth as he yawned. He finally turned off the TV he¡¯d been watching for 10 hours. Getting up from the sofa, he scratched his head. ¡°Ah, fuck. This is boring as hell.¡± The following days after meeting the Black Dragon Princess, all Limon did was binge dramas, watch the news, and read comic books. He basically just laid around at home all day. He¡¯d call his friends if he had any, but those he called as such were six feet under a long time ago. He didn¡¯t have the money to go shopping or traveling, either. And games? That was the most boring thing he could do. With the visual acuity and reaction speed of a Swordmaster, winning any game was a simple task. ¡°Maybe I should go visit Seo Yongchan, that little shit.¡± Meeting his victim who got him suspended for assault. If Kang Jungsoo heard of this, he¡¯d go beyond pissing his pants to clinging onto Limon¡¯s pants string for dear life. Of course, Limon didn¡¯t care whether or not he cried. Kang Jungsoo getting stress-induced gastritis was just part of the process. Would he see that cow head of his again if he visited Seo Yongchan? More importantly, how would that cow head react to Limon? ¡®Oh, maybe I should tell Kang Jungsoo to visit instead. It might work if I tell him I¡¯ll do it if he doesn¡¯t.¡¯ It was then, while Limon was caught up in his own thoughts. ¡°Hm?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9: Things Unseen Riiiing¡ª! ¡°Hm?¡± Limon snapped out of his thoughts at the sudden ringing and dug out his phone hidden between the couch cushions. A look of perplexity washes over his face as he sees the name ¡¶Yoo Na-kyung¡· on the screen. ¡®What¡¯s this brat calling for?¡¯ After a moment of wonder, Limon picked up the call. ¡°{Hello~ boss?}¡± A cheery voice could be heard as soon as the line connected. Limon only answered indifferently to his team member¡¯s bubbly voice that he¡¯d heard the most throughout the year. ¡°Yeah, what?¡± ¡°{There¡¯s something I need to tell you. Are you home right now?}¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°{Oh, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ll head over right now.}¡± ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± Limon blanked. Not at her abruptness, but because he knew all too well why Yoo Na-kyung was telling him this. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Buzz¡ª Unfortunately, he reacted too late to stop her. Just as the phone suddenly hung up, the space in front of him started to distort. When it stopped, a woman appeared out of thin air. ¡°Hiya! Special agent Yoo Na-kyung is¡­!¡± Crack¡ª! ¡°¡­Here?¡± One slight problem. She appeared above a pile of comics books. Her attempt to pose atop the spire of books ended tragically¡ª Thud¡ª ¡°Huh? AAAA-¡° ¡ªin disaster. ¡°Tsk.¡± Limon clicked his tongue and pulled Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s flailing arms up. She had twisted her ankle and was falling backwards onto the toppled pile of books. Thanks to his quick reaction, Yoo Na-kyung avoided hitting her head on the table. She lets out a sigh of relief, diving into his arms. ¡°Whew, I almost died there.¡± ¡°My ass. You think a player above level 70 would get hurt from that?¡± ¡°Players can still die, you know!¡± Limon scoffed. ¡°Not from bumping their head on a fall.¡± The body of a high-level player was basically steel. There would be some variation depending on their endurance abilities, but their body wouldn¡¯t break from a fall. Rather, the ground would. Yoo Na-kyung puffed up her cheeks at Limon¡¯s apathy. ¡°Do you really have to say that to your subordinate that just escaped death?¡± ¡°What? Did I tell you to teleport here without notice?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think your place would be such a wreck!¡± Limon looked at an irate Yoo Na-kyung in disappointment. She was no rookie player. How could an idiot that twisted their ankle from teleporting in the wrong place be one of the top dimensional players? ¡®For god¡¯s sake, these players¡­¡¯ As he is reminded once again of how much times had changed, he sighs. Limon knew of a time when talented witches existed, and would¡¯ve made a fuss just to try out teleportation. For an old fart like him, this was ridiculous. That¡¯s when he remembered something he¡¯d overlooked. ¡°Hey¡­ When are you gonna get off?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yoo Na-kyung tilted her head, blinking. It dawned on her how close Limon¡¯s face was. She looked downwards to see his arms wrapped around her waist, quickly taking a step back as her face turned red. ¡°Ahaha, sorry. I¡¯m a mess.¡± ¡°You always are a mess.¡± ¡°Jeez¡­¡± Yoo Na-kyung stared at Limon bitterly, his remarks rude as ever. But Limon didn¡¯t bat an eye at her reaction. He only sat back down on the couch and asked. ¡°So, what is it?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you come here to tell me something?¡± ¡°Oh, right. I did.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His golden eyes turned cold. ¡°Jeez! Why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s not exactly something that¡¯ll be on my mind right after narrowly escaping death!¡± ¡°Good for you, you brat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I brought you good news.¡± It seemed like she decided to be stubborn because she had no excuse. Yoo Na-kyung had put on a mask of confidence as she spoke. At this, Limon was puzzled. ¡°Did you find the winning lottery numbers?¡± ¡°A lottery? With all the prophetic players around? It¡¯s obviously better than that.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Well, uhm¡­ Something like winning the lottery.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Did you come all the way here just to receive a beating?¡± ¡°Ah, wait, wait! I¡¯ll talk!¡± Yoo Na-kyung rapidly waved her hands in fright as Limon clenched his fists. Quickly scanning their surroundings, she whispered to Limon. ¡°I found the Liberation Brigade¡¯s main base of operations.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** The Liberation Brigade. An organization dedicated to freeing players oppressed and exploited by the government, to make a world where everyone is free. A quite reasonable ideology. But ¡®syndicate¡¯ would have described them better. Those who have seen the Liberation Brigade in person all called them one thing. It was pretty much common knowledge. ¡°You found the base of those psychos?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yoo Nakyung affirmed nonchalantly. Freeing players? Players were already part of the highest income bracket. ¡®A world where everyone is free¡¯ was just their way of saying that they would ensure players weren¡¯t punished, no matter what they did. That is to say, the Liberation Brigade was just a band of criminals and the insane that wanted to commit heinous crimes with no repercussions. Thus, civilians and players alike inevitably started thinking of them as psychos. ¡°How? Not even the National Intelligence Service could do that.¡± That was why Limon was so confused. The Liberation Brigade had many criminals that were as criminal as they were at hiding. They hid their main base especially well. No one could find it. Well, until now. ¡°Hahaha! I have my ways.¡± ¡°And what are those ways?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, but I can guarantee that it¡¯s accurate information.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡­¡± He stared at Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s face for a moment, and nodded. It was triumphant, with no room left for doubt. She may have been an idiot, but she was still an agent of the Players Administrative Bureau. If she was this confident, it had to be somewhat credible at the very least. ¡°And why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s about time you got a promotion.¡± ¡°A promotion?¡± Limon blinked as if he¡¯d heard an alien language. Throughout the decades, Limon had only gotten demoted further and further. ¡°How big would it be if you swept through the main Liberation Brigade base?¡± Yoo Na-kyung continued with fervor. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt your suspension would be immediately lifted, and you¡¯ll be guaranteed a promotion!¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. The Liberation Brigade was a national pain in the ass. There were many nefarious players that made the Liberation Brigade a nuisance, able to cause havoc while remaining hidden. Finding their main base in of itself was no small feat, even more so for someone in the PAB. But Limon didn¡¯t fall for Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s sweet talk. ¡°So what¡¯s your true intention?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bounty on them.¡± ¡°So you just want money now?¡± ¡°I need to start saving up for marriage.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too honest?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you what you want to hear.¡± Limon chuckled at Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s confidence, crossed his arms, and thought over her offer. ¡®The offer isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ He didn¡¯t care about getting a promotion. He knew from years of experience that that would only leave him with nothing. The bounty got his attention, however. He¡¯d be able to secure his share of the massive bounty if everything went well. But of course, to monopolize the reward, he¡¯d only be able to bring Yoo Na-kyung along to subjugate the Liberation Brigade, with no other help. ¡®It¡¯ll be a piece of cake no matter how many of those roaches there are.¡¯ Limon softly laughed to himself. Even if there were many high-level players, it was still a criminal organization. A bunch of ragtags with no clue what real warfare was like was no match for Limon, no matter their numbers. The only problem was that they were suspended, but even that wasn¡¯t too important. As Yoo Na-kyung said ¡ª if they could subjugate the Liberation Brigade, their suspension wouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡®Hm¡­ I can¡¯t think of a reason for me not to.¡± After sorting his thoughts, Limon suddenly went rigid. Wisp¡ª His vision was suddenly covered by darkness. As he regained his sight, a completely different appearance started to overlap with Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s enthusiastic face. ¡°¡­¡­What the fuck?¡± ¡°Huh? Why are you cursing me out all of a sudden?!¡± ¡°Stay still, I wasn¡¯t saying that to you.¡± Limon raised his hand up to stop Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s unexpected movement. His reaction wasn¡¯t due to the sudden situation. It was because he¡¯d experienced this phenomenon before, where someone¡¯s appearance had suddenly changed. ¡®This feels similar to when that bastard¡¯s head turned into a cow¡¯s¡­¡¯ The good news amidst this development was that unlike him, Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s head didn¡¯t turn into that of a cow¡¯s. Her complexion was just pale like a corpse¡¯s, and her hair, suddenly long. The problem came with her thin neck. Or rather, the snake biting into that neck. ¡®It didn¡¯t seem like a hallucination in Seo Yongchan¡¯s case¡­ but this can¡¯t be real either. Yoo Na-kyung wouldn¡¯t be this calm otherwise.¡¯ The same thing had occurred with Seo Yongchan. A black light suddenly sweeping over his vision, and a person¡¯s appearance being altered afterwards. And only he could see it. But considering the situation and the person in question, Limon was genuinely lost, unlike with Seo Yongchan. ¡®Have I really gone senile?¡¯ If he¡¯d seen something strange once, it was the other person that was strange. But if it happened twice? Even Limon was starting to doubt his sanity. That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t drawing his sword to cut down the snake. Even if it was real, it didn¡¯t seem like Yoo Na-kyung was going to drop dead at any moment. ¡®If this isn¡¯t a hallucination¡­¡¯ He searched for the best conclusion that could explain this occurrence in the most reasonable way. As any sane person would, the first thing Limon did was rule out the possibility that he was losing his mind. ¡®¡­.Am I suddenly able to see things no one else can? Chapter 10 Chapter 10: D¨¦j¨¤ Vu Limon was lost in thought. He had met all kinds of people throughout his long life. Among those, there were those who claimed to see things no one else could. Of course, most of them were just simply madmen and fraudsters. But very rarely, one would be telling the truth. Whether they could communicate with spirits, see the souls of the dead, or see through curses. Limon asked Yoo Na-kyung a few questions to investigate. ¡°Na-kyung, do you have enemies?¡± ¡°Uhm, I don¡¯t think so? I do have a walking resentment charm for a boss, but who would have a grudge against a lackey like me?¡± ¡°What about siblings you have to share a large inheritance with?¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m an orphan.¡± ¡°Did you embezzle money from a dark mage or sorcerer?¡± ¡°¡­Are you feeling okay, boss?¡± Yoo Na-kyung narrowed her eyes at Limon. She had initially answered half-jokingly, but the questions were starting to get more and more serious. ¡®Hm, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to do with curses.¡¯ Besides the fact her answers were moodier than usual, Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s attitude didn¡¯t seem out of the ordinary. After stroking his chin for a bit, Limon felt strange. He¡¯d thought of something while thinking about Yoo Na-kyung. ¡°¡­¡­Na-kyung, you¡¯re a player, right?¡± ¡°Do I look like a civilian?¡± ¡°Players get their skills by making a deal with a Constellation, yeah?¡± ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s people who don¡¯t?¡± Yoo Na-kyung had confusion written all over her face. ¡°Which Constellation did you form a contract with?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know that till now?!¡± ¡°Just shut up and answer my question, damn brat.¡± ¡°Jeez! Is that any way to speak to a team member you¡¯ve worked with all these years?¡± Yoo Na-kyung complained about Limon¡¯s harsh tone. In today¡¯s age, it was basic courtesy to know of someone¡¯s Constellation, whether they were colleagues or acquaintances. And Limon was no stranger to her. But even that still depended on the other person. She also knew that Limon wasn¡¯t someone who cared about that kind of stuff. So Yoo Na-kyung told him about her Constellation truthfully. ¡°My Constellation is [The Snake that Connects Ends].¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh, is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a popular Constellation among players because it usually gives the ¡¸Teleportation¡¹ skill.¡± Limon nodded. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because he was touched by Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s thorough explanation. It was because there was something that came to mind after listening to her. ¡®Maybe I can see a player¡¯s contracted Constellation. That would make this slithering bastard her¡¯s.¡¯ The explanation lined up with Seo Yongchan¡¯s cow head as well. It was very likely that Seo Yongchan contracted a cattle-related Constellation, considering how he handled his bull familiar. And if so, this was a big deal. The ability to see people¡¯s Constellations without the use of an appraisal skill was unprecedented. ¡®Though it¡¯s useless as all fuck.¡¯ Most players these days would proudly use any opportunity to show off their Constellation. Just simply searching up their name online would reveal it. And so, Limon felt indifferent towards his newfound ability. The problem was Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s new appearance. ¡®¡­¡­I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ His eyes narrowed. From the snake¡¯s fangs embedded in her neck, its body going through her chest, and its tail looping back up to coil around her neck. Nothing about that looked like the blessing of a Constellation. Rather, it looked like a viper constricting its prey. Limon couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows at its glistening eyes in particular. They gave off a strong bloodlust, as if it was waiting for the prime opportunity to strike its prey. Although, it didn¡¯t occur in the best of times. He was just about to decide whether or not to assault the Liberation Brigade. ¡°Hm.¡± After a while of thinking things over with his fingers tapping on his crossed arms, Limon slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Na-kyung.¡± ¡°Yeah, boss?¡± ¡°Do you really want to go after the Liberation Brigade?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came here.¡± ¡°Even if you might die?¡± A serious, but unexpected question. ¡°Isn¡¯t that to be expected? Our line of work at the PAB requires us to risk our lives. The main job of PAB agents was to regulate high-level players. Among those were many savage criminals who would view Seo Yongchan as a mere kid. If an agent were to cross such a player, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for them to die on the job. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no way I would die from something like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Where¡¯d you get all that groundless confidence from?¡± ¡°I do have grounds for it.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± ¡°You, boss.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Limon blinked blankly at the cheerfulness of Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s unexpected answer. ¡°Liberation Brigade or whatever, as long as I¡¯m right beside you, boss, who would dare to kill me?¡± After a moment of silence at her confidence, Limon placed a hand on his forehead. His shoulders started to shake, and he burst out into laughter. ¡°Ha, haha. Pwahahahahaha!¡± ¡°Boss? Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. They say you learn from idiots. I just realized you can also say some pretty smart things from time to time. ¡°Excuse me?!¡± Uncaring about Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s grumpy reaction to being called a fool out of the blue, Limon relaxed. ¡®That¡¯s right. When did I ever care about Constellations?¡¯ He was disorientated from seeing such an unexpectedly random thing, but the more he thought about it, the less it mattered to him. ¡®That snake Constellation¡¯s eyes looked suspicious?¡¯ ¡®Na-kyung could be in danger?¡¯ ¡®Like I give a shit.¡¯ Humans all die one day. If it was today, he¡¯ll just protect her. If there was a disaster, he would cut it down. If it was a Constellation, he¡¯ll just cut that down, too. He didn¡¯t care if it was unrelenting. Even if the times had changed, he was still Limon Asphelder, Swordmaster. The one who spent an eternity pioneering his own destiny with a blade, with his life on that very edge. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What? Where?¡± Limon smirked at Yoo Na-kyung, who was puzzled by his sudden words. As long as he decided to brush off the bad feelings, Limon knew where he was going to go. ¡°After those bitches.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡°It¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± It took exactly three minutes from Limon making up his mind to arriving at the Liberation Brigade base. A truly amazing speed, considering most of that time was spent looking for his coat buried under a large pile of laundry. It was all thanks to Yoo Na-kyung. Very few players could teleport such a distance with a companion instantaneously. That¡¯s how Limon was already standing at the entrance of the base, stroking his chin. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a mere criminal organization was using a place like this as their hideout¡­ Are these guys actually insane? ¡°They¡¯ve always been insane. They aren¡¯t called psychos for no reason. Plus, you know how the saying goes. The lighthouse does not shine on its own base.¡± ¡°But this is no lighthouse. It¡¯s a lion¡¯s den.¡± ¡®Tsk.¡¯ Limon expected it to be in a remote area, like a dark forest, abandoned factory, a stranded island, something like that. As if to mock him, it was actually in the heart of the city. To add insult to injury¡­ In front of it was the National Police Agency. A bit to its side, was the Player Association. Further behind, was a perfect vantage point, with a military squadron stationed. He would have never noticed that this was the Liberation Brigade¡¯s base. ¡°How the hell did you find this?¡± ¡°Heh, charming women just attract information.¡± ¡°Charming? You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a timeless beauty, I know.¡± Limon stared at Yoo Na-kyung in disgust, as if to ask how she could be so shameless. She only stubbornly grinned. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan? Grab the bull by its horns?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Limon hesitated at Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s question. Staring at the entrance of Haechung C&T Corporation, he continued after a moment of consideration. ¡°Let¡¯s go one by one.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I meant hunting them down quietly one at a time.¡± ¡°You know something besides charging in head first?!¡± ¡°What the hell is your impression of me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re obviously someone who brute forces like a meathe¡ª¡± Flick¡ª ¡°Eek!¡± Limon clicked his tongue at his subordinate who didn¡¯t know how to be scared of her superior. ¡°Tsk. Use your head. Do you really think they¡¯ll all stay put if we burst in? They¡¯ll all run off.¡± ¡°But your way is to cut them down before they all escape¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to be hit again?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m just saying you¡¯re smart. Limon scoffed watching Yoo Na-kyung excuse herself as she held her forehead. Though, she was right. It was typical for Limon to go in head first, destroy everything, and then go after those getting away to beat them up. Compared to brute force, infiltration was just too time-consuming for Limon¡¯s tastes. Though, this time, his gut told him something was off. ¡®Something doesn¡¯t feel right to go in head first.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t any reason not to go with his tried and true tactic, and the snake that was coiled around Yoo Na-kyung just before they left now looked normal. But his intuition was enough to warrant changing tactics. Especially right now, with Yoo Na-kyung at his side. ¡°Who¡­? Urg!¡± ¡°How is a PAB agent he¡ª¡± ¡°I-invaders¡­!¡± Pow¡ª Bam¡ª Crack¡ª After getting inside, Limon and Yoo Na-kyung plowed through the base. It wasn¡¯t that difficult. After using Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s ¡¸Teleportation¡¹ to first disable the security office, they took down the members one by one as they trickled in. Of course, there were some high-level players that tried to resist. But it was all futile. Whether they had acceleration skills as fast as lightning, were telekinesis users with a forcefield, or turned invisible with camouflage skills, one touch of Limon¡¯s sword was enough to make them all collapse seeing stars. And as such, everything went extremely fast. They were able to take care of everyone inside at a speed no different to charging in. ¡°This is nothing new, but I am reminded of how meaningless it is to call players superhuman whenever I look at you,¡± marveled Yoo Na-kyung. On top of killing the superhuman players, he was suppressing them all, each with a single blow. To her, they looked like the frail elderly living in a nursing home, rather than the hardened criminals of the Liberation Brigade. Though, her flattery fell behind Limon¡¯s speed. ¡®How odd.¡¯ Not just because there was no need to listen nor answer, but because he¡¯d also felt a strange sensation as he went through the base. ¡®Why does this feel so familiar?¡¯ He thought he was just imagining things at first. Since the layout of buildings these days were similar, Limon thought he was just getting a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. But the deeper he went, the stronger that feeling grew. Bam¡ª! ¡°Boss? Why¡¯d you hit the guy twice?¡± ¡°Regeneration skill. He¡¯ll get up right away if I hit him just once.¡± ¡°Y-you know this criminal?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never met this guy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Then how¡¯d you know he had such a skill if you¡¯ve never even seen him before?¡± ¡°It just felt like it, I suppose.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yoo Na-kyung gave Limon the side-eye, but nodded to herself after remembering that her boss was always crazy. Clasping his hands a few times, Limon decided to be a little benevolent. Even he himself thought that what he said sounded like the ramblings of a madman. But he didn¡¯t think he was wrong. Each member of the Liberation Brigade he fought, he naturally knew what skill they had even before they used it. As if he¡¯d already swept over the Liberation Brigade before. ¡®Could this be the effect of being able to see Constellations?¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t see the Liberation Brigade members¡¯ Constellations like with Seo Yongchan and Yoo Na-kyung. He just naturally knew. Considering he¡¯d never experienced this before, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he had a hunch after being able to see Constellations. ¡®Wait, no. This isn¡¯t just a hunch.¡¯ If this was a sixth sense, he wouldn¡¯t have the feeling of beating up these bastards twice. Plus, Limon was a Swordmaster. He may mix up what year it is, but he could never mistake the feeling of the sword in his hands. So how could he be feeling like he¡¯s already done this before? While lost in his thoughts, Limon continued sweeping through the building. When he was about halfway through, after knocking out those in the upper floors, Limon realized. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right.¡¯ The large, sturdy metal door that looked more fitting on a bunker, than a building. The door Limon was sure he¡¯d never seen before, yet was so familiar. Seeing that door, he was certain. Certain of where his d¨¦j¨¤ vu came from. ¡®I¡¯ve been here before.¡¯ Chapter 11 Chapter 11: Memories He had been to this place he¡¯d never been to before. Logically, that was impossible. But Limon didn¡¯t doubt himself. From all sorts of strange skills, to magic that overturned the providence of God, Psionics beyond human knowledge, even elementalists that could summon armored monster soldiers. He knew from experience that there were always mysteries that made the impossible possible. Of course, unfounded beliefs could turn into blind faith. But Limon had a way of finding out. ¡°Boss? What are you doing?¡± It was an obstacle he would have normally cut in half right away. Yoo Na-kyung thought it was strange as she watched Limon approach the thick metal door instead. Beep beep beep beep beep beep¡ª She grumbled, dumbfounded when Limon started pressing the number panel on the door. ¡°How would you know what to press? It doesn¡¯t open just because you enter a code randomly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­R-right?¡± Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s jaw dropped. Blankly watching the door as it slowly opened, she spoke. ¡°Boss? How did you just do that?¡± ¡°I guessed.¡± ¡°How could you just guess something with a one-billionth chance of getting right?!?!¡± ¡°What? I tried, and it worked.¡± ¡°No¡ª But¡­ that¡¯s, I mean¡­!¡± Was it because she¡¯d seen something so bizarre? Limon didn¡¯t pay much attention to the glitching Yoo Na-kyung, only absentmindedly watched the commotion unfold behind the slowly opening doors. ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s that door opening?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was closed until the job was done?¡± ¡°Hey, what are you looking at?! Focus on what¡¯s in front of you!¡± Once a banquet hall, the entire floor had been renovated into a large space. Dozens of people with various items such as bats, bow and arrows, armor, and bulletproof vests filled the area. The members of the Liberation Brigade stopped whispering when they saw the back door slowly open, stunned. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± They were disconcerted, like they had just seen a flying pig. Yoo Na-kyung also looked stunned seeing the Liberation Brigade behind the door. Even if it was their main base, this was overkill. Even a veteran PAB agent would have been frightened by the number of players huddled together, armed as if preparing for the dungeon. However, Limon remained unfazed. He already knew of their presence before he even opened the door. And so, he calmly moved forward amidst the ruckus. One step to close their distance. One step to get in between them as they were whispering to each other. One step to swing his sword as he turned in his place. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Wh-what? What just happened?¡± The members of the Liberation Brigade were bewildered. They were certain they had their eyes on Limon. But they didn¡¯t even realize it when Limon had gotten in between their ranks, and took down five members in an instant. To everyone else, it looked like they just suddenly collapsed. ¡°The fuck are you sitting around for? Hurry up and attack!!¡± But they were players first. At the cry of a man who seemed to be a leader of sorts, the members came to their senses, attempting to charge at Limon with all their might. And an attempt it was. Nothing more. Whether they swung a sword engulfed in flames, shot an arrow that would always hit its mark, or tied his feet together using shadows, it was useless. Limon fended off all the attacks by dodging, slashing, and smashing them, each in a single step with ease. ¡°What the hell¡­?!¡± The head of the Liberation Brigade, Kang Seok, couldn¡¯t believe this. The Liberation Brigade may have been regarded by the world as a psychotic criminal organization, but by no means were they weak. Only mid-level players of 30 and above could be initiated as official members. Players below that were deemed weak and treated worse than errand-boys. And true to their name of ¡®Liberation Brigade¡¯, they were pretty well-coordinated in group combat. They especially took pride in being better at PVP matches than most high-level guilds. It didn¡¯t matter how strong a high-level player was. At the end of the day, they were just miners who fought monsters. When it came to matches between people, no organization had more experience than the Liberation Brigade, who actually murdered people. But Kang Seok¡¯s diamond pride was sliced in half like it was a piece of paper with Limon¡¯s sword. ¡®Just what is this monster?!¡¯ He would¡¯ve accepted the circumstances if it was simply their attacks that weren¡¯t getting through. There were more than a few high-level players with skills like ¡¸Absolute Defense¡¹ and ¡¸Immortality¡¹ that could completely nullify attacks. He could also look past knocking down everyone in a single blow each. It was hard to have both defensive and offensive abilities like that, but it would be possible if they were a Grand Duke. And yet, Kang Seok was trembling, for one reason. The eyes of that man¡­ Eyes even the criminals and psychos of the Liberation Brigade had never never seen before. Even while slamming his sword into people¡¯s heads, his golden eyes displayed nothing but a deep zen. The only thing that seemed normal was his appearance. He was by no means a normal human being. A true monster the Liberation Brigade could not hope to compete with. But the realization came too late. From the moment Limon entered, none of them had a chance of escape. ¡°Kill him! Kill him if you don¡¯t want to fucking die!¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** Unable to handle the despair, Kang Seok cried out desperately, like a cornered mouse biting the cat. He frantically charged at Limon, swinging his half moon blade and activating ¡¸Blade Storm¡¹, his skill. It was what made Kang Seok the head of the Liberation Brigade. A skill that rained down 36 cuts in an instant, able to shred solid metal in the blink of an eye. Clank¡ª! But after he casted it. Kang Seok couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes. Just as his half moon blade was about to unleash the skill, Limon¡¯s sword lightly grazed the edge of the blade, redirecting all its force even before the sword was swung. But Limon was just getting started. Cling¡ª! 36 simultaneous blows came from all directions. ¡°¡­¡­How?¡± It was a long explanation, fit into less than a hundredth of a second. It should have been impossible to attack that much in such a short amount of time, no matter how agile the player was. A supersonic onslaught that was only possible through the power of the skill. Kang Seok couldn¡¯t even control it, only able to blindly swing with it in effect. So how did Limon block every single one of those completely random swings? ¡°I¡¯d have to be a complete dumbass to not be able to block something you showed me twice.¡± ¡°¡­Twice? When did you ever see my skill?¡± ¡°Now¡¯s the first.¡± ¡°What the¡­!¡± Kang Seok was speechless. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t understand what Limon meant when he said he saw ¡¸Blade Storm¡¹ twice. It was the fact that Limon was able to defend against such supersonic cuts just because he saw it once before that was so astounding. ¡°Irk!¡± ¡°What are you, my student? What¡¯s with all the fucking questions? We¡¯re in a fight right now.¡± Limon swung the back of his sword at the back of Kang Seok¡¯s head, knocking him out. The remaining members of the Liberation Brigade looked like they were on the verge of dying from fear after losing their loser. As Limon took them down, he thought to himself. ¡®More and more things are coming to mind.¡¯ Blocking every individual strike from ¡¸Blade Storm¡¹ wasn¡¯t something he normally would have done. It would¡¯ve been over in a single swing, so there wasn¡¯t really any reason to have swung an additional 35 times. But as soon as he saw Kang Seok¡¯s ¡¸Blade Storm¡¹, it occurred to him naturally how the blade would¡¯ve been swung. As if he was recalling something he¡¯d forgotten. It was like that with the other members as well. Every time their swords clashed, Limon already knew how they were going to attack. And so, the fragments of his memory crystallized and awakened other memories. ¡°Mon-monster¡­¡± Slash¡ª! As the last member fell, Limon froze in place. Not just because he didn¡¯t need to swing his sword anymore. It was as if taking down all the Liberation Brigade members turned on a switch. A scene came to mind as the memories floating in his head came together. A scene he¡¯d never seen, couldn¡¯t see, and didn¡¯t want to see. And yet, the scene he could never forget. The moment he saw it, Limon quietly muttered to himself. ¡°¡­¡­I remember now.¡± ¡°Remember? Remember what?¡± As soon as the Liberation Brigade was defeated, Yoo Na-kyung hopped over their unconscious bodies and approached Limon. It seemed like she was bored of just watching Limon. ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°Do you have Alzheimer¡¯s or something? How can you forget everything?¡± Yoo Na-kyung let out a laugh as if she¡¯d heard a ridiculous joke. Taking out her phone, she looked into each of the fallen members¡¯ faces. ¡°Looks like all of the core members were gathered. It¡¯s a shame the boss wasn¡¯t here, but this looks like enough to say we destroyed the Liberation Brigade.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah, we should bring the Director and the other teams to take care of the cleanup. Then, it¡¯ll be easier to claim as the PAB¡¯s achievement. ¡°Yeah, sure it will,¡± Limon nodded emotionlessly. He looked oddly tired. Figuring that he was just getting old, Yoo Na-kyung let go of her suspicion and reached her hand out to him. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­Boss? My hand.¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°Of course. Aren¡¯t you going to report to the Director?¡± Yoo Na-kyung was aghast. Limon wasn¡¯t doing anything except staring vacantly at her hand. Hearing his response, Yoo Na-kyung was completely dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Yoo Na-kyung tilted her head. She couldn¡¯t understand why Limon was trying to stay behind. But the moment Limon revealed his reason, she could only freeze in place, her head still sideways. ¡°It¡¯s a trap.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12: Forgiveness ¡°Don¡¯t you agree there¡¯s no reason for me to go when I know that there¡¯s several tons of TNT rigged to explode as soon as I hold your hand?¡± It was the last thing he remembered before going back in time. Being teleported into the basement filled with explosives after holding Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s hand. Barely managing to escape the collapsing building, only to be met with countless guns after. ¡°¡­TNT? A trap? What are you talking about?¡± Yoo Na-kyung blinked blankly. Her clueless, even foolish, expression didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯d be the very person who would bring Limon to his death. But Limon completely ignored her words. His golden eyes only settled bitterly as he quietly lamented. ¡°I was foolish. So many things were suspicious.¡± There was no way a minor PAB employee could have found the main base of the Liberation Brigade when not even the National Intelligence Agency could. And Na-kyung wasn¡¯t someone interested in money or fame. She wouldn¡¯t have actively suggested going after the Liberation Brigade. And considering the sudden raid, the Liberation Brigade was armed a bit too well. He should have noticed sooner. Blinded from the trust he had towards Yoo Na-kyung, he wasn¡¯t aware how out of place everything was. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯d be in danger when you¡¯re with me.¡± Another important sign was that feeling that Yoo Na-kyung would be in danger the moment he saw her Constellation. It didn¡¯t make any sense if he thought about it. A million troops. The most elaborate trap ever conceived. Even a Monarch . Limon could still get away while keeping at least one person safe. Especially if that person was a high-level player like Yoo Na-kyung. The only way Yoo Na-kyung could be in danger¡­ ¡°¡­¡­Unless I kill you, that is.¡± The bitterness crept into the back of his throat. But he didn¡¯t let go of his sword. Being swayed by simple emotions¡­ Limon was a swordsman who¡¯d been alive too long to be so naive. He pointed his sword at his enemy, coldly asking her. ¡°Why, Na-kyung?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ boss? You¡¯re starting to scare me. Could you stop joking around now? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Her eyes were wide and unwavering. As expected, a clever subordinate. Not many people could actually play dumb even if they knew it was their best option. Alas, a bit too clever. She was acting way too calm. It was clearer than any words she could say. If she really didn¡¯t have a clue what he was talking about, her eyes would have shook with anxiety. ¡°Is it because of the hostages?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yoo Na-kyung tried to keep calm. But the Swordmaster¡¯s accursed sharp senses did not miss her frantic heartbeat. Her mask started to crack. ¡°Parents or family would be meaningless since you¡¯re an orphan. They must have threatened you with the orphanage children¡¯s lives. ¡° Limon knew why Yoo Na-kyung was always bright and chirpy. She was starved of affection. Most of the money from her paychecks went to caring for the children at the orphanage. He knew how much she adored them. He didn¡¯t feel anger. He simply voiced his disapproval. ¡°I understand your decision.¡± She couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer, it seemed. Her mask shattered to pieces. Revealing her distorted face on the verge of tears, she mumbled with a trembling voice. ¡°¡­¡­How did you know?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t betray me for something like money or simply because you were ordered to.¡± ¡°You really are clever.¡± Regret, astonishment, resentment, disappointment. All sorts of emotions laid in those four words. Looking straight into her eyes that were holding in more emotion than her voice, Limon questioned. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± ¡°Do you think there is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. At least one of us has to die here¡±. ¡°Probably.¡± He knew before he asked. She was a clever girl who wouldn¡¯t have taken this path if there was another way out. There probably really was no other way, considering how she couldn¡¯t let him know of her situation and ask for help. Just then, the memories of the future came to his mind. Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s sad expression while igniting the explosives after teleporting to the building basement with him proved everything to be true. It wasn¡¯t anything new. A long time ago, when he was going against the Seven Dragons that ruled the world. When he fought the dark mages that caused the descent of the Demon God. Even when he stopped the Seven Dragons Association that swept over Asia. Those who couldn¡¯t handle Limon would try to use those around him via threats or hostages. Even back when the Swordmaster was the Absolute Ruler, it was impossible to stop all of it. And so whenever these things happened, Limon had one solution. ¡°Let me ask you one last question.¡± Limon swallowed the bitterness. He calmly looked at Yoo Na-kyung with his golden eyes. ¡°Those children, do they mean more to you than your life?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but a confirmation. He was trying to take responsibility as a boss who couldn¡¯t look after his subordinates. Yoo Na-kyung didn¡¯t break his eye contact and firmly answered him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­At least hesitate. I¡¯m ashamed just asking.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You should be very sorry. You stabbed your divine boss in the back and now you¡¯re asking him to deal with the consequences.¡± Limon chuckled. There was no way she didn¡¯t understand the intent behind his question. And yet, her answer stood firm. Even Limon, who had lived a long life, was certain. Yoo Na-kyung was an incredible prodigy. And so, he could come to a decision with more ease than usual. ¡°But I forgive you.¡± Her pupils widened as if she heard something she couldn¡¯t believe. He took a step forward even before Yoo Na-kyung could unfreeze herself from the shock. One step to her blind spot. One step to slightly pull back his sword. One step to gently pierce the sword into her heart. ¡°So¡­ rest in peace.¡± It was as if time stopped. Yoo Na-kyung froze in place with Limon¡¯s sword impaled in her heart. Only after quite some time had passed did Limon catch her gently falling body. There wasn¡¯t any pain. She probably didn¡¯t even know she was dying. And yet the smile lingering on her lips was so soft and clear that it showed she had accepted her death. With a cold expression Limon closed the eyes of his subordinate, who was much too smart and joyful, yet foolish. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases. *** The world faded to black, and he could see things others couldn¡¯t. He finally took out the fangs in Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s neck and locked eyes with the snake, which sounded like it was sneering as it flicked its tongue. Limon took hold of the snake¡¯s neck, taking back the faintly glowing bead that the snake had taken from her. ¡°Hand it over.¡± Maybe it was surprised that it was captured, or enraged that its bead got stolen. But Limon didn¡¯t bat an eye at the frantically wriggling snake. He only stated coldly, ¡°This isn¡¯t something you can covet. Limon didn¡¯t know what this glowing bead was, but he was sure of one thing. It was something that belonged to Yoo Na-kyung. And that was reason enough for Limon to take away the bead from the snake. Of course, the snake didn¡¯t think so as it fiercely drew out its fangs and tried to attack Limon, snapping its tail like a lightning bolt. Unfortunately, the snake wasn¡¯t faster than Limon. ¡°Now fuck off.¡± Crack¡ª The snake¡¯s neck snapped perpendicularly and its remains faded away like an illusion. Limon didn¡¯t pay any more attention to the insignificant snake. He only stared at the glowing bead that radiated an oddly familiar aura, putting it back on Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s chest as if he was expecting some sort of change. But even after the glowing bead faded back into Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s body, there was no miracle of the dead coming back to life. An obvious but bitter truth. With the roar of the heavens falling, a massive heat wave from the basement swept away the entire building, and Limon with it. ¡®¡­¡­Looks like it¡¯s finally over.¡¯ The Liberation Brigade¡¯s main base had a sign saying Haechung C&T Corporation (Inc.). He let out a sigh as he watched the building that stood like a lighthouse in the moonlight just moments ago, get engulfed in flames. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ There were 144 tons of TNT buried in there. On top of that, there were buff items in place that increased the power of the explosion, as well as barrier items that prevented Limon from making an escape. If Yoo Na-kyung had taken Limon to the basement as planned, even a Monarch wouldn¡¯t be able to get out alive. Many had called his plan excessive. But he didn¡¯t have to be on edge anymore. As long as humanity¡¯s last Swordmaster was gone, there was no need for him to suffer insomnia, stomach pains, and hair loss anymore. That¡¯s what he thought. ¡°Fucking hell.¡± That is, until he heard a low voice call out from inside the dense dust cloud that was the remains of the destroyed building. ¡°How many sins does one have to commit in their past life to go through this shit twice?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Without even realizing it, his breathing paused. This can¡¯t be. He must be hearing things. The owner of that voice should be dead. A sudden strong gust of wind sweeps away the dust cloud. A white-haired man appears from the ruins holding a woman in his arms, against the backdrop of a blazing inferno. It made his mind go blank. He wasn¡¯t the only one who was taken aback by the sight. Everyone who was stationed around the building just in case were holding their breath in shock. ¡®Just in case¡¯, they were told. They never expected it to really happen. Everyone was thinking the same thing. ¡®How?¡¯ The fact a human could escape that awful explosion alive went far beyond their scope of imagination and understanding. ¡°{Freeze, Limon Asphelder!}¡± Fortunately, there were exceptions to that. Maybe it was because they had a stronger will. Or because their desire for success transcended their judgements. While everyone was frozen dumbfounded, one man stepped forward and held up the loudspeaker. He confidently cried out according to the manual. ¡°{For the murder of a PAB agent, terr¡ª}¡± ¡°Terrorism and treason against the nation, I¡¯m under immediate arrest and I should get on my knees and surreder, right?¡± ¡°{Th-that¡¯s right. If yo¡ª}¡± ¡°Don¡¯t comply, you¡¯re gonna take me by force?¡± ¡°{¡­¡­Yes.}¡± ¡®How did he know what I was going to say?!¡¯ Did he read the manual? Having his lines stolen by Limon, the man¡¯s face reddened. He stepped forward out of the crowd, trying to make himself more significant. In that moment, Limon¡¯s sword brushed past the ground, lifting a grain of sand. And the man¡¯s head was smashed open like a watermelon. ¡°Go ahead and try.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A precipitation of fresh, crimson blood. The piece of meat collapsed, along with the loudspeaker caked in brain matter. He absentmindedly watched the scene unfold, frozen in place. In fact, the hundreds of people watching Limon were frozen, stuck in place. Not just because what Limon did was so fast it looked like the man¡¯s head exploded by itself. ¡°Anyone else want to come forward?¡± Limon was looking around emotionlessly after just killing a man. His golden eyes were telling ¡ª anyone who came for Limon at that moment would meet the same fate as that man. As to mock the group now silent as a mouse, Limon let out an ice cold laugh. Slowly turning his head, he stared straight into one side of the human barricade that was pointing their guns at him. ¡°Seems like none of these guys wants to be your shield. What now?¡± He felt his heart drop. Limon was looking in his exact direction. Rationally, that should¡¯ve been impossible. Even a Monarch wouldn¡¯t be able to find him at this distance immediately when he was concealing his presence with a distortion item. ¡°You gonna come out yourself? Or do you want me to drag you out?¡± But any false hope he had left was extinguished. ¡°Kang Jungsoo.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13: The Bare-Minimum The person who involved the Liberation Brigade in masterminding Limon¡¯s death. The Director of the PAB, known to players as the King of the Underworld. Kang Jungsoo revealed himself among the PAB agents and told Limon in a rigid voice. ¡°¡­Sir, please do not make this into a bigger problem than it has to be.¡± He had been thinking about revealing himself depending on the circumstances, but he would¡¯ve never expected Limon to call him out first. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have started it in the first place if you didn¡¯t want a bigger problem.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t start it because I wanted to.¡± He had kept his formal tone throughout the exchange. But maybe it didn¡¯t sound like so because there was no respect behind his words. Or maybe it was because of his reproachful eyes. Limon shook the pointless thoughts out of his head. He looked down at the body he was holding in one arm, and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I can see where you¡¯re coming from. And as the bare minimum, I¡¯ll ask you too.¡± If it was anyone else, he would have gotten started right away. But their relationship was stretched across three generations. ¡°Why?¡± Kang Jungsoo clenched his jaw. Ever since he was little, the adults would talk about Limon until it was engraved in his ears. He knew the meaning behind that question. But he¡¯d already made his choice, and there was no turning back. No, he wouldn¡¯t, even if he could. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong. He only did the best he could with the bad hand he was dealt. ¡°¡­This is all your fault, sir.¡± ¡°My fault?¡± ¡°Yes. None of this would¡¯ve happened if you hadn¡¯t disturbed the Infinite Monarch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you really think you could get away with crossing the Infinite Monarch¡¯s brother-in-law, just because you were the hero of a past nation?¡± At Limon¡¯s silence, Kang Jungsoo continued in a begrudging tone. ¡°Get a hold of yourself, sir! This isn¡¯t the Heroes¡¯ Age anymore!¡± Kang Jungsoo knew very well what Limon¡¯s presence was like in the past. He knew how incredible his feats were as a great hero, and the kind of respect he received. And he knew what a wild animal he was. ¡°The country used to put up with anything and everything you did. They needed your strength then. But that time¡¯s over.¡± Before the world entered the Iron Age, Limon was undoubtedly the Absolute Ruler. In a time when neighboring countries would look for any opportunity to take territory and evil men conspired, overwhelming strength was needed to maintain peace. Swordmasters were the only ones who could provide that. That was why it was called the Heroes¡¯ Age. As the world was protected by only a few heroes, all the trouble they caused were overlooked ¡ª allowed as an act of heroism. But times change. ¡°Now, there are players and Monarchs.¡± The players turned the world held together by power and force into a peaceful one of wealth and abundance. Moreover, with the appearance of Monarchs, another Absolute Ruler had appeared. People realized that Swordmasters were no longer irreplaceable. ¡°You¡¯re in the way of this country¡¯s progress.¡± If only Limon wasn¡¯t so important. If only he¡¯d accommodated the new generation and quietly fell into the world¡¯s backdrop. At the very least, if he¡¯d tried to compromise with the new reality he¡¯d found himself in. He would¡¯ve been immortalized in history books as a hero, even if he did lose his place as an Absolute Ruler. ¡°Why can¡¯t you understand that people have to change to suit the times? It¡¯s not the other way around!¡± After he lost his power that was beyond the crown, Robbed of his assets he¡¯d gathered for centuries, And had his glory as the Guardian of Humanity forgotten. Even after he met his miserable downfall, reduced to nothing more than an insignificant civil servant, Limon still hadn¡¯t changed. This hero of the past continued to live by that damned chivalrous justice and kept trying to play hero. ¡°How much more do we have to give up for your antics, just because you did some things in the past?!¡± Kang Jungsoo didn¡¯t forget. No, he couldn¡¯t forget. His grandfather was a war hero deserving of praise. But instead, he was mocked all his life ¡ª that he only escaped death thanks to Limon, and that his achievements in battle were thanks to him as well. His father was a politician deserving of respect. But he wasted his political career trying to protect Limon¡¯s place in a changing world. And as the Swordmaster fell from grace, so did he. He had to resign from the presidential elections and was kicked out from the world of politics. But Kang Jungsoo tried to not resent Limon, even though their association meant that he couldn¡¯t enter politics, and had to endure all sorts of hardships. Recalling Limon¡¯s feats his grandfather has told him ever since he was a child, he had spent his life cleaning up behind Limon as his father did. He¡¯d reached his limit. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of sticking my neck out for you. Blame yourself for being behind the times!¡± In the end, Limon had still provoked the Infinite Monarch. Kang Jungsoo¡¯s hands were tied. Whether it was for political benefit or his family¡­ Between the disgraced Swordmasters and the new Absolute Rulers¡­ It was clear whose side he should take. Limon didn¡¯t have much to say about Kang Jungsoo¡¯s outcries. ¡°What¡¯s this nutjob rambling about?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°Oi, you little shit. Did I ask for your excuses?¡± Limon growled at Kang Jungsoo, who was frozen in shock at being disregarded after he¡¯d just poured out his heart and soul. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to put all the blame on me when I kicked that son of a bitch¡¯s ass?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Get away with? Have my back? Shit, people are gonna think I¡¯m indebted to your family or something. Limon had a cynical grin. Kang Jungsoo spoke as if his family had sacrificed themselves for generations for Limon. But was that really the case? Kang Jungsoo¡¯s grandfather may have been made fun of for getting lucky, but Swordmasters were the Absolute Rulers at the time. Getting rescued by a Swordmaster three different times was something more than worthy to be proud of. Flaunting their friendship was also how he was able to succeed in the military. It was the same with Kang Jungsoo¡¯s father. He was able to take advantage of the past hero¡¯s popularity to get votes. If he hadn¡¯t shown off his friendship with Limon to his voters, he wouldn¡¯t even have been a council member, much less a presidential candidate. And Kang Jungsoo himself? He was talking as if Limon was the cause of all his troubles. If he hadn¡¯t known Limon, would a commoner like him have been able to become the director of the PAB? But Limon didn¡¯t bring those points up. ¡°Whatever, that doesn¡¯t mean shit. I don¡¯t even care about why you would stab me in the back in the first place.¡± People attribute success to themselves and blame failure on their ancestors. Kang Jungsoo was free to think that he could have lived a better life if not for Limon. But more importantly, Limon simply didn¡¯t care about him. He only wanted to hear one thing. ¡°My question is¡­ Why did you do this to Na-kyung?¡± As if he only noticed Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s body in Limon¡¯s arms, Kang Jungsoo flinched, and his face turned sour. ¡°¡­¡­It was agent Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s choice.¡± ¡°You think she had a choice when there were hostages involved?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°But you allowed it.¡± ¡°I protested! But what else could I do when the Monarch had the final say?!¡± If he made a rash decision, both Yoo Na-kyung and the hostages would¡¯ve disappeared. Even if he disobeyed and died, another PAB director would¡¯ve taken his place and done the same thing. ¡°You should have fought back.¡± Limon said in a low voice. ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°You should have fought back like a madman until the very end.¡± Whether he died by crashing in with the PAB agents, or by talking badly about the Infinite Monarch on television. Even if he¡¯d at least stepped forward to give himself up instead of Na-kyung. ¡°You should have done something.¡± Limon said in a calm voice. Kang Jungsoo was dumbfounded. ¡°A-are you telling me I should have died in agent Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s place?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the PAB director. Regardless of whatever threats a player makes, at the very least, you should¡¯ve given yourself up instead of throwing a subordinate under the bus.¡± The PAB was an organization made to regulate players. Its director shouldn¡¯t be scared of a player¡¯s power. As the former head of a group that eventually become the foundation for the PAB, and as well as a hero of the past, Limon stated coldly, ¡°I can understand if you weren¡¯t brave enough to die. But even then, you ought to be at least ashamed of yourself for being alive.¡± Not everyone can be a hero, and not everyone can die to do what¡¯s right. That¡¯s why Limon could forgive his betrayal. ¡°But Jungsoo¡­ Not once have you hung your head to Na-kyung, let alone me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Excuses, excuses, excuses, excuses. Even with Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s body in front of him, Kang Jungsoo was crying out his reasons for betrayal and insisting on what¡¯s right and wrong. Limon knew the reason Kang Jungsoo wasn¡¯t apologizing. That was just the way those drunk with power thought. It was their habit to not feel shame or regret since they saw people as tools. Ultimately, death wasn¡¯t what Kang Jungsoo was afraid of. He had betrayed Limon and ignored Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s death to throw away his old connections with the Swordmaster to hold a Monarch¡¯s hand instead. That crossed Limon¡¯s line. ¡°¡­Say whatever you want. No matter what you say, nothing is going to change.¡± Limon stoically locked eyes with Kang Jungsoo, who seemed like he¡¯d given up on making excuses. ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Is there any reason for me not to?¡± ¡°Yeah, since I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Kang Jungsoo laughed in his face, and pointed to the troops surrounding him. ¡°Do you really think you can get through all these guys and kill me?¡± Those surrounding Limon were no ordinary soldiers or players. 30 PAB agents specialized in combat. 40 frontliners from the country¡¯s leading big scale guilds, ¡ºStardust¡» and ¡ºNew Divinities¡». 50 rangers from Squad 909, the most elite military troop, armed with high-level items and cutting edge weapons designed to kill players. Another 50 S-rank mercenaries of Black Wolf, a private military organization notorious for doing anything so long as they were paid. And 30 murderous criminals brought in with plea bargains and a great deal of money. 200 in total. Furthermore, each and every one of them were at least level 60 high-level players. It was enough manpower to decimate five to six cities in the blink of an eye and start wars. Kang Jungsoo was certain this was enough to fight even a Monarch. That it would be impossible for a goner like Limon to get past these people and kill him. As if looking at a colony of ants, he slowly scanned the 200 people with calm, settled eyes. ¡°Before I answer that, let me ask you one last question.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Was it his eerily calm tone? Despite his overwhelming upper hand in the situation, Kang Jungsoo reacted angrily. A feeling of uneasiness was building up inside him. ¡°Is it truly your own choice to kill me, or is it that old cackling one-eyed woman who¡¯s eating your head?¡± Limon asked in a low tone. Without realizing, Kang Jungsoo instantly flinched. It wasn¡¯t just because of the random question he didn¡¯t know the meaning behind. Instead, It was Limon¡¯s unblinking eyes looking at something that couldn¡¯t be seen through his soul. A dark glow as black as the night sky lurked in what was supposed to be his golden eyes. Chills ran down his back. ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± ¡°By nonsense, are you saying this was solely your decision?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Maybe he was embarrassed at Limon¡¯s overwhelming stare. After staring at him with stoic eyes, Limon slowly nodded at Kang Jungsoo¡¯s confident answer. ¡°¡­¡­Alright. As long as this was by your own will.¡± Limon took his eyes off of him as if he was finished making sure. ¡°I declare.¡± Looking around at the 200 people¡­ No, the 200 eerie shadows half conjoined with the people sneering like a predator looking at their captured prey. ¡°What I¡¯m about to do to you bastards, I call it mercy.¡± ¡ª¡ª Chapter 14 Chapter 14: Who¡¯s Next? ¡°I declare.¡± Kang Jungsoo unknowingly held his breath. Despite his low tone, Limon¡¯s voice rang out loudly like a temple bell. ¡°To those who come for me, give up your hope.¡± ¡°To those who try to fight me, fight with your life.¡± ¡°And to those unsure of themselves, get down on your knees and beg for your life immediately.¡± Limon warned. ¡°That¡¯s my mercy to all of you.¡± He sounded as dry as a whistle, as if reciting a book he¡¯d memorized. But that wasn¡¯t all that terrified Kang Jungsoo. Inside his tranquil, golden eyes shone a horrifically pure, crystal clear light. It made Kang Jungsoo instinctively take a step back. ¡°Those still standing after hearing my warning¡­ Be aware that you will not survive to see tomorrow.¡± It was more of a threat than a warning. A bold declaration from a man with nothing but a sword, to 200 men equipped with all kinds of guns and items. But it couldn¡¯t be taken as a joke as it normally would have. Gulp. No one laughed at his words. Their anxiety, weak knees and chills on their necks told them¡­ It wasn¡¯t a bluff. ¡®Kneel down right now.¡¯ ¡®Now¡¯s your only chance.¡¯ Their instincts whispered to them. Their bodies were telling them a premonition before they could process it. The weight of death would¡¯ve crushed any regular person immediately. But there were two pitiful truths. One: Everyone of those 200 men were proud, skilled elites that could hold up the weight of death. Two: Their commander grossly overestimated how good his own judgment was, enough to ignore his instincts. He immediately gave orders to keep up the faltering morale. ¡°What are all of you doing sitting around this piece of nonsense for?! Take your positions!¡± Aside from them being the right or wrong calls, Kang Jungsoo was an effective commander. Those who were on the fence on listening to their pride or their instincts, as soon as they heard his command, every single one of them devoted their minds to fighting Limon. It was in an astoundingly uniform fashion. And it was those most accustomed to following orders that marked the beginning of the battle. ¡°All units, open fire!¡± *** Ratatatata¡ª When it came to levels, Squad 909 was the weakest among everyone. It was inevitable, when they weren¡¯t players who made a living off of the dungeon, but soldiers. But in terms of strength, they were stronger than any other group. The secret was in their equipment. Exoskeleton KIM-S009. [Skeleton Knight¡¯s Bones], [Armor of the Living Army], [Fragments of the Metal Golem], [Shadow Hunter¡¯s Arrowheads], and many more. Crafted from the drops of high-level monsters above level 70, it was the cutting-edge magnum opus of the National Defense Research Institute. Thanks to the costly materials, it was notorious for being more expensive than a combat plane. But that also spoke of how incredible the exoskeleton¡¯s performance was. It could balance out the playing field for a level 30 mid-level player going against a level 60 player. Because of its main armament, the shadow bullet, it was a piece of equipment even high-level players feared. It had the ability to ignore all defense. Now, what if 50 members of Squad 909 all fired at once with the KIM-S009? It¡¯ll basically be a death sentence. Unless they had a special skill like ¡¸Absolute Defense¡¹, it would be impossible for even the highest level players to guard against the shower of shadow bullets. ¡°¡­What was that?¡± Which was why Mira, the guild master of ¡ºStardust¡», was dumbfounded. ¡°What just happened¡­?¡± Mira couldn¡¯t understand. How was Limon still standing after being on the receiving end of a barrage from Squad 909? And why did all 50 of the soldiers fall after opening fire? It was so mysterious, she thought for a moment that Squad 909 could have used a deception tactic. Roll¡ª A shattered head, an eyeball rolling on the ground¡­ The warm blood splattered on her face. It was undeniable ¡®Squad 909 was annihilated¡­?¡¯ Squad 909 consisted of no ordinary soldiers. It was an elite troop, where each individual was the equivalent of a high-level player. Just five of them could decimate the majority of guilds. They were masters of combat that even Mira, a level 93 Grand Duke, would struggle with if she went against just ten of them. And yet, their annihilation happened less than a second after their attack. Of course, she wasn¡¯t the only one in shock. No one could believe their eyes either. ¡°¡­Oh¡­ my god.¡± He barely managed to get the words out of his mouth. ¡°Mr. Ahn Dongkwon?¡± ¡°Holy shit¡­ How did he just do that¡­?¡± ¡°Do what? Did he use some sort of skill?¡± The Guild Master of ¡ºNew Divinities¡» was as pale as a corpse. Thanks to his unique skill, he was the only person who could see what Limon had done. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t a skill.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± Mira was astonished. She thought it was obvious Limon had used a skill. Of course, that was only possible if Limon was both a Swordmaster and a Grand Duke-level player. Yet still, that was what she chose to believe. To her, unless he used skills like ¡¸Time Stop¡¹ or ¡¸Verbal Authority¡¹, what he did was impossible. But Ahn Dongkwon cried out against her beliefs. ¡°That monster deflected the bullets back at Squad 909 with his sword!!!¡± For a very brief moment, Mira couldn¡¯t understand what he said. And once she did, her face contorted even more. ¡°De-deflected? All 50 of the shadow bullets¡­ shot simultaneously at supersonic speeds? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°With just¡­ swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Most likely.¡± ¡°How¡­ How is that even possible?!¡± Mira looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her sockets. But Ahn Dongkwon didn¡¯t say a word back. Whether she got it or not, what just happened wouldn¡¯t change. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s not possible. Even a player who mastered a sword skill couldn¡¯t¡­¡­¡± Biting her nails and muttering to soothe her anxiety, she suddenly shut her mouth. She¡¯d realized who she was really going up against. Limon Asphelder. An ancient relic who only knows how to swing a sword. A symbol of the past who met his downfall as times changed. She thought it was more than just a good deal if she could look good to the Infinite Monarch and not be indebted to the PAB director anymore, just by getting rid of some goner like him. The reason Limon passed as the ¡®Guardian of Humanity¡¯ was because there were no players back then. Only in the past were martial artists effective. Just as how they were hopeless when on the receiving end of a gun barrel, there was no longer any need for a Swordmaster in this day and age. Those were her thoughts. She judged that getting rid of a ¡®civilian¡¯ who could swing around a sword decently would be a piece of cake. ¡­But was that really a good judgment? ¡®Why¡­?¡¯ Mira, the guild master of ¡ºStardust¡». She was of a level not even a hundred players had reached ¡ª a Grand Duke. Proud of her wider knowledge as compared to others, it was then that she felt a great sense of incompatibility with her reality. ¡®Why did I think a Swordmaster would be weaker than me?¡¯ Compared to players who could handle powerful skills and bring tremendous wealth and development to the world, Swordmasters only knew how to wield swords. That was why they were considered goners. But to put it the other way around? That meant they were definitely good with a sword. Like how a well-off businessman wasn¡¯t stronger than a soldier or martial artist just because they were more respected in society ¡ª just because players had a better reputation and made a lot of money doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they could fight and win against the Swordmaster. Just as how the rich aren¡¯t on guard against a soldier, she didn¡¯t doubt her beliefs that merely being good at wielding swords would make Limon her match when she could use skills. But could one really describe that swordsmanship as ¡®merely¡¯? Was he able to reign as an Absolute Ruler, just because there were no players? Was she¡­ Rather, were they ridiculously delusional about Limon Asphelder, bound under social notions? Had they been an old man who thought he¡¯d be safe even after smacking an armed soldier with a money bag, just because he was rich? Or maybe¡­ Like a puppet getting drawn into a fire by someone holding the strings, unaware they were a puppet. ¡°So.¡± The very person who annihilated Squad 909 with just a sword. He had a woman¡¯s body in his arms. He didn¡¯t even need to set her down. ¡°Who wants to die next?¡± Mira trembled as she looked at humanity¡¯s last Swordmaster. The Absolute Ruler who maintained peace for centuries among humanity by saving the world multiple times. His eyes were as cold as ice. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** Kang Jungsoo kept his composure when he saw Squad 909 get annihilated instantaneously. No matter how much they increased their attack power with expensive gear, they were still mid-level players. It was possible for them to die in vain if they let their guard down. He was surprised but accepted it when the criminal players and killers who attacked were slaughtered in the blink of an eye. Their self destruction was the result of attacking without coordination, as expected of a criminal organization with no combat training. He believed until that point ¡ª if the remaining 120 high-level players could properly execute their skills, And if the two Grand Dukes who he only managed to invite after promising huge benefits, Mira and Ahn Dongkwon, would step forward, things would turn out differently. ¡­¡­Until a couple minutes ago. He was stunned from the devastation for a while. Frozen and unable to breathe as if someone had been putting him in a chokehold, Kang Jungsoo opened and shut his mouth. ¡°How¡ª how could this¡­ This can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°You dumb fucking piece of shit.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Kang Jungsoo fell down as he backed away in panic. Hurriedly turning around and crawling away, he once again froze in terror. A head with both eyes blasted was right in front of his face. But it wasn¡¯t just the head. A mercenary sliced in half down the middle. A PAB agent with a gaping hole in their chest. A player with their head smashed in. And countless more visceral scenes of death. Surrounding him were mountains of horrific bodies he couldn¡¯t bear to see with his eyes. ¡°Did you really try to come at me with those 200 children?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wh-what have you done?!¡± The very person responsible for the mountains of corpses. Staring at the white-haired young man who didn¡¯t have a single drop of blood on him, Kang Jungsoo unknowingly cried out. ¡°Do you know who these people were?! They were the future of our country! They were going to become the pillars of our society for at least half a century!¡± This wasn¡¯t an over exaggeration. 30 elite PAB agents, 50 fully armed troops from Squad 909. 38 frontliner guild members from ¡ºStardust¡» and ¡ºNew Divinities¡». On top of that, 50 S-rank mercenaries of Black Wolf and 30 various criminals and killers. The last two groups may be an exception, but there were still 118 state-affiliated players who were killed. Among them, 68 were high-level players. In this day and age, every individual high-level player was their own one man enterprise and Art of War. 68 of such high-level players getting slaughtered at once had never happened before since the start of the Iron Age. If word of this got out, the entire nation would be shaken. However, Limon laughed coldly at Kang Jungsoo¡¯s outcries. ¡°So what about it?¡± ¡ª¡ª Chapter 15 Chapter 15: A Broken Connection ¡°If the future of the country was so precious, you shouldn¡¯t have made that future all run at me.¡± ¡°But sir, you are a hero of this country!¡± ¡°You mean I was.¡± Weren¡¯t you the one who called me a traitor? Limon¡¯s sarcastic response shut Kang Jungsoo up. He chuckled. ¡°And so what if I am a hero? You think I¡¯d do anything for this country after all this? After all these little shits who ignored my warning, and tried to kill me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re actually senile.¡± Kang Jungsoo couldn¡¯t say anything back. He had anticipated Limon surviving the explosion and collapse of the building, but not the complete and utter massacre of his men. What he saw was the cleanup after he killed Limon, since he didn¡¯t even consider he could fail. ¡°And get your words straight. The country¡¯s future isn¡¯t what you¡¯re worried about.¡± Limon reached his hand out. He pulled Kang Jungsoo up by the collar, forcing him to meet him at eye level. He spoke coldly. ¡°It¡¯s your petty power and political position that¡¯s going to disappear after this incident.¡± ¡°Grr!¡± Kang Jungsoo clenched his jaw. Limon had hit the nail on the head. The burden he placed on his shoulders to carry out this plan was heavy. He had gone out of line, gathering so many high-level players. He even heard sarcastic remarks that he was burning down a house just for a cockroach. But as long as he killed Limon. As long as he could establish a relationship with the Infinite Monarch. His political returns would¡¯ve been much greater than before all of this. But that was all over now. Failing to kill Limon was the least of his problems, since dozens of high-level players were lost. He¡¯d be lucky if he could just be sent to jail, let alone keep his position as director. ¡°You think you¡¯ll be fine after doing all this?¡± ¡°Is there a reason for me not to be?¡± ¡°Of course! There¡¯s plenty! Let¡¯s start with the fact that the ¡ºStardust¡» and ¡ºNew Divinities¡» guild masters will target your neck for the rest of your life!¡± Kang Jungsoo shouted with confidence. The two Grand Dukes he¡¯d saved as his aces. He detested them for suddenly and shamelessly running away, but they were the only protection he had now. There was no way they would just back away after egregiously running away while their guild members were slaughtered. They would retaliate by all means. And with the help of the Infinite Monarch stacked on top, even Limon would die. ¡°Hmm?¡± Limon was puzzled, as if a joke had gone over his head. He titled his head, asking, ¡°Who ya talking about?¡± ¡°I already told you! ¡ºStardust¡» and¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard you.¡± Limon kicked something on the ground. ¡°If you mean the guys who threw away their subordinates to save their own asses, they¡¯re right here.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­?¡± As Kang Jungsoo was about to laugh at Limon¡¯s words, he could only freeze. The thing Limon just kicked. He¡¯d felt a strange familiarity towards the head with its eyeballs burst ¡ª the one which horrified him just moments before. It was hard to recognize because its face was so awfully contorted from the lack of eyeballs. But no doubt, that face was¡­¡­ ¡®Ahn Dongkwon!!!¡¯ A Grand Duke. There were less than 100 of them in the entire world. The guild master of a massive guild with dozens of smaller guilds and subdivisions under its wing. All that was left of him was his head. Kang Jungsoo couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°H-how? I saw him escape!¡± ¡°Jungsoo, you pathetic fool. Do you really not know the reason? Or are you pretending not to?¡± Limon asked with a gentle, cheerful smile, as if he was talking to a child whose stupidity made them adorable. But the golden eyes looking down on Kang Jungsoo only spoke of stone, cold contempt. ¡°Didn¡¯t your grandfather tell you? One cannot run from a Swordmaster.¡± Kang Jungsoo¡¯s face distorted. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± Limon shook his head at him. There was no way his grandfather, who fought alongside Limon in multiple wars, didn¡¯t tell him of this common knowledge. Kang Jungsoo had to have brushed it off as an exaggeration. ¡®Fools.¡¯ One cannot run from a Swordmaster. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** It became common knowledge after Limon circled the world 37 times to pierce his sword into the Demon God¡¯s heart a long, long time ago. Albeit, the knowledge wasn¡¯t very common anymore. Still, they wouldn¡¯t have ran from Limon if they even knew a little about the Swordmaster. They would¡¯ve immediately gotten on their knees and surrendered, or stood their ground and fought till their last breath. Ultimately, the people never did any research on the Swordmaster, despite trying to kill him. Or they had laughed it off as Kang Jungsoo did. Clicking his tongue at their stupidity, Limon told Kang Jungsoo. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone else I need to send your way, say it right now. At least then, you wouldn¡¯t feel too bad about dying.¡± ¡°A-are you saying you¡¯re going to kill me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°All I did was do as I was told!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Motherfucker, are you listening to yourself?¡± Limon was dumbfounded. Considering he was responsible for sending all of his subordinates to their deaths fighting Limon, that was something he should¡¯ve never said. There should have been a limit to how despicable one person could get, and yet Kang Jungsoo was setting that bar higher and higher by the second. ¡°Th-that was¡­ a mistake.¡± ¡°Mis¡ª¡­. Nevermind. Forget what I said.¡± Limon subtly shook his head and pulled Kang Jungsoo closer as he drew his sword. He finally realized the severity of the situation when he saw the sharp blade, begging as he grabbed onto Limon¡¯s feet. ¡°Sir¡­ Uncle! Spare me! Think about your relationship with my grandfather, please¡­!¡± Limon¡¯s hands suddenly halted. As soon as he heard the word ¡®uncle¡¯, memories of Kang Jungsoo entered his mind, overlapping with his vision. The little kid that wet himself out of fear when they first met, and peeked him from behind his grandfather. The same stupid little kid that would¡¯ve ran over with a cheerful smile if Limon had snacks. Taking his hesitation as a chance, Kang Jungsoo desperately cried out the benefits of keeping him alive. ¡°P-plus, if you kill me too, sir, you¡¯ll surely be marked as a traitor! There won¡¯t be a place anywhere in this nation for you to go!¡± Limon came to realize who the man known as Kang Jungsoo really was. A half-bald man with a potbelly, accustomed to coaxing and treachery, and never satisfied with any amount of power that was given to him. He only spoke softly, ¡°Jungsoo, I have never once been afraid to be marked as such.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°Rather¡­ it was the nation who feared I¡¯d become one.¡± ¡°What does that¡ª¡± But a stunned Kang Jungsoo would not get to finish his question. He could only stare at Limon with wide eyes. He fell towards the ground, clutching his neck. ¡°Gahaack! Hrghhhk!¡± As expected of the PAB director. Despite having multiple of his arteries severed, he was still conscious thanks to the various items he was armed with. Limon muttered lowly as he looked down on the writhing man. ¡°See? I told you to beg for your life if you wanted to live.¡± Limon already warned that he would give no mercy to those that stood up against him. They¡¯d all kicked their last chance of survival out the door the moment they ignored his warning. ¡°Well, I was still going to kill you anyways.¡± ¡°Gurg¡­ Urrrgh¡­!¡± ¡°Do you feel victimized? Oh well, I¡¯m sure Na-kyung feels that way too. At least sending you to her will soothe her soul.¡± Kang Jungsoo squirmed, with blood gushing out of his neck. Limon lightheartedly sat next to him, looking up at the starry night sky. ¡°Do you remember?¡± ¡°You know, the time your grandpa finally convinced you to go see Yu Sungwoo.¡± ¡°You had big dreams even back then, wishing to be the president in front of that guy.¡± ¡°Your grandpa boasted that you were fit to be a general.¡± ¡°But I thought, seeing the way that little kid wanted power¡­ You¡¯d grow up to be no good.¡± He continued reminiscing with his ¡®niece¡¯, without even batting an eye as Kang Jungsoo¡¯s blood left his body. Until his jolting arms came down to a twitch, his strained eyes lost its light, his blood stopped gushing, and his body went completely limp, did Limon finally stop his storytelling. He looked bitterly into Kang Jungsoo¡¯s eyes that were wide open until his very last moments. ¡®¡­It ended like this again.¡¯ He didn¡¯t regret killing him. Limon had killed people he¡¯d known since they were children a couple times before. And Kang Jungsoo definitely didn¡¯t deserve to feel victimized. The reason Limon still felt remorse had nothing to do with Kang Jungsoo, but his grandfather. ¡°Your promise didn¡¯t even last a century, Myungjin.¡± Myungjin had promised Limon that his family would serve Limon as the nation¡¯s hero for generations to come. He was sincere about something others wouldn¡¯t be able to say even as a joke. And he kept his promise until his final breath, leaving it as his death wish. Limon sighed briefly as he remembered Kang Myungjin. ¡°Well, I¡¯d be more surprised if your promise was kept, even while the country¡¯s trying to disown me.¡± Whether the person who schemed this was Kang Jungsoo or the Infinite Monarch, they still wouldn¡¯t have been able to blow up a building in the middle of the city if there wasn¡¯t permission from the government. With the number of high-level players they managed to bring together, they wouldn¡¯t have an excuse if they were accused of planning a civil war. Moreover, the mere presence of Squas 909 alone proved that the government actively participated in this matter. Without permission from the commander-in-chief, they were not allowed to conduct operations. The country Limon devoted most of his long life to, had ultimately chosen to abandon the hero that had fallen behind the times. Just as Kang Jungsoo had betrayed him to get in bed with the Infinite Monarch, it was a matter of national interest. ¡°But still. How could they abandon me a mere 30 years after the Heroes¡¯ Age ended, when I protected their country for centuries? Those shameless fucks.¡± Limon let out a laugh. He had known this day would come when people started treating the Swordmaster as a goner. He knew that with time, all memories will fade. There were no eternal promises, and trust breaks. After living so long, it was a notion he was well acquainted with. Even though he knew it was a lost cause, that didn¡¯t stop Limon from continuing to build new relationships, trust people, and protect this country. He tried to integrate himself into the changing landscape, instead of fighting against it. But even that was over. The bottom line was, the nation abandoned him. He no longer held any fidelity to protect them. ¡®Though, I¡¯m not sure if trying to kill me was purely their own decision.¡¯ Limon averted his gaze. He saw Kang Jungsoo¡¯s body strewn across a puddle of his own blood. Or rather, he saw the shadow of a one-eyed old woman with a split head melting next to his body. Kang Jungsoo had no idea that before he tried to crawl away, the old woman had attempted to flee. And that Limon killed the fleeing old woman that had abandoned him. In these bloody fields, were not only 200 bodies, but also 200 shadows made from the stars among them. He didn¡¯t know that Limon¡¯s warning didn¡¯t only apply to humans. One cannot outrun the Swordmaster. ¡ª¡ª Chapter 16 Chapter 16: Hope ¡®I still don¡¯t understand.¡¯ Limon knew the shadow resembling a one eyed old woman was the apparition of a Constellation. He knew the starlight was nothing more than an afterimage compared to the real body of the Constellations. Even if he cut them, the only damage to the Constellations would merely be a severed nail or finger. Compared to the grievous feeling he¡¯d felt when the Constellations cried in pain before he went back in time, it was too faint. What Limon didn¡¯t understand was something else. It was the blatant look of ridicule and murderous intent in the Constellations¡¯ eyes. ¡®Was it because everyone was trying to kill me¡­?¡¯ That wouldn¡¯t be surprising. The general consensus was that Constellations were beings who gave blessings to players. Of course they¡¯d be hostile towards Limon together with the players they were contracted with. But was that really it? There are many pet owners who adore their pets, but not many can feel their anger and happiness, and fight for them. Furthermore, would Constellations¡ª beings above and beyond humans ¡ªwaste their time on a mere contractor? What about hundreds of them at once? Limon didn¡¯t think so. And so, he thought the other way around. ¡®¡­¡­What if the Constellations used these guys to kill me?¡¯ It was a baseless hypothesis that would make anyone think he was crazy. After all, nothing really changed when he tried to kill the Constellation before the players. And yet, Limon couldn¡¯t shake off the dubious feeling in his chest. The sight of the snake sneering at Yoo Na-kyung when she died. The way the players seemed to charge at him in a trance, the exception being the two Grand Dukes who attempted to escape too late. Limon still had unanswered questions. What if his suspicions were true? In his previous life, he couldn¡¯t see them. Were the Constellations laughing at him as well when he had sprung the trap then? And what if this trap in of itself was¡­ ¡®Well, it wouldn¡¯t matter anyways.¡¯ He briefly glanced at Yoo Na-kyung. Among all the horrific corpses all around them, she was the only one who had a peaceful expression on their face. Taking off his coat to cover her body, he lightly shook his head. ¡®Nothing¡¯s going to change.¡¯ Whether it was of their own will or if they were used. Constellations gave their power to players, yes. But it didn¡¯t change the fact that this was the result of the nation realizing that they didn¡¯t need Limon anymore. They had supported Kang Jungsoo¡¯s treachery and pushed for sending Yoo Na-kyung to her death. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ is it time for the cleanup?¡± He, who was once hailed a hero by the masses. Abandoned as times changed. And now, disgraced as a traitor. Nothing was holding Limon back anymore. And so, humanity¡¯s last Swordmaster put on a dreary smile. The world would soon come to know that the reason he stepped down from being the Absolute Ruler was not because he was weak, but to make way for the new age. Once he deemed it necessary, they¡¯d find out his true power. They¡¯d find out just what he could turn into. And the first one to know this would be the person who maneuvered Kang Jungsoo and liberated Limon. It was at that moment the faintly glowing bead sprouted on top of the coat he covered Yoo Na-kyung with. It was the glowing bead the snake had taken from Yoo Na-kyung in her final moments, that Limon took back. As it shone brightly, something unusual happened. The shadows started to melt away. 200 fragments of starlight began to perfuse into the beads of light. As it sucked in the remains, the light shone even brighter, and the bead gradually became thinner as it formed into the shape of a feather. And as all of the starlight was permeated and the shining bead stopped changing, it became a white feather resembling the wings of an angel. It disappeared after flying off into the night sky like a firecracker, leaving a brilliant, explosive trail of light. He blankly stared at the unexpected sight for quite some time, and let out a laugh. ¡°Little brat¡¯s excited to the very end, I see.¡± Limon didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t know what the bead of light was, why it turned into a white feather, or what just happened. He was a Swordmaster, not an elementalist or a mage. But¡­ just vaguely, he could feel it. It was something he got from cutting the Constellations before going back in time, just like his eyes that could now see the Constellations. The power the Constellations said they¡¯d give Limon must be¡­ ¡®¡­I need to hurry.¡¯ He briefly stared at Yoo Na-kyung, covered by his coat, and shook his thoughts away. And he turned to leave. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases. *** Sob¡ª The way Shia saw it, Hanbit Orphanage wasn¡¯t really much. The facilities were underdeveloped, and they rarely received support or donations. But it still wasn¡¯t too shabby of a place. The old caretaker was stingy and naggy. But she had never scolded the children without reason, and she certainly made sure they were fed and dressed. A washing machine made the laundry easier. They got prettier clothes rather than hand-me-downs. There were more meal menus, and they had enough school supplies. It may be common things for others, but Shia had lived in the poor orphanage ever since she was a baby. To a child like her, these small changes were more than what her happiness could¡¯ve asked for. But what Shia liked more than the gifts, was the unnie* who brought them. *t/n: Unnie(??), Older sister ¡°Shh, don¡¯t cry.¡± Shia looked up to her. It wasn¡¯t just because she was the most successful person to have come out from the orphanage. She¡¯d also come to volunteer every weekend. For Christmas, she had teleported in wearing a Santa costume, only to get scolded by the caretaker for throwing the presents around. She¡¯d confidently step up to cook, only to return with a bunch of hamburgers because she¡¯d managed to burn the rice. For the childrens¡¯ birthdays, she¡¯d buy a cake and throw a party for them, no matter how busy she was. To Shia, the way her mere presence lit up a room was just brilliant. That¡¯s why Shia had made up her mind to be a PAB agent when she grew up ¡ª that she¡¯d become someone as brilliant as unnie. ¡°But noona*¡­ The care¡ª Our caretaker¡­¡± *t/n: Noona(??), another way to say older sister ¡°She¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, really. So, bear with it a little more.¡± That was why the other children were holding on to Shia in tears. There were other older children in the orphanage, but Shia was the only one smiling in this situation. Though, they didn¡¯t know that Shia was the one with the gloomiest eyes. ¡®Lies.¡¯ ¡®Our caretaker is already dead.¡¯ Shia knew. After the bad adults came to the orphanage, their stingy caretaker resisted until the end to protect them and was ultimately murdered. She knew the other adults who tried to run away or hide were also dead, that they were the only ones alive. ¡®We¡¯ll end up like them.¡± Until the bad adults murdered their caretaker and kidnapped the children, Shia still had hope. There must have been a reason they kept alive. She may not know the reason, but she knew things would be okay as long as they were alive. Their unnie, the PAB agent, would save them no matter what. She didn¡¯t realize how wasted her hopes were. ¡®¡­¡­Na-kyung unnie¡¯s dead, too.¡¯ Already planning to get rid of them, the bad adults didn¡¯t try to hide what they were talking about, and Shia could understand everything. They were hostages, bait to maneuver Yoo Na-kyung. And in trying to rescue them, she did as the bad adults said and died in the process. It was then that Shia gave up hoping. With only the empty shell of a smile, Shia asked herself¡­ ¡®Why is this happening to us?¡¯ Shia asked and pondered, over and over again. What did they do wrong? Why did good people like their caretaker and Na-kyung have to die because of bad adults? And Shia realized. ¡®¡­¡­Oh, right.¡¯ ¡®There is no reason.¡¯ This was how the world has always been. Was there a reason for a child to be abandoned by their parents? Was there a reason for a child to lose their parents? Was it because they sinned in their past lives? Because it¡¯s just their fate? Those weren¡¯t reasons. Having seen plenty of children get abandoned for being born or lose their parents just because they were unlucky, Shia knew very well. There is never a reason. A reasonable world was just an illusion, and reality was unjust, unfair, without reason. That¡¯s why this is a cruel world. She¡¯d just forgotten because of Na-kyung. Recalling the truth that came to mind, Shia waited for her impending death with dull, dead eyes. Boom¡ª! The building shook. ¡°H-how did you¡­?!¡± ¡°What do you think, huh? You bastards put all sorts of bugs and trackers on Na-kyung and you didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be traced?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way! That device was impossible to trace!¡± ¡°Nah. What¡¯s impossible is you staying alive.¡± ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Following a sea of astonishment, disbelief and verbal abuse, screams rang out one after another. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Eaaaagh!¡± Startled by the commotion outside, the children burst into tears as they clung onto Shia for dear life. Staying still, Shia only opened her eyes at the sound of the metal door opening. Bang¡ª! It only took one kick to bust through the metal door, like it was a cardboard box. ¡°Damn, those fucking cockroaches put all sorts of shit in this sewer. What¡¯s this, a dungeon?¡± The children let out a jolting screech at the white-haired man. He looked even scarier than the bad adults because of the blood all over his face and clothes. They talked among themselves that they were done for, that the bad adults had sold them to this scary man. But the man didn¡¯t care. It was like he was used to these reactions. He simply scanned the children. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Hmm¡­ One, two, three¡­¡­ 23. So it seems like no one kicked the bucket. Is anyone hurt¡ª hm?¡± Counting them like a human trafficker would, the man suddenly had a strange expression. He walked past the fussing children to a silent Shia, and looked into her eyes. ¡°Why does a little kid like you have those rotten, dead eyes? ¡°¡­¡­Am I not allowed to?¡± ¡°Well, I came to rescue you all, but it doesn¡¯t feel nice to see those eyes.¡± ¡°You came to rescue us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Normally she would have been glad to hear those words. But Shia didn¡¯t smile at all. She only looked at the man with her corpse-like dreary eyes. ¡°Why?¡± Why was he, a complete stranger, rescuing them? She wasn¡¯t trying to argue. She wasn¡¯t curious, and she definitely wasn¡¯t thanking him. She simply found it strange. The man didn¡¯t think Shia was odd for asking. Limon simply answered, ¡°This was Na-kyung¡¯s last request.¡± ¡°Na-kyung unnie¡¯s¡­¡± At that moment, Shia¡¯s eyes flickered, but only for a moment. Just as throwing a pebble into a lake would only cause a small ripple, her eyes instantly lost its light and became dreary once again. The man wasn¡¯t disappointed. Instead, he put his bloody hand on Shia¡¯s head. ¡°Yep, so don¡¯t give up anymore.¡± The girl had gone through despair over and over again. Petting the head of the girl who gave up everything to stop feeling despair, Limon quietly spoke on. ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, no one can hurt you.¡± *** ¡°No one can hurt you, my fucking ass.¡± Maybe it was because they relaxed, or because they hadn¡¯t eaten a decent meal. Watching the children sound asleep after hurriedly downing their meal, Limon let go of a deep sigh. Of course, he meant 100% what he said. Whether it was those incompetent government bastards or the Monarchs with their heads up their asses, Limon was confident he could protect these kids no matter what anyone did. The problem was that protecting them was the only thing he could do. ¡®I rummaged through the corpses because I didn¡¯t have any money to feed the kids, and yet I said what I said.¡± It seemed like they had already seized his bank account. Limon clicked his tongue when he saw the screen go red, when he tried withdrawing some cash out of the ATM. It was pretty much empty to begin with because of all the pay cuts, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed when even the little bit of money he had was gone too. He had to use thieves¡¯ dropped items(wallets) because he didn¡¯t even have the chump change to get the kids a lunchbox. ¡®I have to find a place for the kids to sleep, too¡­¡± Things appeared even more gloomy when thinking of a place to stay. He was staying at a pension for now, but even that couldn¡¯t last long. Hanbit Orphanage? That was already getting aired on TV. Seeing how the news babbled on about how awful the incident was, he could tell murder and human trafficking would be added to his charges by the next day. And his home was obviously out of the question. But he couldn¡¯t leave the children to the police, either. There was no reason the people who used children as hostages once, wouldn¡¯t use them again. ¡®Something as irresponsible as that wasn¡¯t even on my mind in the first place.¡¯ Whether it was for Yoo Na-kyung, or for the girl with the dead eyes, he was going to take responsibility for the children from the beginning. The problem was that the situation had become more complicated than expected. ¡ª¡ª Chapter 17 Chapter 17: A Bus ¡®I can understand the government, but I didn¡¯t think ¡ºInfinity Guild¡» would get directly involved in a matter like this.¡¯ Before he saved the children, Limon had considered fleeing the country. That would¡¯ve made it easy to get off the government¡¯s radar, and he could ensure the childrens¡¯ safety. The problem was that the children had been trapped inside a safehouse of the ¡ºInfinity Guild¡». Even with their high renown, not even the top ten guilds could get away with kidnapping children to use as hostages. If the Infinite Monarch took action to cover it up, escaping overseas would be futile. Unlike the government which was trapped within its own borders, the Monarchs held influence over the entire world. ¡®To bring down that dude, I¡¯ll have to ensure the kids¡¯ safety first¡­¡¯ To capture a snake, one had to grab it head first. Limon could be a runaway for eternity if things went wrong. He also had a plan to bring down the cause of this conflict. But that plan couldn¡¯t be carried out when he had 23 children with him. And so, Limon pondered if there was any way he could protect the children while moving freely. ¡®Is there no safe hideout or something? The first thing that came to Limon¡¯s mind was to hide the children. Of course, there were tricky conditions to be met. A place that was out of both the government¡¯s and the Infinite Monarch¡¯s radar, but also somewhere the children could run away from if they were discovered. A place where they¡¯ll have at least the minimum amount of food, clothing and shelter needed to live. And to add the cherry on top, a place with someone to care for the children in his place¡­ ¡®Tsk. There¡¯s no such place.¡¯ Even he thought it was senseless. It would be impossible for him to find such a perfect hideout when he was marked as a traitor, and had no money. Even if he did have money, nothing would change. There isn¡¯t a place that would be outside of both the government¡¯s and the Infinite Monarch¡¯s radar¡­¡­ ¡°Oh?¡± Limon blinked. Without realizing, he muttered aloud to himself. ¡°¡­¡­Come to think of it¡­ there is.¡± Indeed, there was a place that met all of those impossible conditions. And he didn¡¯t even need to pay for it. But he wasn¡¯t happy about it. Rather, he furrowed his brows. The fact Limon didn¡¯t come up with that place until now was because it was that unthinkable of an idea. ¡®This is kind of a gamble¡­¡¯ Limon tapped his sword. There was no guarantee even the most perfect hideout would be safe. If things went wrong, he could be going against something much more dangerous than the government. But he didn¡¯t think for too long. ¡°What¡¯s the saying¡­ To catch a tiger, one must enter its den?¡± After chuckling for a bit, Limon took his hands off his sword. He pressed the numbers he faintly remembered into his phone. ¡°Well, I might as well live in clover if I¡¯m already a traitor.¡± Beep beep beep¡ª He called 114 and asked for a number. After changing the last digits of that number to 116, he called again. And while the phone was ringing, he pressed 111. After pressing mysterious numbers several times, one pre-recorded voice could be heard through the line. ¡°¡± ¡°The crouching dragon flies up the sky upon meeting the right opportunity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Limon raised the corners of his mouth. He was worried it wouldn¡¯t work because of how long it had been, but his worries were put to rest. It seemed like at the very least, the call went through correctly when the recorded voice suddenly paused. And after a moment, Limon became sure of himself once he heard the voice over the receiver. ¡°¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you people would normally ask.¡± ¡°¡± Limon smirked hearing the old man¡¯s voice that was aged, yet stern as ever. Though he could say the same thing, this was a much better response than he expected. ¡°Let her know.¡± ¡°¡± ¡°That the Master of Swords just got fired as a civil servant.¡± ¡°<¡­!>¡± Limon knew that the moment he revealed his identity, the person on the other end of the line would hold his breath. He knew the man was frozen in place, and only his heart could be heard hammering against his chest. Well, it was understandable. Seeing how he remembered the secret mark, with his voice sounding at least 60, it was only natural for someone of his age group to tremble upon hearing his name. Especially for the very person who picked up the phone. ¡°You know my location, right? Come pick me up.¡± ¡°<¡­>¡± Upon Limon¡¯s absurd request, a heavy silence was heard on the other end of the line. Without a single response, the sound of his heart instantaneously turned cold. Smirking at the cool-headedness of the person-in-charge of ¡®that place¡¯, Limon added on. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget to bring a school bus.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/reapercomics *** Slide¡ª He moved his hand, putting the piece of steak he¡¯d cut and dipped in sauce into his mouth. His precise movements could be considered art. Even teachers who spent their lives teaching the royal family would be amazed, as he perfectly implemented court etiquette. But Park Hyun-gun couldn¡¯t watch and appreciate it. He only waited in a cold sweat for the man to finish his meal. ¡°Excluding the Liberation Brigade, 148 high-level players, 50 soldiers of Squad 909 armed with state of the art weaponry, and two Grand Dukes.¡± Flinch¡ª As soon as he opened his mouth, Park Hyun-gun couldn¡¯t help but tremble. This was the first time the man had opened his mouth to speak when he wasn¡¯t even finished with his meal. ¡°Did I hear you correctly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not only did every single one of them get annihilated, even the PAB director died as well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That is correct.¡± Park Hyun-gun was doubtful even as he spoke. Would his answers really be taken as the truth? Even he thought he¡¯d heard a terrible joke when he first received the information. Though he did report it after verifying multiple times that it was real, he still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was wrong. How could all of them die to one person? And that person was a civilian. Not a Monarch, not even a player. To Park Hyun-gun, that was more absurd than the world ending the following day. ¡°Hero of the past nation, Guardian of Humanity, they say¡­¡± But the man didn¡¯t get angry. He only nodded at Limon¡¯s nicknames, as if savoring a weird dish at a cheap street restaurant. ¡°As expected, it looks like those nicknames were all there for a reason.¡± Surprisingly, the man came to terms with the situation candidly. Park Hyun-gun, while taken aback by the Infinite Monarch Lee Chun-gi¡¯s reaction, quickly hung his head. ¡°Forgive me. My investigation was insufficient.¡± They weren¡¯t ill-prepared, either. ¡°There is no need for you to apologize, Chief Park. No one would have expected you to fail after all your preparation. ¡®Ah¡­¡­¡¯ Park Hyun-gun understood the reason Lee Chun-gi wasn¡¯t reprimanding him. Even Lee Chun-gi himself hadn¡¯t seen this coming. It was like they brought a gun out to kill a chicken, only for the bullets to bounce off the chicken, and for the hunter to be pecked to death instead. It would be comical to hold anyone responsible. This was a time where players were mainstream. The fact that a mere Swordmaster who couldn¡¯t even use skills held this much power, was unexpected and shocking. At least, it was to them. But Park Hyun-gun couldn¡¯t relax. There was something else he was responsible for other than failing to kill Limon. ¡°So where is he now?¡± ¡°After he raided our safehouse, we confirmed that he was staying at a pension near the mountains of North Korea¡­¡± Park Hyun-gun was conflicted whether he should report the following bits of information or not. At least his failed plan still sounded like a joke. The next part was just straight up mental. But knowing he didn¡¯t have another choice, he squeezed his eyes shut and continued. ¡°He rode off on a school bus, and that is the last we traced of his whereabouts.¡± ¡°¡­What bus did you say?¡± ¡°A school bus. The yellow kind¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lee Chungi may have calmly accepted the news of about 200 people getting slaughtered, but he couldn¡¯t hold back this time. After a moment of dead silence, Lee Chun-gi drank the wine next to him like his throat burned. And as if nothing happened, he continued questioning Chief Park. ¡°You just said you lost track of his whereabouts, yes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That is quite unexpected. Surely our guild tracers are not so incompetent to lose track of a school bus.¡± In other words, wasn¡¯t Park Hyun-gun the incompetent one? He held his breath. He got lucky moments ago, but he couldn¡¯t wish for good luck again. Even he would want to behead the subordinate who couldn¡¯t even trace a school bus. But to his relief, he had a reason this time as well. ¡°It is uncertain, but there is a place I assume he went.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, since there are not many places in this country our Tracers cannot track.¡± At that moment, Lee Chun-gi raised his brows. His influence over this country was almost absolute. And his tracers were the best of the best, able to get past almost any security. Whether it was the depths of a government agency or a private estate of a conglomerate. Whether it was legal or not. They could investigate anywhere. There were very few exceptions where that was impossible. It was either somewhere in the hands of another Monarch, Or¡­ ¡°Leviathan? ¡°It¡¯s only a possibility for now.¡± Lee Chun-gi understood. The possibility of Limon being somewhere else was infinitely close to zero. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t say something as nonsensical as a ¡®possibility¡¯ in front of him. ¡°Limon Asphelder and Hotel Leviathan¡­¡­ How interesting.¡± It wasn¡¯t just interesting. Those who knew just what kind of place Hotel Leviathan was, and what it meant for Limon to go there, would be in more disbelief than when they heard the two reports. But to Lee Chun-gi, he had a reason to take this ridiculous possibility seriously. ¡°Chief Park.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you certain she contacted Limon Asphelder?¡± ¡°I can assure you with my life.¡± ¡°It would be even better if you could assure her whereabouts, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Park Hyun-gun stayed silent at Lee Chun-gi¡¯s calm voice. At least he could make assumptions about Limon. She, on the other hand, even with the best Tracers around, was truly an impossible target. Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t hold Park Hyun-gun responsible any longer. He only spoke nonchalantly. ¡°It appears she¡¯s been driven into quite the corner, considering she brought, of all people, Limon Asphelder into this amidst everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Chief Park. Use all the guild¡¯s resources to monitor Hotel Leviathan.¡± ¡°Do you think she will be there?¡± ¡°If not to meet her, would there be a reason for Limon Asphelder to go there?¡± Park Hyun-gun understood. If things hadn¡¯t been sorted with her, it would be suicide to go there, even for Limon. Instead, he confirmed Lee Chun-gi¡¯s intent. ¡°What should we do once we find her?¡± ¡°Secure her by any means necessary.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Would that be okay?¡± He couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking. Getting their hands on her in Hotel Leviathan of all places would endanger Lee Chun-gi, even if he was one of the Monarchs. ¡°Keep this in mind, Chief Park.¡± But Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t repeat himself. He only spoke on, watching Park Hyun-gun with cold, settled eyes. ¡°We must secure the Black Dragon Clan¡¯s treasure at any cost.¡± ¡ª¡ª Chapter 18 Solo Swordmaster [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 18: Ransom ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Do we get off here¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯re getting off¡­ And don¡¯t look so solemn, I¡¯m not trying to sell you off.¡± Many hotels had a long history. There were also many luxurious hotels. But when it came to the best of the best, only one place would be mentioned: Hotel Leviathan. It not only held the record for being the oldest hotel, it was also the best. Not once has it stepped down from being at the top. Many have tried to take its place. But there wasn¡¯t a single hotel that could threaten Leviathan¡¯s position. As such, Leviathan was renowned for being the absolute best of the best. ¡°Go slow guys. Don¡¯t hurt yourself runn¡ª¡± Crash¡ª! ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°I told you to go slow! Hey, are there any ointments around? Get this kid some iodine.¡± As renowned as they were, Leviathan was picky with its guests. Even the nouveau riche could have the door slammed in their face. Powerful people, top actors, prominent scholars. Those who had great influence in the political and business world would still have to wait years to get a reservation. Simply being able to make a reservation was considered evidence of being the upper class. That was how difficult it was to get into Leviathan. ¡°Did everyone get off? Let¡¯s see, 20, 21¡­ Huh? Where¡¯s the other two?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why are you hiding behind the seats? I told you to get off.¡± ¡°I d-don¡¯t want to! You¡¯re trying to sell us!¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Liar! Our caretaker said all human traffickers are liars!¡± ¡°Just what about me makes me come off as a human trafficker?¡± ¡°Uh, uhm¡­ Everything?¡± Flick¡ª ¡°Owwww!¡± ¡°Are all the Hanbit orphans like this? You little degenerates¡­¡± He was referring to the scene unfolding in the VIP exclusive base parking lot. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to describe it as never before seen. Throwing a hunger fit was minor compared to the others. A child crying with a scraped knee, another one rolling on the ground after getting flicked on the forehead, and a girl with dead eyes looking like she was getting sold as a slave. On top of that, there were babies with diapers exuding a putrid stench. The 23 children clustered in front of the yellow school bus was in no way appropriate for Hotel Leviathan. But the man waiting for them didn¡¯t care. He only bowed down respectfully. ¡°Welcome to Hotel Leviathan.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Limon, who was dragging the children out of the school bus, slightly turned his head. He looked surprised to see the old man in a tidy suit. ¡°Your voice is familiar.¡± ¡°If you are asking if I am the one you called earlier, then yes.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Limon¡¯s expression looked more peculiar. He could guess who this old man was. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the general manager to come escort me personally.¡± This was certainly exceptional. Fitting with its reputation of being the best, the general manager of Hotel Leviathan was also highly regarded. Even when the prime minister of a country stayed over, he would only give orders from behind the scenes, and rarely entertained guests in person. And yet, the old man replied nonchalantly. ¡°It is only right that I escort the Master of Swords myself.¡± Knowing the hidden meaning behind his respectful answer and clean attitude, Limon smirked. ¡°How interesting. I remember how hard it was to see the general manager the last time I came here.¡± ¡°I believe you didn¡¯t come as a guest last time.¡± ¡± Do I look like a guest now?¡± ¡°Are you not?¡± It was at that moment. Contrasting his respectful attitude, the old man¡¯s eyes became frigid, and Limon reached for his sword with one hand. As they exchanged looks, the air around them grew cold. Like a cigarette dropping onto a powder keg, or a levee on the verge of collapsing. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** The peculiar, bone-chilling atmosphere melted away in an instant with Limon¡¯s laugh. ¡°You know the answer, why are you asking?¡± He glanced back at the children behind him. The old man understood what he meant and once again bowed down respectfully. ¡°¡­¡­I apologize for the rudeness.¡± ¡°No need. You only did what you had to.¡± Limon smirked. In truth, the fact they didn¡¯t draw their swords at him the instant he arrived was more cordial than Limon had imagined. It must have been because of the children he brought with him. If Limon was alone, the old man wouldn¡¯t have brought him all the way here, even if he was threatened with a knife to his throat. Of course, that was also considering the fact he received orders to escort Limon with the utmost respect. Knowing this better than anybody else, Limon didn¡¯t blame the old man for his sharp reception. He only confirmed why he was here. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She is waiting for you on the top floor.¡± ¡°Hm? I¡¯m allowed to go right away? You¡¯re not going to inspect me or anything?¡± ¡°What good would an inspection do when it is the Master of Swords?¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± What could an inspection do when they just let in humanity¡¯s most horrific weapon? ¡°You can look after the kids while I¡¯m talking, right?¡± ¡°This is Hotel Leviathan, sir.¡± The moment those words fell out of the old man¡¯s mouth, neatly dressed maids, doctors holding briefcases, and men in suits armed with swords came out from behind the 23 children. Only after calming down, treating, and guarding the frightened children, was Limon satisfied and moved on. ¡°Look after them for me. They¡¯re probably hungry, so give them something good to eat. And you know that I¡¯m not paying for all this, right?¡± ¡°You do not have to worry. We have already prepared a meal for your company, and all services are free of charge.¡± Limon didn¡¯t ask if he could trust them with the children. Hotel Leviathan wasn¡¯t a place vile enough to use children as hostages. And the old man did not ask if he could trust Limon enough to let him in. He wasn¡¯t someone dishonorable enough to bring children to a place he¡¯d draw his sword. They were not friends. But despite never having met each other before, that was exactly why they could trust each other even more than friends could. Together with the old man, Limon went onto the elevator leading up to the top floor. And while the elevator was heading up, he asked something that came to mind. ¡°Oh yeah, I don¡¯t think I know your name.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes. I was late to introduce myself.¡± The old man answered with an air of innocence, like he was delaying his response on purpose. And yet, he continued, respectful as ever. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am Yo Ouin of the Black Heaven Soul style.¡± ¡°Yo Ouin¡­ I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Ding¡ª Thinking over the man¡¯s name, Limon took his time getting off the elevator. As he stepped out onto a brilliant, extravagant penthouse that took up the entire top floor, he greeted the person awaiting his arrival. ¡°Welcome, Master of Swords.¡± ¡°Yeah. We meet again.¡± Back when the Seven Dragons Association hid in the shadows waiting for a chance to dominate the world, before they stepped out into the limelight. Yo Ouin was the successor of the greatest martial arts of the Seven Dragons Association, and one of the few who survived an encounter with Limon. He smirked when he saw the girl in an oriental dress. The only one who could order The Yo Ouin to escort him as a guest. One of the seven pillars of the Seven Dragon Group that held all the world¡¯s riches, The owner of Hotel Leviathan, ¡°Black Dragon Princess.¡± *** ¡°Uhm, before we get to the point, I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Where did you get a school bus? That stuff isn¡¯t in this country.¡± ¡°It was airlifted from the States.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t it take less than an hour for the bus to arrive?¡± ¡°It was teleported.¡± ¡°So it wasn¡¯t airlifted from the sky, but through time and space¡­¡± Limon marveled. Teleportation was indeed more common than before thanks to the rise of players. But that was only from a relative viewpoint. Generally speaking, teleportation was still a rare skill. Players who were able to teleport long distances were especially rare. And yet, they had teleported a school bus in its entirety across the Pacific Ocean. The fare fees alone could have paid for more than hundreds of school buses. But Limon still accepted it. ¡®I guess this is exactly something a Princess of the Seven Dragons would do.¡¯ The Seven Dragons Association always had money to burn. Their financial power was the reason they were able to stay afloat for centuries, even after the seven dragons died and the Bronze Age ended. On top of that, their assets only multiplied after their title as the Seven Dragons Group was legalized. To the Black Dragon Princess, such unhinged spending wouldn¡¯t even feel like a waste. ¡®And look at me now.¡¯ Limon complained in his head as he found a new source of remorse in his life. He¡¯d lived for centuries, yet his entire fortune was the 37 dollars in his pocket. ¡°May I also ask you something?¡± ¡°Yeah? What?¡± ¡°Did you mean what I think you meant when you said you got fired as a civil servant?¡± The girl asked with happiness and anticipation as her eyes twinkled. It seemed like she¡¯d been waiting for this moment. Limon answered Li Chingwei stoically. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know what conclusion you came to. Do you think I¡¯m a Psionics user like you guys, with the ability to read minds?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yes.¡± Li Chingwei looked relieved. Straightening her posture, she once again asked, more composed than before. ¡°Then let me ask again. Did you come here to accept my proposal?¡± Limon recollected Li Chingwei¡¯s offer from just a few days prior. It was beyond audacious, even nonsensical. ¡°Well, for the moment,¡± he shrugged. ¡°¡­For the moment means¡­ You could reject it again at a later time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°May I know the reason?¡± Li Chingwei wasn¡¯t disappointed, just purely curious why Limon was giving such a vague answer when he¡¯d come this far on his own. ¡°It¡¯s a rule of thumb in trading that when the product is altered, so does its price.¡± ¡°The price¡­ of the product?¡± ¡°Yep. I¡¯m starting to think I lived too selflessly, so I¡¯ve decided to be greedy.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Li Chingwei looked as confused as ever after hearing his reply. Seeing this, Limon let out a chuckle and asked arrogantly, with both arms spread across the sofa. ¡°So in that sense, let me ask you¡­ How much can you pay for my ransom?¡± ¡°So¡­¡­ are you asking me how much I can give you as a dowry?¡± ¡°Basically.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Li Chingwei nodded, and was lost in thought for a while. Grinning, she spoke. ¡°Then, I shall give you 49% of Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares.¡± Chapter 19 Solo Swordmaster [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 19: Take My Hand ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± For a Swordmaster who¡¯s lived for centuries, he had a rather disgraceful look on his face. The only reason he didn¡¯t look too ugly, was because there were others who were even more in shock. Crash¡ª! For example, a flower pot that was next to Li Chingwei fell over by itself. Shatter! Or the bewildered Yo Ouin, who dropped his tray, shattering the teapot and cups that were on it. ¡°P-princess? What did you just say?¡± But Li Chingwei did not bat an eye at the pot nor at Yo Ouin. Her eyes fixed on Limon, she had a cheerful grin across her face. ¡°How does that sound? Would that be enough?¡± ¡°Oh, uhm¡­¡± Stuttering from hearing something so unexpected, Limon cleared his throat to collect himself. ¡°Ahem, I don¡¯t think I heard you right¡­. Did you just say Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°49% of it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving all of that to me? For a dowry?¡± ¡°That is what I said.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you out of your mind?¡± Not only was this only the second time they¡¯ve met, it was an incredibly rude remark to say to a Princess of the Seven Dragons Association. But neither Li Chingwei nor the pale Yo Ouin could blame Limon. The offer was too ridiculous. ¡®Just what is she thinking?¡± Hotel Leviathan wasn¡¯t just a little pricey. It was one of the seven holding companies of the Seven Dragon Group, acting as the foundation and central institution holding control over the Seven Dragons Association. 49% of its market share? One dared not to put a price tag on that. Not only would Limon have a massive fortune and hold authority in the Black Dragon Clan, he would also have control over the Seven Dragons Association. And yet, she¡¯d just offered to give such valuable shares to Limon of all people, just for a dowry. It would¡¯ve been understandable to question whether Li Chingwei was of sound mind. But her grin only widened. ¡°The Master of Swords said it himself. If the product changes, so should its price.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re offering 49% of Leviathan¡¯s shares?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°As you said, the product has changed.¡± Limon was puzzled, unable to understand the nonsense Li Chingwei was spouting. ¡°I am aware of the situation the Master of Swords is in right now. You have been marked a traitor of this country, and the Infinite Monarch is after your head.¡± Limon wasn¡¯t surprised at the fact she knew this. She was the Black Dragon Princess, after all. Even among the Seven Dragons Association, the Black Dragon Clan were at the top when it came to the gathering of intel. There was no way Li Chingwei wouldn¡¯t know of the massive incident where an entire building was demolished and over 100 high-level players were annihilated. What was surprising, however, was her response to it. ¡°And knowing that, you¡¯re still bidding that high for my ransom?¡± ¡°Knowing that, is exactly why I¡¯ve placed the Master of Swords¡¯ worth so high.¡± Reframing Limon¡¯s words, Li Chingwei continued. ¡°The Master of Swords said it himself. As long as he was a civil servant, there was always the possibility that his country would send him after the Seven Dragons Association. It is also why he refused to take my hand in marriage.¡± ¡°So what about that?¡± ¡°The fact you have come to take my hand in marriage must mean you have nothing holding you back any longer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon was silent. ¡°Do you not think it is only fair to pay a higher price when a decorative sword becomes the world¡¯s finest blade?¡± As Limon watched Li Chingwei¡¯s perfectly calm face blabber nonsense, he thought about how fitting this was for a Princess of the Seven Dragons Association. Li Chingwei¡¯s words had hit the nail on the head. If he hadn¡¯t been branded as a traitor and given up on the country, Limon wouldn¡¯t have done a single thing regarding the Seven Dragons Association, even if he¡¯d accepted her offer and married her. To someone of ancient times like Limon, the Seven Dragons Association was an enemy that could pose a danger to the nation at any time. Never have they ever helped him, but they¡¯ve certainly screwed him over many times. Though, things were different now. As long as he was abandoned by the country, framed as a traitor, and disconnected from all the relationships he had left, Limon didn¡¯t have the fidelity or will to protect this land. In short, he was now able to do whatever he wanted without getting entangled in any petty politics. Even if that was helping a Princess of the Seven Dragons Association. It was like turning a junk car for show into a brand new sports car. Li Chingwei at least had a valid point to raising the price. But the problem came, when even considering all of the factors, she had raised it to an absurd amount. Of course, Limon could also see the reason behind this nonsense. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do enough to suit the price, huh?¡± ¡°No, my conditions are not any different than before.¡± ¡°So all I have to do is sit around all day being a trophy husband? ¡°This is simply a dowry.¡± A conventional marriage was enough, and Limon wouldn¡¯t be forced to do anything against his will. In other words, Limon only had to help the Black Dragon Clan if he wanted to. Suddenly remembering something, Li Chingwei added. ¡°If my price is too overbearing, at least promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°No matter what, do not betray me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you worried I¡¯ll just take your money and run?¡± ¡°Of course not. The great Master of Swords would not do such a scoundrelous thing, would he?¡± Her words denied it, but it sounded as if she was asking if Limon was indeed a scoundrel. Enigmatic of her oddly pressure-inducing words, Limon asked. ¡°Then why are you asking that of me?¡± ¡°I need the Master of Swords under any circumstance.¡± Li Chingwei replied without hesitation, looking straight into his eyes. ¡°At all costs, no matter what.¡± ¡°No matter what, you say¡­¡­¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s beautiful obsidian eyes that were as deep as the night sky, were pointed right at him, into his soul. Limon smirked as he thought over her words. ¡°I see that you¡¯re giving away what you don¡¯t need and taking what¡¯s most important for yourself.¡± ¡°Do you not like my terms?¡± ¡°Not really, no.¡± Any person would¡¯ve called Limon a madman for saying such a thing. People could only dream of marrying a Princess of the Seven Dragons Association. It was a life changing opportunity, where even an ordinary civilian could instantly become a backbone of the Seven Dragon Group. One top of that, his freedom was guaranteed, and he was offered Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares. No one in their right mind would turn down these terms. Especially not when the bride was someone as beautiful as Li Chingwei. But Limon was no ¡®ordinary civilian¡¯, or even a ¡®normal¡¯ being. Limon scoffed. Even if his country did turn their back against him, he was still Limon Asphelder. He¡¯d fought the Seven Dragons Association for an eternity, and he was someone who carved his path with nothing but his sword. ¡°I wasn¡¯t interested in your power or assets, anyway.¡± He wasn¡¯t someone who would shamelessly become a trophy husband just to get those things. Even if he did, he would¡¯ve caused a major uproar in the Seven Dragons Association. That was another can of worms Limon wasn¡¯t ready to pop open. ¡°And just getting those shares doesn¡¯t mean I can use them however I want to.¡± Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares were closely tied to the authority over the Seven Dragons Association. Using the shares meant he would require the permission of not just the Black Dragon Clan, but the other clans as well. And they wouldn¡¯t just sit idle and allow him to do that. Not for Limon, the sworn enemy of the Seven Dragons Association dating back centuries. If he hadn¡¯t come as Li Chingwei¡¯s guest, Yo Ouin, as well as the Black Dragon Clan, would have come for his head. The fact the place didn¡¯t explode was already a relief. In conclusion, her offer was no different than a fictitious bill. ¡°¡­But I¡¯ll take it.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! *** ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your offer. I¡¯ll take it.¡± Which is why Li Chingwei¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at his response. ¡°Are you really¡­?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯ve decided to be greedy from now on.¡± It would make sense if he was swayed by Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares, But why was he accepting her offer after rambling about how worthless those shares were? Li Chingwei was beyond confused, as if she thought she was hearing things. Limon chuckled. ¡°I learned that without any money or power, people will shit on you.¡± His past self would have refused. It was inevitable that the Seven Dragon Group¡¯s essential shares would bring more trouble than benefits. But from the minute he accepted being Li Chingwei¡¯s trophy husband, his fate was bound to be entangled with the Seven Dragons Association. Having more trouble stacked on top of that didn¡¯t make a difference to him. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sure there are few who look down on the Master of Swords solely because he lacks money or power.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, apparently not.¡± Limon laughed coldly. He also had this positive mindset not too long ago ¡ª no matter how defamed the Sword Master was, his feats wouldn¡¯t just disappear. But after he was forsaken by the nation for crossing the Infinite Monarch, and after killing Yoo Na-kyung with his own hands, Limon realized. Times have changed. More so than Limon could have imagined. No one cared about whatever feats he accomplished in the past, or how honorably he had lived. This was a time where only money and power mattered. How did the world come to this? Limon lamented, even feeling suspicious. For the world to change so drastically in just a few short decades¡­ It was a new experience, even for him. Maybe the world¡¯s always been this way. Just that he was only noticing it now that he¡¯d lost all of his money and power. But there were still questions he couldn¡¯t find an answer for. He looked at Li Chingwei with his cold, settled eyes. ¡°Speaking of which, there¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When you proposed, you told me that I¡¯d be a target of scary enemies once I married you, yeah?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Are those scary enemies human? ¡°What an interesting question.¡± Li Chingwei grinned widely again. ¡°Do you think I proposed to the Master of Swords because I was scared of something not even human?¡± ¡°¡­To me at least, you don¡¯t exactly look like someone who would be scared of anyone.¡± ¡°Then, you already know the answer.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Limon understood perfectly why Li Chingwei wasn¡¯t at all disturbed by his random question, and why she passed it off as a joke. She¡¯d only asked if she looked scared. That also meant she didn¡¯t ultimately affirm or deny if the enemy was human, which itself answered his question. ¡°Well, whatever it is, my answer stays the same.¡± And so Limon didn¡¯t dig into the enemy Li Chingwei was on guard about. He only glanced up at the starry night skies and asked nonchalantly, ¡°I need the money and power, after all.¡± Limon could feel it. ¡®One has to change to suit the times, huh.¡¯ Whether the enemy he was going to face was human or not, The time when he was able to rule just off swinging around a sword well had passed. So he¡¯d start gathering money and power. If his strength and honor as a Swordmaster was meaningless now, he would regain his position another way. ¡°Also, once something¡¯s in my hands, I¡¯m not going to pass it on to anyone else.¡± A declaration of an Absolute Ruler. A testament that the Swordmaster, who held nothing but a sword in his hands until now, was determined to take hold of something else. Limon was aware that there would be plenty of people who would try to get in his way if he tried to acquire power, especially from the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s side. If things came to that, Li Chingwei would have to pick a side. ¡°So, Li Chingwei.¡± But Limon didn¡¯t say he would let such a thing happen, even as an empty promise. ¡°If you have the resolve to stand by me no matter what I do, or whatever enemies I make, take my hand.¡± Even if he would stand on opposing sides against the Seven Dragons Association¡ª no, even if he stood up against the entire world. If she wasn¡¯t confident she would stay on his side until the very end, she should give up. With words that were too composed to be a threat and too cruel to be advice, Limon held out his hand. And with his silently settled eyes he looked straight at Li Chingwei. ¡°If you do, I swear on my sword I will not forsake you.¡± It was a preposterous offer, a ridiculous trade of planting a massive bomb in exchange of Leviathan¡¯s shares as a dowry. But she wasn¡¯t disappointed. As if she¡¯d been waiting for this very moment, she only happily smiled, and held Limon¡¯s hand without a shred of hesitation. ¡°Can I call you my dear husband from now on?¡± ¡ª¡ª Chapter 20 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 20: I¡¯ll Think About It ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t call my dear husband a dear husband.¡± ¡°¡­I told you not to call me that.¡± ¡°What about alternatives like darling or oppa?¡± ¡°Will you please keep it to yourself?¡± Li Chingwei looked at Limon cheekily. ¡®She¡¯s a tough nut to crack, huh. And in more ways than one¡­¡¯ Of course, he already knew she wasn¡¯t any ordinary princess. Proposing to him¡­ Giving up a large portion of Leviathan¡¯s shares¡­ But still, how could she act like their marriage was already established and call him her dear husband? It was impressive, really. ¡®She acts like the most cunning fox, but somehow appears strangely innocent.¡¯ Above all, there was one peculiar thing. He couldn¡¯t guess what her real intentions were. With his long life, came experience ¡ª experience of how people think. He was confident in his ability to read people. But Limon still found it hard to make assumptions about Li Chingwei. Seeing her proficiency in making offers or deals with hidden intent, she appeared to be a profound schemer. But the gleeful smile on that face and her uncomfortably friendly attitude didn¡¯t come across as fake at all. ¡®Just what reason does she have to be friends with me?¡¯ This was only the second time Li Chingwei and Limon had met. Their first meeting came only a few days prior, with a marriage proposal. Really, they were closer to strangers. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was being so warm. There wasn¡¯t a single reason for Limon to appear likable to her. Considering the deep rooted resentment between Limon and the Seven Dragons Association, it made more sense to despise him. ¡®The only reasonable conclusion to all of this is that it¡¯s all an act¡­¡¯ Limon stared at Li Chingwei. ¡°What is it, Master of Swords?¡± ¡°¡­None of my business.¡± He accidentally muttered out loud. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just not going to think about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­???¡± Li Chingwei blinked absently. Limon stopped pondering whether that was an act or not. It didn¡¯t matter in the end. He had already sworn on his sword. As long as she didn¡¯t turn her back on him, neither would he. That was enough for Limon. Whatever intent she was hiding, he didn¡¯t need to care so long she didn¡¯t backstab him. And if she did, all he had to do was make her pay the price. Instead, he raised his glass of whiskey Yo Ouin had brought. ¡°By the way, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The bugs outside.¡± Li Chingwei opened her eyes wide. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°With their overwhelming vigor, how could I not?¡± If the ¡®bugs¡¯ heard what he said, they¡¯d complain that it was complete slander. Specialized in tracking and infiltration, their camouflage wasn¡¯t something any high-level player could simply see through. ¡°Well, you could say that.¡± ¡°After all, even we knew about it.¡± As the Black Dragon Clan, they knew better than anyone else in the world just how futile hiding one¡¯s presence from Limon was. ¡°But they¡¯re pretty well hidden to be those half-asses from the government¡­¡­ Is it the Infinite Monarch?¡± ¡°Yes. But to be exact, there are also Tracers from other guilds that were hired by ¡ºInfinity Guild¡».¡± This too, was something the ¡®bugs¡¯ would freak out over. Not only did Li Chingwei know of their presence, but also who sent them. Although, Limon casually accepted this fact. Of all places, they were lying in ambush and surveilling Hotel Leviathan. It was a miracle no more intel was discovered. In the past, they would have all disappeared without a trace the moment their presence was found. ¡®Wait. But that shouldn¡¯t have changed?¡¯ Limon tilted his head. Even if they had stepped into the public eye, this was still the Seven Dragons Association. Especially when considering the nature of Hotel Leviathan, just leaving outsiders alone wasn¡¯t something they would do. ¡°Is it because of the Infinite Monarch that you¡¯ve let them be, despite all that they have already done?¡± ¡°That is only half the reason.¡± Li Chingwei affirmed without hesitation. The Seven Dragons Association may rule over the world¡¯s economy, but the Monarchs were the Absolute Rulers. Crossing the Infinite Monarch¡¯s henchmen simply because they were in the vicinity wasn¡¯t something they¡¯d be able to get away with. ¡°So what¡¯s the other half?¡± ¡°The stench of blood wouldn¡¯t be pleasant when my dear husband is here, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah, so that¡¯s how it is.¡± Limon considered if he should thank her for her consideration, or pretend he didn¡¯t hear anything. In the end, he decided to change the subject instead. ¡°I just thought you were letting them be because of the guys in the back.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** A question mark appeared above Li Chingwei¡¯s head, as Limon tilted his. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know? There¡¯s a whole gang of them waiting just a little far off.¡± Li Chingwei couldn¡¯t answer Limon¡¯s begrudging question. She only gave Yo Ouin a troubled look. But Yo Ouin only returned her troubled look at the unexpected news. ¡°We didn¡¯t find any traces of them at least 10 li(about 4 kilometers) around us¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Only ten?¡± ¡°Times have changed. Maybe if it was with surveillance technology, but we are only using manpower to guard the vicinity.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ The world really has improved.¡± Limon clicked his tongue. It was understandable. Now that the Seven Dragons Association was on the legal side of the law, there was less need to stay on guard. But who knew even Hotel Leviathan had become this soft. Limon got to the bottom of the problem, even with the generation gap ringing in his mind. ¡± That explains it. They¡¯re about 12km away.¡± ¡°About¡­ 30li?¡± ¡°Yep. They¡¯re a decoy. Their plan is to move everyone else once you start pursuing them.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡¯ Li Chingwei finally got a grasp of the situation. On the other hand, Yo Ouin brought up something he still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°How did the Master of Swords know they were there?¡± ¡°I looked out the window and they were just there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You saw them from here?¡± ¡°Yeah, over there.¡± Yo Ouin followed Limon¡¯s pointer finger and looked out the window. Hotel Leviathan¡¯s top floor matched the hotel¡¯s reputation. From their top floor, one could easily look down at least dozens of kilometers away. Especially for a Psionics master like Yo Ouin, seeing people even ten kilometers away wasn¡¯t difficult to do. But having a good eye and identifying suspicious people weren¡¯t the same thing. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything particularly suspicious¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably because of the barrier.¡± ¡°The barrier?¡± ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve set up some shit in an attempt to conceal themselves. Try focusing on finding disharmony in the presences.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a moment, Yo Ouin was speechless. Limon had found the ambushers just from feeling disharmony at such a distance. On top of that, 90% of the tracers were high-level players from ¡ºInfinity Guild¡», and they were hiding behind barriers 12 kilometers away. It was beyond human. ¡®¡­¡­The Master of Swords¡­¡± He didn¡¯t doubt his words. He could only let out a sigh as he recollected how desperately the Seven Dragons Association tried to go after this monster in the past. He was a martial artist of the past. Unlike this era¡¯s youth who looked down on the Swordmaster to an unreasonable amount, he was someone who knew what kind of being the Swordmaster was. ¡°According to the Master of Swords, it seems we shouldn¡¯t just leave them be.¡± ¡°I think you should. It¡¯ll all be fixed once I leave.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let you do that.¡± ¡°Why? Is your pride hurt?¡± Limon sneered. The Seven Dragons Association always had pride that reached the heavens. They weren¡¯t the kind of people who would allow this blatant provocation. That was why Limon was taken aback by Li Chingwei¡¯s response. ¡°No, they could be targeting me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They have been tailing me ever since I arrived in this country.¡± ¡°¡­¡­They¡¯ve been tailing you? Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, what do you think?¡± Did she really not know, or did she not want to answer? Limon didn¡¯t bother to interrogate the cheerfully grinning Li Chingwei. He simply understood. ¡®No wonder she didn¡¯t care if I was in trouble with the Infinite Monarch.¡¯ Marrying him meant making the Monarch her enemy. No matter how much she needed Limon¡¯s strength, that should have been enough for her to reconsider the marriage. He was thinking it was odd how casually she brushed it off, but it was understandable if she had trouble with Lee Chun-gi from the beginning. Whether Lee Chun-gi was the main culprit or the mastermind behind it, as long as they stalked her, fighting the Infinite Monarch would be inevitable. ¡°What are you going to do if you really are the reason they¡¯re inspecting this place?¡± ¡°Take the necessary measures?¡± ¡°And what are those necessary measures?¡± Li Chingwei avoided a direct answer to the question Limon posed with an odd expression. She only spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°Yo Ouin.¡± ¡°The Secret Shadow and Dark Treachery Squads can get moving right away.¡± ¡°Would it be possible to bring out the Black Dragon squad as well?¡± ¡°Would that be alright?¡± ¡°Our opponent is the ¡ºInfinity Guild¡» guild. Don¡¯t you think it would be better to be thorough and hear a mouthful from the elders later rather than taking a half measure?¡± ¡°Indeed, you are right.¡± Yo Ouin agreed with sincerity to what the grinning Li Chingwei said. ¡°¡­¡­Are you guys planning an all-out war with the Infinite Monarch?¡± ¡°They crossed the line first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly trying to advocate for them, but I don¡¯t think they even knew there was a line.¡± ¡°Just because they didn¡¯t know doesn¡¯t make what they did go away.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Limon scratched his face. He wasn¡¯t going to stop them. He understood Li Chingwei¡¯s sharp reaction. Whether it was intentional or not, Lee Chun-gi had provoked the royal ire, and that wasn¡¯t something the Seven Dragons Association could let slide. And yet, there was one reason for Limon to interfere. ¡°Still, don¡¯t you think a direct confrontation is too much in this age? There¡¯ll be a lot of damage done to the business, to start with.¡± He didn¡¯t want Hotel Leviathan to have trouble. What¡¯ll happen to its worth once the Infinite Monarch and the Black Dragon Clan clash? Limon didn¡¯t want such a risk, especially when he had just agreed to taking the shares. ¡°Do you have any other valuable ideas?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really valuable.¡± Limon quickly downed the whiskey he¡¯d only been sipping in a flash. Putting the glass down, Limon looked composed. ¡°How about I show you the reason people feared facing the Master of Swords as their enemy?¡± ¡°Oh, uhm¡­¡± ¡°Uhhh¡­¡­¡± At that very moment, there was a small change in both Li Chingwei and Yo Ouin¡¯s expressions. Looking at Limon like a dog standing on a landmine, their eyes were filled with sympathy, apprehension and pity. ¡°¡­¡­Uhm, Master of Swords?¡± Li Chingwei carefully spoke up. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You will show them some mercy, right¡­¡­?¡± Limon was lost in consideration for a moment after hearing her genuinely concerned voice, and replied with a cold smile. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Unfortunately, his reply wasn¡¯t comforting at all. ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 21 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 21: Clearing Your Name for Dummies ¡°Status report.¡± ¡°< Nothing has happened yet. >¡± Park Hyun-gun, more commonly referred to as Chief Park, took pride in his job. With a title as basic as secretary, it was hard to gain respect. But if it were the right individual¡­ From guild management to various business and political negotiations. As the person carrying out the Infinite Monarch¡¯s will, his influence was by no means small. The biggest CEOs and guild masters ¡ª world leaders, even. None dared to tread lightly in front of the man. Some would instead laugh behind his back, calling him an ass in a lion¡¯s skin. But their mockery meant nothing in the face of the benefits to being the Infinite Monarch¡¯s tool. And that¡¯s why his face was contorted into a grave frown. ¡°You¡¯re saying you haven¡¯t been able to find a single person?¡± ¡°< As I have just said, nothing has happened yet. >¡± ¡°Do you think that makes sense?!¡± Bang¡ª! Park Hyun-gun slammed his desk and viciously grilled the person on the other end of the line. ¡°After how many Tracers I gave you, and you still can¡¯t find the Princess¡¯ precise location?! What have you been doing this entire time?¡± ¡°< No matter how many Tracers there are, we have no way to pinpoint the location of a target if they do not move. >¡± ¡°If the target doesn¡¯t come out, then get closer your damn selves!¡± ¡°< That isn''t possible. >¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°< I believe you of all people should understand that Leviathan is no ordinary hotel. >¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware that it¡¯s one of the holding companies of the Seven Dragon Gr¡ª >¡± ¡°< That''s legally. >¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Park Hyun-gun shut his mouth at the person¡¯s comment. There was no way that he, the Infinite Monarch¡¯s tool, wouldn¡¯t know what that meant. ¡°< Let me be clear. Even if it is the Infinite Monarch''s orders, we will not act on something so suicidal. >¡± ¡°You¡­ Do you think that¡¯s something you¡¯ll have the courage to say to the master¡¯s face?!¡± ¡°< Allow me to ask you something in return, Chief Park. What might happen if this mission ends in failure? Will you be willing to be held accountable? >¡± ¡°¡­!¡± He clenched his jaws, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that he would take responsibility. ¡®That arrogant brat¡­!¡¯ Instead, Park Hyun-gun decided to change the subject. ¡°Then, at least get a trace of Limon Asphelder. You¡¯re not incompetent enough to lose track of that gigantic school bus, are you?¡± ¡°< Isn''t it just a presumption that Limon Asphelder is at Leviathan? >¡± ¡°I¡¯m done talking to you. Just find anything out. If it¡¯s still like this tomorrow morning, you¡¯re not going to get away with it!¡± Not giving the person on the other side a chance to reply, Park Hyun-gun irritably hung up the phone. It wasn¡¯t like him. Even if he was Lee Chun-gi¡¯s secretary, he was still talking to the best Tracer in ¡ºInfinity Guild¡». Just the fact that they were one of the top players in the guild alone made them someone he could not give unilateral orders to. And yet, his anxiety had made him incredibly rude. ¡®Goddamnit! I need to bring results to the table, fuck!¡¯ The Infinite Monarch was not a forgiving one. If one brought results, they were rewarded generously. But if they failed to do so, that man¡¯s generosity would be replaced by unrelenting wrath. Considering that, Park Hyun-gun was in deep trouble. Not only did he lose the Black Dragon Princess¡¯s trail, but also failed to get rid of Limon. ¡®This is my last chance!¡¯ Park Hyun-gun knew that there wouldn¡¯t be a fourth chance. And as a longtime close aid to Lee Chun-gi, there were many grudges against him for influencing many events and incidents. If the wolf wouldn¡¯t eat him, the ravens would. He had no choice but to do his utmost in this matter. ¡®All I have to do is confirm that Limon Asphelder is residing within Hotel Leviathan.¡¯ He cooled his mind and gathered his thoughts. ¡®As long as I can prove she is hiding a traitor, I can get to her.¡¯ No matter how big of a conglomerate the Seven Dragons were, all they had was money. It wasn¡¯t enough to overcome a Monarch¡¯s influence when they dominated the dungeon industry, the very foundation modern society had built itself upon. On top of that, the Black Dragon Clan was the most deteriorated among the seven clans. If a reason could be found, not even her own clan would stand for their princess and make an enemy of a Monarch. ¡®If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll get another hostage¡­¡­!¡¯ There was murder in Park Hyun-gun¡¯s eyes. Given how he went out of his way to rescue the children, Limon must be soft-hearted. As expected of someone who was called a hero. He thought that he would be able to take Limon down if he took people acquainted with the Swordmaster like Kang Jungsoo¡¯s father and his other relatives as hostage. But what the tool didn¡¯t know, was that he was wrong about the Seven Dragons Association. Although, thankfully, he would never come to realize that. Instead¡­ Bang¡ª! ¡°Chief Park! There is a problem!¡± ¡°Just what do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Park Hyun-gun scowled at his pale subordinate¡¯s face. It was unacceptable for a subordinate to enter a boss¡¯ room without permission. ¡°Get out this instant! Who do you think you are?!¡± ¡°Now is not the time, sir! Just¡­ Just turn on the TV!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Confused, Park Hyun-gun reached for the remote with a doubtful expression. ¡°< One two three. Mic test. One two¡ª >¡± He immediately understood why his subordinate ran into his room in a craze. ¡°< Can you hear me? You can, right? You better hear me loud and clear. >¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to quibble over formalities. A young man with white hair was jeering, hogging almost every TV channel in the nation. The sight of Limon Asphelder¡¯s surroundings made Park Hyun-gun¡¯s jaws drop. ¡°< If this doesn''t get broadcasted to the Infinite Monarch, this dude''s head is coming off. >¡± Instead, he would come to realize just how ridiculous of an idea it was to think hostages would work on Limon. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** Let us go back in time for a bit. Just a few minutes before Park Hyun-gun¡¯s eyeballs popped out of his sockets seeing the TV, there were others who were frozen with that exact expression. It was an extremely rare sight to see. But this was something that went way beyond ¡®most unexpected emergencies¡¯. ¡°How¡¯s it going, gentlemen?¡± Said a youthful man with clean, white hair. A faint scar on his eyes, and a sword hanging around his shoulders. The man who was famous in the past, but forgotten after his reputation deteriorated. And now a widely known, blacklisted traitor to major organizations after the emergency dispatch that was released the day before. Limon Asphelder looked at them frozen in shock, and teased them. ¡°When someone suspicious appears, you should press the emergency button and initiate your response team. Isn¡¯t that right, gentlemen?¡± ¡°Wh-what the fuck?!¡± Alarmed, they shook. And instinctually, one of the guards screeched at the calm Limon. ¡°This is the Blue House*, you fucking lunatic!!¡± ¡°So?¡± He titled his head in a crooked stance. At the sight of this, they finally stopped being blue with shock, and did what they were supposed to do. Which was to make a commotion ¡ª ringing the alarms, calling for reinforcements, and pulling out their guns. Riiiiiing¡ª! ¡°Freeze! I¡¯ll shoot if you move!¡± ¡°Get on your knees with both hands in the air!¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going o¡ª Holy shit, Limon Asphelder?!¡± ¡°I said get on your knees!¡± ¡°I-is he the real thing?¡± Did they want him to kneel or freeze? They were all yelling at once. It seemed like the communication wasn¡¯t clear, either. The dispatched policemen had only brought their riot shields and batons, looking flustered after arriving at the scene. Only after dozens of police cars surrounded the area, did all the guards finally crawl out of wherever they were. Bystanders were filming everything from afar, mistaking the situation for some kind of event. Standing his ground in front of the Blue House¡¯s main entrance, Limon was dumbfounded as he watched the scene unfold. ¡°Who the hell¡¯s in charge of you fools¡­¡­¡± It was obvious that whoever was in charge must have gotten their position through bribes or personal connections. Now that wars were long gone, incompetency had taken over. As a matter of fact, one¡¯s competency was inversely proportional to how important one¡¯s position was. Welp, that¡¯s what allowed Limon to get outside the Blue House in the first place. He clicked his tongue as he thought over his original plans. Deciding that he didn¡¯t need to wait any longer, he held the sword that was hung over his shoulder properly and started to walk slowly. ¡°That¡¯s what I came to see, anyway.¡± Slash¡ª! ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± The people with guns froze on the spot. By the time they noticed Limon take a step forward, he¡¯d already passed by them. But that wasn¡¯t why they froze. Instead, they were frozen from seeing both them and their colleagues¡¯ guns in pieces on the floor. Before they could even blink, all they had left in their hands were the handles of what used to be a gun. They knew, if Limon had any bloodlust when he passed by them, It wouldn¡¯t have just been their guns. While everyone was holding their breath, Limon calmly continued forward. It was as if time had stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re hiding in a bunker, running for dear life, or staying where they are like a fool¡±, said Limon. ¡°But whoever it is, tell that bastard you call your president.¡± He was mankind¡¯s last Swordmaster, the nation¡¯s hero and the guardian of humanity. At least, that was what he once was. A goner with an old fashioned way of thinking, wholeheartedly believing that doing something grandiose was better than being framed. In a single horizontal swing, Limon split open the main gates of the Blue House. And he continued with a delightful grin, ¡°Tell him the treacher¡¯s come to commit treachery.¡± ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 22 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 22: Your Name Few would call it a battle when it was one against a group. A battle was fought between two armies. Not only was it stupid to call a single enemy an army, it was also hard to call it a battle when it was completely one-sided. With that context, what took place at the Blue House couldn¡¯t be called a battle. But at the same time, it possessed the very essence of battle ¡ª war. Ratatatata¡ª! Tens of thousands of bullets hit the ground. Bang¡ª! A turret mounted humvee flips over. ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Medics! Medics!¡± ¡°Fucking hell! When are the reinforcements coming?!¡± The place was drenched in blood, screams, and acrimony. Such a gruesome scene could only be seen on a battlefield. Especially on the frontlines, holding the fate of a nation in its hands. But there were three problems with the ongoing ¡®battle¡¯. First, it was a fight against one single individual. Second, only one side was getting violated. Third, the individual wasn¡¯t the one getting violated. The white-haired man slowly walked through the battlefield like it was a nice stroll in a park. ¡°Die, please just die!¡± Someone cried out desperately, his grip on his rifle tightening. But the result was all the same. No matter how many rounds were fired, the only mark the bullets would hit was the ground. They wouldn¡¯t even graze the man¡¯s clothes. ¡± Why aren¡¯t you getting hit!!!!¡± An outcry embodying the feeling of all who were there, regardless of whether it be soldiers or police, their affiliations or abilities. They would¡¯ve understood if it was some kind of skill, or the bullets were bouncing off his body. In the Iron Age, it wasn¡¯t uncommon to see people impervious to gunfire. But Limon wasn¡¯t using a skill, or even trying to dodge or block the bullets. The bullets were simply flying away from Limon in all directions, as if they were trying to avoid the man. As if a ghost had possessed their bullets. Those who were confident in their shooting skills in particular, looked like they were on the brink of madness. Ruuumble¡ª The ground shook as three tanks arrived to the scene. ¡°Reinforcements! They¡¯re here!¡± No one would fault them for crying out in relief like their holy savior had just descended from the heavens. If a tank shell was shot at Limon, even if it missed like their bullets, it would¡¯ve still blown him up. But the Swordmaster didn¡¯t even bat an eye at the massive tanks. Rather, he appeared underwhelmed. ¡®These fools¡­¡­¡¯ Limon silently observed as the three tanks pointed their barrels at him. Boom¡ª! His sword was moving far too slow. It¡¯s movement, so dull even a slug could avoid it. And yet, as Limon completed the movement of his sword¡­ Plonk¡ª ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Is that a bl-blind shell?¡± ¡°All three? Even if they were blind shells, how was it possible to get rid of them all? They looked dumbfounded seeing the three bomb shells gently sitting on the edge of Limon¡¯s sword. How could he do that to cannonballs that were shot at supersonic speeds? It was beyond their comprehensions. ¡°I would like a refund on these.¡± Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! It was uncertain what Limon did or how he did it. But the instant Limon lightly swung his sword, the cannonballs flew in the opposite direction, each landing directly a tank, disabling all three of them on impact. Seeing all the men gathered standing aghast, Limon clicked his tongue. ¡°You morons. Did you think a mere chunk of metal would be able to take me on when even a high-level player could not?¡± They were at a loss for words, for Limon was right. High-level players were superhuman beings who could crush tanks. That was why each and every one of them were treated as important national assets ¡ª they were irreplaceable asymmetric warfare. But Limon was a former PAB agent who specialized in handling those same high-level players. In fact, on the very same battlefield they were on, there were already multiple high-level players comatose after trying to attack Limon with their skills. There was no way Limon would be threatened by a few meager tanks. ¡°H-How can a mere ¡®civilian¡¯ do such a thing¡­¡± ¡°Goddamnit! I was never told Limon Asphelder was a high-level player!¡± That was why as the fight raged on, their minds only fell further and further into madness. They were unable to wrap their heads around the fact that Limon, who wasn¡¯t a player, was capable of the things he¡¯d done. Their impression of the Swordmaster was just a civilian who was ¡®kind of¡¯ skilled at swinging a sword around. Clang¡ª! Though, Limon didn¡¯t bother to school them on what a Swordmaster really was. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± He asked calmly as he sliced a sniper bullet aimed for his head in half. ¡°A traitor just barged into the heart of this country, and this is all you can do?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** There would be no answer, save for a hail of bullets. Their response told him that there wouldn¡¯t be any other reinforcements, missiles, or attacks launched at him. ¡®These fools didn¡¯t even ask for backup right.¡¯ Limon let out a laugh. He understood. They didn¡¯t have to mobilize the entire military and request unaffiliated guilds for assistance just for one guy. Right? Even if their military was turned upside down, they would still risk their lives to keep face until the very end. ¡®Peace has overtaken the world for too long.¡¯ Limon lamented as he deflected the bullets, just by walking slowly. In terms of sheer military might, this country was undoubtedly stronger than before. Instead of using old, unreliable rifles, using the latest armaments had became standard issue. Most soldiers were also players, with abilities incomparable to soldiers of the past. On top of that, there were many private organizations known as guilds, that possessed even more strength than the nation¡¯s military. But as strong as the country seemed to have become, they were also that much more indolent. The army was inexperienced. Their commanders prioritized reputation over their duty, and guilds only acted for their own benefit. Even citizens of the nation were filming the destruction happening at the Blue House from their windows in their high-rise homes, treating it as entertainment. Could one really call this progress? Wasn¡¯t this a regression? ¡®We really need to bring wars back into fashion.¡¯ Limon laughed to himself. From the Bronze Age to the Heroes¡¯ Age, there was endless bloodshed and violence. Peace was something people could only dream of. So why did it feel so empty when that dream finally became a reality? Thinking about questions he didn¡¯t have the answers to, Limon eventually turned his back on the hailstorm of bullets and stepped into the main building of the Blue House. ¡°Stop him! If you can¡¯t stop him, at least buy some time!¡± ¡°Hiyaaaap!¡± Perhaps it was their last resort. Agents in suits blocked the stairs by making a barricade, using all sorts of skills to stop Limon. They tried to attack his mind with hallucinations, manipulated his bloodstream to target his heart, and shot petrification beams without a care for their aim As expected of the President¡¯s bodyguards, they were all high-level players, with each of their skills incredibly powerful. It was enough to kill even a Grand Duke over level 90 in the blink of an eye if they didn¡¯t react fast enough. One slight issue. They weren¡¯t dealing with a Grand Duke, but with Limon. Slash¡ª! ¡°What¡­?!¡± ¡°H-he slashed the skill?¡± They were appalled as they felt their skills get cut off when Limon¡¯s sword cut through the air. Limon didn¡¯t even give them the time to be in shock, knocking them out with the side of his blade and nonchalantly walking up the stairs. But he could only stop dead in his tracks after he reached his destination. After coming all the way to the Oval Office, all that greeted him was an empty desk. The only important thing wasn¡¯t there. ¡°The son of a bitch really ran away, huh.¡± Limon clicked his tongue. How could he run off when his subordinates were risking their lives defending him? Well, it was a smart decision. It would have been an even bigger embarrassment if the nation¡¯s commander-in-chief was trying to save face too, and stayed. ¡®Although, this is still pretty disgraceful.¡¯ Nevertheless, his escape came off as tacky. Was it because Limon was a man of the past? Or was it because of his sneaky decision to run away only after Limon had entered the main building, reading the room until the last minute? ¡°How stupid. If you were going to run away anyways, you shouldn¡¯t have dawdled so much.¡± He let out a laugh, and talked to himself as he stepped towards the middle of the office. ¡°Though, the outcome won¡¯t change.¡± Limon narrowed his eyes for a brief moment. He held his sword with both hands and slowly moved it over his head. Aiming at one spot in the air, he struck his sword down. Clang¡ª! ¡°¡­.?!¡± Immediately after, the empty space cracked open. In that cracked space, was an old man about to enter a bulletproof limousine. By his side, were his aides. They all looked appalled. They froze like deer in oncoming headlights. Before they could even come back to their senses, Limon reached his hand out and grabbed the old man¡¯s collar, pulling him out of the crack of space. Bam¡ª! ¡°Kirk¡­!¡± The old man flopped around on the floor pathetically. But somehow, even in that moment, President Han Jungkook managed to utter a question. tl/n: we sincerely apologize for President Han Jungkook¡¯s name. ¡°H-how? You can¡¯t use dimensional skills!¡± Anyone who was in his position would¡¯ve asked the same. If Limon could use skills like ¡¸Teleporation¡¹, he wouldn¡¯t have had a valuable dimensional player like Yoo Na-kyung on his team. ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Was it really that confusing, or was he still in shock? Limon snicked at how President Han still prioritized his curiosity while in the predicament he was in. Squatting in front of the man, Limon jeered. ¡°No one escapes the Swordmaster, kiddo.¡± Despite his courteous answer, President Han just looked more confused than ever. But Limon didn¡¯t care to elaborate. Those who didn¡¯t know what kind of being a Swordmaster was would never understand. He also had business with this amusing head of the country to take care of that took priority. ¡°Alright. To celebrate our meeting, I¡¯d like to ask you for a few favors¡­¡± As Limon coldly laughed, he suddenly stopped talking and rolled his eyes. Scratching his face, he asked, ¡°Sorry, what was your name again?¡± ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 23 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 23: Family-Friendly Many people chose to become players after the world entered the Iron Age. It got to the point where more than half the world¡¯s population were players. The appeal of obtaining skills simply by clearing the dungeon was just too great. ¡°< One two three. Mic test. One two¡ª >¡± In order to level up, one had to clear the dungeon. But the deeper into the dungeon they delved, its difficulty only exponentially increased. That was why, despite having so many players, the majority of them were below level 10. No matter how profitable the dungeon was, not just anyone could risk their life. That was another reason why high-level players were placed in such high regard. ¡°< Can you hear me? You can, right? You better hear me loud and clear. >¡± And out of those billions of players, only ten had reached the end of the dungeon. That was why Monarchs were truly incredible beings. Not only did they have the genius talent to make a contract with a Monarch-rank Constellation, they also had luck on their side. Only with both, could people reach level 100 ¡ª the realm of the absolute. But in this moment¡­ ¡°¡± One of the Ten Great Monarchs was at a loss for words. But no one would¡¯ve blamed him. Because everyone in the country¡ª no, the whole world¡­ was in the same state. The president of a nation, drenched in sweat, having a blade held to his neck on broadcast. ¡°¡­Chief Park, what¡¯s going on?¡± He even had to pause the recording on the TV and ask what was happening. Contrary to how he normally was, he couldn¡¯t hold it this time, accidentally letting slip his bewilderment. Park Hyun-gun answered him, the blood draining from his face. ¡°There was an¡­ accident at the Blue House.¡± ¡°What kind of accident was it to result in a broadcast like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Park Hyun-gun was stumped. He could not think of a way to explain the situation without making it sound like utter nonsense. But it wasn¡¯t something he could refuse to answer. Biting his tongue, he described how Limon had barged into the Blue House and took the President hostage. ¡°¡­¡­And he requested a press conference?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. And if even a single broadcasting network in the country failed to show up, he would behead the President and his aides.¡± ¡°Why were things allowed to go this far? If this all really happened, they must have requested our guild¡¯s assistance.¡± ¡°The VIPs stopped it. They thought such a move would result in political instability if they rallied the guilds for something as¡­ minor¡­ as this.¡± ¡°I believe it would have been better than getting held hostage on TV, no?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Despite his cold comments, Lee Chun-gi understood President Han¡¯s decision. Forget Limon, even just a rumor that someone had invaded the Blue House would tip the country on its head. And if they requested help from the major guilds because they were unable to stop one person? Whether it was because he allowed the hero of a past nation to turn traitor, or because he couldn¡¯t even take care of some disturbance caused by a non-player civilian ¡ª regardless of any rhyme or reason, it would¡¯ve only beat the dead horse that would¡¯ve been President Han¡¯s political career. That must have been why he blocked as much communication as possible and tried to take care of it personally. Politically, it was the right call. Tactically, it was the perfect mistake. ¡°Just what made him think he could handle him on his own?¡± ¡°It seems one of his aides had used ¡¸Information Analysis¡¹ to deduce that guns were effective against Limon Asphelder, since he wasn¡¯t a player.¡± ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± ¡°They must have thought that even in the worst-case scenario, they could at the very least have negotiated with him if they used their skills on him. Since they¡¯re also high-level players and all¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ this is the result.¡± Lee Chun-gi sneered cynically. Limon had slaughtered 150 high-level players and Squad 909. It appears a skill they lacked was hindsight. A truly reckless decision, but what could they do now? It¡¯s already happened, and President Han was paying dearly for his misjudgments. Having a rough understanding of the situation, Lee Chun-gi tapped the desk with his fingers and resumed the footage of Limon. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** ¡°To start it off, there are probably a lot of you who would like to know why the hell I¡¯m doing all this.¡± Indeed, no one could deny it. The question that was on everyone¡¯s minds: why did The Limon Asphelder become a traitor? Even Lee Chun-gi, who knew most of what was going on, was baffled watching the video. Imagine how shocked the rest of the world would be, randomly witnessing a sword pressed to the President¡¯s neck with no context. ¡°< Mind your own business. >¡± ¡°< ¡­¡­Excuse me? >¡± ¡°< I said, leave your noses out of my business, you little shits. >¡± Everyone in the world had a question mark over their heads. ¡°< I''m not planning on answering anything you guys ask, nor do I feel like justifying this shit with messy words. >¡± ¡°< How does that make any sense?! >¡± The middle-aged reporter, without even realizing, had objected to Limon¡¯s mind-boggling statements. ¡°< And what if it doesn''t? Would you like me to blow the President''s head straight off his neck right now? Huh? >¡± ¡°¡± As Limon drew his sword closer to President Han¡¯s neck, the reporter stammered. His words could get the President killed. He had no choice but to tread lightly. ¡°< Well, but¡­ aren''t broadcasts like these held to make a statement? >¡± Maybe it was because of his experience on the job, or because he felt that his exclusive scoop was more important than the President¡¯s life. Even as he read the room, the reporter managed to ask another question, to which Limon replied nonchalantly. ¡°< Said who? >¡± ¡°< What? >¡± ¡°< Who said you had to make a statement while holding a hostage on air? >¡± ¡°< Well, to justify holding someone hostage¡­ >¡± ¡°< And I''m saying, you fucking swine. Why do I have to do something so pathetic? >¡± This would have been regarded as a broadcasting incident if it wasn¡¯t a forced livestream. ¡°< Uh, uhm¡­ If you could tone down your language a bit¡­ This is a live broadcast¡­ >¡± ¡°¡± ¡°< D-dicks?! >¡°¡® ¡°< Oi, ya fucking lunatic. The President''s execution is about to get broadcasted on national television. Is my language really the problem here? >¡± Limon¡¯s words silenced the reporter. There was a limit to how much one could squabble over broadcasting regulations. Saying a few curse words in this situation wouldn¡¯t make the current situation any more ugly than it already was. ¡®He¡¯s not wrong¡­ But why do I feel insulted?¡¯ But whether the reporter felt insulted or not, Limon continued with a scoff. ¡°< And only people who have some shit on their conscience try to justify their actions. Why would I babble out excuses, when I don''t have anything to feel sorry for? >¡± ¡®Are you listening to yourself?!¡¯ The reporter¡¯s jaws dropped. It was shocking to hear the very person holding the President hostage with a sword to his neck say such a thing with such confidence. Even the other reporters and cameramen looked dumbfounded. But theories and logic wouldn¡¯t work on a madman. Unable to bring himself to criticize him, the reporter asked Limon another question instead. ¡°< Th-then why did you demand a press conference? >¡± If he wasn¡¯t going to justify himself, why was he trying to broadcast this scene to every news channel? Wasn¡¯t it because he really did have something on his conscience? Or was he actually just crazy? There were several hidden questions behind what the man asked, to which Limon nonchalantly answered, ¡°< Oh, this? I wanted to send a message. >¡± ¡°< A message? To whom? >¡± ¡°< Who the fuck do you think, dumbass? Did you not hear me tell you all to show this to the Infinite Monarch? >¡± ¡°< ¡­If you wanted to talk to the Infinite Monarch, why didn''t you just give him a call? >¡± Limon returned the reporter¡¯s inadvertent sarcasm with advertent sarcasm. ¡°< Yeah, and how great would that go? I''d be waiting for about ten years on the line just to have it hang up on me. >¡± Limon did have a point. It was just that holding the President hostage on live television in lieu of a phone call was that deranged. But Limon wasn¡¯t really doing this for completely no reason. ¡°< Plus, I''m about to offer something that son of a bitch wouldn''t be able to refuse. >¡± ¡°< Son of a¡­? Wait, what did you just call the Infinite Monarch? >¡± ¡°< Infinite Monarch, Lee Chun-gi. You son of a bitch. It looks like I''ve been getting on your nerves lately, so I specially got a gift, just for you. >¡± Whatever the reporter was babbling about, Limon didn¡¯t care a single bit. He only looked straight into the camera and spoke on with a cold voice. ¡°< Come to the Blue House by midnight. >¡± ¡°< It doesn''t matter whether you come alone or with your guild members. >¡± ¡°< I''ll let the President go if you just come over here. >¡± ¡°< But if you don''t, the President dies. >¡± ¡°< ¡­! >¡± Limon silenced the press conference room in an instant. Not just because of Limon¡¯s menacing threats. But also because of how emotionless Limon was while talking about killing the President, like his life was that insignificant. ¡°< Oh, and it won''t stop with just the President. >¡± ¡°< Next in line will be the Prime Minister, and then the Deputy Prime Minister. >¡± ¡°< After that, it''ll be the secretaries and the National Assembly, one after another to send the same message. >¡± It was pure lunacy. This would be impossible for an ordinary person. Even if it was possible, they wouldn¡¯t dare act on it. It was something only the perfect lunatic could say. But those who were watching the broadcast couldn¡¯t take it as a simple bluff. The fact it came from a superhuman who single-handedly raided the Blue House and held the President hostage wasn¡¯t the sole reason. Limon¡¯s icy, settled gold eyes were like staring into a frozen lake. It made them all realize that they were looking at a madman who had the ability and exertion to do such a thing. ¡°< Stop me if you can. >¡± ¡°< That is, if you think you can protect this country''s senior government officials from me. >¡± And memories of the past, buried in oblivion, suddenly resurfaced in their minds. They remembered the old tales their grandfathers would tell them, Of humanity¡¯s last Swordmaster. The nation¡¯s hero that everyone looked up to, And his enemies¡¯ worst nightmare. ¡°< Well, you could just sit back and watch these guys all die. That way, you can take over this country without lifting a finger. >¡± ¡°< Or you could play a hero who got rid of a goner and saved the nation. >¡± ¡°< Whatever you do, its for you to decide. >¡± ¡°< But just keep in mind, one thing. >¡± ¡°< Whatever choice you make, one day¡­ you will have to settle the score with me. >¡± With a beaming smile that contrasted his dead serious eyes, Limon concluded that he wasn¡¯t forcing him to make a choice. Everything was up to Lee Chun-gi. And dragging the President, who¡¯s blood had drained from his face, he left the press conference room. ¡°< Oh, one more thing. >¡± As if he¡¯d forgotten something, Limon stopped in his tracks and smiled at the cameras. ¡°< You shouldn''t try what I''m doing, good children. I am a trained professional. If I catch you imitating me, you''re screwed. >¡± ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 24 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 24: An Odd Answer ¡°< You shouldn''t try what I''m doing, good children. I am a trained professional. If I catch you imitating me, you''re screwed. >¡± And with that, Limon¡¯s press conference ended. Yet Lee Chun-gi couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the television. Park Hyun-gun could empathize completely. When he first saw it, he had stared into blank space for several minutes as well. Holding the President hostage¡­ Threatening many more government officials¡­ A message directed to a Monarch. None of these things could be done in the right state of mind, and yet Limon had just done all three of them together. It would¡¯ve made any sane man stupefied. That was why the moment Lee Chun-gi opened his mouth, Park Hyun-gun felt odd. ¡°Limon Asphelder¡­ He appears to be more hellacious than I expected. He caught me off guard.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± It was indisputable that Limon wasn¡¯t just any typical lunatic, but Park Hyun-gun sensed another meaning hidden in the Monarch¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s checkmate.¡± ¡°If you mean the deranged threat calling you to the Blue House, you can just igno¡ª¡± ¡°People will think I am leaving the dirty work to others in order to gain political authority.¡± ¡°I doubt there would be anyone who would actually believe that nonsensical blabber.¡± ¡°My true intentions do not matter. The senior government officials will be able to get to me with that pretext regardless.¡± Park Hyun-gun immediately went rigid. His mind has previously gone blank from the absurd video, and the gears in his brain had just started turning again. ¡°Are you saying they will pressure a Monarch?¡± ¡°Since their lives are at stake, yes.¡± Normally, even the highest senior government officials wouldn¡¯t dare do something so absurd. Monarchs were the Absolute Rulers of this era. Crossing them meant their own inevitable downfall. But Limon¡¯s hostage situation was different. Desperation drives people to act rashly. Politics would not be on their mind anymore. And on top of that, Lee Chun-gi had to save the President. Anyone who wanted to live would shamelessly cling onto him as well. Even for a Monarch with absolute authority, the situation was hard to ignore. ¡°If other Monarchs get involved, this will turn into a fight in a mud bath.¡± Lee Chun-gi wasn¡¯t the only Monarch. If he chose to not take any action, there were plenty who would run to the other Monarchs instead, uncaring about the consequences such an action might bring. That was a much bigger danger than Limon¡¯s measly threats. Unlike Limon, a goner from the past, the other Monarchs weren¡¯t people he could overlook. ¡°Do you think Limon Asphelder thought that far ahead?¡± ¡°I do not know just how far ahead he has planned, but there is no doubt in my mind that he was trying to create a situation where I had no choice but to come forward myself.¡± The most damaging part of all this was that Limon did it all publicly enough to be embedded in the heads of people for generations. Things would have been different if he just gave a secret call. But as long as that broadcast was shown to the entire world, Lee Chun-gi had no choice but to resolve the mess himself ¡ª whether it be for his practical interest, to defend his honor, or any other reason. ¡°Chief Park, recall the people we dispatched to Hotel Leviathan.¡± ¡°Would that be alright?¡± ¡°It is better to lose the Black Dragon Princess than get the attention of the other Monarchs.¡± ¡°Then, I shall send them to the Blue House.¡± ¡°No. There is no need.¡± Lee Chun-gi shook his head. Watching Limon¡¯s smile on the paused TV screen with cold eyes, he continued in a low voice. ¡°It looks like the Guardian of Humanity wants to settle the score. I will bring an end to this myself.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** Clank, clank¡ª ¡°Oh, this is good.¡± The Blue House banquet hall. In the early days of his election, President Han had remodeled the place using a considerable amount of funds. As such, he had taken quite a liking to it. He would often enjoy inviting people of all social standings¡ª international delegates, major CEOs, international students, and celebrities¡ª to greet them in this very banquet hall. But at the very moment¡­ The banquet hall President Han Jungkook endeared felt like an inferno. ¡°The world¡¯s improved. In the past, royals had to check for poison in their food. They couldn¡¯t have a hot meal when their life literally depended on it.¡± ¡®Just how long ago was that?¡¯ ¡°They couldn¡¯t season their food, nor could they have late-night snacks. Pitiful, really. ¡®Not as pitiful as me, I bet.¡¯ ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t you have some too? You¡¯re spending a ton of taxpayer dollars on these, you shouldn¡¯t waste it.¡± ¡®Does it look like I have room for food?!¡¯ ¡°Hey, bring some more alcohol. An expensive one, while you¡¯re at it.¡± ¡®That fancy alcohol was bought with taxes too!¡¯ President Han felt his blood boil as he watched Limon nibble away at his food. He was sitting comfortably on the ground, treating the banquet hall like his living room. He would have thrown away his dignity just to say a word¡ª no, a hundred ¡ªif he could. But President Han couldn¡¯t find the courage to open his mouth. Even during his meal, Limon continued pressing his sword against his neck. It reminded him greatly of the virtue of silence. ¡®You damn psycho, you¡¯re eating! At least put down your sword!¡¯ ¡°Oh, I¡¯m definitely a little senile.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± President Han was aghast. Limon¡¯s response to his thoughts was too natural. ¡°H-how¡­? Are you using ¡¸Telepathy¡¹?!¡± ¡°My ass. Guys like you who stare daggers all think the same type of shit.¡± Limon was no newbie to these kinds of things. He¡¯d seen all kinds of hostages. Most of them were bound to vary between acting like a mad dog, lunatic, nutcase, psycho, and many other synonyms. So reading President Han Jungkook wasn¡¯t a hard thing for him to do. Coming to the realization that he fell for a leading question, President Han turned red in the face. But it didn¡¯t last long. Despite getting caught swearing at the man in his mind, Han Jungkook saw that Limon was calmer than in his expectations. Thinking that the ice had already been broken, he started talking to Limon. ¡°Are you not afraid of the consequences of doing all of this, sir?¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t forget his formalities. Being the President didn¡¯t give him multiple lives. And fortunately, Limon didn¡¯t immediately blow his hostage¡¯s head off. ¡°Are there any consequences I should be afraid of?¡± Limon asked out of genuine curiosity. Seeing an opportunity, Han Jungkook was rejuvenated and spoke confidently. ¡°Then¡­ Did you think you could get away with holding the leader of this country hostage? You¡¯ve gone from protecting this world to committing treason!¡± ¡°I was about to be arrested for that and terrorism before I started this mess, you know.¡± Another charge on top of that wouldn¡¯t really have changed much. ¡°Is-isn¡¯t talking things out first the proper way to solve a misunderstanding?!¡± ¡°Are you admitting to framing me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°Then? You mean you allowed Squad 909 to get wiped out because of something you weren¡¯t certain of? Will you be able to explain that to the reporters outside?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have talked.¡¯ In the end, President Han had already lost any justification he had for his actions the moment he dispatched Squad 909. It would be a problem, regardless of whether or not he was aware of what he was doing. If he didn¡¯t know, he would be impeached for not knowing the nation¡¯s most elite special forces were committing illegal acts. But Limon didn¡¯t let it go. Almost looking glad that he had brought it up, Limon tapped Han Jungkook¡¯s neck with his sword, asking, ¡°In fact, there¡¯s something I wanna know. What gave you the confidence you could get rid of me with treason charges?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Not that you have to answer. It¡¯s probably the Infinite Monarch.¡± ¡®Then why did you ask, you nutjob?!¡¯ Paying no heed to whether Han Jungkook had cursed him in his thoughts or not, Limon crossed his legs and continued. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it for a while. You make light of things too much. If you charge someone with treason, you ought to be prepared if they actually start committing treason.¡± What a damn boomer. Seeing how Limon was scolding him amidst all of this, Han Jungkook grinded his teeth. ¡°¡­¡­Say what you want. You¡¯re running out of time atop your high horse.¡± ¡°And what makes you say that?¡± ¡°Do you really think you can go against ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»?¡± Han Jungkook bluffed. Yes, President Han was in his current predicament because he had underestimated Limon. But the guild named ¡ºInfinity Guild¡» was on a whole different level compared to the Blue House security team. They were one of the top ten guilds worldwide! He was certain that suppressing Limon would be more than possible if they took action. ¡°If you let me go right now, I promise that I will try my utmost to at least stop the Infinite Monarch from bringing down the wrath of his entire guild.¡± ¡®Work, please work!¡¯ Han Jungkook tried to act like he was the one being merciful, as he activated his unique skill, Han Jungkook tried to show mercy as he activated his unique skill,¡¸Countenance Pledge¡¹. As named, it was a skill that gave its caster the countenance of others in exchange for a pledge. Although, his pledge had to be to the other person¡¯s liking. He also had to fulfill it if he did receive their countenance. Despite its risks, there were endless uses for it. In fact, it was his skill that got him elected as president. ¡°Pffft! Hahaha!¡± But as soon as he heard those words, Limon erupted into laughter and rolled around on the floor. ¡°¡®The wrath of his entire guild¡¯? No way, do you really believe that Lee Chun-gi would bring his guild here?¡± Limon asked a flustered Han Jungkook with a snicker. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Han Jungkook replied begrudgingly. There was no reason to hold back when it was an emergency where the President was being held hostage. Limon lightheartedly laughed at his thoughts. ¡°You sure? I think he¡¯s going to confidently come to the Blue House, all by himself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± Limon answered with a grin. But deep down, Limon was sure of himself. There was no way the Infinite Monarch would bring his subordinates with him when he was provoked so publicly. That was the pride of an Absolute Ruler. ¡°Even if the Infinite Monarch does come by himself, you¡¯re still done for!¡± It seemed he felt rather uneasy at Limon¡¯s composed stance. Limon tilted his head. ¡°Hm, I¡¯ve wanted to ask you this question really badly for a while now.¡± As if he couldn¡¯t bring himself to understand, or like he was genuinely dying of curiosity, Limon looked at Han Jungkook with an inquisitive look in his eyes. ¡°How are you guys so sure that I¡¯m weaker than the Monarchs?¡± Han Jungkook looked flabbergasted. Not because it was a random question, but because the answer was as obvious as saying which direction the sun rises. ¡°Because you aren¡¯t a player, obviously.¡± Just like how guns are better than swords, and how cavalry could not defeat a tank ¡ª how could an ¡®ordinary civilian¡¯ without skills beat a Monarch, the zenith of all players?¡± Limon smirked, seeing Han Jungkook answer without an ounce of hesitation. ¡°Yeah, of course you¡¯d say that.¡± It was like the President was merely inconvenienced from all of this. At that, Limon lost all interest in Han Jungkook and mumbled to himself. ¡®As I thought, something¡¯s off.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something anyone else would understand. Studying the uneasiness felt only by him, Limon tried to get back to his meal. But before he could reach for his plate, Limon flung Jungkook away at the speed of light. Boom¡ª!!! A single missile struck the banquet hall from the ceiling. ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 25 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 25: Question It all happened so quickly. Before the missile struck the banquet hall, Limon had grabbed President Han Jungkook and escaped, with vehement explosions chasing after the two. If he was just a step slower, they would¡¯ve been hit. As the explosions stopped, Limon tossed Jungkook to the side ¡ª all the while spinning around on one foot, slicing and dicing his sword. Flap¡ª Flap¡ª Flap¡ª A kaleidoscope of beautiful crystal butterflies shattered into shards, flowing through the air like flower petals. His blade looked more vicious than ever. Although, it was nothing compared to the ground, where the shards landed. Crackle¡ª! Like the hands of King Midas, everything the butterfly fragments touched turned into crystal. The marble floors of the oval office turned into translucent crystal. Fallen leaves carried there by the wind turned into small pieces of crystal. And it would¡¯ve turned Limon and Jungkook into crystals too. Just like the story of King Midas, it was an utter nightmare. Although seemingly beautiful, its true nature was a cruel fate that twisted the nature of all things. What would it have been like to be touched by one of those butterflies? It was an awful, unimaginable thought. And yet, Limon did not take a single step back. His feet stood planted on the ground, shattering the butterflies one by one with his blade. His movement was swift. To an outsider, it would¡¯ve looked like all the butterflies that approached Limon merely crumpled to dust by themselves. A battle between a tornado and a tsunami. The tornado destroyed everything within its vicinity, while the accursed tsunami changed anything and everything it washed over into translucent rocks. A whirlpool of a disaster that went beyond destroying an entire army. But this exchange ended surprisingly fast. No matter how many butterflies there were, they would be swept up by the tornado. The tens of thousands of crystal butterflies could only disappear in a flash when thousands of them were getting shattered each second. ¡°Goddamnit. You¡¯re not supposed to disturb a dog while it¡¯s eating¡­¡± Limon, who¡¯d just hit the bullseye of a dart board tens of thousands of times consecutively, looked bored. He looked up. Behind his back was Jungkook, rolling on the ground. Standing idly behind Jungkook, was a man with slicked back hair and glasses. ¡°Really, a surprise attack? From a Monarch, no less.¡± Limon¡¯s voice was sour. ¡°I did not expect you to have seen it that way. It was meant to be my way of greeting you.¡± ¡°You almost killed a man with your greeting, jackass. Contrary to his words, Limon stood calmly. He knew that the man didn¡¯t have the means to ambush him. It was simply a formality to get the President away from Limon. The greeting was rather violent, but to be fair, the man did have justification for it. After all, he was Lee Chun-gi, the Infinite Monarch. One of the ten ruling over this Iron Age absolutely. ¡°Mr. Lee! You¡¯re finally here!¡± ¡°I see that you have been through quite some mishaps.¡± ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no need to call it that. I simply endured knowing you would come to save me.¡± It seems getting thrown to the ground so suddenly had affected his senses. Jungkook was beaming at the Infinite Monarch, like his knight in shining armor had come to rescue him from the treacherous dragon. On the other hand, Limon looked at Lee Chun-gi in disdain. ¡°Oi, Mr President. You do realize this dude just tried to kill us both, right?¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s absurd. Mr. Lee would never do such a thi¡ª¡± Scoffing, he turned to the Monarch. But instead of agreeing with him, Lee Chun-gi only looked down at him coldly. ¡°¡­Mr. Lee?¡± ¡®Why aren¡¯t you disagreeing with him?¡¯ That¡¯s what his anxious eyes said. ¡°It is much easier to face a hostage-taker without his hostage than one who uses them as their shield. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Mr. President?¡± ¡°So you were trying to get rid of the hostage first? Even when he¡¯s the President?!¡± ¡°Presidents can always be re-elected. There are plenty who could take his place.¡± ¡°Then why did you keep him alive?¡± ¡°I believe it was you who did.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** Jungkook¡¯s face turned pale white upon the realization that Lee Chun-gi¡¯s solicitude was not the reason why he was able to escape the missile and butterflies. What would have happened if Limon left him behind? WHat if he hadn¡¯t thrown him far away enough to escape the crystal butterflies? He would¡¯ve turned into what was left of the former President¡¯s ashes, or a statue of him. ¡°Mr. Lee¡­ you¡ª!¡± ¡°Pardon me. I am rather busy at the moment.¡± But before Jungkook could bawl at the fact he almost died, he shut his mouth. He could feel eerie chills run down his spine the moment Lee Chun-gi glanced at him. ¡°Do you mind giving us a minute?¡± It came out as a respectful request, but Jungkook knew ¡ª that was no request. It was a demand. Lee Chun-gi¡¯s eyes were fixed on Limon. He displayed interest in Jungkook no longer. Jungkook knew that if he refused, Lee Chun-gi would¡¯ve found a way to get rid of him. He could tell from the way Lee Chun-gi looked at him like he was an annoying, buzzing fly. ¡°¡­Th-then, I shall leave everything in your hands, sir.¡± Even while red from humiliation, Han Jungkook still turned around and ran for his life, disappearing like a bullet. As expected of a high-level player. Limon watched him frantically run off. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that was a bit too harsh? You were talking to the president of a nation.¡± ¡°You held him hostage, did you not?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m a traitor. It¡¯s not like I would care about that kind of stuff.¡± ¡°The same goes for me.¡± Lee Chun-gi was calmly stating that nothing was going to change, whether or not Han Jungkook would bear a grudge from this ordeal. Limon nodded in response. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± Han Jungkook was merely the president. He was in no place to challenge the Infinite Monarch. One word was all it took to change who the President was the following day. But Limon, the one who summoned him to begin with, was not intimidated by his presence at all. He simply adjusted his grasp on his sword and nonchalantly asked, ¡°There¡¯s not much to discuss, is there?¡± ¡°That would be a shame if it were true. There was quite a lot I wanted to ask you, Guardian of Humanity.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pull words out of your ass, jack. Such ass kissing is unflattering.¡± ¡°No, I mean it.¡± Lee Chun-gi lightly shook his head at a chuckling Limon, and continued with a stern look on his face. ¡°More than anything, I would like to hear about the Black Dragon Princess.¡± ¡°Hm? You¡¯re asking me?¡± ¡°There is no need to play dumb. I know you are in contact with her.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Getting caught lying, Limon replied bluntly. ¡°And why do you want to know about her so badly?¡± ¡°You have no need to know.¡± ¡°Bitch, what? You just blabbered that you wanted me to talk about her.¡± ¡°They are separate matters.¡± ¡®Heh, would you look at that?¡¯ Lee Chun-gi¡¯s impenetrable, stern attitude piqued Limon¡¯s interest. Limon narrowed his eyes and smirked. ¡°Hey, how about this?¡± ¡°How about what?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take turns asking each other one question. In return, I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯re going after the Black Dragon Princess.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yep. There was something I wanted to check before settling the score.¡± Lee Chun-gi looked at the grinning Limon, silent. But his response would not take long. Not only did he stand to gain much more from this offer, his ¡¸Lie Detection¡¹ confirmed that Limon was being honest. ¡°Alright. Shoot first.¡± Limon put on a satisfactory smile as Lee Chun-gi gave him the opportunity to ask first. ¡°Okay, then¡­¡± In an instant, an ice cold voice rang through the air. Whoosh¡ª As if the smile on his face from moments before was never real, Limon looked directly at Lee Chun-gi with darkened eyes. ¡°Was it your decision to force Na-kyung to do those things?¡± ¡°Who is this Na-kyung you speak of?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of her? She was my team member.¡± ¡°You know that I cannot know the name of every member on your team.¡± Limon briefly stared at Lee Chun-gi, discerning if he was being honest. The black light that allowed him to see Constellations only showed one of Lee Chun-gi¡¯s eyes with a stained glass mirror for a pupil. Besides that, everything else about him seemed normal. ¡°Then allow me to change my question. Who was sent to get rid of me?¡± ¡°Chief Park.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s their full name?¡± ¡°Chief Park¡¯s full name, you say¡­¡± Reaching into his breast pocket, Lee Chun-gi took out a stack of business cards. Shuffling through them, he picked one out. ¡°It says Park Hyun-gun here.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I need.¡± Limon no longer had any doubt in Lee Chun-gi. There was no way he would have known about Yoo Na-kyung when he didn¡¯t even know Limon only had one team member. And the business cards told him everything he needed to know. Someone who wasn¡¯t even interested in the names of those close to him wouldn¡¯t have looked into Limon¡¯s background and used Na-kyung. Lee Chun-gi was someone who would rather step forward to get rid of Limon himself, than meticulously scheme something so troublesome. That was just the way of an Absolute Ruler. ¡°It seems to be my turn now.¡± ¡°Yeah, what do you wanna ask?¡± ¡°Where is the Black Dragon Princess right now?¡± ¡°I dunno.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Not expecting such an answer, Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Think. How the hell would I know where she is right now, when I¡¯ve been here holding Jungkook hostage the entire time? Limon chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not like I put a tracker on her.¡± ¡°Then, I too, will change my question. When was the last time you¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, no.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± No changing your question. The promise was to exchange one question each. It¡¯s not right to change your question multiple times back and forth, is it? Was what Limon calmly pointed out, to which Lee Chun-gi refuted in a settled voice. ¡°But I answered your question after you changed it.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks for the gift.¡± ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s nothing in return?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a gift if you wanted something in return, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Indeed.¡± Lee Chun-gi¡¯s eyes stared at Limon, who was laughing with that dumb face of his. He nodded slowly. Snap¡ª! And with a snap of his finger, dozens of fireballs were created in the air. ¡°Allow me to test if you can say the same after I tear all your limbs off.¡± ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 26 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 26. The Infinite Monarch Bang¡ª! Pillars of blue fire cover the landscape as fireballs rain down from the sky like meteorite. Boom¡ª! Each flame was powerful enough to turn an entire building into mere ashes. It was quite literally¡­ Hell on Earth. Even with a body of metal, one would melt into dust in this hellscape. And yet, not even a single hair on Limon¡¯s body was burnt. He¡¯d already escaped the range of the meteor shower. No matter how powerful it was, Limon wasn¡¯t one to freeze in fear and take such an obvious attack. Although, Lee Chun-gi was just getting started. He lightly snapped his finger again. ¡°¡¸Blazing Torrent¡¹.¡± Roar¡ª! Any skeptic would¡¯ve been convinced that the fire was alive if they witnessed the scene. The flames engulfing the area squirmed by itself. It stopped spreading outwards randomly like a regular fire, rushing towards Limon instead. It looked like a living organism, with a mind of its own. ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother ever teach you not to play with fire?¡± There was barely any reaction out of Limon at such a sight. He lightly scoffed and planted his sword into the ground ¡ª stopping the living flame dead in its tracks. Such an action should have only scattered a bit of dirt. Instead, with the technique of a Swordmaster, such a simple motion turned Limon into a human catapult. Plow¡ª! A massive mound of dirt the size of a house rose above and penetrated the sea of flames, swallowing Lee Chun-gi whole. It was rather unsightly compared to the grace of modern weaponry, but it possessed a primitive ferocity. ¡°¡¸Weapon Embodiment¡¹.¡± Boom¡ª! Fortunately, the development of Civilization was not in vain. A self-propelled gun rolled up behind Lee Chun-gi, shooting a fireball which imploded the primitive cannonball. The satisfying nature of blowing the dirt monster apart was a feat that fire glorifiers, scientists, and military maniacs would all join hands to express admiration for. It seemed Lee Chun-gi had brought some oil to fuel his fire. Snap¡ª! Tanks, cannons, missiles, heavy machine guns, and all sorts of weapons. With a snap of his finger, the Monarch had brought in enough firepower to completely decimate entire armies of countries. ¡°¡¸Calibrate Bullseye¡¹, ¡¸Cursed Demon Bullets¡¹, ¡¸Defense Penetration¡¹, ¡¸Enhance Destruction¡¹, ¡¸Accelerate Projection¡¹.¡± With each casted skill, the guns lit up in different colors. And at the end of it, each weapon was radiating the colors of the rainbow. Lee Chun-gi raised his hands, as if preparing to conduct an orchestra. ¡°¡¸Concentrated Fire¡¹.¡± Taking a breath, he moved his hands in a downward motion. Kaboomboomboomboomboom¡ª! In concert with one another, the different weapons supported each other as they shot at their target with pinpoint accuracy. It could be regarded as Lee Chun-gi¡¯s 5th Symphony. The precision was something even the Aegis System* could learn from! *t/n: this is referring to the real life American Aegis Combat System. With multiple skills boosting their destructive power, each and every weapon far exceeded the standard capabilities of modern artillery. ¡°Hm.¡± Limon stood defiantly in the face of death, calmly observing the barrage heading straight at him. In three repetitive motions, his blade slid across 3 bullets individually. Swinging the sword in a circular motion, he redirected the bullets back where they came. Like a mantis¡¯ attempt at stopping a carriage. Just three meager bullets against countless explosive armaments. Although, the idiom was not used to mock one¡¯s imprudence. It was an ancient saying, originating from a mantis that once charged at a carriage, whose courage drove the heavens to turn the carriage around. And in this moment, Singling out a missile from the pile, the three bullets recreated the miracle of the mantis. BOOOM! While it normally would have been an advantage, the increased destructive power of that one single missile turned the bombardment into a hornet¡¯s nest. The more complex a machine, the likelier it was to break down from a single loose screw. And like so, the single missile caused a chain reaction. The sky was embroidered with flames. The moment an opening appeared, Fwip! Limon threw himself through the gap. However, Limon¡¯s attack only stopped half of the gunfire. And yet, there wasn¡¯t an ounce of hesitation or fear in his golden eyes ¡ª only the tenacity of a predator charging at its prey. Lee Chun-gi did not avoid his predator¡¯s gaze. Snapping his fingers once again, ¡°¡¸Gravity Manipulation¡¹.¡± The gravity pulling on Limon increases tenfold. ¡°¡¸Glacial Deluge¡¹.¡± Rain that froze everything it touched came pouring down. ¡°¡¸Dream Labyrinth¡¹.¡± A curse trapping all life in a dream was unfurled. ¡°¡¸Octagonal Barrier¡¹.¡± An eight-sided dome barrier sturdier than a bunker appeared. Each of the four skills were advanced skills that a high-level player could use as their main skill. It wasn¡¯t just a marvel to see Lee Chun-gi cast all of those skills in one breath ¡ª it went beyond what should¡¯ve been humanly possible. A series of sublime skills that only the Infinite Monarch could execute one after another, because no one would dare to match him. And still, Limon remained unfazed. He kept his gaze on Lee Chun-gi, taking three steps forward. Walking towards what could be considered certain death instead of turning around and running away was an act of ultimate stupidity. However, what Limon pulled off was rather shocking. Step one: he dodged the gravitational pull and downpour. Step two: he leapt over the barrier and the confines of the curse. Step three: he stabbed the Infinite Monarch. It was a sight that went against the natural order of the world. If he hadn¡¯t known beforehand and prepared for it, he would have been fatally pierced. But¡­ ¡°¡¸Spacial Metastasis¡¹. ¡¸Free Flight¡¹.¡± Limon¡¯s blade only pierced the air. As if Lee Chun-gi had seen it coming, he had quickly disappeared through the air before Limon even took his first step. He reappeared far above in the sky, where Limon¡¯s sword could not reach him. He looked at Limon, clicking his tongue in frustration. ¡°What a surprise. To be able to do that without skills¡­ How?¡± he asked Limon stoically. ¡°Who knows, jackass.¡± Limon wasn¡¯t exceptionally fast. He couldn¡¯t stop time, nor could he teleport. So how did he penetrate all those skills in just three steps to get in front of him? Limon was staring at Lee Chun-gi curtly. ¡°That ought to be my line. How did you see that coming? That wasn¡¯t something that could be dodged when you¡¯re seeing it for the first time.¡± ¡°First time?¡± ¡°¡­Heh. So it¡¯s ¡¸Foresight¡¹.¡± ¡® ¡¸Foresight¡¹¡¯. Considered the best in combat among the countless prophetic skills, it was rare and difficult to use. ¡°How many more flags are you gonna pull out of your ass, you damn clown?¡± Lee Chun-gi had already used dozens of skills since the start of the fight. In addition to that, any single one of the skills he used could turn anyone into a high-level player. And he had already used several of those. His ability to freely control dozens of fantastical skills was a complete oddity. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure myself.¡± Lee Chun-gi replied to Limon¡¯s sarcasm with nonchalance, and met his eyes. Why was Lee Chun-gi called the Infinite Monarch ¡ª the most unbounded of the Ten Great Monarchs? ¡°I stopped counting after I went past 3,000 skills with¡¸Skill Replication¡¹. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** It was often said: ¡°Common skills were a convenience. Rare skills were miracles. And unique skills transcended reality.¡± Of course, that wasn¡¯t arbitrary. It¡¯s true that the better a skill, the rarer it was ¡ª but a rare skill didn¡¯t always mean it was powerful. However, no one doubted that saying. At least, not the Ten Great Monarchs. And so, even players with similar unique skills gave them special names. Absolute, or cheat skills. The skills the ten Monarchs possessed were so special they went beyond transcending reality, into the realm of Gods. And among the ten Monarchs, the most god-like of their skills was the Infinite Monarch¡¯s unique skill:¡¸Skill Replication¡¹. In truth, Lee Chun-gi was incredibly devalued when he first became a player. That was because at the time, ¡¸Skill Replication¡¹ could only replicate one mediocre skill every ten days. Many laughed at him for getting such a landmine of a skill after making a deal with a Monarch-rank Constellation. But Lee Chun-gi rose above it all. He frequented the dungeon with the skills he replicated and gradually leveled up. Once he learnt more than ten skills, Lee Chun-gi had distinguished himself from others. By the time he learnt over 50, no one was laughing at him anymore. And as the number of skills went over 100 and the cooldown time for ¡¸Skill Replication¡¹ disappeared, he established the Infinity Guild. Upon surpassing 1,000 skills, Lee Chun-gi was given the title of Monarch. At this point, he was even able to replicate rare skills. That was how artful ¡¸Skill Replication¡¹ was. Now, even Lee Chun-gi himself didn¡¯t know how many skills he had. It was also often said: ¡°The day Lee Chun-gi learns to replicate unique skills, is the day the sole Absolute Ruler will rise.¡± Having the most potential among the Monarchs for his ability to control an infinite number of skills, he was the Infinite Monarch. The most powerful player. And at this moment, Lee Chun-gi wasn¡¯t holding back his infinite potential against Limon. ¡°¡¸Bounding Chains¡¹. ¡¸Wave Blast¡¹. ¡¸Venomous Pest Summoning¡¹. ¡¸Spatial Separation¡¹.¡± An intangible force swept over Limon after he cut off the chains that suddenly appeared on his ankles, and the space around him split in its entirety as he avoided the swarm of venomous insects. Narrowly skirting all of the skills, Limon shouted, ¡°Oi, take a breath some time, ya damn alien.¡± ¡°Did you not know? I don¡¯t need to breathe if I use ¡¸Skin respiration¡¹ and ¡¸Oxygeneration¡¹ together.¡± ¡°And¡­ how the fuck would I know that¡­?¡± Limon clicked his tongue. He¡¯d dealt with all kinds of skills as a PAB agent. And yet, he was experiencing more skills than he¡¯d ever seen before in such a short period of time. ¡®How many skills is this bitch using at the same time?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just the attack skills. From the cognitive skills such as ¡¸Parallel Cognition¡¹ and ¡¸Accelerated Cognition¡¹, to support skills like ¡¸Free Flight¡¹, there were dozens of skills Limon could confirm he was using. He was using all those skills at the same time, alongside attack skills. Even Limon, who considered himself to be quite far from human, found himself wondering if that son of a bitch used to be a human, too. ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 27 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 27: Fair and Balanced Since even Lee Chung-gi wouldn¡¯t be able to use a thousand skills at once, a thousand players at once ought to be stronger. However¡­ ¡®Tch. Fighting a thousand high-levels would be better than this.¡¯ For Limon, the ten skills Lee Chun-gi was actually using were more irritating to handle than a thousand-man mosh pit. Something like, the final boss being harder to beat than a thousand extras. Lee Chun-gi was a tricky opponent ¡ª he strengthened himself with various skills, while using multiple others together as combo attacks. ¡®¡¸Foresight¡¹ and ¡¸Spatial Metastasis¡¹ together? That ought to be cheating! What was especially troublesome were his defensive abilities. He saw into a future of being fatally wounded and immediately skipped through time to dodge it. Just using those two skills in tandem, Lee Chun-gi had skirted through Limon¡¯s attacks several times. Furthermore, it was indeterminate if those were all of the activated defense skills- Limon could only shake his head. Furthermore, Limon wouldn¡¯t know if he had any other active defense skills. Limon could only shake his head in frustration. ¡°The more I see, the less I understand.¡± ¡°The fuck are you talking about?¡± ¡°How you are this strong, I mean. You¡¯re not a player.¡± Lee Chun-gi was also shaking his head ¡ª in even more exasperation. The attacks he¡¯d thrown at Limon were more than enough to kill a Grand Duke several times over. Yet here was Limon, fending off all of those brutal attacks without skills. Not only that, he had nearly landed critical counterattacks multiple times. Taking into account the principles of the Iron Age, Limon was a massive irregularity. ¡°Up yours. The way I see it, you guys are the abnormal ones, acquiring all these abilities because of some stars in the sky or some shit.¡± ¡°That would make most of the human populace abnormal.¡± ¡°That just means the whole world¡¯s¡ª¡± Cutting off his sentence, Limon stepped forward. One step to cut through the golem Lee Chun-gi had summoned. Another step to slither past a lightning storm. One last step to target his opponent¡¯s blind spot. Due to his peculiar footwork, it was a strike that was bound to hit its mark if they had their guard down ¡ª no matter how far away they were. ¡°¡¸Spatial Metastasis¡¹.¡± Alas, Lee Chun-gi was unbounded. Not only had he not let his guard down to begin with, he¡¯d also seen himself getting cut with ¡¸Foresight¡¹ as well. It was at that moment, when Limon flipped around with a cold grin on his face. ¡°Dumbass.¡± He saw Lee Chun-gi¡¯s skill usage before he was even done with his three steps. Twisting his body, he lifted his feet off the ground before he landed. Slamming his sword into the ground, he used the force generated to boost him in the opposite direction ¡ª straight at Lee Chun-gi. It was a strike bound to hit its mark, no matter how far away they were. ¡°¡¸Switch¡¹.¡± Klang¡ª! But the strike would not hurt its target. Instead, it was blocked mid-swing. ¡°You seemed shocked, Swordmaster.¡± His sword hasn¡¯t been guarded against in a while. His white suit, his glasses, his ring. They were replaced with shining, golden armor, a crown of jewels, and a long, extravagant sword. Lee Chun-gi had instantaneously changed his equipment to meet Limon¡¯s sword. ¡°Did you really not consider that out of the thousands of skills I wield, that I wouldn¡¯t have a single one for swordsmanship?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases. https://discord.com/invite/ *** In all honesty, it was a fact that Lee Chun-gi was skilled with the sword. Although there were Monarchs who didn¡¯t quite excel in close combat, they all had countermeasures for it. After all, such a weakness wouldn¡¯t have allowed them to reach above the mountains, into the heavens that was level 100. This was especially true for Lee Chun-gi, the most versatile among the Monarchs. Clatter¡ª! Clang¡ª! Cling, ka-clicliclicli Cling¡ª! ¡°You¡¯re this good with swords, what have you been doing up till now, you little weasel?¡± The sword was pulled back and thrusted forward. As sharp as a needle, and as quick as lightning ¡ª Limon went for the heart. ¡°It is rudimentary for a player to adapt their tactics accordingly. I don¡¯t need to play by your rules, do I?¡± Whip¡ª! Limon¡¯s sword was met by another. A gauntlet over his hands, Lee Chun-gi slightly turned to tilt his sword to deflect the attack. It was a perfect guard. ¡°Then why are you sword-fighting now?¡± ¡°The first reason is because you¡¯re not giving me an opportunity to increase the distance between us.¡± ¡°Hm, agreed.¡± The distance between them narrowed and the sword swung rapidly. He wasn¡¯t expecting a critical hit. It was merely a light flurry of attacks to not allow Lee Chun-gi a breath to escape with ¡¸Spatial Metastasis¡¹. As insubstantial as they were, they were blocked easily. ¡°So? What¡¯s your second?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I will lose, even if I handicap myself like this.¡± Upon hearing that, the flurry of attacks stopped. Limon was completely flabbergasted as the Monarch¡¯s response. ¡°¡­Did you just jab that you¡¯re gonna beat me in swordsmanship?¡± Please tell me this is a joke¡­ It was Limon¡¯s way of being considerate ¡ª he¡¯d let it go if the man admitted it as a senseless joke. But Lee Chun-gi did not. ¡°Did you just jab that you think I can¡¯t beat you in swordsmanship?¡± Kerplang¡ª! With the tip of his sword fixed mid-air, the rest of it rippled like water as he waved the handle. Limon¡¯s sword flew back with his clever technique. Seizing the chance, he jabbed his sword up into an uppercut. Only to be blocked by Limon with only a wrist-flip of his sword, followed by a counterattack. ¡°Your swordsmanship is undoubtedly amazing. Most Grand Dukes would be unable to endure it.¡± Having mastered more skills than anyone else, Lee Chun-gi could be certain. Limon¡¯s hypothetical level was at least that of a Grand Duke. Barring a few exceptions, even level 90+ players wouldn¡¯t be his match. ¡°But in the end, that¡¯s all it is.¡± There was no emotion in his voice. No astonishment, no fear. Rather, a thorough analysis summed up in eight words. It was like he¡¯d just decided on a battle strategy after learning the attack patterns of a new boss monster. He spoke with the certainty of a player. ¡°Meaning: If I can use swordsmanship of equal or higher level than you, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem at all.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­ What?¡± The Monarch¡¯s stoicism was even more flabbergasting. Letting out a baffled laugh, Limon gripped his sword tighter and faced Lee Chun-gi with his chilling golden eyes. ¡°Your move, brat!¡± Ping¡ª! At once, Limon¡¯s technique changed. He started to violently charge, as if his technique from moments before was just him testing the waters. He followed through with a jab to the neck after slicing Lee Chun-gi¡¯s chest. Quickly changing the direction of his sword, he continued the unrelenting blade storm. It was fantastical sword play, the zenith of swordsmanship. And Lee Chun-gi stepped up to meet the challenge. Keeping a distance would have been the smart and obvious thing to do. Was it because of his pride as an Absolute Ruler? Or was he certain of his victory? Standing his ground, he guarded against Limon¡¯s storm. Ka-clangclangclangclangclangclang¡ª! ¡¸Noble Swordsmanship¡¹ refined the attacks. ¡¸Ying-Yang Swordsmanship¡¹ increased the success rate of counterattacks. ¡¸Universal Swordsmanship¡¹ gave a set probability to deflect incoming attacks. ¡¸Cosmic Sword¡¹ gave damage that had unconditional defense penetration. These were just a few of the swordsmanship skills Lee Chun-gi had in his arsenal. The countless skills would complement each other at times and get switched back and forth to enhance their effects ¡ª creating a truly godlike technique. It was another pinnacle of swordsmanship, one that only Lee Chun-gi could perform. And as the two unstoppable forces met, the superior swordsmanship was decided. A deep gash along the armor. A cut on the forearm. The blood dripping from a neck. ¡°Is there a problem, you fuck? Didn¡¯t you say you were going to crush me with my own skill set?¡± Lee Chun-gi was instantly bathed in blood. Seeing this, Limon let out a sharp laugh. ¡°Yes, and I still intend to.¡± ¡°How the hell are you still talking?¡± ¡°The game isn¡¯t over yet.¡± ¡°It already is.¡± Even an Absolute Ruler could not deny the reality of things. While Lee Chun-gi was dripping with blood, Limon didn¡¯t have a single scratch. But he wasn¡¯t going to give in. As if everything was in the palm of his hands, he replied stoically as he kept swinging his sword to fend off Limon¡¯s attacks. ¡°Who knows¡­ You¡¯ll see in time.¡± ¡°¡­See what?¡± Whether it was his pride that made him stubborn, or because he¡¯d gone mad from the shock of failure ¡ª Lee Chun-gi wouldn¡¯t give in at all. Whether it was because his pride made him stubborn, or because he¡¯d gone mad from the shock of failure ¨C Lee Chun-gi wouldn¡¯t give in at all. Baffled, Limon sneered at him. Klang¡ª! But the next time their swords met, confusion swept over Limon¡¯s face. ClingClangCling¡ª! Lee Chun-gi met Limon on equal footing. He twisted his shoulder midway through dragging his sword down to turn the attack into an upwards strike, and with another flick of the wrist, he saved an attack that would have missed otherwise. Limon¡¯s eyes widened at the swordsmanship technique that got faster and more refined as the battle raged on. ¡°No fucking way, this bastard¡­¡± ¡°For how quick you are, you catch on rather slow, old timer.¡± Uncertain whether it was rage, bewilderment or surprise on the Swordmaster¡¯s face, Lee Chun-gi mocked him. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t have the chance to back away? Because I didn¡¯t think I would lose? That isn¡¯t enough for me.¡± Lee Chun-gi had made it clear before. It is rudimentary for a player to adapt their tactics accordingly. Taking that into account, his actions had contradicted his words. Fighting with a sword, against Limon? It should have been the foolish, last decision one would ever make. ¡°I have been curious ever since I heard you took down 150 high-levels. How was that possible, with just a measly sword?¡± Even while talking, Lee Chun-gi did not rest his blade. Not sparing a moment¡¯s loss, he incessantly swung his sword around and continued to speak while observing Limon¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡°And now that I have fought you myself, I am certain. Your swordsmanship goes beyond the capabilities of a unique skill.¡± Taking on 150 high-level players would be impossible, even for a Grand Duke. However, Limon¡¯s swordsmanship surpassed that. With a bit of hyperbole, it was comparable to that of a Monarch¡¯s absolute skill. Even though Lee Chun-gi hadn¡¯t shown his entire repertoire of skills, Limon coming this far was evidence of that. ¡°And, you see. I¡¯m not one who can just let go of a fantastic technique.¡± His consistent stoic expression changed as his lips curved into a smile. With an eerie twinkle in his eyes, he stared at Limon. Satisfied with the system message he¡¯d been waiting for the entire fight, Lee Chun-gi spoke. ¡°Thank you for the Swordmaster¡¯s technique.¡± [Your accumulated EXP has met the necessary conditions.] [Unique Skill ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ activating.] [You have acquired Limon Asphelder¡¯s swordsmanship, ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹.] ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 28 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle ] Chapter 28: Acquisition ¡¸Skill Replication¡¹ A skill that replicated other skills. Its versatility was colossal, to the point it was called the most devious skill possessed by any of the ten Monarchs. But there was something people didn¡¯t know. Due to the nature of it being so exceptionally versatile, there were derivative skills that were in turn obsolete. That was ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹. A skill that allowed its user to acquire a ¡®technique¡¯ as a skill. Whether it was the performance of a renowned virtuoso. A world-class actor¡¯s acting, Or a legendary gambler¡¯s tricks. But no matter how incredible their techniques were, it was the Iron Age ¡ª it couldn¡¯t do better than any high-level player¡¯s skills. Rather than acquiring those techniques, it was much more productive to replicate existing skills like ¡¸Instrumentalism¡¹, ¡¸Performance¡¹, ¡¸Art of the Gambler¡¹, and so on. As such, after a couple of tries, Lee Chun-gi deemed them as useless, keeping them buried. But at this moment¡­ Lee Chun-gi was coming to a fresh realization that maybe keeping ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ all this time wasn¡¯t such a waste after all. ¡°Thieving bastard! You dare steal my swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡®Stealing¡¯ is a rather harsh word. I think of it as learning¡ª¡± ¡°My ass!¡± He seemed to get heated up from having his swordsmanship swiped. Hysterically, he swung his sword around with veins popping out of his forehead. The swings were so vicious, the Lee Chun-gi from a few moments ago would have already lost more than a couple limbs. Keywords: A few moments ago. Clang¡ª! He pressed his blade against the sword that was targeting his fingertips. And with a flick of his wrist, he wrapped his own blade around Limon¡¯s fingers like that of a snake, returning the favor. Twisting his blade, he deflected Limon¡¯s sword and turned his body to dodge the incoming attack heading towards his chest, and unfurled another blow. Bending backwards, Limon ducked under Lee Chun-gi¡¯s blade. As Lee Chun-gi dragged his sword down to attack the lower half of Limon¡¯s body, Limon struck the ground with his sword, escaping with the recoil. It was a long explanation, but what happened only took an instant. It was a hypersonic melee battle that Lee Chun-gi should have barely been able to keep up with. But things were different now. His speed wasn¡¯t falling behind Limon¡¯s! It was all thanks to the ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ he¡¯s just acquired from Limon. ¡°Indeed, your swordsmanship is fantastic.,¡± Lee Chun-gi awed. He already knew Limon¡¯s swordsmanship was exceptional ever since he fended off all of his skills. But after acquiring it himself, he had no choice but to accept that he had misjudged it. ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ was exponentially more incredible than he¡¯d thought. That was with its various revisions from the original in mind. Of course, a swordsmanship skill would obviously have revised, more refined versions. But the benefits of ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ were in another dimension. Starting with revised strength, speed accuracy, to a significant increase to critical hit chance and resistance, those were the basics. Then, there were more specialized effects, like in the case of additional damage or a critical hit to a demonic element or dragon kin, there was a high chance of activating instant death. Not to mention, the various utility effects like danger detection and skill destruction were the cherries on top. Even if Lee Chun-gi fused all the swordsmanship skills he¡¯d gathered together, it still wouldn¡¯t add up to be half as good as ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹. At this point, it was shameful to even compare anything to it. That difference in power brought upon the dawning realization of how Swordmasters received their title. Plus, the true threat of ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ wasn¡¯t just in its revision effects. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was possible to have more accurate foresight than the actual skill with just swordsmanship alone.¡± The changes in his fingers holding onto the sword. The miniscule squirming of his muscles. The movement and dilation of his pupils. The location and angle of where he set foot, and so on. Just as a grandmaster could see the end of a game with just a few starting moves on the chess board, By simply observing his opponent¡¯s every minute movement, he was able to anticipate their next move and attack accordingly. It wasn¡¯t any simple discernment ¡ª it was complete mastery. A formula for a promised win that cut down the chances of losing. Limon¡¯s predictions never missed their mark. ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ was a sword technique that integrated that very formula into itself. Realizing all of this, Lee Chun-gi came to accept why Limon was called an Absolute Ruler once. With swordsmanship like his, it was natural that he would have been invincible in an age where there were no players. In fact, even with a Monarch as his opponent, he would probably have somewhat of a tough fight. That is, well¡­ If only Limon¡¯s opponent wasn¡¯t him. Lee Chun-gi was in ecstasy knowing this truth. ¡°This is deserving of pride. Your swordsmanship has the worth of a thousand skills.¡± ¡°Oh really? And when did I ask you to judge my swordsmanship?¡± ¡°It is not judgment. It is merely acceptance.¡± ¡°The fuck did you say?¡± Lee Chun-gi was without a doubt one of the strongest men in the modern age, but even he still had limits. He couldn¡¯t replicate unique skills. It was beyond the limit of ¡¸Skill Replication¡¹, as well as for Lee Chun-gi. ¡¸Absolute Defense¡¹, ¡¸Deification¡¹, ¡¸Constitutionalism¡¹¡­ A unique skill that only one person can handle has power no other can imitate. Although it was possible to achieve similar results by combining numerous skills, it is impossible to replicate its unique characteristics. Thus, Lee Chun-gi was just one out of ten Monarchs. In truth, he wasn¡¯t able to become a complete, dominant Absolute Ruler. What made a skill absolute was its ability to single-handedly overthrow thousands of skills ¡ª that was a Monarch¡¯s power. But things were different now. The effects of ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ were better than most unique skills. It wouldn¡¯t have been an exaggeration to say it was halfway to being considered an absolute skill. That meant that Lee Chun-gi, the Infinite Monarch, was now the first being to have two absolute skills. And with this newfound power, he was confident he could even win against the Monarchs who had an advantage over him before, as long as he lured them into close combat ¡ª easily, in fact. ¡®Now¡­ If only I can get my hands on the Black Dragon Clan¡¯s treasure¡­!¡± His objective was the Black Dragon Princess ¡ª Limon wasn¡¯t even considered at all. But who knew he would acquire a gem like ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ from someone he thought to be nothing but an old-age fossil! While in ecstasy from the unexpected fortune, Lee Chun-gi formed future plans to get his hands on the Black Dragon Clan¡¯s treasure. All the while, with complete disregard to Limon, who was in front of him. ¡°This little shitty lunatic¡­ Are you seriously getting distracted in the middle of our fight?¡± ¡°The results are already set in stone, you see.¡± ¡°You already know. You are now absolutely unable to defeat me.¡± ¡°Say that after winning, you bitch!¡± It seemed Limon wasn¡¯t aware that his movements had become simpler from agitation. Calmly fending off his advances that had only become faster, Lee Chun-gi thought to himself. ¡®Foolish struggling.¡¯ From the moment he stole ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹, he and Limon¡¯s swordsmanship were equal. And unlike a civilian like Limon, Lee Chun-gi had the enhanced stats of a player, as well as multiple other revised swordsmanship skills. What will happen when they fight with the same sword technique, but with a difference in status? To put it simply, the winner was already decided. That was why Lee Chun-gi was only fighting Limon with a sword. In any case, it was his winning fight ¡ª taking down the Swordmaster with his own sword technique was the most respectful thing he could do. ¡®This will end in 17 blows.¡¯ Lee Chun-gi foreshadowed the end of this fierce battle. He predicted the entire process of him dodging the last jab and piercing Limon¡¯s heart with his sword. He was sure Limon was aware of this ending as well. And he knew he could do nothing to change it. Just as there wasn¡¯t a way for the king to escape a checkmate, this was no different than a definite conclusion. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** Or at least, that was what Lee Chun-gi concluded. Klang¡ª! That is, until their swords clashed for what should have been the last time. Lee Chun-gi failed to dodge Limon¡¯s attack. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ Successfully blocking Limon¡¯s attack at the last second thanks to ¡¸Foresight¡¹, Lee Chun-gi was confused. From the timing of his attacks. The speed of his swinging sword. To the force behind his movements. Not a single thing had gone astray from his predictions. So how couldn¡¯t he dodge the obvious attacks? Lee Chun-gi couldn¡¯t understand, but he still maintained his composure. And yet why couldn¡¯t he dodge the obvious attacks? He couldn¡¯t understand. Thinking that this was simply delaying the inevitable, he continued exchanging blows with Limon, and predicted its end again. 21 blows later, a cut to the neck. 34 blows later, a slash to the chest that would sever the arm. 79 blows later, a retaliation to the knee. Each and every move was thoroughly calculated according to Limon¡¯s swordsmanship. He was certain they would be fatal hits. But he missed the neck. The slash was blocked. The perfectly executed retaliation, had been retaliated back. It was a mystery how the results of his predictions weren¡¯t coming true. And the longer they fought, the more errors in his predictions showed up. The Monarch¡¯s face was gradually starting to lose its composure. ¡°Whacha doing, huh?¡± As if to sympathize with the Monarch, Limon sneered as he swung his sword. ¡°You said you stole my swordsmanship. Doesn¡¯t look like it though, does it?¡± ¡°What kind of buffoonery is this?¡± ¡°Hm? That¡¯s what you did, yeah.¡± Seeing the Swordmaster act innocent, Lee Chun-gi became certain it was his fault his predictions were going astray. Instead of focusing on ending the battle, he focused on Limon. ¡°¡­I see. Is that what it is?¡± ¡°Bitch, what¡¯s ¡®it¡¯ supposed to be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use playing dumb. I have already figured out your trick, you see.¡± ¡°The fuck¡¯s this little shit going on about?¡± ¡¸Observation¡¹, ¡¸Accelerated Cognition¡¹, ¡¸Detective¡¯s Deduction¡¹, ¡¸Master of All Trades¡¹, and many others. Finally figuring it out, Lee Chun-gi revealed a cold smile after clashing swords with the accompaniment of various skills dozens of times. [Activating unique skill, ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹.] [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword Analysis¡¹.] [Combining the skills ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ and ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword Analysis¡¹. There will be a significant boost to the skill effects.] The cause of why his sword missed at every critical moment. Lee Chun-gi was honestly amazed as he replicated ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword Analysis¡¹. ¡°Fear the old man in a profession where men die young.¡± How could Limon have made a nullification technique that was discordant with ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ in preparation of his swordsmanship getting exposed? It came from the thoroughness of a legendary hero who had experienced all kinds of battles throughout his long life. ¡°The joke is over now.¡± As long as he¡¯d seen through his tricks and acquired his nullification technique as well, Limon was no longer his match. There was no doubt in Lee Chun-gi¡¯s mind. But after dozens of more exchanges, he felt a sense of doubt crawling in at the fact he still couldn¡¯t push Limon to his limit. That is, until he re-analyzed his swordsmanship. [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword Revision¡¹.] [Combining the skills ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ and ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword Revision¡¹. There will be a significant boost to the skill effects.] Up to this point, all Lee Chun-gi did was furrow his brows at Limon¡¯s paranoid preparations. But he soon came to realize that that was only the beginning. [Acquiring ¡¸New Demon Slaying Sword¡¹.] [Acquiring ¡¸Overthrown Demon Slaying Sword¡¹.] [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword : Supplementary Edition¡¹.] [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword EX¡¹.] [Combining the skills ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ and¡­¡­.] ¡°¡­..!¡± He stole again and again with ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹. Limit to limit, counter to counter, nullification technique to nullification technique ¨C Lee Chun-gi couldn¡¯t conceal his confusion at the endless stream of new sword techniques. This had long past the point of thoroughness and paranoia. [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword version 3.7¡¹¡­..] [SYSTEM ERROR NUMBER xi11a0o44 ¡ª SUBJECT HAS NO TECHNIQUES TO ACQUIRE.] [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword version 3.8¡¹.] An error message popped out while he was frantically spamming ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ on the consecutive new versions of Limon¡¯s swordsmanship. It seemed like the system was too lazy to create new names anymore. ¡°¡­¡­No fucking way,¡± Lee Chun-gi swored. It wasn¡¯t like him to swear. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. He¡¯d just realized what was really happening. Limon hadn¡¯t prepared any nullification techniques ¡®just in case¡¯. ¡°You¡­ Are you developing new techniques in real time?!¡± ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 29 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 29: Sincerity ¡°Hm? Develop? I just touched up my technique a little,¡±Limon inquired. It was like he was asking why Lee Chun-gi was making such a fuss out of nothing. But the Monarch couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°How can you describe it as just ¡®touched up a little¡¯?¡± ¡°What? Actually, you should be able to do this too, since you stole my swordsmanship. It was an absurd remark. Limon¡¯s adjustments weren¡¯t just countermeasures that simply refined a movement here and there. They were vicious counters, reinterpreting ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ from its very roots ¡ª calculated so it can cut the opponent¡¯s head off the moment they attack with certainty of their victory. Even Lee Chun-gi himself would have died multiple times if it weren¡¯t for ¡¸Foresight¡¹. That was how high its degree of completion was. And thus, Lee Chun-gi gave in, assured that it was impossible for him. If he devoted the rest of his life to swordsmanship, he still wouldn¡¯t have been able to make a single nullification technique against the Swordmaster. ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ was just that perfect. ¡°Grip your sword right if you have the time to chat. I don¡¯t want to hear shit from you after you let your own guard down.¡± This was the very man who reinvented that perfect swordsmanship dozens of times. Limon didn¡¯t bat an eye. As if he was allowing Lee Chun-gi to steal, he continued unleashing attack after attack. ¡°Kurgh¡­!¡± Lee chun-gi ultimately had no choice but to use ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ as he fended off Limon¡¯s attacks. Although the newly gained technique would become futile in an instant, there was no other option to manage the new techniques Limon was creating at horrifying speeds. [Acquiring ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword Version 4.3¡¹¡­¡­] [¡¸Demon Slaying Sword version 7.1¡­ 11.5¡­ 19.8¡­¡¹¡­.] [SYSTEM ERROR xi111a0o44¡­] Clang, kaclang! Slash slash slash slash! It was an odd battle, no doubt. They were using the same swordsmanship, but its very essence was infinitely changing. With mind-breaking efficiency, monotony-crushing radiancy, blind, brute strength that cut off complexity, and high speeds that left the slow in the dust. Even a moment¡¯s rest was forbidden. It may have been the same swordsmanship¡ª no. Because it was the same swordsmanship, falling behind meant getting crushed ruthlessly. As a result, this was no simple sword fight ¡ª it was war. One created swordsmanship. The other stole it. An awful war based on pure skill, an endless loop of cat and mouse. Ka-clash clash clash clash clash¡ª! Generally speaking, this was an impossible face-off. Creating a new technique, stealing that new technique¡­ Both were things that should have been barely achievable, even after several years. Yet, the fact this kind of fight was happening simply proved how devious Limon¡¯s skills and Lee Chun-gi¡¯s ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ were. And it was clear who had the higher ground. There was no doubt it was much easier and efficient to steal than create, and to use skills than not. And yet, at this moment¡­ The one getting pushed to his limits as the fight went on was Lee Chun-gi. Clang¡ª! ¡®I¡¯m at my limit¡­¡¯ Lee Chun-gi voiced in his head as he swung his sword with sweat-covered hands to deflect Limon¡¯s blade. It would be too much to continue like this. At first, Lee Chun-gi was certain of his predominance. Unlike himself, Limon had to constantly invent new sword techniques ¡ª one that could overthrow every single previous reiteration that was swiped, at that. As long as Limon was human, he had to have a limit. And so, he believed that Limon would self-destruct as long as he bore through the battle. But the system messages popping up repeatedly showed him just how misleading his false hopes were. [¡¸Demon Slaying Sword version 93.7¡­.., 102.3¡­.., 142.1¡­..¡¹] [SYSTEM ERROR xi111a0o44¡­] [SYSTEM ERROR, SYSTEM ERROR¡­¡­] New versions came up hysterically like a game overusing patches despite having nothing to update, just to dig up every last bit of their playerbase¡¯s money. Not to mention, the pressure of having most of his vision covered from error messages. All of it only meant one thing. ¡®He¡¯s getting faster!¡¯ Rather than self-destructing, Limon was gaining speed the longer the battle raged on! He¡¯d gotten so fast, using ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ became futile. To activate ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ while fighting, there had to be a minimum amount of experience points. But Limon was creating new techniques, even before the previous acquisition would gather enough EXP to complete. There was no way for him to hold on any longer. ¡°¡­I guess I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± And that was why Lee Chun-gi surrendered. However, that didn¡¯t mean he accepted his defeat. ¡°Now, I will fight in earnest.¡± ¡°What kind of hidden OPMC trope nonsense is that? What, are you trying to say you¡¯ve been going easy on me this entire time?¡± Limon jeered. He¡¯d just miserably fallen behind the battle and lost; what nonsense was he going on about? ¡°No. It means that I will let go of my dignity if it means I can defeat you.¡± But Lee chun-gi did not give in. With an expression as cold as it was at the start of this brutal encounter, he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡¸Urgent Evasion¡¹.¡± Limon raised his brows. The instant he was going to cut lee chun-gi with his sword, his body disappeared and reappeared out of nowhere. But that was only the beginning. His swordsmanship became more accurate. The speed of his sword increased. A bright light seeped into his sword. His muscles surrounded by armor started growing to the verge of bursting. After strengthening himself with all sorts of skills, he struck his sword down like a lightning bolt. ¡°¡¸Super Smash¡¹¡± BAAANG!!! The force behind that swing could crush entire mountains. It was completely in a different realm than the strikes before. Deflecting it into the ground with a light twist of his sword, Limon asked calmly. ¡°What kind of joke is this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I was going to give it my all?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re assembling all your skills because you can¡¯t beat me with swordsmanship alone?¡± ¡°You are worthy of it.¡± It was the greatest praise Lee Chun-gi could give. He was accepting Limon as someone who came close to him. In the Iron Age where Monarchs were the Absolute Rulers, that was a great honor to brag about for generations. But Limon wasn¡¯t happy at all. ¡°¡­.I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve said this,¡± he contended in an eerily low, calm voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me that after you beat me? Delusional dumbass.¡± ¡°I will, if you insist.¡± Lee Chun-gi did not turn him down. He simply used his skills with his free hand as he declared he would. ¡¸Imperfect Doppelganger¡¹ couldn¡¯t use skills, but he could still summon one that had 80% of his status replicated. With ¡¸Revitalization¡¹, he re-energized his worn out body. With ¡¸Reflective Armor¡¹, he surrounded himself with a barrier that reflected damage. With ¡¸Shadow Blade¡¹, he applied an additional force onto his sword. ¡¸Foresight¡¹, ¡¸Crystallization¡¹, ¡¸Placid Mind¡¹, ¡¸Iron Man¡¹, ¡¸Tertiary Hand¡¹, etcetera. Having strengthened himself with a conglomerate of skills, he swung his sword to unfurl an onslaught. Kang, ka-clash, ka-clash clash clash clash clash clash clash¡ª! With an additional body, a far more superior status than before, and not to mention various specialized and supplemental skills. Having an avalanche of skills applied to himself, Lee Chun-gi¡¯s attacks were the definition of a human calamity. He was an overwhelming force, able to obliterate everything in his way ¡ª it was hard to imagine this was the same person who had been pushed to the edge just moments ago. But that was only natural. It was the true face of the Infinite Monarch, the ruler of infinite skills. He¡¯d fought with swordsmanship alone up to the point for the sake of his dignity, and to acquire more skills. Using a combination of countless skills was his true fighting style, and a way of demonstrating his true power as a Monarch. ¡®This is really the end now.¡¯ Was it because his swordsmanship was that exceptional by nature? Limon fended off the massive onslaught with just a single blade. It was truly awe-inspiring. But Lee Chun-gi was certain it was only a matter of time. ¡®You¡¯ve made a mistake, Limon Asphelder.¡¯ An ant can¡¯t befall an elephant no matter how sharp its fangs were. And Limon¡¯s swordsmanship wasn¡¯t a match to his true power, no matter how outstanding it was. After all, there was an overwhelming difference in status between them from the beginning ¡ª especially now. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have given me the opportunity to acquire your swordsmanship in the first place.¡¯ Perhaps Limon would have gotten the upper hand if it was before Lee Chun-gi had acquired ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹. Not anymore. Although he was unable to continue keeping up to Limon halfway through, Lee Chun-gi had already become frighteningly strong from just acquiring multiple versions of ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹. The revision effects from his status amplified his power as well. And with the increase in capabilities? It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say he was twice as strong as he was at the start of the fight. Furthermore, from the moment he acquired ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹ to now, there was no way limon could win when he¡¯d kept winning by a close ca¡­ ¡®¡­¡­A close call?¡¯ *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** Chills ran up Lee Chun-gi¡¯s spine. ¡®From the beginning up until now?¡¯ Lee Chun-gi felt a sense of incongruity. When he was only using skills before he acquired ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹, even when they fought cat-and-mouse with the swordsmanship swiping. He and Limon had fought by close call after close calls this whole time. He didn¡¯t think of it as strange until now. After all, he was the one who didn¡¯t give his full in the beginning, and he¡¯d purposely induced a tight match to acquire ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹. But what about after he acquired ¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹? Had the Swordmaster spared his strength when Lee Chun-gi was frantically trying to catch up to his new sword techniques? He couldn¡¯t have. He didn¡¯t have the time to control his force while his status was rapidly increasing as he stole more sword techniques against limon, who was hysterically creating new sword techniques. And yet, their dynamic never faltered. ¡®How can that be possible?¡¯ It was nearly impossible from the start for such an extreme fight where one wrong move would result in instant death to last this long. There were only two ways it could be possible: Either their capabilities were miraculously similar, or one of them was purposefully setting their pace down to the other. Hence why Lee Chun-gi thought if he actually gave it his all, it would be easy for him to break this dynamic. After all, he was the one who made this dynamic. But¡­.. What if he was wrong? What if he wasn¡¯t the one who led the scene from the start? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The instant he faced Limon after hearing his stoic voice, Lee chun-gi realized it for the first time. ¡°You said you¡¯d give it your all, didn¡¯t you?¡± Despite getting worked up, swearing, and jeering during the fight. Despite his emotional fits, The truth was that Limon¡¯s gold eyes had remained cold and settled, not once wavering. ¡°Then show me your true skills. When are you going to stop testing me?¡± And another realization. He¡¯d been drenched with sweat for a while now. But there wasn¡¯t a drop of sweat on Limon¡¯s face. ¡°Or.¡± Lee Chun-gi¡¯s face went rigid. Watching him, Limon¡¯s lips curved into a chilling grin. ¡°Should I show you first?¡± ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 30 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 30: ¡¸Overload¡¹ Lee Chun-gi was unknowingly holding his sword in a crushing grip. But it wasn¡¯t because of Limon¡¯s provocation, or because he was confused. It was because the instant he looked into those cold eyes, He instinctively knew that something had changed. Not even he himself himself could decipher what that ¡®something¡¯ was. As if he was looking into the eyes of a wild predator that had just broken out of its cage, Only his chilling instincts allowed him to reflexively avoid the next attack. ¡°¡¸Urgent Evasion¡¹!¡± Swoosh! As soon as the skill activated, Lee Chun-gi¡¯s body disappeared, replaced by a doppelganger. And a sharp blade pierced that lone doppelganger. A critical hit that would have killed not only the doppelganger, but also cleanly decapitate Lee Chun-gi if he was even a moment late. On the other hand, it showed Lee Chun-gi¡¯s ability to dodge such an attack. But that wasn¡¯t something Lee Chun-gi could be happy about. Rather, his face strained. ¡®I didn¡¯t see that coming.¡¯ One reason was that he didn¡¯t have a clue how Limon¡¯s sword slashed through the place his neck was. And another reason ¡ª ¡°What? Are you amazed that ¡¸Foresight¡¹ wasn¡¯t activated?¡± ¡°¡­How did you just do that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much. Just a simple tactic you¡¯ll easily get a hang of when you wipe out so many foresight-using extras till you¡¯re sick and tired of it.¡± Limon snickered with a cross face. Lee Chun-gi clenched his jaw. Out of the thousands of skills in his arsenal, ¡¸Foresight¡¹ was one of the most useful skills he had to use in combat. It was one of the biggest reasons how Lee Chun-gi, who lacked in immediate swordsmanship skill, could manage to stand off against Limon in a fight equally. He could foresee and avoid the futures of him getting fatally wounded. In other words; as long as ¡¸Foresight¡¹ was blocked, he couldn¡¯t dodge the critical hits any longer. But there was a different reason why Lee Chun-gi was so shaken. ¡°Are you saying you have been going easy on me this whole time?¡± He could tell from that previous, single blow: Limon could kill him if he was set on cutting him. ¡°It¡¯s more of an engagement in reconnaissance than ¡®going easy¡¯. Isn¡¯t it common sense to test the waters when going against an opponent whose cards you don¡¯t know?¡± Limon answered calmly, and curved his lips into a sneer. ¡°What? Did you think you were the only one who could test the waters?¡± Lee Chun-gi did not answer. The Swordmaster was right. Perhaps it would have been a different story if it were any other player, but it should have been an act of suicide for Limon to test the Monarch when he had an infinite number of skills. Even before he¡¯d become a Monarch, he always engaged in reconnaissance against those who came at him with their full power ¡ª observing them to look for any skills worth taking. It was rare for Lee Chun-gi to be the one getting tested. He¡¯d come this far, just to get tested like this? By a mere goner like Limon? Without even being aware the goner could have sliced off his neck at any moment if he so desired? Lee Chun-gi felt something shift deep inside his heart as he grinded his teeth. It was too murky like the night sky to call it rage. Too rousing to call it defeat. And too fiery hot to call it embarrassment. He wouldn¡¯t have recognized it in the past. But he did after meeting ¡®him¡¯. The instant he sensed the mortification crushing him, Lee Chun-gi was already activating his skills. ¡°¡¸Limit Break¡¹. ¡¸Will of Conquest¡¹. ¡¸Restriction Release¡¹. ¡¸Future Sacrifice¡¹.¡¸Hero Creation¡¹.¡± Restrictions any human would have were released, and the limits of his body and mind were lifted. He incinerated a part of his status to erupt the capacity of his skills to another level, and pushed his potential to the extreme for his objective. It was a double edged sword ¡ª in return for getting extremely powerful for some time, he would have to endure terrible after effects. A combination of skills he¡¯d combined hundreds of ways with the determination that he¡¯d surpass ¡®him¡¯. The one and only original thing the Infinite Monarch had acquired without taking from someone else. ¡¸Overlord¡¹ Embracing himself in that transcendent state, he swung his sword as he charged towards Limon. Klang¡ª! *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ *** ¡°Oh?¡± Limon raised a brow. It wasn¡¯t just the shock that made his hands go numb even though he deflected the blow properly. The feeling Lee Chun-gi got from Limon. Limon had felt it too ¡ª the ¡®thing¡¯ that those not giving it their all couldn¡¯t have. ¡°You finally wanna fight an actual fight now, huh?¡± Lee Chun-gi did not answer. He simply kept charging at Limon as he activated his skills nonstop. ¡°¡¸Super Acceleration¡¹. ¡¸Lightning Flash¡¹. ¡¸Windwalk¡¹. ¡¸Thousand Hands of Buddha¡¹. ¡¸Autorepeat¡¹.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ You¡¯re definitely a lot better than before. But this is enou¡­¡± ¡°¡¸Lion¡¯s Heart¡¹. ¡¸Supernatural Ghost¡¹. ¡¸Muscular Surge¡¹. ¡¸Mystery Power¡¹. ¡¸Super Strength¡¹.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still far from¡­¡± ¡°¡¸Elemental Fusion¡¹. ¡¸Lightning Enchantment¡¹. ¡¸Flame Enchantment¡¹.¡¸Frost Enchantment¡¹ .¡¸ Curse Enchantment¡¹.¡± ¡°¡­Enough¡­¡± ¡°Weapon Embodiment, Spirit Summoning, Venomous Pest Summoning, Winged Monster Summoning, Earth Golem Summoning¡¹.¡± ¡°¡­Oi, stop.¡± ¡°Mystery Blade, Firebomb, Wave Blast, Spatial Separation, Gravity Manipulation.¡± ¡°You freak?!?!¡± Bang, ka-bang, kazapzapzap! Ka boom boom boom boom¡ª! Only two swords were clashing, and yet there were flames, lightning bolts, and a massive storm sweeping over the earth. Familiars sprang out continuously from all directions, including from the skies and the ground. And attack skills that could make even those familiars go flying came raining down. Limon was bewildered by the situation. He was already used to the endless stream of skills. After all, it was the Infinite Monarch¡¯s main strategy to use his infinite amount of skills nonstop. But this was different than anything he¡¯d done before. Hundreds of skills ¡ª all at once! They came rushing in more than rain droplets during a hurricane, as Limon cut and weaved without a moment¡¯s respite. ¡°Hey, ya little shit! I told you to show your true skills, not throw a skill parade!¡± ¡°Being able to throw a parade is a skill in itself. ¡°Are you listening to yourself?!¡± ¡°Talk as much as you wish. I will still be the victor in the end.¡± Lee Chun-gi answered coldly. Limon may have called it a parade, but what he was doing could not be taken lightly. Skills naturally get more powerful as they overlapped and stacked. Aside from the fact that most didn¡¯t have that many skills to use in the first place, the more skills that were used, the more stress it would place on one¡¯s body. Even using only two skills together brought forth symptoms like migraines and vertigo, and could even cause fainting if a player used them for too long. That was why most players stuck to only one or two main skills. But that could not be said for Lee Chun-gi. He¡¯d trained and geared himself so that he could use a minimum of 10 skills at a time ¡ª he¡¯d be no different from a pig in a pearl necklace if he couldn¡¯t use his infinite skills properly. And his efforts did not betray him. After all, using dozens of skills placed him on a different level as compared to just using one. Even Limon thought Lee Chun-gi using 10 skills together was more troublesome than dealing with a thousand players, each using one main skill. And here he was, using hundreds. At the same time. Lee Chun-gi was sure of himself. In this moment, he was confident he could take on hundreds of thousands of great players. And so, the name Lee Chun-gi gave to this version of himself was ¡¸Overlord¡¹ ¡ª his superhuman strength surpassing even the Absolute Rulers of this generation. Of course, it didn¡¯t cost him nothing. His head felt like it was exploding. He could feel his veins popping out all over his body as his muscles spasmed. Considering the substantial amount of skills he activated, it would be no surprise if Lee Chun-gi¡¯s heart failed him this instant. This superhuman state was¡­ In other words, an ¡¸Overload¡¹ of his limits. *t/n: ¡®Overlord¡¯ and ¡®Overload¡¯ have the same pronunciation in Korean; this is meant to be a pun. Yet Lee Chun-gi did not stop. As if he was going to take down Limon no matter what became of him, He was constantly reviving his failing body with a healing skill as he threw more skills at Limon. ¡°¡­Indeed, I understand that this is your truth,¡± Limon slowly muttered as he deflected the downpour of skills with his sword. He could tell from a single glance. Lee Chun-gi was taking years off of his own lifespan for this fight alone. ¡°But I still have to ask¡­ Is that it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Is that everything ¡®you guys¡¯ can show me?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Limon was staring straight at him. Lee Chun-gi flinched, furrowing his brows at the incomprehensible question. He¡¯d just seen Limon¡¯s pitch black orbs, almost looking bored despite seeing the superhuman ¡¸Overlord¡¹. *pr/n: Yes, pitch black orbs. ¡°Alright, if you say so.¡± Limon nodded. He¡¯d understood despite not hearing the answer. Holding his sword in both hands, he spoke in a low voice. ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± In that moment, Lee Chun-gi¡¯s pupils shrunk. Not just because this was the first time Limon had gripped his sword with both hands this entire fight. And not because even just looking at his stance gave him the chilling sensation of a cold blade against his neck. It was because his instincts from entering the dungeon countless times told him. To run immediately. To not let that man swing his sword. That if he did, everything would come to an end. Clench. Lee Chun-gi ignored the warning his instincts gave him. No, he denied it. The pride of a Monarch wouldn¡¯t accept him running away. And so he charged at Limon. Clenching his jaws until his gums started to bleed, he activated his skills with all his might. ¡°¡¸Demon Slaying Sword¡¹, ¡¸Blade Storm¡¹, ¡¸Super Smash¡¹, ¡¸Asura Bloodbath¡¹, ¡¸Magic Sword¡¹, ¡¸Elemental Fusion¡¹, ¡¸Glacial Deluge¡¹, ¡¸Colossal Circle of Hell¡¹, ¡¸Thunderbolt Hell¡¹, ¡¸Wave Blast¡¹, ¡¸Spatial Separation¡¹, ¡¸Defense Penetration¡¹, ¡¸Enhance Destruction¡¹¡­¡± He¡¯d gone past even the limits of ¡¸Overlord¡¹, determined to give his own life. From swordsmanship skills, attack skills, to support skills¡­ Lee Chun-gi had activated a total of a thousand skills! The shockwaves alone burst his veins and ruptured his muscles, as blood from his mangled organs shot up his throat. His brain felt like it was melting. Countless skills swept over in every possible direction. Its fallout alone cut, torrefied, and froze his flesh and skin. Yet he did not stop. He simply continued to launch the 1000 skills, jumbling around in chaos towards Limon. It was earth-shaking. A catastrophic storm that would crush mountains, turn cities into ruins, and make entire oceans evaporate. Even if Limon could manage to dodge that, the fallout alone could make him go flying dozens of kilometers. It was harrowing. But Limon did not budge despite facing the torrent of skills. He only moved his sword in with a tranquil face. A movement that wasn¡¯t fast, Powerful, Or even remotely flashy. Rather, it was exorbitantly slow. Soft, calm, elegant, and beautiful ¡ª a single, silent movement of his sword resembling that of a sword dance. The moment his lethargic sword reached the end of its path¡ª ¡°¡´The essence of the Demon Slaying Sword: Demons fall from the sword like dew on a blade of grass.¡µ¡± The world split apart, A thousand skills crumpled, And a single stream of light pierced the Infinite Monarch. ¡ª¡ª Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.com/invite/ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 31 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 31: The Right ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Out came scarlet foreign substances and hot blood immediately after opening his mouth. It was evident his internal injuries would be life-threatening if he didn¡¯t get treated immediately. But in spite of that, Lee Chun-gi really did not care. Not just because he¡¯d already seen this coming when he went surpassed ¡¸Overlord¡¹¡¯s limits and used 1000 skills at once, But because there was a much more grievous issue at hand. ¡°What¡­ was that?¡± Lee Chun-gi slowly raised his head to the white-haired man standing in front of him. ¡°What the hell was that¡­?¡± He interrogated Limon, his bloodshot eyes staring straight at him. Before he collapsed, he¡¯d seen a light. It was neither fast nor powerful, yet he was unable to avoid or block the force that made the 1000 skills he¡¯d put everything into evaporate like dewdrops in the morning sunlight. What was that thing, so beautiful and entrancing? ¡°The Demon Slaying Sword.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. There is no such technique in the Demon Slaying Sword!¡± Lee Chun-gi fumed. He¡¯d not only acquired the Demon Slaying Sword through¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹, but also some of Limon¡¯s variations ¡ª there wasn¡¯t a doubt in his mind that what he saw was not that. Such a ridiculous technique didn¡¯t exist within the Demon Slaying Sword, and it would be impossible to create such a skill in such a short period of time, even for Limon. Limon jeered at the ever-so-puzzled Lee Chun-gi. ¡°What, did you think the Demon Slaying Sword was yours?¡± ¡°At the very least, I know I¡¯m second best to you.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true ¡ª well, if it¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± Limon didn¡¯t deny the truth. Though it may have been thanks to the cheat called ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹, it was a matter of truth that Lee Chun-gi had learned his swordsmanship properly ¡ª that is, under one condition. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about swordsmanship, that is.¡± ¡°¡­What the hell do you mean?¡± Lee Chungi asked again, throwing up more blood as if he¡¯d already read in between the lines of Limon¡¯s words. Limon took a step forward. Taking his time, he picked up Lee Chun-gi¡¯s sword that had fallen to the ground. ¡°I was impressed, to be honest. It¡¯s been a while since someone stole my techniques from a glance.¡± ¡°Are you saying there were others who could do that?¡± ¡°Well, would ya take a look at this conceited little shit? What, you didn¡¯t think others can do what you can?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon¡¯s lips curved into a mocking sneer as he saw Lee Chun-gi¡¯s brows furrow. He¡¯d hit the nail on the head. Lee Chun-gi¡¯s unique skill was ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹. It was a truly incredible skill, able to snipe every technique out there. But to Limon, it wasn¡¯t anything new to get his swordsmanship stolen. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that guys like you are rare. I¡¯ve only seen it from just a few of those who were called prodigies.¡± No matter where or when, there were always prodigies who defied the natural way of things. Those highly talented in the sword, in particular, often came to Limon. Among them were a few who learnt the Demon Slaying Sword in a dash. ¡°So when you copied my technique, I was kinda looking forward to how well you could pull it off.¡± The age when Swordmasters were the Absolute Ruler, many people wanted to learn the Demon Slaying Sword. And Limon offered it generously. After all, it was his duty as the keeper of the Swordmasters¡¯ Holy Sword Tower. But after the Iron Age opened its gates, the Sword Tower went bankrupt. In fact, only a few could even remember the name of his swordsmanship. And here was a Monarch of all people, going as far as to use a skill to steal it on purpose. It was quite ironic. And something Limon had longed for ¡ª enough that he gave guidance by creating new variations of the technique, like he would back in the days when he was the keeper of the Sword Tower. Although, the end result was disappointing. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the Demon Slaying Sword, even now.¡± ¡°Just what do I not know about the Demon Slaying Sword?¡± ¡°What do you not know, huh¡­¡­ You really come off as someone who knows the ins and outs of my swordsmanship since you say it like that, you know?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Lee Chun-gi was sure of himself. ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ was an absolute skill. As long as he used that to acquire the Demon Slaying Sword, there couldn¡¯t be a sword technique he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Limon scoffed. ¡°Then do you know the way of the Demon Slaying Sword?¡± Limon asked, looking over Lee Chun-gi¡¯s blade. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you know why the Demon Slaying Sword only uses one hand. How it enables you to see your opponent¡¯s movements, where and how to hold the sword, and why you make the movements you do when you swing your sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± For a moment, Lee Chungi was at a loss for words. ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹ taught him everything about the Demon Slaying Sword. But it only taught him everything about how. Not why. If it was any ordinary swordsmanship, he could have analyzed it using skills like ¡¸Swordsmanship Theory¡¹ and ¡¸Master of All Trades¡¹. But the Demon Slaying Sword was much too cryptic to be understood with skills as simple as those. ¡°What about the meaning of the Demon Slaying Sword? Do you know who created this swordsmanship, for what purpose, or what kind of history and effort it went through to be completed?¡± Once again, Lee chun-gi could not answer. There was no way he could have known those miniscule details when he didn¡¯t even know Limon¡¯s swordsmanship was called the Demon Slaying Sword until he¡¯d acquired it as a skill. ¡°Why are you talking about something so irrelevant?¡± And so, the only response Lee Chungi could give was a combative question. Limon stoically answered his hidden demand to not go off topic. ¡°Because that¡¯s the reason you can¡¯t make the Demon Slaying Sword your own, even after copying it all those times.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­Are you saying my swordsmanship was nothing but an imitation?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± nodded Limon, speaking softly as he caressed Lee Chun-gi¡¯s sword as if comforting a hurting woman. ¡°If you¡¯d understood the ways of the Demon Slaying Sword, you wouldn¡¯t have needed to copy my swordsmanship over and over again.¡± It was no different than a science; the area of any shape could be found if the formula was understood, and the result of any mixture could be predicted if the chemistry was understood. Swordsmanship was just another example of that. If the ways behind it can be understood, a thousand forms could be created and it could go against ten thousand techniques. ¡°If you saw through the meaning of the swordsmanship, you would have been able to see right away that my final blow was indeed the Demon Slaying Sword.¡± The first Swordmaster, the Sword Emperor, had created the Dragon Slaying Sword to slay the Seven Dragons. The Demon Slaying Sword was the result after the battle with the Demon King, refined over a long period of time by Limon. The fruits of a mere human¡¯s desperate determination, dolorous resentment, and great will with the superhuman fate of his world on his shoulders. The Demon Slaying Sword. Those who were not only ignorant of its meaning, but also unable to comprehend it even after seeing it themselves, wouldn¡¯t be able to ever use it properly. Limon smiled cynically. ¡°Swordsmanship without its principles or meaning is ultimately just an empty shell. What else could it be called if not imitation?¡± There was no doubt Lee Chun-gi had acquired the Demon Slaying Sword, and grew much stronger thanks to it. But in Limon¡¯s eyes? It was on the same level as watching a primitive caveman use a smartphone as a mirror. That¡¯s much too pitiful ¡ª it should be called a shiny rock instead. Anyways, it applied all the same when Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t know the origins or principles of it, let alone how to use it properly. There was that much of a difference between knowing and not knowing the principles and meaning in the Demon Slaying Sword. Yet, here was the Absolute Ruler of this generation, a Monarch, babbling on like he knew everything about it without even knowing the bare minimum. Limon¡¯s disappointment was indescribable. ¡°But then again, that¡¯s how you guys always are.¡± Lee Chun-gi wasn¡¯t the odd one here. Most players would be the same. ¡°You think skills are all that there is and turn your backs on everything else.¡± Those who dream of becoming a swordsman make deals with a Constellation that can give them a swordsmanship skill, instead of actually learning swordsmanship. Even if they feel their skills lacking, they¡¯ll rather find a better swordsmanship skill than wielding their sword themselves and training. If they¡¯re not strong enough, they go to the Dungeon to either acquire gear that grows their strength stats, or to level up. They believe levels and skills determine a person¡¯s worth and make it their life goal to acquire a good skill and level up. They take what they are given for granted, and don¡¯t care to know where from, and how it came to them. And they think of things as matter of fact, not even trying to know about anything they think is below their standards, laughing at it and how behind the times it is. At least, that¡¯s how the players Limon have seen are. ¡°Though, in that sense, you¡¯re a pretty open-minded bastard,¡± Limon snickered. That was no sarcasm. Limon was considered a goner in this era. It was unorthodox for a Monarch, at the very zenith of all players, to even get the idea to acquire his swordsmanship. If others found out about this, they¡¯d look at Lee Chun-gi like a madman experimenting with dog shit to see if it would work as an ointment. Lee Chun-gi asked in response, almost coming out like a cry, ¡°Are you¡­¡­ denying the existence of players?¡± ¡°What will I achieve denying the passage of time?¡± Limon shrugged. He had no means of disaffirming skills and players. Just like how democracy rose from the ashes of monarchy, and cars were created in place of carriages, He saw the advent of players as only natural. If he denied all change, he would have already been exonerated to some old country side with no connection to modern culture or weaponry ¡ª though even that would have been generous. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, you guys don¡¯t have the right to look down on things just because it¡¯s old either.¡± The swordsmanship he had put his blood, sweat and tears into was looked down upon, all because it wasn¡¯t a skill. The Sword Emperor, who sacrificed himself for the liberation of mankind, was mocked as a dead dotard because he wasn¡¯t a player. The title that was passed on for centuries to honor him and the heroes following in his footsteps were laughed at for being cringey. This would have made the nation flip if it was in the past. Fuck the internet, or whatever it may be ¡ª it was humiliation they would have had to pay in blood for. Especially since it was said to Limon directly, hundreds of times. ¡°If that¡¯s what you really want, then I don¡¯t care.¡± But Limon didn¡¯t think so. Taking his fingers off of Lee Chun-gi¡¯s sword, he continued, ¡°I know you¡¯re just going to take this as some old guy¡¯s nonsense, but let me get in my two cents.¡± Ka-crack. The instant Limon got his word out, Lee Chun-gi¡¯s sword cracked. Starting from the tip, the breakage spread to the entire blade, and the once beautiful sword instantly shattered into golden fragments. As if he was looking at a fragile lover¡¯s ashes, abandoned after giving everything to protect the one she loved, Limon watched the remains of the sword with saddened eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think bastards who couldn¡¯t even hear the cries of their own sword amidst getting whipped around by shit like skills have the right to be judging my swordsmanship.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 32 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 32: Monster, Player, Human. ¡°¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t condemnation, mockery, or humiliation. Limon¡¯s words were more like lamentation. Lee Chun-gi wasn¡¯t one to know of such an emotion. But right now, he could feel the feeling called ¡®shame¡¯. The Absolute Rulers of this Iron Age were the Monarchs. No matter what he did, Lee Chun-gi was deserving of his confidence. But not this time. ¡®This is deserving of pride. Your swordsmanship has the worth of a thousand skills.¡¯ ¡®Oh really? When did I ask you to judge my swordsmanship?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not judgment, but acceptance.¡¯ ¡®Ah, you¡¯re assembling all of your skills because you can¡¯t beat me with swordsmanship alone?¡¯ ¡®You are worthy of it.¡¯ He had judged Limon. He had accepted his sword. He had argued if Limon had the right to battle with him. Everything he spewed at Limon as if it were a matter of fact came back at him like a boomerang, piercing his heart. He knew, only now. How undeserving of his arrogance he was. To judge others, one must first be aware if they have the right to do so. To accept others, one must first be accepted by them first. Lee chun-gi failed to do so. He had cluelessly judged Limon. He believed he had the right to. And with a single swing of his blade, Limon had shattered that arrogance of his. He¡¯d proved his right to judge, but he¡¯d also proved Lee Chun-gi¡¯s unworthiness. Above all, his sword, crumbling in Limon¡¯s hands, made it evident. Arondight, the Sword of Immortality. A reward given to him when he reached level 100. A Monarch-rank item, one of just ten in the world. Bearing the [Indomitable] element, Arondight was the only weapon that was capable of withstanding Lee Chun-gi¡¯s thousand¡ª no, ten thousand ¡ªskills being used simultaneously. There was only one reason that the very same weapon had shattered like it was glass. It was Limon¡¯s last blow, no doubt. Though, he couldn¡¯t believe that a single sword movement was able to break [Indomitable] gear. That alone made it clear to Lee Chun-gi that Limon was on a threshold he didn¡¯t have the right to dare judge. And so, he had to ask. ¡°Why¡­ Why were you hiding this power all this time?¡± ¡°Me? Hiding power?¡± Limon looked like he was just told something outrageous. ¡°Oi, nutjob! The Seven Dragons Association and I have been battling it out for centuries! I knocked down the fucking Demon God with my own two hands! What more of my power do I have to prove?!¡± For a moment, Lee Chun-gi was at a loss for words. Come to think of it, Limon Asphelder was right. He was the Guardian of Humanity. He¡¯d stopped multiple disasters that could have turned the world over, and he was a hero to countless nations. Furthermore, he¡¯d held the throne of the Absolute Ruler up until the coming of the Iron Age. In other words, he was a man of greatness who had lived centuries showing off his power as much as he possibly could. And Lee Chun-gi had just asked him why he hid his power! It was ridiculous even to himself. But there was a reason he had to ask such a ridiculous question. ¡°But that all happened a long time ago.¡± Whether it was the ordeal with the Seven Dragons Association, or the Demon God¡¯s descent. They were all events from dozens of years to centuries ago. There wasn¡¯t possibly a way for there to be a record of just what kind of great feats Limon accomplished when recording mediums were rare ¡ª written documents or tales passed on by word of mouth at most. Plus, it was more than likely those would have been untrustworthy. It made sense people in the modern age believed it all to be the hyperboles often seen in records of the past. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking, why haven¡¯t you shown your powers in this era?¡± Once, no more and no less. If Limon had shown his strength just once, the Swordmaster wouldn¡¯t have met his downfall like this. Despite the fact the Iron Age revolved around players, no one would be idiotic enough to turn their nose up at a monster that could take down a Monarch. Why had he wordlessly accepted his downfall? Limon¡¯s response was crystal clear. ¡°Because it¡¯s useless.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Because there hasn¡¯t been a single case throughout all these years where I had to actually fight properly, you little shit. I hunted down the Demon God ages ago, and the war with the Seven Dragons is over. Where else would I use this strength?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª Cough!¡± Maybe his answer was that baffling to Lee Chun-gi. He once again let out a series of bloody coughs that had just barely stopped and asked¡ª interrogated ¡ªLimon. ¡°Does that even make sense to you?¡± ¡°So what if it doesn¡¯t?¡± But Limon came out confident as always, even jeering, as he looked down on Lee Chun-gi. ¡°Are you saying I should have hunted you Monarchs down to prove I¡¯m strong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Once again, Lee Chun-gi was at a loss for words. Unable to go into dungeons and not able to have a level, the only way Limon could prove himself was to create actual fights. Like he was doing right now. No, it was possible even that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Even if Limon won a fight against a Monarch, the masses were bound to believe that he¡¯d won through sheer coincidence, luck, or by cheating in some way. Just like how Lee Chun-gi himself didn¡¯t think Limon would be his match, even after annihilating two Grand Dukes and 150 high level players. No matter what proof there was, Or what the records state, People only believe what they want to believe. What could Limon do to overcome that distrust? He might have to take down all ten Monarchs entirely. ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s called when I beat up easy marks and boast about how strong I am?¡± Lee Chun-gi couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°It¡¯s called bullying, you loser.¡± ¡°Did you just compare the Monarchs to ¡®easy marks¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fact.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®How does calling an easy mark as what it is make it a comparison?¡¯ Limon blatantly mocked. Lee Chungi couldn¡¯t bring himself to object. Here he was, utterly defeated after getting tantalized in a one-sided battle. He was living proof that Limon was right. But that didn¡¯t seem to give Limon too much joy. He let out a sharp exhale seeing Lee Chun-gi¡¯s deeply furrowed brows. ¡°It looks like my direct words don¡¯t work well on you. Let me give you some comparisons like you want.¡± ¡°¡­How kind of you,¡± Lee Chun-gi stated flatly, emotionless. Limon didn¡¯t care. He simply continued in a calming voice, ¡°let¡¯s say a huge bomb¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s say there¡¯s a bomb with the force of about ten million tons of TNT.¡± ¡°Do you even know how much that is?¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up and listen, shithead.¡± ¡®How can a bomb that has enough destructive power to level an entire city exist?¡¯ Limon crushed Lee Chun-gi¡¯s cynical question as he went on. ¡°You¡¯ve got the bomb switch in your hands. But the neighborhood kids, with snot running down their noses, don¡¯t believe such a bomb exists. Rather, they look down on you, trying to attack you.¡± Limon crouched down in front of Lee Chun-gi. Now eye-to-eye, he asked the Monarch in a low voice. ¡°Would you set that bomb off to prove it to those kids?¡± Lee Chun-gi¡¯s face stiffened. He¡¯d finally understood. Limon was asking what difference it would be to blowing a bomb up if he¡¯d displayed his full power just to prove a point. ¡°¡­Who would do such a crazy thing?¡± ¡°You think they wouldn¡¯t? Really?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°One thing I learned as a PAB agent is that none of you guys take your powers seriously.¡± Swordsmanship, Psionics, magic, elementalism, whatever. There were plenty of powers that ruled the world in the past as well, but none of them were as easy to acquire as skills. It¡¯s not that that was a bad thing. The problem was the side effects that came with that. ¡°You got it easily, so you use it easily. Instead of considering whether or not you should even use it, you think about how to use it to be more advantageous to yourselves.¡± There were no masters to teach them the meaning behind having power. They weren¡¯t even given time to build pride and principle in their work. They were just desperate to show off their gifted powers. Just like how anyone would want to show off when they suddenly get a good item or a high score in a game. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s only natural.¡± Limon didn¡¯t chastise that fact. He stoically accepted it. ¡°After all, you¡¯re still just players.¡± The emblem of success in this age that everybody aspired to be. For the first time, Lee Chun-gi realized that it could also be a name mocking those living life as if it were a game. ¡°Well, not that I care if you do, anyways. It¡¯s not like people use their powers properly just because it was hard earned. ¡®Then why did you make that comparison?¡¯ Lee Chun-gi asked in his head. ¡°Speaking of which, have you ever heard of this saying? ¡®With great power comes great responsibility.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard something similar,¡± he replied, barely staying calm. High level players played a big role in society in this age. And there were plenty of catchphrases encouraging responsibility to promote their activities. So Lee Chun-gi figured Limon was just trying to tell him that self-control was a part of responsibility. But Limon assured him, ¡°That¡¯s total bullshit, you know.¡± Believing that kind of stuff would ruin you. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as responsibility in power. There¡¯s no such thing as getting reprimanded for not being good at using your powers. In fact, you get more benefits the more irresponsible you are with it.¡± ¡®Noblesse oblige¡¯ or whatever it is, the rules of responsibilities have been around for ages. But it was rare to see instances where such rules were properly kept, and most of the few who tried to follow the rules met their downfall. With his long life giving more weight to his experiences, Limon spoke plainly. ¡°See, the world is unfair.¡± ¡°What, are you trying to spread pessimism?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you how easy it is to mishandle power.¡± It is entirely up to the powerful on how and when to use their powers because there is no responsibility. And as far as Limon knew, those who achieved wealth and honor¡ª no matter the era ¡ªwere those who abused their powers after realizing that truth. ¡°You¡¯re right, there is no reason for me not to show off. I can be on top of the world and make everyone crawl at my feet if I become a bully just once.¡± Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be the case for others, but for Limon, it would be a piece of cake. If the people wouldn¡¯t get it after he threw down one Monarch, all he had to do was repeat that over and over again until they did. But Limon laughed at such an easy task and added on more suppositions. ¡°But what will happen after 30 years?¡± ¡°When the next generation forgets my power and turns their noses up at me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll end up being a bully again in just the span of 30 years. A lot more tyrannical and substantial than I did before, on top of that.¡± It was a point Lee Chun-gi had not thought of as a Monarch. From the beginning, players had a stage called the Dungeon to show their power. There wasn¡¯t any need to consider any impact or consequences their skills might bring. ¡°Do you know what happens when you use your powers like that?¡± On the other hand, here was this man who knows nothing but sword-wielding. The man who has no choice but to prove himself through battle. The man who lived long enough to add a ¡®just¡¯ in front of ¡®30 years¡¯, who would continue to live even longer. A cold smile formed on Limon¡¯s face. ¡°You become a monster.¡± ¡°Commiting murder for no good reason other than to show off how strong you are. Biologically immortal without knowing when to yield. Forever holding power in your hands. Abusing it until one day, that monster destroys the world for entertainment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lee Chun-gi fell into a deep silence. Limon¡¯s unwavering voice sounded like he¡¯d seen such a monster first-hand before. His golden eyes were dark and settled down, colder than anything he could imagine. It made it impossible to let a word out. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t,¡± Limon spoke calmly. It was the one reason why he accepted his downfall even after losing everything, until he was falsely charged of treachery. ¡°I didn¡¯t, because I¡¯m a human.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 33 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle ] Chapter 33: And You Still Call Yourself Human? Limon Asphelder. The man who was thought to have fallen behind the times. The hero was called the ¡®Guardian of Humanity¡¯ in years past. The one claiming to be human even after the unthinkable feat of defeating a Monarch with that superhuman strength of his. Watching him, Lee Chun-gi understood. Swordmasters¡­ They didn¡¯t borrow supernatural powers from anything divine, let alone Constellations. They were able to achieve their eternal youth and immortality through studying the blade alone. They were beyond superhuman, and even the dragons and Demon God feared them. They were the true monsters. They were the Absolute Rulers who ruled over all things atop their thrones at the peak of this world. And the man in front of him at this very moment was the very last surviving Swordmaster. ¡°¡­Does someone who claims he doesn¡¯t want to show off hold the President hostage and wreak havoc?¡± Why? Although, he already knew the answer. Lee Chun-gi, unable to contain his uneasiness, found himself ridiculing Limon. He was met with a scoff. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t want to be a monster. That doesn¡¯t mean I want to be a fool, yeah?¡± Limon could let ignorant kids play their cute little tricks. But it crossed the line when they abused the fact that minors got lesser punishments when they committed murder, rape, and theft than adults. Killing such brats was his humane duty. Wouldn¡¯t saving his energy at times like this just be a ridiculous ¡®secretly overpowered character¡¯ trope? Limon didn¡¯t hesitate to call it out. This was not a viewpoint that could be formed just from living long enough to have seen the rise and fall of entire nations. Lee Chun-gi could tell. Like an elder who lived his entire life growing a garden treating every blossom and branch like a child, This was coming from someone who saw a nation with thousands of people as his duty to protect and look after. ¡®Is this, the eyes of an Absolute Ruler¡­?¡¯ Has he himself, even once, ever seen the world with that mindset? Lee Chun-gi let out a laugh. He knew better than anyone else that there was no way he did. Lee Chun-gi was a Monarch first and an Absolute Ruler second. It was just as Limon said. No matter how high his level was, Lee Chun-gi was just a player who had lived his whole life only thinking about how to use the power he had. ¡°Can I ask you one last question?¡± ¡°You¡¯re one funny bastard. Why are you asking for permission now when all you have been doing is ask away?¡± Limon inquired, baffled. But that remark didn¡¯t deter Lee Chun-gi. Limon didn¡¯t say no, after all. He continued in a low voice. ¡°That principle and meaning of the Demon Slaying Sword you speak of¡­ Does that mean I¡¯ll be able to use a sword like that if I understand it?¡± One could think his question came out of the blue. But Limon wasn¡¯t taken aback. He only looked at Lee Chun-gi like he¡¯d anticipated that question coming since the beginning, like Lee Chun-gi had been holding it in until now. With a snicker he replied,¡±No, that¡¯s just the bare minimum for you to be worthy of learning it.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°I was able to get an answer, at least.¡± He spoke in a somber tone. It would be a lie to say he wasn¡¯t a bit saddened. Limon¡¯s sword variations were so blissfully beautiful, the fact that he couldn¡¯t learn it alone made him grief-stricken. But he wasn¡¯t disappointed. Thanks to Limon¡¯s response, he could be certain of one thing: The sensation he felt after acquiring the Demon Slaying Sword¡ª albeit, an empty shell of it ¡ªand going head to head with Limon¡¯s constantly changing sword movement repeatedly¡­ The serenity within Limon¡¯s final attack. ¡®¡­¡­Indeed, he is a monster.¡¯ He managed to pierce through a thousand of his skills. In a single breath, he was able to shatter the Indomitable Sword. One might even dare to say that it was the ultimate attack. Lee Chun-gi was absolutely certain that none of the Monarchs, not even one, would have been able to deflect Limon¡¯s sword. But even that ¡®ultimate attack¡¯ was just one of the many fantastical variations Limon could have used to take him down. Unlike his [Overlord], it was not Limon¡¯s most powerful move. If Limon could perform such an attack without giving it his all, what would it look like if he did give it his all? An opponent that could contend against Limon¡­ Would such an opponent even exist? ¡®If all the Monarchs charged in at the same time¡­ Would that be enough to bring out his full power?¡¯ Lee Chun-gi found himself lost in his thoughts. He didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of Limon losing such a battle. Even if all the Monarchs, each with borderline indefensible skills. were pitted against Limon, it was still unfathomable to imagine him losing. The extent of Limon¡¯s power had been that incomprehensibly strong to the Infinite Monarch. Unlike himself and the others who gained power through cheat skills and went around acting like Absolute Rulers, Limon had ruled over that throne with his very own being. ¡°¡­How ridiculous.¡± ¡°Who? You?¡± ¡°Close.¡± Lee Chun-gi replied to Limon¡¯s sneer with stoicism. Indeed, it was true. He was ridiculous for doing his utmost to surpass ¡®him¡¯, blissfully Perhaps, it was because he¡¯d let go of his futile tenacity ¡ª Despite being covered head to toe in his own blood, there was only tranquility resting on Lee Chun-gi¡¯s face. ¡°No regrets anymore?¡± Limon chuckled. ¡°It would be a lie to say I don¡¯t, but I am ready¡ª¡± The Monarch coughed again, another surge of blood gushing out of his mouth. He looked straight into Limon¡¯s golden eyes. ¡°Now, end me.¡± His body had already gone beyond its limits. The only reason he was still alive was all thanks to the dozens of survival and healing skills he had. But even those were just barely enough to keep him together in one piece. There was no more energy left in him to keep fighting or to make a run for it. He¡¯d gotten the answers to all of his questions and accepted his fate. ¡°I see you¡¯re not indecent enough to beg for your life,¡± said Limon with surprise in his voice. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I still have some dignity as a Monarch.¡± ¡°Regardless of whether they were Monarchs or nobles, not many have kept up their dignity while in their final moments.¡± Limon spoke from experience. He¡¯d killed plenty of humans who begged for their lives, giving up their own children and fortune the minute a sword was put against their necks. Lee Chun-gi¡¯s argument was simple and concise. ¡°I am not them.¡± ¡°What a wise answer to a silly question,¡± Limon snickered, taking his sword back out from his sheath as he stood up. ¡°Anyway, I shall do as you ask, since you say that you¡¯re ready.¡± He held out his sword with an ice cold expression, as if his cheerfulness from moments before had all been some kind of hallucination. Lee Chun-gi did not look away from the Swordmaster¡¯s golden gaze. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** It was at that moment¡­ Ssszzz¡ª Limon¡¯s vision faded to black as he started to see things he couldn¡¯t before. He was quite used to this sensation by now. But this time, it was different. Unlike before, when he could see the Constellation alongside the player, Lee Chun-gi had completely disappeared from his sight. Instead, a certain something lingered in the spot Lee Chun-gi was in. But those weren¡¯t the reasons why it felt so different. Eyes. Eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, Eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes. The instant his sight turned black, he could feel tens of thousands of eyes glaring at him ¡ª gazes he didn¡¯t sense just moments before. There were as many as grains of sand at the beach, And they were as clear as a candlelight in the dark. Slowlw, Limon turned his head towards the sharp, needle-like gaze that dug into every inch of his skin. And he saw the source of the infinite stares. The true eyes of the Constellation. And he understood: At this very moment, there were tens of thousands¡­ Millions¡­ Perhaps even trillions of countless Constellations watching him. Pure, unbridled terror. Most people would have lost their mind just picturing it. There was so much power and gravity in the eyes of the Constellations, the beings that were beyond human cognition. ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± But the one person under the spotlight of their eyes did not waver. He took his time to look at each individual eye, embedded like stars in the night sky. ¡°Is a Monarch a piece too good to lose for you folks, unlike those other disposable pawns?¡± Thousands of players had been killed over the past few days by him. Not once during that time had he felt the impenetrable gazes and the pressure behind them. His lips curved into a twisted sneer. ¡°Or was the fight not enough for you? Did you want me to make the execution a spectacle as well?¡± It was closer to sarcasm than an actual question ¡ª A clear mockery of the immodesty to turn someone¡¯s death into a spectacle. He didn¡¯t want an answer. Immediately after, starlight fell from the night sky like a response to his interrogation. A white hand shot out from the squirming shadow that lingered where Lee Chun-gi was. Limon could tell. The hand came from the stars. He could tell it was greater than all the other stars. The very hand of a Monarch-level Constellation. He knew the intent behind it. After all, he¡¯d been through this once before. And so, he didn¡¯t hesitate to get into action. [The Constellation guarding the Infinite Monarch intervenes with reality.] [The ¡®Watcher of All Reflection¡¯ is¡­] ¡°You¡¯re in the way.¡± Slash¡ª! In the blink of an eye, Limon cut through the hand just as it seemed to write the system message against the backdrop of the stars without even reading it. Normally, that would have done nothing but through the empty space in front of him. But Limon¡¯s sword brought forth different results. Zing¡ª! [SYSTEM ERROR NUMBER k51e0i4 ¡ª FORCED SYSTEM DISCONNECTION DURING CONTRACT] [Fragments of the damaged Constellations absorbing into the recipient.] [The ¡®Watcher of All Reflection¡¯ is appalled, its finger severed.] A shrill explosion burst into the air as the system message shattered. Alarmed, the hand with a missing finger disappeared back into the shadows. The rest dwindled into fragments of dying light. It was proof that a mortal sword brought injury onto a superior Constellation Watching the glowing fragments in the air fall to his feet, Limon spoke in a low voice. ¡°This is my karma. This is the blood debt I must get back with my own sword, and that adjudication is up to me and me only.¡± This all started with killing Yoo Na-kyung. It was up to him and his bloody sword to decide who would pay for the cost of her blood and how. That was his duty and right for having a subordinate. ¡°This is a warning. I don¡¯t give a damn if you¡¯re a Constellation, don¡¯t get in the way of what I¡¯m doing.¡± He had a rough idea of what the Constellation was going to say, anyway. They would demand he spare Lee Chun-gi¡¯s life, like that of a treasured pet. Or they would order him to kill him like the audience in a colosseum. It was bound to be one or the other. It was like the carrot and the whip. If he did as they told, he would contract with a Monarch-level Constellation. If he didn¡¯t, there would be retaliation. Wasn¡¯t he just going to kill him anyways? Couldn¡¯t he just kill him and get rewarded by the Constellation? Nonsense! If the Constellation offered a contract in return for sparing Lee Chun-gi¡¯s life, would he have to give up the blood debt? Or if they wanted him to kill him, would he celebrate getting rewarded and get his blood debt? Whether he accepted or rejected any deal, the pure blood debt embedded in his sword would be gone. It would only be taking a life for his own calculated benefit, a murder. He didn¡¯t care if he made an enemy of all the Constellations in the world. Holding the very sword that pierced Yoo Na-kyung right this moment, he could not let himself swing his sword unless it was for his blood debt. There was only one exception. After it¡¯s been proven the Constellations had nothing to do with this matter¡­ Once they¡¯ve been brought down from the stars, he¡¯d calculate the blood debt with his blade on their throats. ¡°I don¡¯t want help or any other meddling with this. And I am not going to accept spectators.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if his way of thinking was behind the times. He could be acting foolishly stubborn right now. This was just how Limon Asphelder had lived his life. ¡°If there¡¯s someone trying to get in my way, get your noses out of my business. To those trying to watch, now is the time to turn away.¡± And so, Limon declared. He would not allow anything to get in his way, whether they were skills, Constellations, fate, or anything else. It wasn¡¯t towards any individual, but a warning to the entire world. A statement to threaten even the Constellations. ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­¡± Clang¡ª Limon slightly pulled back his sword as if to put it back in his sheath. With both hands on the handle, his icy, settled eyes looked up at the night sky. ¡°I¡¯ll cut you.¡± Instantly, the stars closed their eyes. It cannot be said that a star can close their eyes when it is not a living organism. And yet, that was the only way Lee Chun-gi could describe it. The iridescent stars that lit up the night sky disappeared in the blink of an eye as soon as Limon uttered those words. After the last hesitant star dimmed down, the world fell into darkness with the exception of the city lights in the far distance. In the middle of the pitch black darkness, Lee Chun-gi found himself asking dumbfoundedly as he watched Limon standing by himself. ¡°¡­¡­And you still call yourself human?¡± He asked with genuine suspicion as to whether Limon really was human. ¡°Sorry, but your time for questioning is over. Now¡¯s mine.¡± Limon completely disregarded him. Instead, he put his sword on his shoulder as he spoke in a chilling voice, ¡°It would be best for you to answer carefully.¡± His golden eyes were settled down as it had when he silenced the world¡­ Perhaps even more than that. They watched Lee Chun-gi with an unknown darkness lingering within them as Limon lifted the corners of his mouth into a cold, crooked grin. ¡°Your answer will decide how painfully you die.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 34 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 34: Something That Must Not Be Mistaken Despite its title as the finest and best hotel, the gates of Hotel Leviathan were rather quiet. Although they were incredibly selective with their guests, it wasn¡¯t because of a lack of people. Rather, it was because there were barely any guests who used the gates in the first place. And so, it was quite the occasion to see the gates of Leviathan, at this very moment, have its gates wide open past midnight. Most notably rare, was the beautiful young woman standing guard at the gate like a statue. She had been waiting since the gates opened. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you come inside now, Princess?¡± It seemed he couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. A masked man in a black gi stepped out from the shadows. Chao advised her to take a break, as it was already the middle of the night. Even disregarding the fact the girl had already stood guard for more than half a day, it was clearly the time to rest. ¡°I appreciate your concern, but no thank you, Chao.¡± ¡°The cold winds are not good for your health.¡± ¡°Chao, you¡¯re well aware that it doesn¡¯t affect me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The black-haired girl gave him a wide smile. And Chao fell silent at Li Chingwei¡¯s answer. Agreeing with her meant that there was no ground for him to advise rest, but disagreeing meant that he would be lying. She let out a small chuckle at his hard-headedness. ¡°Has there been any new information yet?¡± ¡°Yes. I apologize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something you should apologize for, Chao.¡± Li Chingwei softly shook her head as Chao hung his head in shame. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for anyone to get information from the Blue House, anyway.¡± That was no overstatement. In truth, it was quite easy to get information just hours prior. All the channels on TV were broadcasting headlines like¡¶Swordmaster holds hostage LIVE¡· and ¡¶Why Limon Asphelder committed treason¡·. However, all news regarding the Blue House was cut off after Lee Chun-gi stepped in. From the reporters to the support troops from great guilds, those who had been stationed near the Blue House had all backed away after Lee Chun-gi¡¯s orders to prevent any news leakage. At least the news stations and guilds backing off were understandable. But it was rather ludicrous to have even the military follow the orders of a civilian in an emergency like this. But people took it as the natural thing to do. After all, the power a Monarch wielded went far beyond those of a mere nation¡¯s leaders. ¡°If you could grant permission, I will dispatch the Secret Shadow Squad and gather information.¡± ¡°No. That will only endanger their lives.¡± Chao couldn¡¯t argue with that assessment. It wasn¡¯t that the squad was untrustworthy. Whether it be a big guild¡¯s treasury or a core facility of a national institution, the Secret Shadow Squad could infiltrate any place that physically existed. But this time, the opponent wasn¡¯t ideal. As long as the Infinite Monarch was inside the Blue House, dispatching them meant sending them to meaningless deaths. Due to his thousands of skills, Lee Chun-gi was an unpredictable monster with no weakness. Even the Secret Shadow Squad of the Black Dragon Clan, who once bled terror into each nook and cranny of the entire world would have to risk their lives to even approach the man. That was why Chao was so hesitant to ask. ¡°Do you really think he will be able to defeat the Infinite Monarch?¡± ¡°That is why I am standing here.¡± What good would it do to wait for a dead man? Li Chingwei gave a beaming smile, but Chao couldn¡¯t help but feel even more conflicted than before. Unlike her playful tone, he could sense the certainty in her voice that Limon would return victorious. ¡°I still do not know.¡± ¡°I understand. It¡¯s not easy to pick the winning side in a one-on-one fight.¡± ¡°¡­I meant the reason you have so much trust in him, Princess.¡± He couldn¡¯t understand how she could even think that Limon had any chance of defeating Lee Chun-gi. He may have been strong, but that was all in the past. There was no way someone with just a measly sword could go against the Infinite Monarch and his thousands of skills. Although that was considered common sense in this age, he could let that one slide. After all, the upper echelons of the Seven Dragons Association had a tendency of overestimating Limon. Perhaps it was due to their centuries-old quarrel. That was also a reason Chao didn¡¯t believe in Limon. ¡°Isn¡¯t he an enemy to begin with?¡± Enemy? That was a very cordial word to use in this case. Old foes, sworn enemies, natural enemies, adversaries, archnemeses¡­ Not a single word in the dictionary would be able to describe the relationship between Limon and the Seven Dragons Association. There was even an idiom dedicated to it ¡ª ¡®agree like cats and dogs¡¯. That was how deep their bad blood ran. For those reasons, Chao simply couldn¡¯t wrap his head around Li Chingwei¡¯s decisions. ¡°We don¡¯t know if he will hurt you, Princess. How could you¡­¡± His voice projected apprehension towards their long sworn enemy, concern about the Princess he held in such high regard, and doubts at her decisions. ¡°Chao.¡± WIth just a word, Chao was silenced. Using merely a soft call to cut Chao off, Li Chingwei smiled with content. ¡°I am always grateful for your sincerity and loyalty.¡± She may have been the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan, but she didn¡¯t get unconditional support from every member of the clan. In that sense, she was truly grateful to have Chao. Not only was he unconditionally loyal towards her, having someone to give her their honest opinions like this was always valuable. Especially now, when the Black Dragon Clan was unstable for various reasons and had lost quite a bit of support from its own members. So Li Chingwei spoke bluntly. ¡°But I will not allow any more berating towards my dear future husband.¡± Chao flinched. Not only was her serious expression and flat voice rare to see, her eyes, settled down, were as deep as the night skies. It was made apparent. ¡°I apologize for my disrespect.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t disrespectful, but it was out of line.¡± Li Chingwei warned with a soft smile. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± And with that, Chao bowed his head as he disappeared back into the shadows. He understood that saying any more would have been crossing the line. It didn¡¯t matter how young she was, or how little support she got from her own clan. Li Chingwei was the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan. No matter her decision, it was Chao¡¯s duty to uphold and bring out the best possible outcome with it Trudge, trudge¡ª Just as Li Chingwei let out a sigh as she looked over at where Chao had faded into¡­ The stars in the night sky died out as the sound of unfamiliar footsteps rang through the air. After finding out that the Infinity Guild had been waiting in ambush, Hotel Leviathan was at its highest alert. If somebody¡¯s footsteps came close enough to be heard, those on guard should have picked it up and reported it to her. ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s the middle of the night,¡± the voice spoke, laid back as if they¡¯d just come back from a nice stroll. But Li Chingwei wasn¡¯t fazed. ¡°I am exercising my privileges,¡± she casually answered. ¡°What privileges?¡± Was her answer that uncanny? The white-haired man had an expression of curiosity on his face. Li Chingwei spoke, beaming at Limon. ¡°It¡¯s a bride¡¯s privilege to wait for her husband to come back, isn¡¯t it?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°My deepest condolences.¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get compensated by the Master of Swords.¡± Coming back covered head to toe in dirt, Limon had finally washed up on the highest floor of Hotel Leviathan. He furrowed his brows in bewilderment. ¡°¡­And why do I have to give you compensation?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the rule for the groom to give the bride a kiss when she¡¯s done something commendable?¡± ¡°No? Not a single law like that exists.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± Li Chingwei asked, tilting her head cluelessly with wide eyes. It was as if she genuinely believed it to be a rule. ¡°How should I know? Maybe congress didn¡¯t feel like kissing their wives,¡± he answered mindlessly. ¡°Besides that, how are the kids? Are they all asleep?¡± ¡°If you mean the children you brought here, all of them are asleep except one.¡± ¡°Which one isn¡¯t?¡± Limon furrowed his brows. It bothered him to hear that a child was still awake far into the dead of night. But he understood right away as soon as he heard the answer. ¡°A child named Song Shia.¡± ¡°Oh, the one with the dead fish eyes?¡± ¡°Dead fish eyes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one kiddo with dead-looking eyes.¡± He clicked his tongue thinking of the little girl he rescued from Hanbit Orphanage who stood out in particular. He turned back to Li Chingwei, ¡°Not much besides that, right?¡± ¡°Yes. physically speaking, they are all well, and they are much more mentally stable than before.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I needed to hear.¡± Limon nodded in satisfaction, drying off his wet hair with the towel that was hanging around his neck. As she watched his damp hair and sturdy muscles showing through his disheveled clothes, Li Chingwei seemed to remember something. ¡°Come to think of it, how did your business matter go?¡± ¡°Business? Oh, you mean the blood debt?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard you met the Infinite Monarch.¡± Li Chingwei didn¡¯t hide her curiosity. Despite not having any doubt that Limon was victorious, even she couldn¡¯t help but be curious about their meeting. ¡°I did meet him,¡± Limon nodded. He added on with a low voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t get my blood debt, though.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s eyes widened. It was like hearing someone claim they didn¡¯t drive drunk after they¡¯d drunk and drove. It was only a natural reaction. Perhaps it would have been different if she didn¡¯t know who he was. The fact that Limon Asphelder of all people didn¡¯t collect the blood debt of someone he already met was unfathomable for her. She blinked, a blank look on her face. ¡°Do you know what the most important part about collecting blood debt is?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be the power to collect it?¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯d need that, too. But the most important thing is to not mistake who your debtor is.¡± Blood debt was the price of blood. It was the privilege of paying the price of death with death, and getting paid in blood for blood lost. Failure was therefore understandable. Mistakes, however, weren¡¯t. Just as forcing the wrong person to pay you back would make it a robbery, Mistaking the blood debtor would only make it a murder. ¡°At first, I thought the one I had to collect my blood debt from was the Infinite Monarch.¡± His judgment was more than reasonable. After all, Lee Chungi was the main instigator of all this. ¡°But there was something too suspicious for me to make him pay my blood debt and call it a day.¡± That was something he¡¯d overlooked before going back in time. But after being able to see what couldn¡¯t be seen¡­ After meeting Lee Chun-gi himself, fighting and conversing with him, he got a gradual feeling. Some things just felt out of place. ¡°So I asked that little shit a few questions before killing him and found out.¡± Essentially, it was his simple intuition, nothing more than a feeling that even he himself couldn¡¯t decipher. But thanks to all his years of experience, Limon was able to come to a conclusion. ¡°The Infinite Monarch was nothing more than a tool. There¡¯s a gray eminence behind all of this.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 35 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 35: Gray Eminence As if she wasn¡¯t sure if she had heard Limon correctly, Or as if she took interest in the absurdity of such a comment¡­ Li Chingwei had a strange look on her face. Tilting her head sideways, she blinked,¡±Are you serious?¡± ¡°Sounds crazy, right?¡± Limon chuckled. Monarchs were the Absolute Rulers of this Iron Age ¡ª superhuman beings who could solo entire armies and had the leaders of countless nations wrapped around their fingers. To say that such a being was nothing more than a tool? It wasn¡¯t something one would say sober and sane. If Yoo Na-kyung were alive, she would have cried out that her boss had finally gone senile. And while pulverizing her, he would¡¯ve questioned his own sanity as well. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know, but that was actually my first time fighting a Monarch.¡± ¡°I am sure it is.¡± Li Chingwei accepted it as a matter of fact. Unless war broke out, there was no chance Limon would have had a reason to fight a Monarch. Limon wasn¡¯t someone who would trample over the growing roots of a new generation, and the Monarchs won¡¯t see any good to fight a hero of the past. If there were such a reason, the Swordmaster¡¯s status would not have crumbled to the ground as it did. ¡°I was pretty curious for a while, to be honest. How extraordinary were the Monarchs for me to get treated like a goner?¡± Limon didn¡¯t persist in testing the waters as much as he did during his fight with Lee Chun-gi just because he thought the swordsmanship swiping was interesting. It was an honest curiosity towards the Absolute Rulers of this age. More specifically, their full power. He may have been laying low and going along with the new societal flow, but that only made him all the more curious about how strong the Monarchs were, sitting on the throne he once had. ¡°So I was shocked after fighting the Infinite Monarch. At first, he thought that the Monarch was concealing his powers. But as the fight went on, he felt that something was amiss. Then finally, he realized it. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a bitch with a title like ¡®Monarch¡¯ could be so damn weak.¡± Monarchs were level 100 superbeings who cleared the ¡®impenetrable fortress¡¯ that was the lowest floor of the Dungeon. Their powers were at the absolute peak of all players, the rulers of this age. Oh, how weak they were, to his surprise. ¡°The Monarch was weak?¡± She seemed surprised to hear such an absurd comment as she looked at Limon with wide eyes. ¡°He was underwhelming, to be exact.¡± He might have been impressed if it was a skill that was able to steal not only his swordsmanship, but copied its principles and meanings as well. He expected it would have been capable of that much, at least. That was the kind of Monarch Limon was expecting. That was why he tested Lee Chun-gi again and again, to see if that was all he really had. But the Monarch never did properly understand the Demon Slaying Sword, instead falling to the ground after overusing his skills. ¡°Well, objectively speaking, he wasn¡¯t that pathetic¡­¡± Lee Chun-gi was by no means weak. Without a doubt, the ability to use thousands of skills with total control was like a cheat skill. Most notably, the thousand skills he unleashed at the end at their exchange was worthy of being as deadly as the Demon Slaying Sword. But compared to what Limon was expecting¡­ ¡°Getting called an Absolute Ruler with skills like that really raises some eyebrows, you see.¡± The Fairy Queen and Word Wielder, who dominated the Golden Age. The Great Witch and Saint, who reigned over the Silver Age. The Seven Dragons, who conquered the Bronze Age. And the Swordmaster, who soared through the Heroes¡¯ Age. There had always been people with the title of Absolute Ruler. Only the ownership of that title changed, along with the times and new emerging powers. There was one thing all the Absolute Rulers from each era had in common: Each of them had the ability to overthrow the past generation¡¯s Absolute Ruler! As a matter of fact, the Seven Dragons proved themselves by devouring the Incarnations. And the Swordmaster, who came next, earned his title by slaying those Seven Dragons. But alas, Lee Chun-gi did not have the strength to surpass his previous generation. He would¡¯ve surpassed the Great Witch at most. Maybe even a little bit stronger than the Word Wielder. It was Limon¡¯s impersonal judgment that Lee Chun-gi wouldn¡¯t even defeat the Seven Dragons, let alone a Swordmaster. Although, it goes without saying, even that was a great feat in itself. But compared to the former incontestable Absolute Rulers, the current Monarchs certainly cast a cloud of doubt. ¡°It¡¯s a mystery how they were even accepted as Absolute Rulers to begin with.¡± Something wasn¡¯t right. It triggered his growing cloud of suspicion. Even though it was universally accepted as change inevitably brought by time¡­ Was it really right for the ten Monarchs to reign as Absolute Rulers just because of the passage of time? In other words, was it really a coincidence that the Monarchs didn¡¯t go through the natural order of overthrowing Limon, the former Absolute Ruler? ¡°So all of a sudden, I got curious. What was it that these guys believed in so much to be acting like they were all that, and being confident that they were stronger than me?¡± It was certainly plausible that Limon simply wasn¡¯t a good match-up for Lee Chun-gi. He may have thousands of skills to manipulate, but he didn¡¯t have a unique one aside from [Technique Replication]. In that way, Lee Chun-gi was slightly different in nature from the other nine Monarchs. But there wasn¡¯t a shred of doubt in Limon¡¯s mind that it was just nonsensical for one who couldn¡¯t even get past a mere difference in compatibility to become an Absolute Ruler. At least, that was what he thought Absolute Rulers were. Thinking that way, Limon had good reason for his many doubts. So many doubts, in fact, he had squeezed every last drop of information out of Lee Chun-gi in his dying moments. ¡°That little shit didn¡¯t know much either,¡± Limon chuckled. To begin with, Lee Chun-gi was born in the Iron Age. He was taught that the Monarchs were the Absolute Rulers as common sense. It would have been impossible to get a straight answer out of someone like him when asked why the Monarchs were so weak. Though, Lee Chun-gi made quite the face when asked that question. That reaction alone let Limon know that it would be hard to hear the answer he was looking for, no matter which Monarch he asked. They were still just players, after all ¡ª people used to taking and using everything they got for granted. ¡°But thanks to me pestering him with all sorts of questions, I did learn one surprising fact.¡± ¡°What would that be?¡± ¡°Starting out, that little shit wasn¡¯t trying to kill me.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­After bombing an entire building and sending hundreds of high-level players after you, the Master of Swords?¡± ¡°Oh, he did mean to kill me with that. Though he did it in a silly way,¡± Limon snickered. Tossing the wet towel behind him, he went on in a carefree voice, ¡°the important thing is, all he was trying to do was make me retire.¡± When Limon had destroyed his brother-in-law, Seo Yongchan, he had ordered for action to be taken against Limon. But that only went as far as pressuring the PAB to fire Limon. Even up to that point, a plan to kill him by framing him for treason hadn¡¯t yet existed. He wasn¡¯t warding off Limon. Rather, it was the opposite. He didn¡¯t care about goners, and thus he didn¡¯t even feel the need to get rid of Limon. ¡°He said that a certain incident triggered him to get rid of me more thoroughly.¡± ¡°An incident?¡± ¡°Yep. That little shit¡¯s been searching far and wide for something, and he just happened to find out I met the person who has that certain thing.¡± Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t know if it had gotten into Limon¡¯s hands or not. But even if it didn¡¯t, Limon could still get in his way. With these doubts in his head, Lee Chun-gi felt the need to bring a definite end to the Swordmaster instead of simply getting fired. ¡°And it looks like his subordinate¡¯s excessive fidelity and that bastard Jungsoo¡¯s excessive plans turned the matter a lot bigger¡­ Well, that¡¯s not very important at the end of the day.¡± Limon shrugged. Roughly tidying up his disheveled hair, he continued, ¡°the bottom line is, if it wasn¡¯t for ¡®that meeting¡¯, it¡¯s possible the Infinite Monarch and I would never have clashed at all.¡± Of course, it was only just a what-if. He couldn¡¯t be absolutely certain. He might have crashed the Infinity Guild out of rage for getting fired. Or Lee Chun-gi might have tried to bring an end to Limon if he changed his mind later. There can only be one king of the jungle. Inevitably, Lee Chun-gi would have clashed with Limon if he desired to be a true Absolute Ruler. But¡­ was it really inevitable? ¡°What an unlikely coincidence.¡± Any other person would have just brushed it off as an unfortunate series of events. But the intuition of someone who had lived as long as the Swordmaster did not overlook even the slightest sensation of incongruity. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met my downfall and flushed down the drain like this, there wouldn¡¯t be a single bastard coming at me this recklessly.¡± The downfall of the Swordmaster. Was it really the outcome of passing time? What if someone had intentionally weakened the Swordmaster¡¯s status? ¡°That bastard wouldn¡¯t have done something so reckless if people didn¡¯t place him in such high regard for being a Monarch. Was this generation to blame for the Monarchs¡¯ overconfidence? What if there was someone who blew a hot air of overconfidence over them that they were Absolute Rulers? ¡°Not to mention, I just happened to have ¡®that meeting¡¯ shortly after my ordeal with the Infinite Monarch.¡± It was truly quite the coincidence. Looking at each event individually, it all just looked like a series of unfortunate events. ¡°Well, everything definitely could have been just a stroke of extremely bad luck.¡± Limon didn¡¯t ignore the possibility of pure misfortune. There were countless instances of unfortunate events crashing down all at once throughout his long life, after all. ¡°It¡¯s not something that could have been done purposely, either.¡± The fall of the Swordmaster and the rise of the Monarchs were a social phenomenon that spanned over the course of decades. One couldn¡¯t just orchestrate such a thing, unless it was an entity with enough power to change the world ¡ª a very large force who could invest fortune and manpower over a long, long period of time. ¡°For those reasons, it was my first suspicion that nonhuman beings had interfered¡­¡± Only Limon, with his ability to see Constellations, would have come up with such claims. The ridicule and apathy he felt when he fell for the trap was more than enough to arouse such suspicions. The reason Limon got the Constellations¡¯ gaze out of the way when interrogating Lee Chun-gi was because their hostility was too obvious. What if there really was an entity secret making the Monarchs Absolute Rulers, one who manipulated Lee Chun-gi into fighting him? Would they really reveal themselves so easily? Wouldn¡¯t they try to hide their hostility instead? ¡°Speaking of which, I know people who are confident in their skills in this kind of chicanery. Not those wishy-washy gods or Constellations.¡± Limon smirked. The association had immense influence throughout society ¡ª they were those who were not only skilled in executing these schemes behind one¡¯s back, but also had deep resentment towards Limon. Limon knew much too well of that association that still managed to survive after fighting him for centuries. ¡°So let me ask you something.¡± Shing¡ª! Instantaneously, Limon drew his sword. ¡°Was it you?¡± There wasn¡¯t a trace of laughter anymore in his cold, hardened face. He held his sword against Li Chingwei¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m asking if you people are the gray eminence behind this matter, Princess of the Black Dragon Clan.¡± A cold, murderous aura hung over Limon. He looked like he would kill her before she could even blink if she gave him the wrong answer. The sight of him was so brutal it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for an ordinary girl to piss herself out of fear. PR/N: But Li Chingwei did not show even the slightest bit of fear under his blade. Looking at Limon dead in the eyes, she answered in a crystal clear voice with a small smile on her lips. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 36 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 36: Only One Thing Instantaneously, a blade shot out from the darkness towards Limon. It was the perfect assassination, bringing a silent death to even the highest level players. But right before it could pierce his neck¡ª ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Chao, who lunged his sword from the darkness, went rigid. The edge of his blade, barely touching Limon¡¯s neck, was held between two straight fingers. ¡°Hollow Ascension Sword Style, I see¡­ It¡¯s a good sword skill. One of the finest hidden curricula among the 72 Martial Skills used for assassination.¡± His gaze was unmoving, his blade still pressed against Li Chingwei¡¯s neck. He¡¯d caught Chao¡¯s blade with just a twist of his hand, ¡°But that¡¯s only when you¡¯re successful.¡± Limon critiqued Chao as if he was an imperfect student. Assassination only works when the victim does not see it coming. Otherwise, even the best technique wouldn¡¯t do squat. He would¡¯ve been much better off facing Limon head on in this situation. ¡°If you want to assassinate someone with Hollow Ascension Sword Style, you should come back after working on your camouflage skills first.¡± Feeling the humiliation from not only a failed assassination but also getting schooled, Chao clenched his jaws as he twirled his sword to go for Limon¡¯s fingers. He may not be able to severe them, but unless Limon had fingers of steel, it would bleed. But Chao was unable to hide his amazement as he did it. ¡®What the¡­?!¡¯ He¡¯d moved his sword, but it did not budge from between Limon¡¯s fingers. He didn¡¯t stop it by force. Rather, he had moved his fingers along with Chao¡¯s blade to avoid getting cut. And that was just the start of it¡ª Whether he lunged, pulled, or swung¡­ Limon¡¯s fingers were naturally ahead of the blade. There was no doubt that Chao was the one holding the sword, but the feeling that the blade was moving the way Limon intended made his hair stand up. ¡®He¡¯s reading the movements of my sword!¡¯ Limon had completely understood Chao¡¯s sword flow. To add insult to injury, his eyes never wavered from Li Chingwei. All while his flesh crept at the unexpected turn of events, Chao quickly changed his technique. Instead of going against Limon with complicated tactics, he gathered all of his Psionic energy as he got ready to put it all into his sword. He was certain that not even Limon would be able to deflect him with just his fingers when he was going in with full force. But before he could go for it¡ª ¡°Chao.¡± The ever so recognizable, and yet so unfamiliar voice rang coldly through the air. He flinched, freezing where he stood. Despite the extreme amount of Psionic energy coursing through his body, All it took was a single word from the girl to stop him dead in his tracks. ¡°Who told you it was okay to hold a sword to my dear husband?¡± With her calm, pitch black eyes, Li Chingwei¡¯s gaze moved towards Chao. Not minding the blade against her neck, he lifted her soft, fair fingers and waved. Her movement was the very definition of beauty and elegance. It was as graceful as the final step in a ballet, yet so slow that it wouldn¡¯t even be capable of catching a fly. Though, the result was not so elegant. Pow! Ka-bang, slam! As if he was getting mauled by an invisible giant, Chao lew up into the air, breaking multiple pieces of furniture before getting struck into the wall, with blood gushing out of his mouth. It wasn¡¯t just a knock down. His injuries were life threatening. But Li Chingwei did not even bat an eye. ¡°You went much too far out of line.¡± Regardless of whether he was the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s former enemy or holding a sword to her neck, Limon was still engaged to the Black Dragon Princess. Attempting to kill him without her permission was an unforgivable act of arrogance. ¡°Chao. From this moment on, you are no longer my guard. You¡¯re on probation until I call you again.¡± ¡°Pr-princess¡­¡± Blood continued leaking out of Chao¡¯s mouth. He seemed more shocked about getting fired than getting knocked out from her fingertips alone. But Li Chingwei did not give him room to explain himself. Her beautiful obsidian eyes pointed at Chao, she asked, ¡°Do I have to repeat myself?¡±, ¡°¡­!¡± Chao trembled. In an instant, he staggered up and put his sword away. Placing his hands together in a fist and palm, he spoke in a shaken voice. ¡°Your wish¡­ is my command.¡± Szz¡ª. Chao faded into the darkness. It must have been hard to move even an inch due to his destroyed guts. Was using camouflage in such a state to protect what was left of his dignity? Or was it because he didn¡¯t want to show his sorry state to the Princess he loved and placed in such high regard? Li Chingwei did not bother to contemplate his reasons. She turned back to Limon with an apologetic expression. ¡°I apologize for the trouble. Chao is too conservative, he doesn¡¯t know how to be flexible.¡± It was only moments after Chao had left in shambles. Limon¡¯s sword was still held to her neck. She was acting like what just happened was a small and minor incident, like she couldn¡¯t even see his sword. Limon watched her with a puzzled look. There wasn¡¯t a single trace of the cold expression she had just moments prior as she looked at him shyly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that too unforgiving of your aide? He seemed pretty shocked.¡± The 72 Martial Skills were no common martial arts. It was the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s finest secret curriculum only taught to those with innately fitting character, talent and proven loyalty. To have learnt it at such a young age meant that he was among the most elite in the Seven Dragons Association. On top of that, getting hired as a bodyguard meant he was worthy of Li Chingwei trusting him with her life. And Li Chingwei had just kicked out that prodigy without hesitation. Even Limon was taken aback. ¡°Well, even I think I was a bit too harsh.¡± She could have just told him off. Using force really did go a bit far. She mumbled to herself, nodding. ¡°Then why did you do it?¡± Limon was baffled by the unexpected agreement, to which Li Chingwei had a simple answer. ¡°Well, the Master of Swords would have retaliated if I didn¡¯t go this far, right?¡± A little pain was better than death. And it would kill two birds in one stone if this could fix that conservative attitude of his. Limon scratched his cheeks as Li Chingwei gave him a bright smile. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Li Chingwei did not over exaggerate. The moment Chao gathered his Psionic energy, Limon ever so slightly changed his hold on Chao¡¯s sword. It was to cut his head off. If Li Chingwei had interfered a moment later, Chao would not have left with his head intact. Taking that into consideration, her ability to notice Limon¡¯s sudden murderous intent and punishing Chao before he could as a countermeasure was rather superb work, even in Limon¡¯s eyes. If she had tried to brush it off, Limon wouldn¡¯t have let him be either. ¡°Still, little Princess, aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± There was one problem with Li Chingwei¡¯s countermeasure, however. One matter she didn¡¯t seem to pay any mind to. ¡°Good job saving your aide and all, but your life isn¡¯t all that safe and sound right now either,¡± Limon coldly stated, tapping his sword on her fair neck. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** She had nonchalantly admitted that she was the gray eminence who maneuvered Lee Chun-gi to go against Limon, the indirect cause of Yoo Na-kyung being driven into an escapable corner. Against the man who crashed the Blue House and battled the Infinite Monarch for his blood debt. That admittance alone was reason enough for him to cut her. In fact, Chao wasn¡¯t at fault, he was just doing his duty as a guard. Limon had lunged his sword at his master, after all. ¡°May I explain myself before you cut my neck?¡± But the woman did not show an ounce of fear, instead calmly asking for a chance to explain herself. ¡°Explain what?¡± ¡°How we brought the Master of Swords to his downfall. I would like to tell you the process in detail.¡± Limon was, for a brief moment, flabbergasted. Did she really just say that when he was the very victim of that downfall? This wasn¡¯t even a tale of former archnemeses. It was truly astounding for her to say such a thing when a blade was on her neck. ¡°Do you think I am going to let you talk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­And what makes you so confident?¡± ¡°Well, because the Master of Swords is here to collect his blood debt from me, of course.¡± Limon couldn¡¯t help but scowl as he heard what she had to say. ¡°You said so yourself, didn¡¯t you? The most important part about collecting blood debt is to never mistake your debtor.¡± Li Chingwei smiled, not having the slightest doubt he wouldn¡¯t give her a chance for explanation when he went as far as to wring every little bit of information out of the Infinite Monarch, all to confirm his debtor. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then spill,¡± he spat out with clear contempt. Softly smiling at his permission, Li Chingwei started to speak. ¡°As the Master of Swords may already know, we, the Seven Dragons Association, have tried our best to pass on the lessons of our founder for a very long time.¡± That was the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s goal. It was their faith and diligence to once again create the utopia the Seven Dragons once reigned over. ¡°But we were stopped by you, the Master of Swords, every time we tried. Unfortunately, we did not have the strength to surpass the Master of Swords.¡± He was truly an Absolute Ruler who knew neither failure nor compromise. Bribery, beautiful women, conciliation, persuasion, pressure, negotiation. Hostages¡­ Such things did not work on Limon. And on top of that, he refused to die or even grow old. It was safe to say that Limon was a literal living nightmare to the Seven Dragons Association. ¡°But 32 years ago, when the Constellations first appeared, someone had said, ¡®if we cannot beat the Master of Swords, then all we have to do is don¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°¡­What the hell does that mean?¡± Limon looked taken aback. ¡®What kind of rationalization is that?¡¯ But instead of answering Limon¡¯s question, Li Chingwei grinned with a counter question. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever thought it was strange?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Dungeon is a place that gives an overwhelming amount of benefits. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see international wars break out for its ownership.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious¡­.¡± ¡°But has a war ever actually escalated over it?¡± That instant, Limon¡¯s face froze. The Dungeon was equivalent to a goose hatching golden eggs. It was an infinite treasure trove. If a single nation could monopolize it, they could take all the mined products in the Dungeon for itself. Countries have entered conflict for much less than that before. But as she stated, there has never been a major conflict caused by the dungeon. Limon fell silent as she continued. She was only just getting started. ¡°In addition, it is easy for players to get drunk on their own power. Do you really think that among all those players, there wouldn¡¯t be a single high-flier who aspired to become the most powerful man in their nation or a madman who just wanted to watch the world burn? That was impossible. Limon knew from his days as a PAB agent. He knew how reckless the players could be, thinking they were the center of the world. ¡°Long ago, the dark mages abandoned their vain ambitions and became lawful after the Master of Swords overthrew the Demon God. But did the dark mages really disappear? Do you believe that there isn¡¯t a single being who would have tried to turn the world by its feet when they saw the world start to change?¡± That too, was nonsensical. The dark mages used heretical magic. No matter how lawful they had become, it was in their nature to go against the natural order and breed chaos. ¡°And yet, after the Iron Age opened its gates, there has yet to be a single great war.¡± This generation may have taken itself for granted. Indeed, there may have been no wars as the world was richer than before, its people more civilized. But oh, how mercilessly the civilized people who regarded themselves as ¡®noble¡¯ slaughtered the bandits! How easily those in power go to war over the smallest reasons! Having seen it countless times, Limon knew how odd the current status quo was. ¡°Do you think all of that was just a coincidence?¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s silent smile explained everything. Limon finally understood. No, he had no choice but to see it all. ¡°¡­Hey, wait.¡± To see the hidden meaning behind Li Chingwei¡¯s words, and why she was telling him so. Upon this realization, Limon was aghast. ¡°Did you people really bring my downfall by¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Limon¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief. Li Chingwei beamed. ¡°We only did one thing to ruin you.¡± They could not win against Limon. So they didn¡¯t. And it was quite easy to do, in fact. All they had to do was eradicate any chance for him to win in the first place. The Seven Dragons Association was once coined a ¡®demonic cult¡¯ for its heartless violence. Yet here, one of the Princesses of that ¡®demonic cult¡¯, had just brightly confessed that it was a scheme they had been carrying out for the past 32 years. ¡°The Seven Dragons Association has been using their full strength to keep world peace.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 37 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 37:Inflation Was it because Limon had been alive for a long time? He had been through, quite literally, all kinds of ordeals. Among those, many were unfathomable. Hence, it was quite a rare occasion to see Limon get taken aback by anything. ¡°¡­Did you just say that you¡¯ve been secretly ensuring world peace by preventing all those inevitable wars for the past 32 years?¡± But at this moment, Limon could feel his eyeballs pop out of his sockets and roll onto the ground in astonishment. He wanted her to tell the truth, not joke around. And if she was serious, he wanted her to lie for the sake of his sanity. ¡°You, the Seven Dragons Association?¡± he confirmed again in a trembling voice. ¡°Yes.¡± She did not hesitate. Shutting down Limon¡¯s desperate wishes, she delivered another blow to the shocked man. ¡°For whatever reason it may be, if there were any signs of war, we got the powerful to compromise with one another through threats and bribery. And we created the Player Society and the guild system, so that players would regulate themselves. We stopped anyone trying to bring major chaos to this world before they could act ¡ª whether it be dark mages, mad scientists, or players.¡± Limon was starting to feel dizzy. Li Chingwei¡¯s words had a much greater impact on him than even the thousands of skills Lee Chun-gi had used. That was how shocking her confession was. No matter how much time had passed, regardless of the fact they were a legal major corporation now ¡ª the Seven Dragons Association Limon knew of wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. To be exact, they couldn¡¯t do such a thing. ¡°That goes against your doctrine.¡± The Seven Dragons Association was ultimately a religion. They believed that the ultimate utopia could only be attained through a world ruled by dragons ¡ª that in order to revert the world back to what it used to be, it had to be pulled out from its roots. And they did not hesitate to act on such beliefs. As a result, the Seven Dragons Association has been the cause of chaos, war, and strife for many centuries. When they first entered the legal world, many rightly doubted their intentions. And here stood the Black Dragon Princess. Did one of the princesses of such an organization really just say that they stopped wars, regulated players, and prevented chaos to maintain world peace? Anyone who knew of the past Seven Dragons Association would have been enthralled by this news. And to that, Li Chingwei had a definite answer. ¡° There isn¡¯t actually a rule from our founders that we must destroy the world, you see.¡± Well, of course there wouldn¡¯t. The Seven Dragons would not have taught them to destroy the world when they were ruling it, and it was impossible to preach otherwise when they were dead. World domination was a matter of fact for the Seven Dragons Association, due to their tenacity for revenge getting intertwined with their beliefs. In that sense, they were most definitely able to contribute to world peace. Having explained herself, Li Chingwei grinned. ¡°Our most important objective is recreating the utopia our founders made, not to overthrow the world.¡± ¡°¡­Does anyone else believe that crap?¡± ¡°For some odd reason, no.¡± ¡°Well, no shit¡­¡± Li Chingwei tilted her head to the side in confusion. Limon looked perplexed. The Seven Dragons Association and Limon would not have engaged in bloody battle for centuries on end if they were actually reasonable people. Moreover, it was a scheme that changed both their practices and goals. They were trying to ruin Limon to build their utopia, yet they¡¯d achieved that utopia in the process of ruining Limon. It had the same result, so it doesn¡¯t matter, right? Why don¡¯t you tell a devout believer to convert their faith immediately? Paradise and heaven are the same good, aren¡¯t they? Or try telling them to feast on the forbidden foods ¡ª their beliefs are irrational, after all. You¡¯ll get the chance to be cursed out by a man of faith. The Seven Dragons Association in particular did not know of compromise. A man would lose even his most distant relatives upon critiquing their beliefs. If one were to count, there would be entire mountains of people exterminated by the Association. And yet, here they were now. One of the seven princesses, the cardinal leaders of the Seven Dragons Association as well as the pillars of their faith, of all people, telling Limon that she didn¡¯t care. Limon felt like he was seeing his world spinning. ¡°There was indeed a lot of opposition from within our association about this plan as well. It didn¡¯t even feel like it could come into fruition at first.¡± ¡°I see that chivalry¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just nice to hear that there are people in the Seven Dragons Association who don¡¯t think like you do.¡± Who knew he would be feeling relieved that there were still members of that association still opposed to peace? Even he himself found it ironic. Li Chingwei continued while blinking in confusion as she didn¡¯t understand Limon¡¯s complicated reactions. ¡°Anyway, we had to propose another plan in order to persuade those who were against it.¡± ¡°Another plan? Did you maintain galactic peace or something this time?¡± ¡°No,¡± Li Chingwei softly shook her head at Limon¡¯s sarcasm. And when she went on to speak again, Limon couldn¡¯t believe his own ears once again. ¡°It was to legalize the Seven Dragons Association.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­The hell did you say?¡± ¡°We suggested taking the Seven Dragons Association out of the shadows by creating the Seven Dragon Group as a means to acquire the necessary funds and influential power for world peace.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I¡¯m not deaf! I¡¯m asking, why is that being brought up now?!¡± Limon cried out, finally losing control of his emotions. The legalization of the Seven Dragons Association was a social issue that took the world by storm. In fact, it was one of the biggest incidents in the Iron Age at the time, even bigger than the rise of Constellations and players. And to hear that it was all because of him! This wasn¡¯t something Limon could accept so easily. Meanwhile, Li Chingwei was nonchalant. ¡°It was the only way we could persuade those who opposed it.¡± ¡°¡­So you carried out your plan for world peace under the pretext of legalization?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems like you misunderstood something though, Master of Swords. We, the Seven Dragons Association, didn¡¯t stay in the shadows because we liked to.¡± No one likes to live in hiding. Especially not when it¡¯s a massive group with power and wealth, like the Seven Dragons Association. The leading members of the Association wished to come out from the shadows, but they couldn¡¯t reveal it in fear of going against their doctrine, as well as the backlash from its members. The plan for world peace was the perfect pretext ¡ª it didn¡¯t go against their doctrine, it was justified under the reason of ruining Limon, and if it went wrong, those who brought it up would take the fall. As soon as the plan was brought up, it was inevitable that both the Elders and the Princesses took up the offer. ¡°In truth, everyone deserves credit for their secret preparations, allowing the legalization process to go by quickly,¡± Li Chingwei said with a bright smile. As it turns out, the majority of the seven Princesses had already been pulling strings behind the curtains. It was all thanks to their preparations that the members of the Seven Dragons Association took it as they did ¡ª surprisingly well. And in less than a year, the Seven Dragon Group dominated the global economy. Limon looked at her with dead eyes. He looked like he had just lost everything. ¡°¡­Chivalry isn¡¯t dead, my ass.¡± Limon couldn¡¯t understand why he felt more heart-wrenching about the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s apostasy than even Yoo Na-kyung or Kang Jungsoo¡¯s betrayal. Fed up by the dishonesty, he was merely reminded that kids these days were, in the end, just kids. Li Chingwei gave Limon a bitter smile. ¡°But it was truly a challenge to maintain world peace. Much more than we thought it would be.¡± ¡°What, did you think it would have been easy, then?¡± ¡°No, I knew it would be difficult.¡± World peace: it was a dream even children could have. A dream only children could have. And the Seven Dragons Association came to learn of the fair share of hardships that came with attaining world peace. ¡°I just didn¡¯t know we would be spending more money over the course of these 32 years than we have had to for centuries past.¡± ¡°Just how much money did you guys spend?!¡± ¡°I am not sure. The exact amount cannot be summed up, but the Seven Dragon Group did almost face bankruptcy after a few years. ¡°Are you trying to shrivel up the world economy for world peace?!¡± Limon¡¯s mouth was agape. The Seven Dragon Group was the biggest company in the world. The very company acclaimed to have all the world¡¯s riches in their grasp, hitting bankruptcy? With that same amount of money, their goal of world domination could have been achieved multiple times over. Though, of course, the Association would also go down in ruins. ¡°Obviously, that was not something we wanted.¡± Their goal was making a utopia, not living in poverty. And definitely not when they already had access to all the money and power in the world after successfully coming out into the sun. ¡°So we made the Monarchs the new Absolute Rulers.¡± ¡°¡­???¡±Limon looked perplexed by the sudden change in subject. ¡°What does that have to do with¡­ Wait.¡± He stared down Li Chingwei. ¡°You said you guys were the ones who created the Player Society and the guild system, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, could it be¡­¡± Having been a former PAB agent, Limon had a rough idea of the player profit system. This was a conclusion he could come to because he knew exactly what kind of group the Seven Dragons Association was to the core. Looking dumbstruck, Limon cried out the unimaginable, ¡°did you ¡®inflate¡¯ it on purpose?!¡± ¡°It is as you say,¡± Li Chingwei nodded calmly. ¡°We bought the Dungeon products at hundreds of times their actual costs, and turned the high-level players into multi-millionaires. The reason high-level players were called ¡®one man companies¡¯ and were looked upon so highly in this society was due to the value of the mined products, monster corpses, and items taken from the Dungeon. And who decided the cost of those Dungeon scraps? No one else but the Player Society. In other words, the Player Society could raise the price of theses scraps endlessly with nothing to stop them. And if even the Seven Dragons Group considered the Dungeon scraps to be valuable, then its worth would inevitably soar up. Even if those scraps were nothing but useless garbage. ¡°The Society gets a portion of the revenue from players and guilds via regulations. The cost of the Dungeon scraps going up must mean¡­¡± ¡°The Society gets more profit as well. And regulating the cost while repeatedly selling them back into the market¡­¡± ¡°The Seven Dragon Group would have made an insane profit. Not to mention, you guys were able to scale trade the debt you got thanks to your bubble chamber.¡± ¡°You figured all of that out from the fact we were behind the Player Society. Impressive.¡± But Limon couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel triumphant about his discovery. Instead, his veins popped out of his forehead. ¡°Oi, you bastards. That¡¯s a scaaaam!!!¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 38 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 38: Just One Reward ¡°It is not bad enough to be a scam yet ¡ª it was just a slightly creative economy,¡± Li Chingwei shyly responded to Limon¡¯s blood curling outcry. ¡°How the hell do you call a fraud of that magnitude a creative economy?!¡± Limon gritted his teeth. Li Chingwei¡¯s statement was simply that absurd. When everyone believes that pebbles are worth more than gold, you can buy gold with the pebbles you pick from the streets. In the same sense, the Seven Dragons Association solved their bankruptcy problem by inflating the cost of Dungeon scraps hundreds and hundreds of times, creating a controlled inflation bubble. In simpler terms¡­ ¡°All you did was make a premeditated bubble!¡± Reminiscent of when one tulip costed tens of thousands of dollars thanks to the tulip bubble, or when the cost of a stock went up hundreds of times for being marketed as a tech company during the IT bubble, the Seven Dragons Association manually made the cost of the scraps soar. A ¡®dungeon bubble¡¯, so to speak. ¡®Fuck this, no wonder a single item was already worth millions¡­¡¯ The players got the most out of this ordeal. After all, they were the ones who mined and sold the dungeon scraps. However, the cold hard truth was that high-level players were ultimately primary producers ¡ª nothing more than just a miner. And due to the nature of players and their endless pursuit for a higher level, they would spend most of their earnings on more expensive items regardless of how much money they earned. They¡¯d go as far as going into huge amounts of debt for it. Regardless of whether a miner dug up gold or diamonds, the wealth would ultimately go to the owner of the mine. The Seven Dragon Group would be the real profitters in this scenario. After all, simply being able to control an economic bubble would let anyone become rich. ¡®Having all the world¡¯s riches in their hands¡¯ was a surprisingly fitting description for the Seven Dragon Group. Of course, such a thing wasn¡¯t legal. Accounting fraud, stock manipulation, monopoly¡­ It would be harder to find a crime they haven¡¯t yet committed. Yet amidst having confessed to carrying out the scam of the century, Li Chingwei was not even the smallest bit unnerved. Instead, she gave a nonchalant excuse, ¡°we were able to stop a global economic collapse thanks to that, anyways.¡± ¡°You said that that was all a part of your world peace shenanigans too.¡± ¡°I did, but if we hadn¡¯t spent all the money we earned on those shenanigans, the world would not be as peaceful as it is now,¡± smiled Li Chingwei. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon couldn¡¯t deny those facts. If it wasn¡¯t for the Association acting behind the scenes, war would have inevitably broken out. There was very much a possibility of conflict between some vested interests and players that would have caused a world war to wreak havoc all over the globe. In all honesty, it was incredible of them to have stopped all the chaos. Their means of earning their funds was ludicrous, that¡¯s all. On top of that, they¡¯d managed to handle the bubble so that it wouldn¡¯t affect the world too much while still maintaining a stable profit margin. They had assets that they had saved for ages. Their group had influence as the rulers of a past world. And they had the expertise they¡¯d gained as a criminal organization. Everything the Seven Dragons Association did was made possible because they had the skill sets of the Seven Dragons Association. ¡°Truth be told, even that was not enough.¡± The Seven Dragons Association made it possible to have a stable global economy and world peace. But even for them, it was not an easy status quo to maintain. They always had to be on their feet. There were times an entire fortune became worthless, because they lost control of their bubble. There were times when war almost broke out due to missed information. There were times where sacrifices had to be made when faced with a strong opponent. Those were truly the days of indescribable hardship. ¡°Most of the clan members were skeptical about how long this had to go on.¡± ¡°Of course they would have¡­¡± Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t have been like this if they didn¡¯t maintain world peace in secret. Having done all kinds of illegal activities to maintain the dungeon bubble, from bribery to murder, the Seven Dragons Association would not have been able to boast about their feats. It was like they took on all of the baggage with nothing to gain. No matter how much the Association dreamt of a utopia, not even they could be pleased with their current situation. Especially not for the current leaders, who were much more keen on their profits and losses going beyond religious principles. There was one exception¡­ ¡°But we, the Black Dragon Clan, did not give up until the very end.¡± The first to propose the scheme. ¡°To carry on with the plan despite the opposition from the other clans, we had to pay a fair price.¡± ¡°A price?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Limon looked scared of what he was going to hear next. And unfortunately for him, he was scared for good reason. ¡°Our clan offered to take responsibility for all of the damage caused by maintaining world peace.¡± Once again, his mind went blank as Li Chingwei revealed the price she had to pay with a smile on her face. ¡°I¡­¡± His mouth fell agape, getting reminded of what feeling ¡®speechless¡¯ was like. Getting over the sensation that hit him in the head like a hammer, Limon asked, ¡°and they accepted your ridiculous offer?¡± ¡°We made them.¡± ¡°How?¡± It was a mystery to Limon. The world peace plan was overwhelming, even for the entire Seven Dragons Association to handle. Passing over all the burden to one single clan? No sane man would have taken on such a task. Just as a bank does not give loans out to those who cannot afford to pay it back, the other clans must have been aware that the Black Dragon Clan did not have the ability to handle the weight of it. So how did she do it? ¡°I gave Hotel Leviathan¡¯s stocks as collateral.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Hotel Leviathan. One of the seven holding companies representing the Seven Dragons Association, and the backbone of the Black Dragon Clan. After giving its stocks as collateral, even the clans most opposed to the plan quickly back-pedaled into avid supporters of world peace. Li Chingwei said it like it was a funny joke. She gave a wide smile to Limon, who was still frozen, his jaws breaking through the floorboards. ¡°It was most fortunate that I was able to continue with my plan every time I leveraged my shares. The other clans were practically stepping over one another to lend me their money.¡± But of course. Leviathan¡¯s shares meant control over the Seven Dragons Association. Even among the Association¡­ No, because they were members of the same Association, it was an even more coveted treasure. ¡°Though, I did unfortunately lose the support of my own clan due to losing quite a lot of the shares.¡± Li Chingwei said with cheer. From the elite clan members who have passed down the 72 martial arts for centuries on end, to the lower level members who barely got their names in the name, quite a few of the clan members had already turned their backs on her. In fact, many of them had switched clans entirely. After a moment of silence, limon blurted out a question that crossed his mind. ¡°You¡¯ve already lost a chunk of your shares?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to give me 49% of Hotel Leviathan to me as well?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then how much do you have now?¡± It was definitely not a minor 1-2% loss if even the most loyal of clan members had turned their backs on her. What more could be left, after giving away another 49%? The answer he received was definite. ¡°1.1%.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t make that face,¡± Li Chingwei told Limon with a beaming grin. He was blinking blankly, as if he couldn¡¯t believe his own ears. ¡°50.1% with the Master of Sword¡¯s 49% and my 1.1%. That is the last remaining fortune of our clan.¡± Half of Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares was certainly an enormous fortune. The market capital of three to four major companies combined would not even amount to a quarter of that value. But that also meant that the Black Dragon Clan had lost that much money. ¡°Yes, our clan has already fallen.¡± It just wasn¡¯t showing publicly. ¡°Nobody believes that we will be able to get back on our feet, and the elders are only planning to sell me to another clan for a high price.¡± ¡°Master of Swords. You said that you wouldn¡¯t have had to clash with the Infinite Monarch if you hadn¡¯t met me, did you not?.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That is correct, but you were wrong.¡± Li Chingwei confirmed the suspicions Limon had prior to her confession. And yet, she was denying them at the same time. ¡°My visit was simply one of the triggers. As long as the Black Dragon Clan met its downfall, it was bound to happen.¡± The very reason Limon hadn¡¯t crossed paths with a Monarch before Lee Chun-gi was because the Seven Dragons Association had poured their manpower and assets into preventing such a thing. After all, no matter how hard they try to maintain world peace, it would all be in vain if Limon simply wiped out the Monarchs. But the Black Dragon Clan no longer had the power to maintain world peace when they had already lost almost half of their stocks. That was what caused Limon¡¯s clash with the Infinite Monarch. The Seven Dragons Association did not scheme the conflict. It was simply the result of them not preventing it. Li Chingwei presented to him as calmly as if she was wrapping up a school presentation. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon fell silent watching her. Silence¡­ Silence¡­ And more silence. Staring into her beautiful eyes glistening like obsidian, he finally opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Why?¡± He had thought over it multiple times, but he could not find an answer. It was a question Limon did not ask very often. ¡°Why are you going this far?¡± he asked again. She manipulated her own doctrine as she pleased. She made the Seven Dragons Association face bankruptcy. She lost her support as her clan met its downfall. A clever man would have only taken credit at the beginning. An average person would have given up after realizing the hardships. An idiot would have retired once their clan collapsed. ¡°You knew you weren¡¯t getting anything out of all this.¡± Why did she walk on such a dangerous tightrope for the past 32 years, despite everybody¡¯s opposition to it? ¡°I am getting something.¡± Li Chingwei smiled at his settled, golden eyes. The reason why she went past her limits. The result of her practically selling off half her clan. Maintaining world peace despite the ridicule and backlash. And holding her head high despite all of that¡­ ¡°You accepted my marriage proposal.¡± Even though the Seven Dragons Association maintained world peace, the furthest their power could take them was only a couple decades. And here was the Absolute Ruler who did all of that, for centuries, with nothing but a single sword. As long as she had Limon on her side, even if she loses everyone in the Seven Dragons Association¡­ Her bargaining power was unmatched. ¡°¡­That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something to say ¡®that¡¯s it¡¯ about.¡± She glanced up at the skies. They had gone dark as soon as Limon appeared before her. For the very first time, she would confess the reason she had to put the world¡¯s greatest weapon into her hands. A reason she could not tell a single soul. ¡°In this day and age where the sword tower and Swordmasters are no longer¡­ You, the Master of Swords, are the only one who can go against the Constellations.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 39 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 39: That¡¯s Why Idealists will say that human beings cannot be assigned a value. But not many would say ¡®yes¡¯ when asked if they would give up their wealth to save a person. Realists will say that human beings can indeed be assigned a value. But not many would be able to answer how much it would take for them to sell their lives. Determining the value of a human being was difficult ¡ª an ancient conundrum with no definite answer, even today. Yet¡­ ¡°To be honest, I had luck on my side.¡± Here sat a girl challenging that conundrum with everything she had. Truly, Li Chingwei was an oddity to declare that her clan¡¯s gargantuan fortune was nothing compared to the value of Limon. ¡°¡­You had luck on your side?¡± ¡°Yes. When we first planned this out, we were expecting to go until at least a hundred years.¡± The white-haired man looked mortified. ¡°The Master of Sword had so much renown, we were unsure if it would dwindle after centuries ¡ª millennials, even,¡± she continued with a grin. That was no overstatement. He was mankind¡¯s guardian who pierced the Demon God. The Hero who resolved the elemental crisis that swept over the Americas. The renown Limon Asphelder had built over the many centuries was so grandiose, there was no sign of its decline until a little over 30 years ago. ¡°But the people astounded me.¡± In that sense, the change people brought upon after the arrival of Constellations and players were indeed surprising. ¡°They had already forgotten the Master of Sword¡¯s renown in not a hundred, but just 30 years.¡± Players had gotten drunk off their suddenly acquired powers. The powerful were blinded by the riches in the Dungeon. And the people started taking peace for granted. They soon forgot the memoirs of the past. Maybe buried would be more accurate. There wasn¡¯t any one single individual to blame. Everyone had unanimously buried Limon¡¯s feats and turned the Swordmaster into a laughing stock. As if they were ashamed that the past savior of the world was just someone who could swing around a sharp knife well. ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it? How quickly the people forgot about the Master of Swords. Quicker than our own predictions, when we were the people behind it. Li Chingwei added her own suspicions on top of Limon¡¯s as she continued, this time with a peculiar smile a little different than the one before. ¡°It¡¯s not like a celestial entity would have intervened.¡± Her tone was lighthearted but her eyes were not laughing. Limon raised his brows. ¡°¡­Did the Constellations play a bigger role in speeding up my downfall than you guys?¡± ¡°I would be deemed insane if I told this to anyone else.¡± ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re self aware.¡± Limon frowned. If it had been anyone else but him, the Black Dragon Princess would have indeed been considered one crazy bitch. ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, that means that the Constellations are brainwashing the players.¡± ¡°Not that far. I just figured that Constellations might have some influence over a player¡¯s subconscious, is all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what brainwashing means.¡± What they were saying was absurd. Straight up nonsense. The mentality the majority bore in this Iron Age is that the Constellations were great transcendent entities who gave the people protection and fortune. Even the biggest nut job conspiracist would have claimed it to be rubbish. But instead of correcting herself, Li Chingwei calmly continued. ¡°As I have already told you, the Seven Dragons Association has spent several decades working hard to achieve and maintain world peace.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°The most important part of that was gathering information.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was.¡± As someone who was given the title of ¡®Guardian of Humanity¡¯, Limon could relate to her as he nodded. ¡°The reason I started to become suspicious of the Constellations was because I found something peculiar in the data I gathered.¡± ¡°Something peculiar?¡± ¡°There are more than a few people whose personalities changed after becoming a player.¡± ¡°It¡¯s common for people to change when they suddenly get a hold of a lot of power.¡± ¡°That would be the case for people who acquired a lot of it. But what if I told you that even those who only got a little changed as well?¡± The changes she saw in people below level 10 and 20¡­ Making a deal with some insignificant Constellation who weren¡¯t even considered to be players¡­ Someone who loved swimming was now hydrophobic and despised water. Someone who studied all their life to become a doctor now wanted to become a professional boxer. Limon narrowed his eyes. ¡°Things like that aren¡¯t impossible, though.¡± ¡°Sure, if it was a single case in a hundred. But what if over 70% of the players went through such changes, be it large or small?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­Seven in ten players had a change in their personality?¡± ¡°According to the statistics counting players who have been in a contract for over ten years.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen players for decades and never felt such a change.¡± ¡°It would be hard to feel those changes the longer you¡¯ve seen them. This is something that slowly happened over the course of several decades.¡± Of course anyone would start getting suspicious if people changed overnight. But what if that change gradually happened over a year? A decade? Sure, people would think that they¡¯re a little different than how they were, but no one would think of that as weird. Even those who went through the changes themselves. ¡°But you would know, Master of Swords. You know that the nature of people doesn¡¯t change so easily.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you think these big changes are normal when there weren¡¯t any incidents or reasons for it? Limon could only stay silent upon Li Chingwei¡¯s elaborate explanation. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to change their character or their way of living after going through a near death experience or something that only happens once in a lifetime. But for 70% of players to change personalities? What if the remaining 30 were in the process of changing, or just hadn¡¯t noticed yet? Was it absolutely certain that the Constellations had nothing to do with these changes? ¡°¡­Even if that¡¯s true, it¡¯s not enough to go straight to doubting the Constellations.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Even if the players were indeed changing, it couldn¡¯t be counted as solid evidence that the Constellations were brainwashing them. It could very well be that the players were just being influenced by the temperment of the Constellation they dealt with. If that was the case, many wouldn¡¯t really care. They¡¯d say that their personalities changing was nothing compared to the benefits their Constellations gave. ¡°That¡¯s actually why there is no one else in the Seven Dragons Association on edge about the Constellations. At most, some are just cautious of the rising influence of players.¡± ¡°¡­So why are you so on edge towards them?¡± ¡°I may not know a lot about the Constellations, but I do know one thing.¡± They had never brought hardship into this world, nor did they jeopardize the Seven Dragons Association. Therefore, why was she acting so wary of the Constellations based on something as minor as a change in a player¡¯s character? ¡°All good in this world has a cost.¡± ¡°¡­A wise answer to a silly question.¡± From the elementalists and gods to the Seven Dragons ¡ª there have been many non-human entities throughout history that weren¡¯t Constellations. But not a single one of them did good for the world for free. Sacrifice, love, faith, and obedience ¡ª each were paid for in their own way and gave their benefits accordingly. What did the Constellations get in return for making a deal, judged from superficial feats, and giving the people powers? Did they turn the players into a spectacle? Of course, it was entirely possible that they were beings that had transcended God and could afford to give that much. Think of it like a wealthy man paying for a monthly television subscription. But the Constellations Limon had seen so far were not all that great. And above all, he knew many gospels about life after having lived for so long. The more cheap something looks, the heavier its price. ¡°Yes, but too many in this era do not know of something so obvious.¡± Li Chingwei gave a small, bitter smile and sighed as she looked to the shattered remains of a once beautiful decoration that Chao had broken. ¡°There are more than a few people, even in our association, who have been influenced by the Constellations.¡± The Seven Dragons Association kept their world peace plan top secret. Not even their very own members knew what the plan was, even while carrying it out. Only the princess of each clan and the Elders knew its true depth. If their plan was exposed, all the work they had done would have been in vain. Worst comes to worst, Limon could have intervened. Their borderline paranoid secrecy and the faster-than-expected downfall of the Swordmaster had resulted in people like Chao. In other words, they were members who were accustomed to the current generation¡¯s mindset and greatly underestimated Limon. Chao had still behaved as he did, even after listening to the tales of Limon while he was Li Chingwei¡¯s guard. There was no saying how horribly the rest of the Seven Dragons Association probably thought of Limon. In the end, not even the Seven Dragons Association, the gray eminence of the world, could escape the grasp of the Constellations. ¡°How can you guys get caught in your very own schemes¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ironic.¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s face was slightly flushed, shameful. But she had one more thing to add. ¡°Perhaps it was inevitable.¡± One who uses poison must be prepared to ingest it themselves. They lacked preparation. No¡ª they were negligent. Just as those ignorant got drunk from the power and riches the Constellations and the Dungeon gave them, The Seven Dragons Association had also fallen into their own pride as undercover rulers of the world. They were blinded by the wealth and honor stepping into the sun had brought them. The other clans¡¯ lack of caution towards the Constellations and Limon made that evident. They no longer felt the need to maintain world peace. This outcome may have indeed been inevitable. It may have been the natural passing of time that no one could avoid. ¡°That¡¯s why I put everything on the line to propose to you.¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying that I¡¯m the only one in the world who can stop the Constellations?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Li Chingwei nodded, going on as she watched Limon with tranquil eyes. ¡°Now that the players have taken over the world, the only one who can go against time and protect the Seven Dragons Association is the Master of Swords.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 40 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 40: Charges After a while of oddly watching Li Chingwei speak of him as some kind of savior, Limon awkwardly opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Even if you word it that way, I¡¯m still getting cornered by time. I¡¯m a traitor now.¡± ¡°But you are not yet an enemy to the world.¡± Mankind¡¯s last Swordmaster¡­ If the Constellations truly had hidden intentions behind dealing with humanity, he would be the most troublesome being to them. And if the reason Lee Chun-gi had taken action was due to the interference of a Constellation, then they wouldn¡¯t stop there. They would manipulate the other Monarchs, even entire nations, until Limon became public enemy #1. ¡°That is why I said I was lucky.¡± ¡°¡­You mean the timing?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Li Chingwei nodded. ¡°If people had remembered your renown for even a little longer, I would not have gotten the chance to meet you.¡± What if Limon hadn¡¯t crumbled? The Black Dragon Clan would have had to trade in more of their Leviathan stocks until they went below 50% ownership, and be forced to stop their plan for world peace. Li Chingwei wouldn¡¯t be able to be cautious about the Constellations when she was getting sold off to take responsibility for her clan¡¯s downfall. ¡°On the other hand, if you had met your downfall too early, we, the Seven Dragons Association, would have fought you first.¡± What if Limon had crumbled too fast? He would have met with their assassins instead of a princess. With Li Chingwei being the only person in the Seven Dragons Association suspicious of the Constellations, the rest of the Association would not have stopped at making Limon an enemy to the entire world. If they broke into an all-out-war, most of the Seven Dragons Association would have gotten annihilated, but Limon would have been a fugitive with a missing arm, at the very least. And the Constellations would be fishing in troubled waters. ¡°So, of course it is good luck that I was able to meet the Master of Swords at the right time.¡± Li Chingwei had a beaming smile on her face. She seemed overjoyed. ¡°I¡¯ve been screwed over thanks to your ¡®good timing¡¯.¡± Even under the assumption that the Constellations did interfere, it was a fact that her meeting with him had made Lee Chun-gi take an active role in getting rid of him. He¡¯d sarcastically just told her that her visit was a calamity for him. But she wasn¡¯t bothered. ¡°Yes, that is a shame,¡± she quietly nodded. Despite the genuine sympathy in her voice, her clear obsidian eyes¡ª though sad ¡ª did not have an ounce of remorse. Limon¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Is my answer not to your liking?¡± she quietly asked. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d like it?¡± ¡°No, I thought that you would be anguished,¡± Li Chingwei said without hesitation. Taking a peak down at the blade pressed against her neck, she went on. ¡°Especially if you believe that I am the one who will repay your blood debt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon didn¡¯t bother to respond. The fact he had been holding her sword against her throughout their conversation spoke for itself. Having seen his cold expression, Li Chingwei closed her eyes. She breathed in. And when she reopened her eyes, everything changed. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°Oh, dear Master of Swords,¡± a low, tranquil voice spoke. There was reverence where the cheerfulness once was. ¡°The last Swordmaster, the guardian who protected this world through his will alone¡­ Dear cold-blooded judge and fair ruler.¡± The vigor disappeared as did her smile. Only a mature solemnity remained. Her unwavering stance only added more elegance to her beautiful face. ¡°I, Li Chingwei, descendent of the Almighty Black Dragon Lord, dare question you.¡± The smiling girl from moments earlier was no longer. The gray eminence who made a fool of the world on the palm of her hand this entire time, One of the seven masters of the Seven Dragons Association, And the inheritor of dragonblood. Not even an Absolute Ruler could look down on her. Her poise, expression, voice¡­ Her crystal clear eyes ¡ª so clear Limon could see his own reflection in them. The Black Dragon Princess. Facing Limon, she asked, ¡°Was it my fault for stopping wars and maintaining world peace?¡± ¡°Is it a crime to fool the world and make the Monarchs the Absolute Ruler in the name of peace?¡± Taking away any opportunity for Limon to act was a ludicrous scheme to bring his downfall. Of course Limon deemed it unforgivable. But could one really say it was a fault? The end result only brought peace! It was a plan that caused a Dungeon bubble and elevated the status of players, creating the society they were in now. Legally speaking, it was a crime worth more than a thousand years in prison. But was it a crime deserving of punishment? Because they didn¡¯t allow the global economy to crumble? ¡°Was being wary of the Constellations and taking precautions a line that shouldn¡¯t have been crossed?¡± It was no different than a conspiracy with lacking evidence and vague suppositions. And to those who worshiped the Constellations, it was a downright insult. But did that really make it a fault? To be on guard against an unknown entity doing people favors out of nowhere? ¡°Should I not have come to you with the belief that the only way to stop the Constellations is for the Master of Swords and the Seven Dragons Association to join hands?¡± Was Li Chingwei to blame for Limon¡¯s clash with Lee Chun-gi? Was she to blame for coming to Limon as a final resort after giving everything in the name of world peace, for taking precautions against the Constellations? ¡°Tell me, Master of Swords.¡± But Limon only remained silent. ¡°Am I the one who should repay your blood debt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He did not answer. He could not answer. He only continued to look at her in silence. Limon, a Swordmaster who never hesitated when wielding his sword, still had not cut her. That alone said everything. But Li Chingwei didn¡¯t press him any further. Instead, she watched Limon with her silent gaze. ¡°You swore on your sword you would not abandon me as long as I didn¡¯t turn my back on you, Master of Swords.¡± Tremble. It was at that moment the blade that had been fixed on Li Chingwei¡¯s neck this entire time finally faltered. It was only the slightest of trembles. All in the blink of an eye, that shifted less than a millimeter. But with her Psionic senses, Li Chingwei could feel the blade move. The first ever shift in Limon¡¯s heart. The heart that, although it could feel surprise, never once wavered ¡ª even after hearing of the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s schemes. ¡°I am not going to make the excuse that this was all before I took my oath to you.¡± That was an easy excuse, a way to make Limon withdraw his sword in an instant. But the Black Dragon Princess did not use such stopgap measures to spare her life. Rather, she reached out her hand. ¡°If the Master of Swords believes that there is a fault in even a single act I have committed¡­¡± Slip. She gripped the blade on her own neck. Her fingers were so frail. It looked like it would get cut with even the slightest movement from Limon. But Li Chingwei did not care. She held up the blade to her lips and kissed it. Was it because the blade was too sharp? Or was it the slight falter? Drip. A drop of blood trickled from her lips. Only after the hot red blood drenched her lips did Li Chingwei take them off the edge of the blade. She pulled the sword to her heart, where it would be easier to piece, and she quietly smiled. ¡°Then cut me down.¡± She finished with the beautifully innocent, youthful smile of a virgin getting sacrificed to the Dragons. ¡°I readily accept your ruling.¡± *** Limon held his sword like a living statue. Rather than fearing the sword held against her, she beamed at the Swordmaster. ¡°Are you out of your mind or just stupid?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not sane, at least.¡± Limon shook his head. Exposing all the schemes of the Seven Dragons Association from a little interrogation was baffling enough. But here she was, putting a sword to her chest as repentance if her scheme was a fault. It could only be called insane, for many reasons. ¡°¡­But it¡¯s clear you¡¯re not stupid, either.¡± ¡°Thank you for your high praise.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t a compliment.¡± Li Chingwei blushed. What was going on in that brain for her to take it as a compliment? ¡°It¡¯s just deplorable,¡± Limon sighed. It would be easy to just slit Li Chingwei¡¯s neck open right here and now. Blocking or dodging his sword in the position she was in was impossible, even for the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan. But Limon could not do it. Not when he couldn¡¯t give a proper answer to a single one of Li Chingwei¡¯s questions. Was it her fault for maintaining peace? Was it her fault for preserving the economy? Was it her fault for taking caution against the Constellations? ¡®Calling that a crime would make me a criminal as well.¡¯ As the Guardian of Humanity, Limon had done a lot to protect the world. One thing he learned from his experiences was that it was better to save the world at the expense of everything than let it burn as it should. Of course, the means could not justify all methods. But what the Seven Dragons Association did was justifiable enough in Limon¡¯s eyes. ¡®And taking caution against the Constellations is the obvious thing to do, not some premonition.¡¯ For those same reasons, he could not blame Li Chingwei for coming to him to propose so that she could be on guard of the Constellations. If her suspicions happened to be true and the Constellations could bring harm to the world by manipulating players, neither the Seven Dragons Association or Limon would be able to stop them. Limon may have been able to pierce the Constellations, but he couldn¡¯t fight against the world. The Seven Dragons Association may have had all the world¡¯s riches, but they could not win against the Constellations. In that sense, Li Chingwei had gone with the best solution by waiting for Limon¡¯s downfall so that she could hold hands with him. After all, he would not have held hands with the Seven Dragons Association if he wasn¡¯t in the state he was in now. Not to mention, he¡¯d actually rejected her proposal before. ¡®I can¡¯t blame her for coming to me after losing nearly half of her clan¡¯s stocks.¡¯ They had already lost 49.9% of their share of Hotel Leviathan. If they had lost .1% more, the Black Dragon Clan might completely disintegrate. How could he blame the girl who came to him after being driven into a dead end? Limon was reckless to the point he was coined a ¡®mad dog¡¯, but he wasn¡¯t a bitch. As long as he couldn¡¯t affirm that what Li Chingwei did was a crime, he couldn¡¯t collect his blood debt from her regarding this matter.. Collecting blood debt from the wrong person only makes it murder, after all. So what, you say? Sure, he could turn a blind eye to that. He could very well just kill Li Chingwei and destroy the Seven Dragons Association to vent his anger. The global economy would collapse. The players would become nothing and would run wild as they clung on tighter and tighter to the Constellations. Peace would be no longer. In the chaos that ensues, heroes are born. And if Limon fought against the Constellations in that chaos, he would once again take the throne as Absolute Ruler. He would display his omnipotent power as he became humanity¡¯s hero once again. But he couldn¡¯t do it. He knew all too well of what lay at the end of such a life. It was the very reason why the Heroes Age, when the most heroes were active, ended up becoming history¡¯s most brutal period. And it was for the same reason that he had no choice but to become the last Swordmaster among the 13 who reached the point of immortality and eternal youth. Limon could give up being a hero, but he could never give up being human. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 41 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 41: Tasted Like Blood ¡°Why would the Master of Swords be deplored?¡± Li Chingwei asked with a light smile. It was as if she had read his mind. Limon looked into her eyes. ¡°You truly are the Princess of the Black Dragon Clan, aren¡¯t you?¡± The Black Dragon Clan was the weakest when it came to direct combat among the seven clans. And yet, they had managed to be a constant threat to Limon for the past many centuries. In a way, they were a stronger enemy than even the Demon God. ¡°You¡¯re cunning, vicious, and precise.¡± They had the most intellectual and cunning schemes ¡ª a hallmark of the Black Dragon Clan. At the pinnacle of their darkness, was their princess. With her potent Psionic abilities, she could read people¡¯s minds and was even more adept at manipulating them. She had a perfect understanding of who Limon was. She was the very culprit behind all the schemes that had driven Limon into a corner he could not escape. However, Li Chingwei was not angry or embarrassed by what Limon said. In fact, she nodded. ¡°Yes, those are indeed our traits.¡± She smiled, as if it were a matter of fact. Nonchalant about a remark so miniscule, she asked Limon. ¡°So, have you decided?¡± Limon looked at the girl again ¡ª she was naive, but she never showed her own hand. He closed his eyes. ¡®I guess this is it.¡¯ The end had already been decided. The king dies when driven into checkmate. He had been placed into such a situation ever since he met Li Chingwei just a few days ago¡­ Maybe he had been ever since he failed to notice the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s influence 32 years ago. He just couldn¡¯t bring himself to accept it. Knowing stubbornness wouldn¡¯t get him anywhere, Limon slowly nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Clank¡ª He put away the sword that was pressed against Li Chingwei¡¯s chest. ¡°I lose.¡± With two words, he had admitted that Li Chingwei was not the subject for his revenge, nor a traitor to him. But those two words were far from inconsequential. From the Bronze Age, the Heroes¡¯ Age to the current Iron Age ¡ª the last Swordmaster had not once been defeated despite his countless enemies. And he had just admitted so to the Black Dragon Princess. A truly remarkable feat. If her predecessors knew of this, they would have turned it into a holiday to be celebrated, passing it down to their children and those to their children. ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡± But Li Chingwei did not feel proud. All this was the result of Limon showing his generosity by letting her get away with her crimes. She courtly saved Limon¡¯s face by telling him she had only been handed victory. ¡°¡­You really aren¡¯t like the kids these days.¡± These days, the victors would laugh, trample, and ridicule the loser. Showing one mercy would make the victor mocked as a hypocrite. Limon smiled bitterly at her politeness. It was rare. So rare he had almost missed it. ¡°Oh? Do I look that mature to you?¡± ¡°Not your looks, but your attitude.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Oblivious, Li Chingwei tilted her head sideways. Limon let out a laugh. ¡°Screwing over your entire clan just to get me on your side isn¡¯t something kids these days would do, you know.¡± Money and political power was more important in this era. Limon was looked down upon and ignored by everyone, including the other Princesses and Elders of the Seven Dragons Association who planned for world peace. He couldn¡¯t believe that she was willing to drain half of her clan¡¯s massive fortune, and hand the remaining half to him, all to get a hold of him! Not even the past generations could have done something like that. ¡°That is because people do not know the Master of Sword¡¯s true value.¡± She wasn¡¯t the oddity, the others were just foolish. ¡°And you do?¡± Limon made a sarcastic jab at her adamancy. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± she replied without hesitation, absolute certainty in her voice. It seemed she was sure no one else in the world knew more about Limon than she did. ¡°I have lived my entire life just for this moment.¡± Limon fell silent. It wasn¡¯t just because of her baseless certainty. Her eyes were settled like the night sky. And yet, they still shined. They reminded Limon of a memory of an unknown, yet oddly familiar gaze. ¡°¡­¡­Yeah, you would know.¡± As soon as he remembered where he¡¯d seen that gaze from, Limon was able to vaguely understand the reason she had put everything on the line for him. And so, he asked, ¡°But Princess, can you handle it?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** He was no longer speaking to the very culprit behind his downfall as the avenger of his blood debt anymore. It didn¡¯t matter if he knew of her hidden intentions or not. It was simply a warning from the man who swore by his sword that he would stay by her side. ¡°The resentment towards me is greater than my power ¡ª especially from the Seven Dragons Association.¡± Enmity might dwindle with time, but it will never truly die. Resentment will be passed down with each generation. Limon knew of that fact. In that sense, the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s resentment towards him was greater than the seas and mountains. After all, there were only a few members whose loved ones had not been slaughtered by him in the past. ¡°Letting me in means that you will have to shoulder all that resentment as well.¡± It may have been better if this had happened in the past. At least back then, people held back their resentment, relieved that they weren¡¯t the Swordmaster¡¯s enemy. But as Limon fell from grace, the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s hatred towards him had not. Only now, they looked down on him as well. Would they really just let him in? ¡°You will become a traitor who sold out your own people. Your few remaining supporters will turn their backs to you. And the admiration and loyalty will be replaced by contempt at the sharp end of a blade.¡± That was no overstatement. Li Chingwei¡¯s reputation was already at rock bottom for ruining her clan, all for a ridiculous reason like being suspicious of the Constellations. If they found out she had completely thrown out the rest of her stock and took Limon in, she could very well become the first princess murdered by her own people in the history of the Seven Dragons Association. That was what taking in Limon meant. ¡°And if your suspicions end up true, the Seven Dragons Association won¡¯t be the only enemy I¡¯m going up against.¡± Limon paused for a brief moment. ¡°There will be the Constellations and the entire world.¡± His voice was a serious one he hadn¡¯t used before. The Iron Age revolved around players and the Constellations, Merely being on guard against the Constellations meant going against the generation itself. If the Constellations found out about the suspicions Limon and Li Chingwei held against them¡­ If they then tried to restrain or get rid of them¡­ Fighting all the Monarchs at the same time would have been a brutal battle. The Constellations would not even have to step in. Lee Chun-gi was overwhelmed because Limon was an anomaly. The Monarchs with their cheat skills that redefined the natural order of the world, each masters of powerful guilds, was nothing to look down upon. ¡°Worst case scenario, you will be abandoned by the Seven Dragons Association and be a fugitive with nothing left.¡± Unless another clan gave her support, and without a stroke of good luck, going against the Constellations without enough pretext would have likely made the other clans turn their backs on the Black Dragon Clan. It would be trouble from the inside and out. It meant that they would be in complete isolation, fighting the clans of the Seven Dragons Association internally, while going up against all the players and Constellations externally. In fact, even if the Constellations did not intervene, the other clans would still oppose the Black Dragon Clan. That was the inevitable consequence Li Chingwei would have to take on in exchange for holding Limon¡¯s hand. ¡°Will you be able to bear the weight of that?¡± In an age where the value of physical power had gone down, anyone would think it foolish to accept such a challenge. And just to get a man who knew of nothing but swinging a sword. Limon was giving her a final decision on whether she truly desired him. ¡°Of course I am,¡± she smiled gleefully. ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t you think about your answer?¡± ¡°Did I not say it already? I have lived my entire life for this moment.¡± She was ready to take on any task as long as she had Limon. She wouldn¡¯t have screwed over her clan in the first place if she hadn¡¯t braced herself for that already. Limon watched her say with a cheerful smile. ¡°As long as you¡¯re prepared, I guess.¡± He slowly stood up and took a step forward. Standing directly in front of Li Chingwei, he reached his hand out. ¡°But let me make one thing clear.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Taken aback by having her chin slightly lifted up, she blinked. Limon raised her head, locking eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t be getting me in your hands.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to be mine.¡± It was a declaration. ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t end with you. I¡¯m going to take everything that¡¯s left of the Black Dragon Clan if it means getting a hold of the power to go against the Constellations. And I will ravage the Seven Dragons Association with it.¡± It was a testament. A declaration of war to the individual reigning over the shadows of the world, to the Black Dragon Princess of the Seven Dragons Association. It was something he should have done when he accepted her proposal¡ª something he was destined to do ¡ªas long as he was determined to acquire money and power in his hands. ¡°So be warned.¡± He did not advise her further. He did not allow her to rethink her decisions. He simply informed her, as if mocking a foolish scapegoat who kicked her last chance out the window. Li Chingwei stared into the serene, settled golden eyes of an Absolute Ruler determined to take back his lost honor. And she beamed, like she had been waiting for him to say those words. With an ever so gleeful smile, she closed her eyes as she spoke. ¡°As you wish.¡± The Black Dragon Princess had just declared that she would not only denounce her clan, but the entire Seven Dragons Association. But Limon wasn¡¯t surprised anymore. It was as if he knew she would say so. As if he would not accept any other answer. He gently pulled her head as he pressed her scarlet lips to his. Two sworn enemies, a princess of the Seven Dragons Association and the Guardian of Humanity, were finally on the same page. And it was a moment Limon had seldom experienced throughout his long life ¡ª a kiss that tasted of blood. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 42 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 42: I Finally Found You ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± He ran through a narrow road, sharply breathing. Everything was pitch black save for a few run-down street lamps. ¡°Huff¡­¡­ Huff¡­!¡± Each breath the man took stung as if needles were pricking his throat. His heart thumped like it was going to explode at any moment. Still, he did not stop running. He could not stop. He did not know where he was. Why he was running, or who he even was. He only knew he had to run. Crash¡ª! ¡°Kugh! Tripping over a shard of metal amidst running his lungs dry, he fell to the ground and tumbled. He had fallen so hard, his forehead was smeared with blood and one of his ankles dangled like there was something wrong with the bone. But the man did not writhe in pain. Instead, he started crawling, desperate to get even a little further away. Krrrnk¡ª ¡°¡­¡­!¡± But the sound of metal scraping against each other immediately made him freeze in place. Don¡¯t look back. His head turned against his will. He saw a scrap of metal screeching like a rusty tin doll. The scrap that had caused him to fall looked like it belonged in a junkyard ¡ª insignificant and pathetic. But his eyes widened. The piece of metal junk was morphing. As if going back in time, the rust was stripped from its surface as it slowly arose out of the ground. A beautiful antique. It was giving off an eerie glow against the dark backdrop of the night. Seeing it, the man unknowingly muttered, ¡°a sword¡­?¡± What was that sword? What was it doing in a place like this? Why did he trip over that? But as soon as they came up, the questions within his mind disappeared just as quickly. Shing¡ª The blade pulled itself out of its sheath as it floated in the air. It gradually approached him, the tip of its crimson-stained blade looking at him. He could feel his own eyes pop out from their sockets. ¡®I can¡¯t¡­!¡¯ With instinctive fear, he continued crawling on the ground to get away. But it was all in vain. He was paralyzed. Unable to move a single inch, his despair grew. ¡®No way.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t run. He couldn¡¯t look away. He couldn¡¯t even close his eyes. The only thing he could do was watch the sword come towards him. ¡®This can¡¯t be real.¡¯ He had worked harder than anyone else. He had spent his days sparing his meals and his sleep. He had torn himself away from the chains around his ankles and torn down the obstacles in his path. He wasn¡¯t number one, but he was able to reach a place where he could catch a glimpse of that glory. This couldn¡¯t be happening to him. At least, if God was real, this absolutely could not be happening to him. ¡®This has to be a dream.¡¯ The sword came closer and closer. The blade got bigger and bigger, as did his eyes. It approached unwavering, straight towards them. Looking at the bloody blade, he tried to convince himself. ¡®This is a dream¡­!¡¯ This isn¡¯t real. It can¡¯t hurt. I can¡¯t die. I won¡¯t get cut. It will all be in an instant. As long as I wake up from this dream, As long as I wake up¡­! Squelch¡ª The sound of a spoon piercing into a pudding rang through the air. *** ¡°AAAAAARGH!¡± Park Hyun-gun shot up with a scream, gasping for air. His entire body was drenched in a cold sweat. Reflexively, he patted his eyes. Only after making sure that his eyes were fine did he regain some composure as he looked at his surroundings. His chair had fallen backwards from him getting up. Documents laid on his desk. Familiar decorations and paintings hung on the walls. Realizing that he was in the ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»¡¯s secretary office, Park Hyun-gun wiped the sweat off his face. ¡°When did I fall asleep¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t believe that a high-level player like him could doze off in his chair, regardless of how tired he was. If anyone had seen him, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold his head up. But Park couldn¡¯t feel that shame right now. An overwhelming sense of relief he had never felt before had expunged all other emotions from his mind. ¡®What an awful nightmare.¡¯ Whether it was because of his uncomfortable sleeping position or fatigue from hard work, it was a dream he never wanted to have again. If it indeed was from fatigue, he would seriously need to think about getting more sleep. ¡®Hold on. What happened?¡¯ Not long after his senses returned, he remembered that it was no time to be thinking about something as minor as a dream. ¡®Was there any news from the Blue House?¡¯ ¡®What about the Monarch?¡¯ He had those thoughts before he had drifted away. Remembering the reason he had to stay up this late doing work in the guild, Park bit his lips. An entire day had passed since Lee Chun-gi stepped in to deal with Limon and his hostage situation at the Blue House. At the time, he was sure that it would have all been over in an instant. There was no matter that couldn¡¯t be taken care of when the Infinite Monarch himself had stepped in. Even when he received a report that deafening eruptions and blinding flashes of light rang through the air one after the other¡­ Even when he heard the chaos abruptly stop¡­ His faith did not falter. But after a full day had passed, he could not help his growing unease. ¡®Where is the Monarch, and what is he doing?¡¯ Limon should have already been taken care of once the deafening noises stopped. So why hasn¡¯t he returned? Knowing Lee Chun-gi¡¯s high priority on reporting procedures, Park could not wrap his head around this sudden lack of contact. He had even sent in Tracers, but the results were unsatisfactory. Even Even with ¡¸Clairvoyance¡¹ and ¡¸Catechism of the Stars¡¹, it was impossible to spy on what was going on at the Blue House. Almost as if even the great Constellations themselves feared to witness it. ¡°¡­I really am tired, aren¡¯t I¡­¡± How could the Constellations fear anything? Park muttered to himself, laughing at his ridiculous thoughts. He went straight to calculating a new plan, and came to a simple decision. ¡®I have to look into this matter.¡¯ If he doesn¡¯t hear anything back by the following morning, he would go as far as deploying the ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»attack squad to investigate the Blue House personally. Of course, he didn¡¯t have the authority to order the guild around since he wasn¡¯t the vice guildmaster. But he did have a way to make him take action. ¡®The vice guildmaster is crazy about items¡­ I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be happy to do it if I handed him some Grand Duke-rank items from the guild warehouse.¡¯ This was a clear breach of authority beyond that of a secretary¡¯s. But as he had always done such things before, Park didn¡¯t care about such a minor issue. Busy thinking of what items he would give out, he took his phone out. But before he could even make the call, he froze in place. ¡°Just to make sure, let me ask you something.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t only because of the unfamiliar voice he heard in the secretary¡¯s office that was definitely empty just moments ago. ¡°Is your name ¡®Park Hyun-gun¡¯?¡± Before he knew it, the windows were wide open. ¡°L-Limon Asphelder?¡± He was aghast seeing the white-haired man staring at him from the windowsill. ¡°What am I, your friend? Did you just call me by my name without introducing yourself first, you fuck?¡± ¡°How did you¡­?!¡± Limon Asphelder should have been killed by Lee Chun-gi. So why was he here, perfectly alive and well in front of him? Amidst his shock and confusion, Park subconsciously reached under his desk. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect help to arrive if I were you.¡± Park Hyun-gun flinched. Not only was he caught trying to press the emergency button, Limon had also brought something to his attention. His surroundings were eerily quiet. Yes, it was late into the night, but¡­ It was as if everyone else had vanished. ¡°What did you do? ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. How did Limon Asphelder get in here? What did he do to the other guild members? Limon completely dismissed the countless questions he was trying to ask. Resting his chin on his hand, Limon spoke. ¡°All you have to do is answer one question.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± He didn¡¯t deserve to ask questions. He was only to answer. Just as Park was about to burst out in rage at Limon¡¯s dismissive attitude¡ª ¡°Are you the one who held the children of Hanbit Orphanage hostage, the one who made Na-kyung a suicide bomber?¡± He felt his blood run cold as soon. He hadn¡¯t seen that coming at all. Limon stared at him with anticipation. Seeing those unnerving eyes, Park knew. His answer would determine his fate. It was pure intuition, a feeling he would have normally shaken off with a laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Aside from his intuition, there was also no rational reason to admit his own faults. It certainly wouldn¡¯t do him any good. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Limon tilted his head to the side as if that wasn¡¯t the answer he had expected. Gaining confidence, he added on, ¡°The Monarch took care of anything regarding your matter. Some orders didn¡¯t go through me.¡± ¡°So the Infinite Monarch is the one who ordered my death, and you don¡¯t know a thing about the orphanage or Na-kyung?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Hm, really?¡­ So you don¡¯t know, huh.¡± Park didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid as Limon gravely nodded. People didn¡¯t know of this, but his People didn¡¯t know of this, but his ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹ was a unique skill as powerful as an absolute skill. No tracer could see through his lies, let alone Limon when he didn¡¯t have a single skill. For a while, Limon just stared at him And he laughed. ¡°Pft, hahaa¡­.¡± Laughter slipped out of his mouth as his shoulders shook. It was a quiet breath escaping his lungs at first, but it got louder and louder until it eventually turned into a full on roar. ¡°Bwaaahahahahahahaha!¡± He laughed uncontrollably for what felt like ages until he stopped abruptly. Looking at Park Hyun-gun like his prey, he snarled. ¡°So it was you.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 43 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 43: Your Thoughts? Crash¡ª! Compulsively, Park threw back both his chair and desk to get on guard as soon as he heard Limon¡¯s voice ¡ª a swift but ungraceful motion. It was like seeing a mouse running into its hole after seeing a cat. But Park wasn¡¯t aware of that. He watched Limon with cold sweat dripping down his forehead. He had no room to think about anything else when the vigor in those golden eyes were so heinously brutal. But Limon didn¡¯t care whether Park was treaded backwards or begging on the floor. ¡°Do you know why I laughed?¡± Snickering, he continued. ¡°You have no idea how many circles I ran trying to find you.¡± Was he glad he finally found what he was looking for? Or was he angry at how much effort he had spent? Perhaps it was both. Within Limon¡¯s smile was an unfathomable chaos. ¡°So what I thought was a bastard of a boss was nothing more than a clueless tool, and I found myself waving a white flag to the gray eminence behind all this.¡± He shook his head as if he was baffled by his own words. And then he wiped the smile off his face, directing his bone-chilling eyes at Park. It was as if the playful voice was never real. ¡°How can I not be ecstatic? The person I find after going around in all these circles is a transparent, lying bitch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± There was nothing to figure out, nor was there a need to judge between good and evil. What a convenient villain he was ¡ª all there was to do was cut his throat! Park held his breath. Contrary to the lighthearted chatter, Limon¡¯s tone was dead serious. He didn¡¯t know why, but he was sure Limon was here to kill him. ¡®Should I fight¡­? No, I can¡¯t.¡¯ Limon was a monster that annihilated 150 high-level players in one night. Not only had he lost contact with the Infinite Monarch, Limon was standing here without a single scratch on his body. It could only mean one thing. Park immediately understood that he was at a disadvantage. He gave up trying to fight Limon, and gave up expecting any support to arrive. It had already been a while since he pressed the emergency button, after all. Instead, he activated his unique skill. ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹¡ª dubbed ¡®the name of a false god¡¯. Fitting for its grandiose name, ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹gave Park camouflage, deception, and persuasion skills. Its effects were so infallible, not even Lee Chun-gi could see past it with skills like ¡¸Truth Detection¡¹ and ¡¸Mortal Judgment¡¹. And so, Park was sure that he could persuade Limon, no matter how much murderous intent he had. If only he could talk to him. ¡°It looks like there has been some kind of misunderstanding¡­¡± Stab¡ª ¡°¡­?¡± But he stopped talking as soon as he started. He had no other choice. He didn¡¯t know what had just happened to him. It all went by so fast. ¡°Ugh¡­ Arrrrgh!¡± Only after feeling a searing pain did he become aware of the sword in his shoulder as he let out an ear-piercing scream. But Limon didn¡¯t pay any heed to it. ¡°A misunderstanding¡­ What a nice word. It makes even the most indefensible criminals innocent and the evilest of men have a kind spirit,¡± he nodded. It was as if he couldn¡¯t hear any screaming. ¡°But how are you saying you don¡¯t know when you aren¡¯t even asking who Na-kyung is?¡± Limon grabbed park hyungun by his hair. Still writhing in pain, Park flinched. He just realized his mistake. He¡¯d rushed his answer from being overwhelmed by Limon¡¯s presence. He wasn¡¯t flustered for long, however. Using ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹, he regained his composure and quickly came up with an excuse. ¡°I-I knew agent Yoo Na-kyung was your team member from before!¡± ¡°But you said you didn¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°I said I didn¡¯t know anything about holding anyone hostage or making someone a suicide bomber!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Limon put on an expression of surprise. ¡°Oh man, looks like I got the wrong idea,¡± he scratched his head with an apologetic look. ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­!¡± Crack¡ª ¡°Gaaah!¡± Park let out another tearful scream. Limon had crushed his fingers with his foot. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have misled me. Can¡¯t you see how embarrassing that is for me?¡± It was his fault for making him misunderstand. ¡°Just so we don¡¯t have any more misunderstandings, I¡¯m going to ask you again.¡± Limon pulled his sword towards himself as Park was dragged along with it, getting held up like a fish caught in a fishing hook. He whispered into the man¡¯s ear, ¡°how much do you know about Hanbit Orphanage?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t! The only thing I know is that agent Yoo Na-kyung is from there!¡± ¡°Ahh, is that so? How interesting.¡± Limon smirked at Park¡¯s answer. It seemed like the pain in his shoulder was making his answers all the more frantic. Limon reached into his pockets as he continued. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been running in so many circles lately, I decided to actually look into some stuff before coming here today. And hey, I ended up finding some pretty interesting stuff.¡± In his hands was a single sheet of paper. It was a document, with nothing more than a few bank account numbers and company names. But as soon as Park¡¯s eyes caught sight of it, all the blood left his face. He freezed like he had just seen a ghost. Limon let out a cold laugh. ¡°Turns out there¡¯s been traces of someone using Hanbit Orphanage to launder money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°And we got a name down after tracking that bank account. Looks oddly familiar, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Of course it would be familiar. It was the name of the man who created an empty shell of an establishment through the orphanage. The culprit who swiped huge amounts of assets by donating funds from ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»for ¡®tax breaks¡¯. It was his very own name, Park Hyun-gun. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** He was dumbstruck. They were funds that had been laundered several times using not only the Infinity Guild¡¯s account, but also countless ghost companies and loan accounts. He couldn¡¯t have ever imagined anyone tracking him down through all that. He looked even more aghast than when he was stabbed. ¡°In hindsight, it was stupid of me.¡± Limon let out a laugh, but stopped cold ¡°No one would be dumb enough to go as far as holding children hostage, or making Na-kyung a suicide bomer, regardless of whether the Constellations were involved or not,¡± he muttered with a chilling glare. Kang Jungsoo knew of Limon¡¯s power, but even when it looked like he was putting his job as director on the line, all he did was assemble 200 high-level players. Killing a PAB agent and holding children hostage, just to go after Limon? It was lunacy not even the Seven Dragons Association would dare commit, even with the Swordmaster toppled. Aside from the fact it would piss off Limon, the utilities and work needed to cover up that aftermath simply wasn¡¯t worth it. It would have been less costly to just assemble another 100 high-level players. Even if the Constellations did take part in the scheme, they wouldn¡¯t have led their pawns into doing something so inefficient. So why would anyone do this? The answer was clear from the beginning. ¡°Unless, they weren¡¯t trying to get rid of me, but Na-kyung and the orphanage instead.¡± An orphanage used for money laundering and a PAB agent visiting weekly. To Park, it would have felt like a ticking time bomb. PAB agents already had an abundance of investigative privileges to crack down on high-level players. With Yoo Na-kyung putting in most of her paycheck into the orphanage, it would have only been a matter of time before she found out about Park. ¡°That¡¯s why you propped that bastard Seo Yongchan up into crashing the PAB headquarters when he was arrested by Na-kyung and me. Ain¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­! Pow¡ª! ¡°Kugh! Ah, ack!!¡± Limon had kneed Park in the stomach. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about acting all innocent. I already talked with that bastard,¡± Limon warned in a low, tranquil voice. Perhaps it was because of all the awful things he went through. Seo Yong chan had told Limon everything without hesitation. It was Park who advised him to go to the PAB to ask for compensation and an apology. Ultimately, it was his intention to breed animosity between Lee Chun-gi and Limon. Their collision would have been a golden opportunity to get rid of Yoo Na-kyung and Hanbit Orphanage. ¡°It really was unexpected,¡± Limon muttered. ¡°Na-kyung went through all that because of her altruism.¡± If only she had been a little more callous and selfish. If only she had prioritized living a better life for herself than the children in the orphanage she grew up in She may not have died as she did. But Yoo Na-kyung was too righteous. She didn¡¯t spare any of her efforts or money to repay the kindness her orphanage had given to her when she was a child, clueless of the fact that she would get entangled in a ludicrous scheme and get death in return. It was truly a tragedy. ¡°Some things just never change in this fucking world,¡± Limon mumbled motionlessly as he twisted his sword. ¡°Aaargh!¡± No matter how much society and cultures developed. No matter how many new laws and regimens were created. No matter how advanced technology got. The good always died fast while evil found a way to live with tenacity. He locked eyes with Park, who was writhing in pain as the sword dug more and more into his shoulder. ¡°Now then. Any more lies you want to tell me?¡± Finish whatever shit you have left to say, I dare you. Park hyungun turned pale. He had only just realized. Limon never intended on keeping him alive. He couldn¡¯t even play dumb when Limon had presented solid evidence. But he did not give up. In fact, he cried out with sincerity. ¡°W-Wait! That was all because of the Infinite Monarch¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying that you used Hanbit Orphanage to steal your own guild¡¯s money, and killed Na-kyung because Lee Chun-gi told you to?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, all I did was follow orders!¡± He couldn¡¯t disobey the Infinite Monarch when he was just a mere secretary. The Monarch was responsible for everything. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong. He was just another victim of power abuse! But Limon didn¡¯t say or do anything. He only stared. ¡°You heard him. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Park was puzzled. He didn¡¯t understand who Limon was talking to. But as soon as he heard an answer come from the shadows, he could only freeze in place. ¡°Did you need my opinion?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a direct party in this matter. I wanna hear your input.¡± ¡°If you insist. I only have one thing to say.¡± An individual stepped out from the shadows. Slicked back hair. A white suit. Rimless glasses. And above all, his strikingly calm expression. Though he was paler than usual, it was impossible to not recognize the man. Lee Chun-gi watched Park as he froze, horror-stricken like he was looking at a ghost. He summed up his commentary with just one word. ¡°Sickening.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 44 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 44: The Final Resort ¡°S-Sir¡­!¡± Park¡¯s mind went blank. Not once had the gears in his head ever stopped before ¡ª not when he was impaled by a sword, had his bones shattered, or beaten up by Limon. That was thanks to the power of ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹. It gave him the ability to lie in any situation. But at this very moment, he could do nothing but hold his mouth agape. Not only was this situation that bewildering¡­ ¡°Sickening? Aren¡¯t you being too harsh on your trusted aide?¡± ¡°You asked my honest opinion, did you not?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose I did,¡± Limon chuckled. Lee Chun-gi had just allowed Limon to critique his judgment. Seeing the two men converse in front of him, Park was stunned. ¡®How¡­?¡¯ As far as he knew, these two were absolutely incompatible with one another. Lee Chun-gi had tried to expunge Limon, who was hindering his status as a Monarch. And Limon had created a hostage situation to pressure Lee Chun-gi. Yet, here they were ¡ª not only were they standing side by side, they were making peaceful conversation. In fact, Park wasn¡¯t just confused. His eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. ¡°What, are you surprised? That me and this little shit are both alive?¡± Limon smirked seeing the man¡¯s confusion. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Park could not answer. His eyes darted around the room, perplexed. ¡°To be honest, I was on the verge of killing him,¡± Limon scoffed. The only thought Limon gave regarding Lee Chun-gi was how torturously he was going to kill him. There was no reason to keep him alive. ¡°But no matter how much I thought about it, I wasn¡¯t sure if this little shit was the one to repay my blood debt.¡± After interrogating a dying Lee Chun-gi, Limon was driven into another dilemma. He¡¯d realized that there was someone else behind all of this ¡ª Lee Chun-gi was just a puppet on a string. He pondered if he should really kill him when Lee Chun-gi was the only clue to the true gray eminence behind this matter. And so, he came to a decision. ¡°So I decided to pause on killing him for now until I find out who my real debtor is.¡± It was truly out of the ordinary. No one would dare say such a thing unless they thought of the Infinite Monarch as some junk under their bed. But Lee Chun-gi looked complacent. There was no need to be shaken up when the writing on the wall was so obvious. Limon could kill him whenever he wanted to. ¡®Wh-What the actual fuck¡­!¡¯ Park unknowingly let out a whimper. Having stood by Lee Chun-gi¡¯s side for so long, he knew how strong the man¡¯s pride was. He couldn¡¯t believe how calmly the Infinite Monarch was listening to this nonsense. But amidst the disbelief, Park felt that many of his questions were answered. How was Limon here? Why weren¡¯t the other guild members coming to help? How did Limon find his bank information? How did Seo Yongchan spill everything? All of these would have been skeptical if it was Limon, but it all made so much sense if it was Lee Chun-gi. That also meant that Lee Chun-gi was already aware of every little detail Limon had just exposed about him. ¡°Sir, there has been a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°A misunderstanding, you say¡­¡± In a state of panic, Park tried to make even more excuses. But Lee Chun-gi was all closed ears. ¡°Was it all a misunderstanding that I ordered you to steal the guild¡¯s money and hold the orphans hostage?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°Th-That was¡­ I¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Park.¡± Lee Chun-gi cut him off. ¡°My ears are rotting. Please stop running your mouth.¡± His voice was bone-chilling. His normally calm, nonchalant eyes were swarming with pure, explicit detestation. It was as if even the sight of Park made him sick. Park¡¯s face twisted. He could see the full picture now. He realized lying wouldn¡¯t work anymore. He realized that Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t trust him anymore. And he knew his place in ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»was no longer. Well, it was an inevitable outcome. ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹may be a powerful skill, but it couldn¡¯t turn every lie into truth. Not only had all of his schemes been exposed, he was also caught trying to pin the blame on Lee Chun-gi. How could he get him back on his side after all that? If such a feat was possible, there would have already been an eleventh Monarch. And Lee Chun-gi did not tolerate even the smallest of flaws. He would kick out people left and right if they didn¡¯t bring out the best results despite giving it their best efforts. There was absolutely no chance he would forgive Park after such a disgraceful display. Knowing this better than anyone else, Park stayed frozen as Lee Chun-gi issued his sentence. ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡± There was no disappointment, compassion, or regret. Lee Chun-gi had fired him like he was simply taking out the trash. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡®Fired? You¡¯re kicking me out? Me, kicked out of ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»?¡¯ Park felt something inside him snap. The despair of getting fired from the guild that was everything to him. Everything he had. It brewed into his rage towards Limon and Lee Chun-gi. He¡¯d been pushed into a dead-end. His vision went blood red and¡ª ¡°Aaaaaaargh!¡± Park swung his fist with a roar. Crack¡ª! He¡¯d strained himself with a sword jabbed into his shoulder. The sound of bones crushing with agony rang through the air. But Park didn¡¯t give a damn. Using Limon¡¯s backstep to dodge his fist, he forced the sword out of his shoulder. ¡°While you were frolicking off in the Dungeon, I was the one who made ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»into what it is now! There isn¡¯t a single part of this guild that I haven¡¯t touched!¡± He had worked for ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»since the beginning, before Lee Chun-gi was even given the title of Monarch. While the other guild members were busy leveling up in the Dungeon, he was setting up the guild structures, building connections with politicians, casting sales networks for dungeon products, and recruiting new talents. He was the one in charge of managing the guild That was why he was confident he was credited to getting¡ºInfinity Guild¡»into the top ten guilds worldwide. And so, he believed that the guild flourished thanks to him making it basically his. ¡°You¡¯re firing me just for this? You¡¯re just a Monarch because you got lucky with your cheat skill, you little cheeky son of a bitch!¡± Park gritted his teeth. If he had a cheat skill like ¡¸Technique Acquisition¡¹, he would have already grown¡ºInfinity Guild¡»by magnitudes. Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t care about jack when it came to running the guild. All he did was clear the Dungeon while acting as the face of the guild. How could that good-for-nothing fire him? How dare he be so fucking ungrateful?! His rage voided all rationale inside him. And so, Park turned to his last resort. ¡°If that¡¯s how it is, I¡¯ll slaughter the both of you!¡± It was the cry of a complete lunatic. To try that on the Infinite Monarch and the man who beat the Infinite Monarch was no different than committing suicide. But Park had something he was counting on. [76% chance of a successful deceit upon borrowing your subject¡¯s name.] [Your credibility has met the minimum conditions.] [Unique skill ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹activating.] [Forging up to 76% of all of Lee Chun-gi¡¯s skills and status for 152 minutes.] [However, ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹will initialize calibration of the borrowed subject after use.] ¡°Hm¡­?¡± Lee Chun-gi felt his entire body get drained as the system messages popped up. He twisted his face. Park looked at him with bloodthirst. ¡°It¡¯s too late for regrets now, Lee Chun-gi! You made me use this skill and you will die by it!¡± ¡°¡­Indeed, you¡¯ve been hiding a skill like this.¡± ¡¸Forged Prestige¡¹ Park¡¯s final card. A secondary skill of ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹, it sniped the target¡¯s skills and blessings by deceiving the Constellation contracted to them. Naturally, there was the downside that the stolen skills were weaker and could only be used for a limited amount of time. But it was able to copy even unique skills. Not to mention, the more blessings that were stolen, the weaker the target would become. Its effects were undeniably exemplary. While Lee Chun-gi could only bring out 24% of his actual power, Park now wielded the other 76%. Park was essentially three times as strong as Lee Chun-gi right now. He could kill off Lee Chun-gi without breaking a sweat. Limon was still a problem, but Park wasn¡¯t worried about him. ¡®There¡¯s no way a Swordmaster can stand against me!¡¯ He was already well aware that he had defeated Lee Chun-gi from everything he¡¯d heard. But that was just because Lee Chun-gi was a fucking neanderthal who couldn¡¯t even manage his own skills. He was confident he could make a fool out of that old goner Limon with his newfound power. After all, it was impossible to lose against a single fucking civilian when he had thousands of skills! ¡°You¡¯re first, Limon Asphelder!¡± And so, he targeted Limon first. That way, he could humiliate Lee Chun-gi by showing him how incompetent he was. ¡°Di¡ª¡± But before he could use a single skill, Park froze. He had reached out his right hand to cast an attack skill. And that very same hand was now rolling on the ground, sliced clean off. ¡°GAAAAAAH!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Limon flicked the blood off his sword as he watched Park grasp his missing wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t call me by my name, you fucking imbecile.¡± ¡°Y-You pathetic old goner, that was a foul¡ª!¡± ¡°Foul?¡± Limon looked bemused, hearing Park call him out in rage for attacking so suddenly. ¡°Don¡¯t bark up the wrong tree, you little bitch. I¡¯m not here to play fight. I¡¯m here to fucking kill you.¡± You want a start that starts after a ¡®ready, set, go¡¯? Then go be an athlete. Park hyun-gun glared at him, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re worth shit for getting just one blow in while I let my guard down!¡± ¡°Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, you might be the dimwit for letting your guard down in front of an enemy?¡± ¡°You son of a bitch¡­!¡± Park gritted his teeth at Limon¡¯s deliberate mockery. With dead-on murder in his eyes this time, he got ready to use his skills. ¡®I¡¯ll kill him, I¡¯m going to fucking kill him!¡¯ He blocked the pain and regenerated his hand with healing skills like ¡¸Regeneration¡¹, ¡¸Super Regeneration¡¹, ¡¸Combat Recovery¡¹, and ¡¸Alganesthesia¡¹. He strengthened his physical capabilities to the extreme with boost skills like ¡¸Super Acceleration¡¹, ¡¸Super Sense¡¹, and ¡¸Titan Strength¡¹. He looked for his opponent¡¯s weak spots by predicting the future with skills like ¡¸Accelerated Cognition¡¹, ¡¸Foresight¡¹, and ¡¸Flaw Detection¡¹. All he had left to do was unleash hundreds of attack skills as soon as he saw an opening! He had just taken the first hit because he hadn¡¯t activated his skills yet. Park simultaneously activated the skills, absolutely certain that Limon would be a piece of cake if he fought properly. A colossal power from dozens and dozens of skills swept over his body and mind. He felt omnipotent. He felt like¡­ LIKE HE COULD DO ANYTHI¡ª ¡°Gaagh?!¡± From his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Blood splurged out of Park¡¯s facial orifices as he spasmed on the floor. Limon blinked blankly. ¡°¡­The hell are you doing?¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 45 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 45: 36,500 Limon hadn¡¯t even moved his sword. He couldn¡¯t understand why Park had suddenly collapsed onto the floor spilling out blood when he hadn¡¯t lifted a single finger. ¡®What is this? Did a sudden rush of conscience and humanity make him commit suicide?¡¯ ¡°Overheat.¡± ¡°Eh? He got that heated up from a provocation?¡± What kind of weak ass mind is that? ¡°It is what happens when one uses too many skills simultaneously.¡± ¡°Oh, like how you got all racked up and almost died when you used those thousand skills on me at the same time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Limon nodded for a moment, but he quickly became confused again with another look at Park. ¡°Then why does he look so much worse?¡± Sure enough, Park was in an unspeakably gruesome state. The way his orifices and groin were covered in blood and urine, with ruptured blood vessels all over his body, he was already halfway to becoming a vegetable. Even after a thousand skills, Lee Chun-gi still hadn¡¯t completely lost himself. Park had only used a handful, so why? Lee Chun-gi kept his answer simple. ¡°Secretary Park most likely has never gone through multi-skill activation training before.¡± There was no doubt that Lee Chun-gi¡¯s ability to acquire an infinite number of skills thanks to the absolute skill ¡¸Technique Replication¡¹. But it was his years of constant training, conditioning, and specific gear assembly that made him able to use hundreds of those infinite skills simultaneously. Not to mention, he was only able to use hundreds at a time while in his Overlord state. Park¡¯s problem was that he had only stolen Lee Chun-gi¡¯s skills and status. Effort was an entirely different matter. ¡°It¡¯s amazing he¡¯s still alive after carelessly using my skills without the needed gear and training.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So you¡¯re saying that this dickhead just self-annihilated after stealing your skills without even knowing his limits.¡± ¡°Basically.¡± Limon stared at the squirming man on the floor. How could someone this idiotic exist? He turned around to face Lee chun-gi. ¡°To be honest, I was pretty damn floored when I saw you all triumphant with just an empty shell of my swordsmanship. But you really were on the sunny side, huh?¡± Was this a compliment, or was he mocking him? With the subject of comparison being as dumb as the man named ¡®Park Hyun-gun¡¯, Lee Chun-gi didn¡¯t know what to say. After a while, he finally broke his silence. ¡°I feel like I owe you an apology for this.¡± ¡°Leave it, that¡¯s just how all players are.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lee chun-gi stopped talking without getting anywhere. The bottom line was that Lee Chun-gi and Park were essentially the same ¡ª both were arrogant asshats that were each humiliated by Limon. The only difference was their severity of humiliation. Although, he did think that putting every player into the same group as Park was a bit disrespectful. ¡°Why¡­¡± It looked like the idiot was at least aware of his blunder. Using a few recovery skills, he barely improved from acting like a squirming cockroach to a squirming human being. Belching out more blood, he cried out. ¡°I¡­I worked hard! I really did!¡± Lee Chun-gi had the shortcuts thanks to his cheat skill. Unlike him, Park had worked his ass off with ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹ , which was good for nothing except lying. He sweat dire blood and tears while the other helpless airheads made fools of themselves spewing shit about peace and the ¡®little joys of a simple life¡¯, or whatever the fuck it was. He used the guild¡¯s money to put together his gear and items. He risked his life to level up. ¡°Why do I have to be the one eating horseshit!?¡± Park couldn¡¯t understand. No, it was unacceptable. The fact that he couldn¡¯t do what Lee Chun-gi, the lucky bastard who was handed Monarchy, could do. As he ridiculously became both the villain and the hero to slay said villain. As he wiggled on the floor like some worm in his final moments. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair!¡± Park screamed as he shed blood like it was dead skin. This was wrong. If even a little bit of justice really did exist in this world, he deserved to be rewarded more than anyone else. Such spite and fury spurred within his outcries. Limon kept his thoughts short. ¡°You apeshit fucking nutcase.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­What did you say?!¡± ¡°Do I really have to spell it out to you? I mean, it¡¯s so obvious¡­¡± Too baffled to be angered, Limon looked down on Park with a look of dismay. The fact he even had to say it was draining. He let out a sigh. ¡°Life isn¡¯t a game, dipshit.¡± Clearing the Dungeon gives you wealth and glory. Anyone could get stronger if they leveled up, and anyone could get good gear with money. That was the mindset of players ¡ª that results came naturally with effort. But that lead to them forgetting one crucial fact too easily. ¡°Do you really think that the light at the end of the tunnel really exists for everyone who works their ass off?¡± Limon pointed out in a tired voice. Success comes from hard work? People don¡¯t succeed because they lacked hard work? Limon knew better than anyone else: That was utter horseshit. There are prodigies who see and learn one thing and understand a hundred. There are people born with golden spoons in their mouth, guaranteed a life of wealth and glory. There are the lucky who succeed with luck alone. Their existence alone proved the theory of ¡®hard work¡¯ wrong. They were living proof that not everybody got rewarded for their efforts, and there were limits that couldn¡¯t be pushed by working hard. ¡°That¡¯s why people praise effort and respect the hardworking.¡± If there was fair, surefire success to effort, it would be no different from donkey work. They already know that the world is unfair. They know they might not succeed. They know there is a limit they can¡¯t pass. And yet, they still try to challenge their limits to fight this unfairness, even if they don¡¯t succeed. That is what makes effort valuable. ¡®Work hard!¡¯ Working hard does not mean ¡®achieving results¡¯. It meant having a steadfast mindset and proactive attitude that wouldn¡¯t falter in the face of failure. But all there were were lucky rugrats who have never failed after trying. People who didn¡¯t even know what ¡®failing¡¯ meant, crying, ¡°hard work!¡± as if it was the answer to everything. ¡°Just because you put some effort in doesn¡¯t give you the right to kill, deceive, and rob others however you want.¡± Trying harder than anyone else? Deserving results? Scorning and laughing at those who don¡¯t try? That¡¯s not hard work, and it¡¯s not even logical! It¡¯s groundless fanaticism and obstinacy. In fact, the people who say such garbage are the ones who overestimate their own worth and look down on others. It¡¯s quite impressive, really. ¡°Well, if you wanna shut your eyes to law and reason and live life like a game, go ahead. Free will¡¯s all yours,¡± Limon smirked. Whether he committed murder like he was PKing, leveling up, or making an effort because he felt like it¡­ How one chooses to live their life is their own free will. That¡¯s life. ¡°Just like how it¡¯s my free will to fucking kill you and get my blood debt.¡± Just one important thing: Doing whatever you want in a game will get your account suspended. In real life, you¡¯ll die. ¡°Ki¡­ Kill? Kill me?¡± ¡°What else is there? Don¡¯t tell me you thought I came all the way here to hand you over to the police.¡± Limon icily mocked. Park could feel his blood run cold. It finally settled in that Limon was seriously there to kill him. One wrong move wouldn¡¯t just cost him his future, but his life. He screamed at the top of his lungs. ¡°That¡¯s bloody murder!¡± The court of law existed to decide the price one pays for their crimes. Killing a person because of a personal grudge was unjustified in the eyes of the law ¡ª a crime. Limon¡¯s response to his desperate cries were simple and concise. ¡°And what about it?¡± He wasn¡¯t playing dumb, nor was he mocking him. Limon tilted his head like he genuinely didn¡¯t know what Park¡¯s outburst meant as his eyes bore into a frozen Park. ¡°If you made your profits through crime, then you should have known that anyone can piss on the law to kill you. You absolute buffoon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Park hyun-gun had just registered that the man in front of him was Limon Asphelder. The mad dog who violently slaughtered 200 people¡ª including the PAB director ¡ªheld the President hostage, and struck down a Monarch. There was no way the law could do fuck all to stop such a monster. And in that moment, Park finally understood what Limon¡¯s earlier statement meant. Life isn¡¯t a game. A game had system operators ¡ª admins, moderators. All real life had was just the powerless law. There was no such thing as a system operator who could protect him after he¡¯d broken the law and stolen what he believed was the rightful fruits of his labor. And even if there was, it wouldn¡¯t have made much of a difference. Whether it be operators, the Gods, even the Constellations. Limon wouldn¡¯t hesitate to cut down anyone who he thought got in the way of his blood debt. ¡°S-Sir! Are you just going to let this happen?!¡± Park clung onto Lee Chun-gi. He was driven to a point where he could only demand help from the person he had just tried to kill moments before. But Lee Chun-gi paid him no heed. ¡°Is one day enough?¡± he asked stoically. ¡°Make it four.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I said four.¡± Not taking any objection, Limon dictated in a cold and sluggish voice. Lee Chun-gi looked into the man¡¯s golden eyes. After a while, he closed his own without another word. ¡°No one will step foot in this place for four days, starting now.¡± ¡°¡­Sir?¡± Park didn¡¯t understand what Limon¡¯s decision of four days or Lee Chun-gi¡¯s promise had meant. His body started to shake as anxiety welled up inside of him. ¡°Be grateful. I lessened what should have taken three months and ten days to collect into four.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡­? Grateful¡­ for what? D-Do what in here for four days?¡± ¡°I believe I told you already.¡± Limon effortlessly held up his sword and rammed it into Park¡¯s twitching shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here to kill you.¡± ¡°Aagh?!¡± Park¡¯s eyes widened like they were about to burst. It wasn¡¯t only because Limon¡¯s sword had just plowed through his guts and dug into his spine. As soon as the tip of the sword met with a certain part of his spine¡­ Nausea and a burning pain. Pain that felt like his entire body was getting pricked by needles as his lungs lit on fire. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not going to die for another four days, at least.¡± His limbs trembled from the overwhelming agony. He couldn¡¯t even scream. ¡°Second to swordsmanship, I excel in the 36,500 torture techniques I learnt in my time with the Seven Dragons Association.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 46 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 46: A Miracle His flesh was sliced piece after piece. His nerves were cut off one by one. His blood was forced to flow backwards. His entire gut was twisted upside down. He would suffer a pain beyond death itself, but he wouldn¡¯t die. Sublimated into an art ¡ª that was the torture techniques of the Seven Dragons Association, whose Psionic arts were at the forefront when it came to research into the human body and mind. ¡®Th-This man¡­¡¯ Park shuddered amidst foaming at the mouth from pain. Not because ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹had told him that Limon wasn¡¯t lying. Rather, it was his languor. It naturally came to him as soon as he saw those golden eyes looking at him like a squirming insect pinned under a needle. That languor was neither fatigue nor boredom. A dreariness only those who found murder as tedious beyond tiring could have. It was the result of killing people over, and over, and over again. Park became one of the miraculous lucky(or unlucky) few to learn what a Swordmaster truly was underneath all that heroic glory. Pow¡ª! ¡°Grrrgh?!¡± ¡°Who told you to think about something else?¡± Getting kicked in the rear, Park completely forgot his train of thought as he felt a thunderous blow to his head. Limon burrowed his sword into his spine. ¡°Don¡¯t forget this.¡± It was closer to advice than a warming, or a declaration for Park to erase any hope left within him. ¡°You can¡¯t escape reality anymore.¡± Whether it be regret, self-reflection, atonement, concern, losing consciousness, or insanity, Park would not be allowed to feel anything aside from a single sensation from now on. ¡°For the next four days, all you will be able to do is beg to be killed,¡± he said lowly as he prodded his sword around Park¡¯s body. Underneath all the pain, Park tried to think. He tried to believe. He tried to give up. All of this is a dream. Reality will be waiting for me once I open my eyes. He tried isolating his consciousness to escape the mental and physical agony. But as Limon declared, he would not give him the chance to go insane. He kept Park sane by meticulously probing his pain receptors as he butchered his body one cell at a time. And Park agonized under the pain. He yearned for anyone to save him. To let him die in peace, even. That he¡¯d do anything, pay any price, to get saved, whoever they might be. Just then¡­ A miracle. [Your covenant Constellation is moved by your earnest prayers.] [Your covenant Constellation offers to renew your contract. You will acquire the strength to break away from the current threat upon accepting.] [Do you accept the renewal of the contract?] ¡®¡­!¡¯ It was quite a strange system message. As a high-level player who had come across several system messages before, this was the first time Park had ever been offered a contract renewal. With all the information he had gathered while running ¡ºInfinity Guild¡», he still had not heard of anything like this happening, even as a rumor. Normally, he would have been suspicious. As much as he had climbed his way up with lies, he wasn¡¯t one to blindly buy into unexpected fortune. But now, after having lost everything with only an awful death awaiting him, Park could not afford to cast doubt on the system message when his sharp wits were already thrown out the window. Like a drowning man clutching onto a straw, he frantically gave his answer. ¡°I-I accept! I accept the contract renewal!¡± Ba-dump. As soon as he cried out, Park could feel it. An opening appeared in the world¡¯s providence as a brilliant star fell towards him. He could feel an immense power swallow him. Amidst the storm of tremendous force, he realized something he hadn¡¯t even noticed when he used Lee Chun-gi¡¯s skills. Even the ¡®Absolute Ruler¡¯ Monarchs were only human. Compared to a true transcendent entity like the Constellations, they were ultimately nothing. And now, that very transcendent entity was approaching him to lend him its powers. He rejoiced. ¡®I knew the Constellations wouldn¡¯t turn their backs on me!¡¯ He rejoiced at the fact his prayers were heard. That with this newfound omnipotent power, he wouldn¡¯t just escape his impending doom. There was now rekindled hope that he could kill Lee Chun-gi and Limon, and take over ¡ºInfinity Guild¡». Above all, his once despondent heart rocked with joy that he was finally being rewarded for his efforts, unlike whatever nonsense that disgusting old man spewed. Just as he accepted the light of the Constellation with full respect and admiration, grinning ear to ear from bliss¡ª Chomp. Crunch, crrrrunch. Gu¨Culp. The deific star devoured him. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡®What was that?¡¯ Lee Chun-gi thought Park had finally gone mad when he bellowed to ¡°renew his contract¡±. After all, it¡¯s common for someone driven into the deep end to go insane. But Lee Chun-gi had no choice but to accept that his judgments were wrong this time. Pow¡ª! It wasn¡¯t because Park, who had been squirming around with a sword jammed into him as he barely held himself together from the after-effects of overheat, had just shot up and kicked Limon. It wasn¡¯t just because his nearly severed hips had healed in the blink of an eye, either. Nor was it his sudden explosion of energy that made Lee Chun-gi¡¯s skin crawl just from being in Park¡¯s vicinity. His aura. There was no doubt that this was Park Hyun-gun. But the feeling of displacement that felt like he was looking at something else underneath that familiar mask. The sense of an awful alienation that he was looking into an abyss he wasn¡¯t supposed to. The sickening repugnance of his soul getting drained from simply looking at it. It made Lee Chun-gi, who had maintained his stoicism even when his skills were stolen, grimace. ¡®Just what the hell¡­.¡¯ Had it felt his gaze? Park¡¯s head rotated 90 degrees to face the Monarch. Locking eyes with him, Lee Chun-gi instinctively took a step backwards. What he felt in that moment was a fear he hadn¡¯t felt, even when staring death in the face. Beyond fear of that thing¡¯s power, a physiological terror of vermin and sewage mixed with something else slobbering his face tightened his chest. Grimace. Park smiled at him. His smile was so wide, the corners of his mouth tore apart as blood started dripping out. He jeered as he licked the blood with his elongated tongue. It was a laugh that made Lee Chun-gi delirious just from looking at it. He wanted to avert his gaze immediately. He wanted to erase that awful smile from his memory. He wanted to run away and forget that any of this ever happened. But it was no use. He tried shutting his eyes. He tried running away. But the dreadful image would stay engraved in his memory. Then, he came to a realization, just in time. Ah, yes. That¡¯s right. If it was engraved in his eyes, he¡¯d just pop his eyes out. If his mind wouldn¡¯t erase it, he¡¯d just dig out his thoughts. If his guts were in a twist, he¡¯d just take them out. It was truly the perfect solution. There was only one way out of this dread. ¡°¡¸Wave Blast¡¹.¡± Boom¡ª! He blasted an intangible wave. It was terribly weaker than usual, as his skills were still weakened by ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹. But Park still flew back, completely unprepared as if he hadn¡¯t expected him to attack. Thanks to propelling him away, the sight that ate away at Lee Chun-gi¡¯s mind faded away as his thinking returned to normal. But nevertheless, a repulsion remained like his brain was drenched in filthy oil. He clenched his jaws. ¡°What did you do?¡± That was no cognitive skill. He could feel his mind going into delirium like he was falling just by looking at Park. A feeling he could only describe as¡­ ¡®Deterioration¡¯. It made Lee Chun-gi certain of one thing. ¡°Rather, what are you?¡± That was just the shell of a human. Park was no longer there. He had already turned into something that could no longer be considered human. But what was once Park did not answer. It stared at Lee Chun-gi, glassy eyes filled with anger. A mere human dared cross it? It reached one hand out. ¡°¡¸w a v e b l a s t¡¹¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Lee Chun-gi¡¯s eyes widened. It wasn¡¯t because he had just gotten attacked by the same skill he used, nor was it because its force far exceeded his, even in his normal state. He had reflexively used ¡¸Spatial Metastasis¡¹as soon as he saw its hand reach out. But the moment he locked eyes with Park, it failed to activate. He was frozen in place, as if an invisible snake had wrapped around his entire body. Having missed him time to escape, he was just about to get swept away by an intangible wave big enough to crush his body with ease, when¡ª A flash of light split through the sky. The wave blast ruptured and Lee Chun-gi could move once again. He couldn¡¯t relax, however. In fact, he looked even more disturbed than before. It wasn¡¯t because Limon, who had stayed a step back after defending himself from Park¡¯s kick, was now standing in front of him. It wasn¡¯t because of the pressure that was as irrepressible as having a sword pressed to his neck, one that he hadn¡¯t even felt in his battle with Limon. It was his expression. An expression of one who had just received a surprise gift, or won the lottery ¡ª he was beaming with joy and excitement. The cold, lifeless black glow in his gaze was what gave Lee chun-gi goosebumps from head to toe. ¡°Damn¡­ who knew that I¡¯d get a gift like this after being good?¡± Lee chun-gi couldn¡¯t understand. No one could have understood why Limon was this excited despite having his long awaited blood debt postponed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I should just collect my blood debt like this anyways.¡± It goes without saying he would have been aggravated in any other circumstance. Especially since it was clear a Constellation had dared to violate Limon¡¯s warnings to not get in the way of his revenge. There was only one reason Limon was happy instead of outraged. He saw it. The moment Park accepted the contract renewal, an unmistakable Constellation fell from the skies to devour him. ¡°Thank fuck you came out yourself, you jackass snake.¡± Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s covenant Constellation. The entity who laughed at her in her final moments and tried to steal a certain object resembling a glowing marble from her body. The main culprit that first brought the Constellations to his attention. Limon put on a chilling smile as he laid his eyes on it. The Snake that Connects Ends. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 47 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 47: The End of Blood and Avarice For the record, Limon was in agreement with Li Chingwei that it was necessary to be cautious about the Constellations. But he was still withholding any verdicts on their existence. What were their intentions? Would they become evil in the future? Were all the Constellations on the same side? Was it necessary to extinguish every last one of them? He knew too little about them to be blindly hostile towards them. Back in the Heroes¡¯ Age, Limon had seen countless monsters and madmen who believed they were righteous when they determined ¡®evil¡¯ with abject subjectivity and massacred people for being a citizen of an enemy nation, having a different religion, or the color of their skin. But at this very moment, he knew that he could be certain about the ¡®Snake that Connects Ends¡¯. This jackass snake was a dangerous jackass. Not just because it had laughed at Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s death, and might even be the very culprit behind that. ¡®There¡¯s no way that bastard isn¡¯t dangerous after making a human look like that.¡¯ Park had looked the same as he did before. Well, from a normal person¡¯s perspective. But with the black glow in Limon¡¯s eyes, the scene in front of him was entirely different. Black scales covered Park¡¯s entire body. His head was morphed into that of a snake¡¯s/ Its tongue was stretched to the floor. His arms were replaced with tentacles. After getting the ability to see Constellations, Limon had seen all kinds of forms in players. But that snake¡¯s form was different in nature compared to everything else. Unlike the other Constellations who were at most fused onto the players, this time, it was hard to distinguish the original human body. And most notable, was what was in the snake¡¯s gaping mouth. Inside was Park¡¯s head, melting down as he screamed. Meaning: that jackass snake was the one possessing his body. And that this very snake was on a completely different dimension compared to the mere shadows Limon had seen thus far. What stood in front of him was the Constellation¡¯s true form. ¡°I have a lot of questions for you Constellations¡­¡± Limon tightened the grip on his sword. And like a lightning bolt, he charged at the snake wearing Park¡¯s face. ¡°But first, I¡¯m going to kill you off, you fucking snake!¡± Slash¡ª! There was only a flash of light, hypersonic to the point it was more like a missile than a charging human. It created afterimages, even light struggling to catch up. Before it looked like the sword even made contact, it had already cut through. But there was only one problem. The pierced snake disappeared like it was just some illusion. A mocking laugh with the sound of hissing could be heard behind Limon¡¯s back. ¡°¡¸o c t a g o n a l b a r r i e r¡¹¡± The snake split open its mouth into a wide jeer. As if to show off, it raised one hand and flicked its tentacle as soon as the eight barriers circled Limon. ¡°B o o m.¡± Ka-boom boom boom boom! A vortex of lightning, fire, ice, curses, blades, venom, pressure, and explosions blasted in the barrier. Although it was set off inside the barrier, it was more than powerful enough to not only demolish the headquarters of ¡ºInfinity Guild¡», but destroy all of its surroundings up to several kilometers away. It was extremely fortunate, then, that Limon was the one trapped within those confines. In one swing, he slashed through all the casted skills and escaped the barrier, stopping the city from getting nuked. But that was only the beginning. Pow! Boom! Ka bang bang bang! ¡®Oh you slithery motherfucker¡­¡¯ As if the first attack was just an introduction, the snake continued to hurl countless skills. Limon¡¯s brows furrowed as he cut through every single one of them. It wasn¡¯t because it was blindly spamming skills powerful enough to bring colossal damage to the city, as if it were holding the city itself hostage. It was because for some reason, it was familiar to him. The way it read ahead of his attacks and teleported accordingly to dodge them. The way it combined hundreds of thousands of skills to increase their power. Of course it would be familiar. This was Lee Chun-gi¡¯s tactics after activating Overlord. ¡°¡­I see. Was that why?¡± Limon understood. He understood why, out of all other times, the snake had chosen to take over Park¡¯s body now. ¡°Because you thought this was your opportune moment to kill me, now that you can use the Monarch¡¯s powers?¡± Flicking its tongue with a grotesque grin, the snake did not mutter an answer. But that alone was enough for Limon to know he made the right guess. At a glance, this was foolish of the snake. Limon couldn¡¯t be beaten by only using the stolen skills of a Monarch. Park himself had made that crystal clear. But there was one definitive difference between Park and the snake: One of them was a Constellation. And the outcome of that difference was enormous. While Park had self-destructed from merely a few dozen skills, the snake was freely throwing hundreds and thousands of skills. And with a lot more power than Lee Chun-gi, at that. Conclusively, the limit of power human Park and the snake Constellation could handle was different by magnitudes. While it lacked in terms of technicality as it couldn¡¯t combine skills as efficiently as Lee Chun-gi, it made up for that with the sheer number of skills it launched. That wasn¡¯t the only difference between humans and Constellations, either. Zap, z-z-z-z-z-zap! Limon slashed. He impaled. He crushed. But no matter how many times his blade hit its mark, the snake would fade away, reappearing in a random spot to puke out even more skills. A skill that was shot in front of him came flying from the back, and he moved sideways when he lunged forward. It was like the space itself changed, like he was in the snake¡¯s domain now. It was a peculiar stratagem that Limon hadn¡¯t seen, even while fighting Lee Chun-gi. He was forced to go on the defense. Of course he¡¯d fail to handle it. This wasn¡¯t Lee Chun-gi or Park. It was a Constellation he was fighting. A great being that was incomparable to a human. The Guardian of Humanity and Swordmaster was at the end of the day, only human. The snake had placed Limon as a priority target as he was the only human who could stand up against it. But inversely, that meant that the benefits of taking Limon down would be that much greater as well. And so, the snake risked the unstable possession, going as far as to renew a contract to possess Park to face Limon. That feat alone would put it on the same level as the Monarch-rank Constellations. If it fails to take Limon down, it could easily retreat. Park was just a measly tool who fulfilled its purpose. Whatever happened to him, the snake didn¡¯t care. Low risk, high returns. As such, there was no reason for the snake to let go of such an opportunity. Meticulous and cunning, the snake ruthlessly drove Limon into a corner. Or at least, that¡¯s what it thought it was doing. That was, until Limon, whose sword had only been hitting air up to that point, sluggishly opened his mouth. ¡°The Snake that Connects Ends¡­ Yeah?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m getting the hang of your nature.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** The snake thought that it was the one playing Limon. It never considered that it would be the one getting played. That he¡¯d been eyeing the snake this entire time, studying the feelings passed on through his sword. That his eyes were not of a swordsmen fighting for his life, but of a hunter making the snake¡¯s domain his. ¡°It may look like you¡¯re manipulating space, but that¡¯s just a facade. Your true ability is making fiction into reality and reality into fiction.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®The Snake that Connects Ends¡¯. Limon was right. Connecting ends did not mean connecting spaces. Reality and fiction. Truth and lies. Illusion and realism. It was a title that was derived from its ability to connect the antitheses. They had only been cheating the players, under the facade that it manipulated space because their powers grew stronger the less it was known. Limon coldly jeered seeing the snake falter from getting its true nature exposed so quickly. ¡°Motherfucking troglodyte.¡± Were they blinded by avarice, or were they just fucking stupid? In a hurry to lunge at the prey in front of it, it not only put its host on the line, but also thrown themselves into the fire. Limon laughed at the idiocy. ¡°It¡¯s commendable you stand in front of me believing in your little barbarian magic tricks.¡± Enraged by the ridicule, the snake widened its snakes as it prepared to unleash a barrage of skills again. But before the snake could move, Limon was already stepping forward. One step over the distortion. Two to narrow the space between them. And three to swing his blade. In just three steps, he¡¯d just passed through the maze of ¡®warped¡¯ space. The snake was outraged, but it was not taken aback. Its power was falsehood and deceit, after all. Able to go back and forth between illusions, it could just make Limon¡¯s attack fake, even after getting cut. That was the power of the Constellations. To tyrannize the world¡¯s natural order, and create miracles. A transcendental might that mere humans couldn¡¯t dare approach. Slash¡ª. ¡°?!?!?!¡± And so, in the next moment, the snake could only widen its eyes further. Surely it had used its powers to turn Limon¡¯s attack into falsehood. But its illusionary arms had just fallen to the ground, accompanied by the pain of flesh and bone getting ripped apart. How? Surely, that bastard had only cut an illusion! How did his sword touch me? ¡°You seem rather shocked, troglodyte.¡± It looked like it had just experienced a nightmare. Confusion and bewilderment was clear on its reptilian head. Limon smirked. He looked to the snake¡¯s reflection on his sword.d ¡°If you can turn reality into fiction and fiction into reality, you really ought to know that I can cut reality through your illusions,¡± he stated coldly. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The snake was appalled. Not because it couldn¡¯t understand Limon, no. The opposite, rather. It could only bite its tongue after the shock of realization. Using an illusion to pierce reality was like using the reflection of the moon in water to cut the actual moon in the sky. It wasn¡¯t even a power the Constellation of falsehood and deceit could have. But a mere human? With nothing but a sword? It couldn¡¯t believe it. It refused to believe it. That Limon was just trying to deceive it. That this was some sort of trick. But it couldn¡¯t. Its arms that did not regenerate. The pain surging from the wounds. Limon¡¯s cold, settled eyes. It all told him the truth. This was neither falsehood nor deceit. And the snake understood. Why this man was the only subject of alert among all the other measly humans. Why even the Monarch-rank Constellations themselves would only watch him from afar without intervening themselves. Humanity¡¯s Guardian, the man who single-handedly protected the world. It also meant that he was a monster with the power to single-handedly destroy the world. Glop. The instant the realization struck it, the snake immediately went into action. It puked out a decaying, rotting Park Hyun-gun on the floor, and rushed into the sky. Following the possession that took quite the toll, then hastily abandoning said possession, there was considerable stress put on the Constellation. It could be downgraded into a marquis. Heck, even an earl rank if they weren¡¯t careful. But the snake did not care. The unique guile of a snake. The instinct of an animal. The surging terror. It made the snake throw away everything to run away. ¡°This fuck¡¯s an actual troglodyte.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Did you think you could run from me when you came to me first?¡± The snake had ditched its physical body to escape in the blink of an eye. But Limon was staring right at them. But how? It wasn¡¯t possible for a human to be able to see it! Then, the snake realized the answer as it saw the black glow in Limon¡¯s eyes. And it was appalled. Aside from his swordsmanship, that was not a power a human was allowed to have. ¡°Remember this as my gift to you on your way down to hell.¡± Wooosh¡ª! Limon paid no heed to the snake¡¯s astonished reaction. In just three steps, he¡¯d caught up to the snake flying high up in the heavens. ¡°I am a Swordmaster.¡± Limon Asphelder, the last lord of the sword tower and humanity¡¯s last Swordmaster. He got in stance to swing his sword midair. ¡°There is no one in this world who can run from me, and there is nothing I cannot cut. Even if it is outside of this world.¡± Was it subconscious or instinctive? The snake stopped running and charged straight at Limon with its jaws wide open. It was as if they knew the only way they could get out of this alive was to kill Limon right then and there. But before its fangs could touch Limon, he was already pulling down his sword. With the utmost elegance, Limon drew an orchid, the heavens his canvas. ¡°¡´Caliber of the Demon Slaying Sword Part of the Waters ¨C Moon Blossoms. ¡µ¡± ¡°¡¸@%^$#^%@!$#^%@$¡ª!¡¹¡± A petrifying howl shook the world as the west seas split in two. And the light of a shining star disappeared from the night sky. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 48 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 48: Crimes and Punishment Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The headquarters of ¡ºInfinity Guild¡»was a flashy building. It was typical to be bustling with hundreds of guild members and staff. But right now, the building was dead silent. Not just because everyone had been ordered to leave and the entrance restricted. It was also because there was someone guarding the silence. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. ¡°¡­¡­¡± A dreary space with not a single soul in sight but one. A man with slicked back hair, his legs crossed. He was blockading the building with various fortification skills. Same as he had been doing for the past four days, Lee Chun-gi waited, his eyes fixed on the pocket watch in his hands. He¡¯d watch the second hand needle tick and tock roughly 340,000 times. Even most high-level players would have passed out from exhaustion if they had spent 340,000 seconds without food, sleep, or rest. But the Infinite Monarch did not bat an eye. He simply waited for the second hand to tick 345,600 times with a stoic face, as usual. Rrrring¡ª! ¡°¡­It¡¯s time.¡± The second hand finally reached the final second as the clock started ringing loudly. It meant that the promised four days had passed. Immediately, Lee Chun-gi stood up from his chair and went straight to the room that had been locked for the past four days ¡ª the secretary¡¯s office. Creek. ¡°Hm?¡± But before he could get to the door handle, the door opened as another man walked out. ¡°What the hell? Don¡¯t tell me you were waiting here for four whole days.¡± White hair, gold eyes. A sword on his waist, and a faint scar on his eye ¡ª Limon Asphelder. He looked to Lee Chun-gi with surprise. But Lee Chun-gi did not answer. He wasn¡¯t even looking at Limon. His eyes were fixed to only one spot ¡ª the crack in the door that stayed slightly open after Limon walked out. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ Blood splatters stained every wall. Skull and teeth marks could be clearly seen engraved onto the desk from how much force was used. Slices of flesh thinner than paper piled up. Bones and guts were strewn all over the place. For a while, he stood frozen looking at the dreadfully gruesome scene. It was hard to believe that all that came out of one person. He barely managed to get a word out. ¡°Just what have you been doing for the past four days?¡± ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lee Chun-gi answered with silence. In truth, he did not. He was scared to know. Even as someone who entered the Dungeon thousands of times and bore witness to all sorts of ghastly deaths, the scene in front of him was nauseating. Limon smirked at his transparency. ¡°Personally, I recommend you just incinerate this entire room.¡± Get rid of it, unless you want to see someone go insane. It was Limon¡¯s way of being courteous. But there was still no answer. Only his gravely sunken, placid eyes that bore into Limon. ¡°What? Do you feel sympathetic all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± Lee Chun-gi shook his head at Limon¡¯s sarcasm. Even if Park was his closest aide, he wasn¡¯t nearly as good-natured or virtuous enough to feel compassion for the person who deceived and used him. ¡°Then do you think I went too far?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say that I disagree,¡± Lee Chun-gi replied calmly. Anyone else would have thought the same. In fact, there was a high chance they would have thrown up and ran away. Any human with the bare minimum amount of morality wouldn¡¯t know whether to regard someone who committed such an act as a human being. Especially if the victim was crippled. ¡°Did you really need to kill secretary Park like this when he had already been disabled?¡± After the snake abandoned Park¡¯s body and ran off, Park was completely crippled. His state was so despondent, he couldn¡¯t move or talk. It was indiscernible if he even had any consciousness left. Yet, despite knowing Park¡¯s sorry state, Limon still continued with the four-day murder. It was only natural for Lee Chun-gi¡¯s face to harden. But Limon, the very culprit who committed those atrocities, didn¡¯t look remorseful, let alone ashamed. He tilted his head. ¡°You know this is me being extremely generous, right?¡± ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± ¡°Then do you think we¡¯re close enough to joke around?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lee Chun-gi fell silent as he looked into the cold, settled, golden eyes that contradicted Limon¡¯s lighthearted tone of voice. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to understand how any of this could be seen as ¡®being generous¡¯. ¡°You¡¯d pass out if you saw a dark mage sacrifice a human.¡± ¡°I do not think it is lucid to compare this to human sacrifice to begin with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡± Limon scoffed. He wasn¡¯t oblivious to why Lee Chun-gi had reacted as he did. In fact, he knew far too well. In this age, murder itself was already considered a crime. Torturing someone to death for whatever reason was considered to be beyond brutal. It was a heinous crime that couldn¡¯t be called anything less than savage. But those were the standards of this era. ¡°A long time ago, kid, there was a nation that paraded human sacrifices in front of a hundred thousand people.¡± ¡®Offering oneself to the Gods was an honor.¡¯ ¡®Human sacrifice was a way to heaven.¡¯ There was once a religion where everyone believed such a doctrine. They would volunteer to be sacrificed. ¡°There was a time when people watched their friends slaughter one another in a Colosseum, when public hangings were prime time entertainment.¡± In times like those where everybody desired brutal slaughter¡ª ¡°There was once a law that threw babies into snakes to be eaten just for being related to a criminal by blood.¡± ¡ªIt was determined by law that crime was inherited. ¡°It used to be taught that gorging on the liver of your enemy was admirable.¡± It was a culture where not getting revenge was humiliating. ¡°There was a military that researched how to kill people more violently, more definitively.¡± Wars that disposed of men like firewood. All of that would be lunacy in current times. But back then¡­ Nation, religion, culture, and circumstances¡­ That was the natural way of things. ¡°Do you get it now? Do you see how petty and fragile the ¡®normal¡¯ you believe as an inexorable truth is?¡± Of course, even Limon hadn¡¯t lived through all of that history himself. But as much as he¡¯d come across countless changes to the norm in every nook and cranny of the world over his many hundreds of years, Limon knew all too well of the ephemerality of the ¡®norm¡¯. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that murder is a crime and violence is considered taboo.¡± To say that the old days were better? Nonsense. There was no doubt that the current world was a much better place to live in. Getting used to violence and brutality could destroy one¡¯s humanity. Limon knew it well, and he welcomed this change. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ¡®normal¡¯ to let an evil man live with his head up under the pretense of ¡®human rights¡¯.¡± Criminals are forgiven for their crimes for being too young. People become criminals for self-defense. Even the most atrocious of criminals cannot be killed. Forgiveness is forced upon those whose parents were killed. In this age, bottomless mercy was granted to assailants while victims were met with indifference. Perhaps this proved that the world had become more civilized than in the past. Perhaps it is a virtue to prevent unnecessary hatred. But Limon couldn¡¯t take this virtue stemming from a twisted sense of peace as granted. He couldn¡¯t help it ¡ª he was an old man. A swordsman who lived his life piercing the hearts of his enemies and slitting the throats of evil. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°Who knows, maybe that son of a bitch had a good heart. Maybe someday, he could have made amends, become a new man or something.¡± Perhaps Park wouldn¡¯t have become the villain he was if he hadn¡¯t made a deal with the snake Constellation in the first place. Maybe he, too, was a victim of turning into a tool ¡ª whether it be because he became dependent on lying with ¡¸Counterfeit God¡¯s Alias¡¹, or because he was subconsciously manipulated by the Constellation. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem, though.¡± Limon wasn¡¯t interested, nor was he going to pay any mind to Park¡¯s rights as a human or the unseen good in him. ¡°What¡¯s important to me is that that motherfucker did something to deserve getting fucking killed. So I fucking killed him.¡± ¡°¡­Knowing that would raise suspicion about your humanity?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than disgracing it.¡± There is one thing that mustn¡¯t be mistaken. Acts like murder and torture. Negative feelings like pride and avarice. Those aren¡¯t the only things that eat away at one¡¯s humanity. Vindicating justified rage. Enduring injustice. Forcing good and justice. In the end, those all tore a man down into a simple tool of society. Just as pursuing or confining someone until they love you back would only break them. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? What I want is to be human, not a piss-for-brains pushover.¡± Of course, Limon did have the inclination to follow along with the times to a certain extent. Like how he didn¡¯t just kill as he pleased while he was a PAB agent, no matter how deserving the criminals were. Perhaps he would have just ended it with a scene if he was the only one affected. But the moment he cut Yoo Na-kyung with his own sword, all room for compromise was gone. No matter how much the times, laws, or culture have changed. As a boss, it was his duty to collect the blood debt of a subordinate who died an unjust death. Giving that up meant that he was giving up being human. It was different from becoming a monster. ¡°By the way, Lee Chun-gi.¡± Sling. Limon slowly pulled out his sword. He looked at Lee Chun-gi, his eyes cold. ¡°You are also responsible for Na-kyung¡¯s death.¡± Whether it was his own greed or due to the Constellations¡¯ interference, Park was to blame for holding the orphans and making Yoo Na-kyung a suicide bomber. But that didn¡¯t make Lee Chun-gi innocent. Whatever the case, he was still the one who ordered for Limon¡¯s death. He was the one who failed to keep his subordinate under control. Even if he was used as a puppet, Lee Chun-gi most certainly held responsibility in this matter. Limon never actually forgave him. He had simply set aside the punishment until he found the real culprit. And now that Park was dead, he had no reason to keep Lee Chun-gi alive anymore. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± Limon looked at him for a while. He shook his head. ¡°No, not now.¡± It was quite the unexpected response. Especially to Lee Chun-gi, who had been bracing himself for his death ever since his defeat at Limon¡¯s hands. ¡°But this isn¡¯t because you¡¯re a Monarch.¡± Limon continued in the same, fatigued voice as when he had cut Park. ¡°Nor is it because I¡¯m worried about the social turmoil. I don¡¯t need anything from you, and I¡¯m not afraid of retaliation.¡± Anyone else would have taken those factors into concern. But none of that mattered when it came to collecting Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s blood debt. With the arrogant declaration that only he, a man who killed a Constellation, could make, Limon revealed the reason he chose not to kill Lee Chun-gi. ¡°You¡¯re too stupid to be worthy of punishment.¡± It was a ruthless remark, a judgment too cold-blooded for a Monarch. But Lee Chun-gi did not show a single sign of rage or denial. He himself knew better than anyone else that he deserved to hear it. ¡°Don¡¯t forget.¡± Limon continued as Lee Chun-gi stayed silent. ¡°Ignorance is not grounds for exoneration. You¡¯re still on the line.¡± It is utter nonsense that ignorance is not a crime. Just that this time, the scale had tilted. If even a speck of dust made the scale tilt the other way, Limon could always repeat what he did today. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep my eyes on you.¡± It was a warning, a declaration. Just as Anubis, Watchman of the Underworld, hangs the heart of the dead on the scale and judges whether their sins are heavier than the feather. This was the warning of an Absolute Ruler ¡ª that he would judge Lee Chun-gi¡¯s actions until the day he dies. ¡°And when you cross that line¡­¡± A pair of frameless glasses fell to the floor. It was an article of value, made from the best craftsmen with all the riches in the world. But it was no more than garbage compared to what Limon cuts with his word. Drip. His shut eyes. Blood trickled out of one, eyelids trembling from the pain. It was apparent what Limon just gashed. What Lee Chun-gi had just lost. ¡°I¡¯ll come to get the other one and your debt in 96 days,¡± he finished in the same sluggish voice. It was a brutal statement. A sentencing much too cold-blooded to say to someone who just lost an eye. But Lee Chun-gi was not outraged, sad, afraid, or upset. He did not use skills like¡¸Alganesthesia¡¹. He simply endured the pain with a sober mind as he nodded stoically. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll bear it in mind.¡± Limon¡¯s cold, settled eyes bore into his remaining one as if judging the authenticity of his answer. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Clang. He put his sword away and turned around. It looked like he didn¡¯t have any more business here. Lee Chun-gi called out as Limon was about to leave indifferently. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Limon stopped in his tracks. It was quite the unexpected question. He turned his head slightly to face Lee Chun-gi. Now that he had collected Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s blood debt, there was only one other thing to do. He chuckled. ¡°Get married.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 49 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 49: Sharing a Glass The Sword Emperor, the first Swordmaster who slayed the seven dragons and opened the gates to the Heroes¡¯ Age, once said: ¡°After succeeding in something one tried their hardest on, Barely escaping a life or death situation. When one gets blood on your clothes, Or when one fails at something. One tends to crave alcohol.¡± ¡­It was unclear whether those were the words of a Swordmaster or a Drinkmaster. Frankly speaking, that just meant that the Sword Emperor was an alcoholic who drank every day. But that¡¯s judging him by modern day standards. The Bronze Age was a time where alcohol was a rarity presented only to the dragon clan, and humans were completely banned from drinking it at all. Well, not that he disliked alcohol, either. ¡°It was around here, I think.¡± With that taken into context, Limon coming to this spot with a bottle of Soju after leaving the Infinity Guild was slightly out of joint with the Sword Emperor¡¯s wishes. This place wasn¡¯t somewhere to come to without reason, nor was it a place to drink comfortably. And yet, it was a place he had to come to. Limon slowly glanced around the vacant lot with not a single soul in sight. ¡°It¡¯s been cleaned up pretty well.¡± It truly was a peculiar remark. The vacant lot could only be called desolate. Not a single tree was in sight, let alone buildings or streets. But Limon knew what this vacant lot used to look like. ¡°Aside from the corpses, I didn¡¯t think that the debris could be cleared out in just a few short days.¡± A collapsed building with nothing left standing. Dust was everywhere from the explosion. 200 brutally slaughtered corpses. Recalling the river of blood that stained this vacant lot, Limon smirked. That¡¯s right. This was Haechung C&T Corporation, the former main base of the Liberation Brigade. The place Limon slaughtered Kang Jungsoo and 200 assailants. It happened only a few days ago. So the completely emptied-out space was incredible to see. There wasn¡¯t even a speck of rubble. Limon may have been in awe, but he wasn¡¯t surprised. After the Iron Age opened, it was routine for cities to change overnight and for mountains to change into rivers. ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s not dirty,¡± he laughed. Plopping himself down on the ground, Limon poured the Soju into two paper cups. One was placed in front of him and the other across. It was a cup without a drinker. No one would drink from it. But Limon knew there was someone to receive it even if they didn¡¯t drink. ¡°Sorry I made you wait so long, Na-kyung.¡± Limon said tiredly in the spot he had laid Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s body down. ¡°I had to run in circles for a bit, you know?¡± he chuckled. At first, he had thought that Lee Chun-gi was the only one he had to fuck up. But then, he ended up discovering an unimaginable scheme from the Seven Dragons Association while pursuing the real culprit and ultimately ended up fucking up a Constellation. The past few days were full of ups and downs even Limon was new to. ¡°Anyways, I got your blood debt.¡± One thing was clear. Limon had no more reason to wield his sword for Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s revenge anymore. Park had paid for his sins with death. The snake behind Park was completely eradicated. Li Chingwei¡¯s innocence was accepted. And Lee Chun-gi paid his own price after getting used. Who else should he seek revenge from? The other Constellations? It was unclear as to how much of a part they¡¯d played in all this in the first place. Aside from them, it could be stretched that a few politicians and government officials could be held accountable due to their inaction, like President Han Jungkook. But Limon didn¡¯t have the inclination to get his blood debt from them as well. No, he wasn¡¯t worried about the chaos that would come from such an act. They simply weren¡¯t even worth being killed. It would have been different if they had played a leading role in this scheme from the beginning. But killing roaches for acting like roaches was just getting revenge for the sake of it, not to collect a blood debt. And above all, Limon knew. Even if he didn¡¯t intervene, they were bound to pay their price one day. Though, whether they would be the only ones paying was unclear. But that wasn¡¯t Limon¡¯s problem. He was no longer a hero, and all connection he had with this nation have been cut off. ¡°I shall take care of the children you value more than your own life until they become adults.¡± Though, maybe not all. The only connection he had left was with the children of Hanbit Orphanage, maybe. But even those children didn¡¯t have connections anymore ¡ª they were orphans, abandoned in the process of trying to get rid of Limon. And so, Limon was sure she didn¡¯t have to worry about the children. ¡°So don¡¯t hang around this world and leave in peace.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Limon knew this was all just to comfort himself. He knew blabbering on in this vacant lot changed nothing. Yoo Na-kyung was already dead. Whether he avenged her or held a memorial service, nothing he did would bring her back to life, nor would it make her go into the afterlife a little more peacefully. But that was all the more reason Limon had come to this place. Just as revenge is for the living, this too, was a ceremony for himself. He needed this to cleanse himself of the emotional baggage left within himself. A blade rusts if one does not clean the blood off it. Hopeless resentment can only turn into poison. ¡°Here, have a glass.¡± Slash¡ª The glass was sliced into two and the Soju inside spilled onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯m drinking two since I¡¯m your boss.¡± Glug glug. ¡°Oh, what about Jungsoo? Who cares about the backstabbing swine? I¡¯m just gonna go for the funeral feast.¡± He poured the alcohol with his grief. A feeling some would call memories, some sadness. Memories were bound to get blurry, and one day, will fade for the last time. Reminiscing over such memories, Limon continued to fill his glass. At times, he told jokes and showed off how he had gotten revenge. Other times, he would look up at the moon in silence. It was while he was talking over a drink alone. ¡°May I raise a glass for the departed soul as well?¡± A girl in an oriental dress suddenly walked up behind him. How long she had been there was unclear. Limon didn¡¯t bother turning around. He simply raised a paper cup. ¡°You didn¡¯t even know Na-kyung.¡± He was insinuating for her to give up the formalities if she was just trying to get brownie points from him. But Li Chingwei stayed. ¡°I may have never met her, but one who was cherished by the Master of Swords is not unconnected to me.¡± Li Chingwei stated matter-of-factly that a married couple was two hearts beating as one ¡ª a friend of Limon was a friend of hers. Perhaps he was dumbfounded by the outdated mindset, or saw that she was being genuine, but Limon was silent for a while. He let out a soft chuckle and nodded. ¡°Do whatever you want. She wasn¡¯t one to say no to a drink from a stranger.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Li Chingwei smiled as if expected that answer, and took a seat next to him. She took out a bottle and glass from a box she came with and respectfully poured her glass with both of her hands. Limon eyed her movements. They seemed oddly experienced. The minute his eyes went over the bottle next to her, he looked mortified. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a Macallan? And made in ¡®88?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that costs¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, er¡­ Nevermind.¡± Just how much did the glass Li Chingwei pour cost? Limon shook the image of wads of cash getting poured onto the dirt. ¡®It¡¯s stupid to talk about money with her.¡¯ The rich goes three generations, even after their downfall. No matter how much worse the Black Dragon Clan was than before. Regardless of whether they had already lost half of their shares. Only the other princesses of the Seven Dragons Association and a select few Monarchs could even compare their riches to the remaining half of Li Chingwei¡¯s gargantuan fortune. That was how almighty the Seven Dragon Group¡¯s wealth was ¡ª an organization with all the riches in the world. ¡°Na-kyung, you little brat. Look at you, living in luxury after death.¡± Who knew a poor high-level player who donated all her paychecks would get to drink something so expensive after dying. ¡®The world really is unpredictable¡­¡± Limon scoffed as he raised his cup. ¡°Unfortunately, Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s body has already been incinerated.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was,¡± Limon nodded. 200 high-level players were killed here. Publicizing such a thing would not only crumble the nation¡¯s status, but also hold the ruling party responsible. Most of the bodies here had to be incinerated to cover it all up. One can¡¯t prove a death when there was no corpse, after all. Limon didn¡¯t care to blame them. No one would have visited Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s grave if there even was one. She was an orphan. But even he flinched at Li Chingwei¡¯s next words. ¡°So I bought this land under Hotel Leviathan¡¯s name.¡± ¡°¡­You bought this place?¡± ¡°Yes. This can be her gravesite. It was only natural to make the place of one¡¯s death into their grave if there is no body to bury,¡± Limon watched Li Chingwei say. He turned his head forward again. ¡°Give it up. Na-kyung would have cried that it¡¯s a waste of money.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see that she was very frugal.¡± ¡°My ass. She just had the soul of a hobo.¡± Limon smirked seeing Li Chingwei nod gravely. Acting like he had a good idea, he added on, ¡° Make a playground, then.¡± ¡°A playground?¡± ¡°Yep. Na-kyung liked playing with the kids. She¡¯d like a place for the kids to play in better than a grave.¡± ¡°Somewhere for children to come and play¡­?¡± Li chingwei looked perplexed, as if she¡¯d heard a difficult riddle. Limon found himself thinking as he watched her. ¡®I really can¡¯t get a grip on this princess.¡¯ She didn¡¯t bat an eye when a sword was pressed against her neck as she calmly revealed a global scheme decades in the making. On the other hand, she tilts her head at lighthearted jokes or just straight up believes them. She¡¯s innocent when you think she¡¯s cunning, and she¡¯s honest when you think she¡¯s manipulative. She¡¯s as sly and deadly as a venomous snake under a glass cage, but she¡¯s also like an orchid in a field of snow. She was sharp and beautiful. A contradiction. Was the peculiar asymmetry because she was the Black Dragon Princess? Or was it something else? Watching his future bride and greatest enemy with a sparkle in his eyes, Limon asked. ¡°By the way, when are we getting married?¡± It was an obvious question for a future groom to ask, but it wasn¡¯t like a groom at all. Li chingwei answered with a bright smile. ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 50 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 50: ¡°I¡¯m Cunning.¡± Limon could not believe his ears when he first heard her say those words. Li Chingwei¡¯s smile was so bright and innocent, she couldn¡¯t have possibly said something so clueless! ¡°¡­You have no idea when we¡¯re getting married?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± At least Limon had the excuse of being the proposee. But if Li Chingwei, the proposer, didn¡¯t know, who else would? How were they going to get married, then? Why didn¡¯t she know? Limon had multiple questions within that single ¡®why¡¯. Li Chingwei¡¯s answer, however, was concise. ¡°It is difficult for us to do so at the moment.¡± Limon blinked watching her beaming face and scratched his head. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you propose to me?¡± he asked begrudgingly. ¡°I did, of course.¡± ¡°¡­And I said yes.¡± ¡°It was an unforgettable proposal.¡± Being reminded of a certain memory, Li Chingwei blushed as she glanced at Limon¡¯s lips. Anyone could tell that that was a girl in love. It was the face of a future bride excited for marriage. It was all the more reason Limon couldn¡¯t understand her words. ¡°After all that, and you¡¯re now saying that we can¡¯t get married?¡± ¡°Huh? I never told you we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­???¡± Question marks appeared above Limon¡¯s head as he saw Li Chingwei¡¯s face turn into a look of surprise. He crossed his arms, thinking over what she said as he tapped his fingers against his arm. ¡°So it¡¯s not that we can¡¯t, but that it¡¯s hard to do so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What, like a young couple going against the opposition of their parents?¡± ¡°Exactly like that.¡± Li Chingwei clapped, seemingly impressed by his wise insight. But Limon didn¡¯t look pleased by the ¡®praise¡¯ at all. Rather, he furrowed his brows. The more he understood her, the more questions he had. ¡°You never told me there were in-laws to fight.¡± ¡°But of course. My parents have already passed away.¡± ¡°Then who¡¯s opposing us?¡± ¡°Almost everyone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Everyone else?¡± ¡°Yes. All the way up from the elders and nobles down to the lower ranks and even my own aides. If there were 100 members in the Black Dragon Clan, 99 of them would be against it, basically. Hearing Li Chingwei¡¯s bluntness, Limon couldn¡¯t help but look perplexed ¡ª not that he couldn¡¯t understand. He and the Seven Dragons Association have been enemies since the dawn of time. He knew better than anyone else that this marriage would not be blessed, which was why he had warned Li Chingwei back at Hotel Leviathan. And yet, Limon was still dumbfounded. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the sole authority of the princesses to choose the king¡¯s sons-in-law?¡± Just as the Monarchs were the absolute rulers of the Iron Age, the seven princesses were themselves the absolute rulers of the Seven Dragons Association. Or at the very least, they wielded dominion over their clans. But choosing their husbands were their prime responsibility, and there hasn¡¯t been a single exception since their inception. Considering the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s customs, everyone opposing the husband a princess had chosen and the princess being concerned about it was unusual. But it really wasn¡¯t that unusual in this situation. ¡°There has never been a princess who¡¯s screwed over their clan like I have before.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong¡­¡± Limon inadvertently sighed. Not only had she thrown away half of her clan¡¯s assets, she had poured out the remaining half to marry Limon. The bottom line was, Li Chingwei had brought the downfall of the Black Dragon Clan. No matter how absolute her authority was as a princess of the Seven Dragons Association, there were just some things that couldn¡¯t stand. And as a matter of fact, it was thanks to their unique customs that she didn¡¯t face anything more than opposition. If the Seven Dragons Association were any like any other typical religion, company, or organization, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if there was an insurrection or expulsion. ¡°In truth, I didn¡¯t expect this much opposition. I thought that the elders would welcome it, at least.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t welcome shit unless they all decide to do drugs and go senile¡­¡± Lee Chingwei tilted her head. ¡°If you consider the pros and cons, it¡¯s a complete win.¡± Regardless of what anyone says, Limon was still undoubtedly an absolute ruler. His power to take down the Infinite Monarch Lee Chun-gi alone was priceless. To appease that man, their sworn enemy, just by selling her own clan? Li Chingwei thought that was a small price to pay. She couldn¡¯t understand all the opposition ¡ª especially not from the elders, who flipped out in strife when they first heard it. ¡°The elders cannot be unaware of how strong the Master of Swords is.¡± The elders were typically sharp when it came to weighing the advantages and disadvantages of a situation. So why would they oppose her plan, when it came with so much benefit? Limon sighed. ¡°¡­Princess. The reason they know how strong I am is because I beat them up. Badly.¡± Of course they knew of Limon¡¯s power. Not just anyone could become an elder of the Seven Dragons Association. While the seven princesses succeeded by blood, the elders were the culmination of the Seven Dragons Association. An elder had to first be an apostle-rank master in at least one of the 72 martial skills. And in order to become an elder, they had to achieve a ¡®significant feat¡¯ worthy enough of one. This wasn¡¯t something that was put in place after the Iron Age, either. Achieving a ¡®significant¡¯ feat in the Seven Dragons Association was synonymous with going head-to-head with Limon, since he was always first in line to foil their schemes whenever they popped up. In short, every single elder of the Seven Dragons Association has had a near-death encounter with Limon before. To take him in as their son-in-law? ¡°Would you like it if a tiger came into your own home demanding to be your master¡ª¡± ¡°I would.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s because you¡¯re weird.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Li Chingwei had responded without much of even an ounce of hesitation. Limon groaned in response, and she grinned. ¡°I believe that¡¯s better than letting the tiger run wild.¡± ¡°Maybe if you didn¡¯t wreck every brick of your house to get that tiger, yeah?¡± Limon hit the nail on the head. The elders would have considered it if their marriage came with no conditions. But as long as the dowry was set at 49% of Hotel Leviathan¡¯s shares, there was no room for compromise. They wanted Limon for his sword, not for his leadership as the new master of the Seven Dragons Association. ¡°Well, that¡¯s besides the point. I understand why it¡¯s not a good time to get married.¡± Limon raised his cup again. ¡°If the Master of Swords wishes, we can force a marriage, but¡­¡± Li Chingwei looked discouraged. ¡°But the shares I got will become nothing if I get kicked out before I can even lay my hands on them.¡± ¡°Yes, which is why I said it would be difficult.¡± Li Chingwei hadn¡¯t forgotten Limon¡¯s declaration that he would devour the Seven Dragons Association whole while he was taking her in as his bride. And for that, Hotel Leviathan¡¯s stocks were crucial. If he didn¡¯t have them, the power struggle would be impossible. But with half, it was at least a fighting chance against the other six clans. ¡®It really would be a headache¡­¡¯ He fiddled with his paper cup. He downed a cup, then poured more inside. ¡°So what¡¯s your plan, then?¡± ¡°¡­How did you know I had one?¡± ¡°How could I not?¡± Li Chingwei blinked, her eyes widened. Limon scoffed in response. His eyes cold and settled, they met with hers. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t bail so easily from just a little opposition.¡± She sold off half her clan just to get Limon in her grasp. Hell, she restructured the global economic system for world peace. Limon had no doubt that Li Chingwei wouldn¡¯t give him up this quickly. Li Chingwei beamed at his words. ¡°You know me well.¡± ¡°I hold the title of ¡®your future groom¡¯, after all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it has to be just a title.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll determine that after hearing your plan.¡± Limon laughed freely, while Li Chingwei looked at him with discontent as she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s complicated to get into too much detail, but I¡¯m going to first persuade the elders.¡± Regardless of how much antagonism and discontent there was against her, there was few who could stop her besides the elders. As long as the elders were in her favor, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the opposition. And for that, she had come up with the best plan. ¡°They won¡¯t listen with just words,¡± Limon pointed out coldly. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t have opposed her in the first place. Li Chingwei didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Yes. It would be difficult with just words. But we should be able to reach a compromise at least with another method.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that method?¡± ¡°There are quite a few elders I gathered blackmail against just for times like these.¡± ¡°Really? Then surely, there is some chance¡ª¡± Limon¡¯s words faded after realizing what she just said so matter-of-factly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you didn¡¯t know the elders would oppose?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then why do you have blackmail?¡± It would be understandable if she had anticipated their opposition, but Li Chingwei had expected the elders to be in her favor. She had been holding blackmail against her own team. Why would she waste so much manpower gathering blackmail when her position was already in jeopardy? Limon was baffled. Li Chingwei tilted her head as she looked at him. ¡°What? I¡¯ll need to provide grounds when I change elders.¡± ¡°You were going to change them out in the first place?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say that there aren¡¯t any elders vying for my expulsion post-haste for the sake of the clan.¡± If Limon hadn¡¯t accepted her proposal, the elders would have sold her off to another one of the clans. It was better to maintain tradition than blowing off what was left of their assets. ¡°¡­So you were getting ready to remove the elders before they removed you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Li Chingwei nodded. The elders wouldn¡¯t have imagined that she was preparing to remove them. Throughout the history of the Seven Dragons Association, the elders have always been trustworthy supporters of the princesses, and it was customary for them to yield to a certain extent if the elders thought differently. If she actually did wipe them out, the Black Dragon Clan would shatter even more. But Li Chingwei paid no mind to that thought. Elders and whoever else, she would not allow anyone to get in her way. With that ever-present smile of hers, she added on with pride: ¡°The Master of Swords said so himself. I¡¯m cunning.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 51 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 51: I don¡¯t think a trophy husband is a good idea. ¡°¡­¡­¡± LImon was silent for a while, but not because Li Chingwei had tried to describe how cunning she was. After all, she was the princess of the Black Dragon Clan, masters of guile. Grand schemes, assassination plots, and covert disguises were their bread and butter. It was something they took great pride in. Instead, it was her beaming face. An inexplicably seductive, aphrodisiac smile that contrasted her youthful, innocent face. The elders were planning to sell her off. Planning to get rid of them first¡­ It was fair game, right? ¡®This girl¡­¡¯ Her smile was as sophisticated as an allium in full bloom, as brilliant as the wings of a phoenix in flight, and as haunting as witnessing the last shed of sunlight before an eternal winter set in. It made it all the more beautiful. As soon as he saw her smile, he could feel¡­ No, he was certain of it. He had felt it ever since he first met her. ¡®¡­She has the potency of a siren.¡¯ ¡®Siren¡¯. A term coined to describe women who bewitched princes and kings with their unmatched beauty to bring down a nation. Though, her appearance wasn¡¯t what Limon was looking at. Much rather, he was judging how dangerous it was. A beautiful woman could be the spark of chaos within a nation. Li Chingwei was more than capable of turning the world on its head. ¡®I knew she wasn¡¯t any normal girl when she practically sold off half her clan to maintain world peace, but¡­¡¯ What, it was possible because she¡¯s a princess of the Seven Dragons Association? It¡¯s nothing special. Nonsense. Would you run around the world just because you can? Would you start wars just because you can? Would anyone donate every last penny they had just because? It wasn¡¯t impossible, no doubt. But there was a colossal difference between theoretically possible and actually doing it in practice. The fact that Li Chingwei was the first in her long lineage to do what she did already said it all. It was a difference of potency. The power to not put any limit on her potential, the omnipotence to take on any possibility. And Limon knew that people with such omnipotence do not live life on a smooth road. ¡®In anarchy, she will piece the world together. In peace, she will tear it all apart.¡¯ It was different from the potency of a hero or a king. Whether it was through her beauty, charm, intellect, military might, or academia¡­ Regardless of the path she took, she was bound to exert an influence that would overturn nations. Her potency to ruin nations¡­ She could use it as a blessing or to spell disaster. That was why Limon was so befuddled. ¡®¡­Then, why is she using all of that almighty potency of hers against the Constellations?¡¯ He knew unquestionably that Li Chingwei would have easily surpassed the other princesses to rule over the Seven Dragons Association if she had not plotted for world peace. To use that incredible talent of hers to get Limon? He couldn¡¯t believe it. It was truly an astounding waste of talent. ¡®And why does she trust me so much?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t even trying to get blackmail on Limon when he was the biggest person to be wary of. And not only had she given him the remainder of her clan¡¯s assets, she actively supported his goal of taking over the Seven Dragons Association. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder just what was going on in that head of hers. ¡°Anyway. How far did you see?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°The Constellations¡¯ objectives.¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s question left a perplexed expression on his face. She had timed the question in such a way like she¡¯d read his mind. But amidst the perplexion he gave her his honest answer. ¡°I can¡¯t say I saw everything.¡± He might have if he interrogated them. As deep as his resentment as and how fast the snake ran off, Limon regretted that he didn¡¯t have the opportunity to torture it. He didn¡¯t know if the snake had targeted him for personal reasons, or if it was on behalf of the other Constellations. ¡°But there are two things I am sure of.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°First, players are going to keep thriving if this goes on.¡± ¡°And the other?¡± ¡°¡­The prosperity of players doesn¡¯t equate to the world¡¯s prosperity.¡± Limon recalled how Park looked when his body and soul got possessed by the snake. Was that the price of making a deal with the Constellations? What if all players were fated to become like Park some day? No matter how much wealth and glory the players have accrued, there would be no room for humanity in the world they cultivate. Only the Constellations, bearing human masks, and their livestock vessels would remain. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That the Master of Swords also feels the need to change the world.¡± ¡°¡­I have been bracing myself for it since before.¡± ¡°But you only have the certainty you do now.¡± She had hit the nail on the head, and Limon fell silent. ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind to fight the Constellations yet. And I don¡¯t know if I can beat them¡­ for now.¡± Limon was not a fool smothered in pride. Even if it was a uniquely rare situation, a snake that wasn¡¯t Monarch-rank had already exerted power that surpassed that of the Infinite Monarch. If a Monarch-rank Constellation were to appear¡­ What if he had to go against hundreds of thousands of them? Limon wasn¡¯t going to go down so easily, but he couldn¡¯t be sure that he would win, either¡ªEspecially in the Iron Age, when the world revolved around players and there were no more Swordmasters to train with. ¡°That is enough.¡± She gave Limon a bright smile. His answer was satisfactory. ¡°As long as the Master of Swords is determined to fight, it is my duty as his future bride to raise his chances of winning.¡± Whether she would threaten the elders or bring down the Seven Dragons Association in its entirety, she would support Limon. She was beaming, and Limon took a long stare at her. Finally he smirked with a nod. ¡°If you say so. Then, I guess you won¡¯t just have the title ¡®my future bride¡¯.¡± ¡°I would like to take out the ¡®future¡¯ part while we are at it, so that I can call you ¡®my dear husband¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Why don¡¯t we just sign the papers now then?¡± Li Chingwei grinned. ¡°All the better for me.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­Never mind. I concede.¡± Eyeing Li Chingwei like she was a thief, Limon lightly shook his head. He felt like she would actually bring the marriage certificate for him to sign if he had said yes, even as a joke. She really was an unpredictable future bride. Although, that¡¯s what also makes her more dependable. ¡®At least I don¡¯t have to worry about the wedding.¡¯ He would have been a little concerned if it was anybody else. The elders weren¡¯t going to go down so easily, as was the cunning nature of the Black Dragon Clan. But surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t worried at all when Li Chingwei was the one holding the threats. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t be able to take on a few elders when she was the woman who made Limon of all people hold up a white flag. Rather, he pitied the elders. ¡°Then what do I have to do?¡± That was why Limon could ask her with a carefree mind. As long as Li Chingwei had a plan in mind, he figured that all he had to do was to give her his hand. Or it was, until he heard her answer. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°¡­..What?¡± ¡°Uhm, to be more clear, I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t do anything.¡± Li Chingwei reiterated with a bright grin. Limon looked at her, flabbergasted. His eyes darted to the sky, then to the ground. Only after looking back at her did he realize his ears weren¡¯t the problem. ¡°So you want me to do nothing while you¡¯re blackmailing the elders?¡± ¡°As expected of the Master of Swords. Your insight is spectacular.¡± ¡°I want to hear why I can¡¯t do anything, not compliments a three year old or a grandpa with Alzeheimer¡¯s would like to hear,¡± Limon begrudgingly asked. Not to show off, but he was a Swordmaster ¡ª an unmatched absolute ruler, a human weapon whose mere existence was a danger. Maybe not to the current generation, but a single word from him would hold great influence to the elders, who knew of his true power. Why was she asking him to stay still instead of getting his help? Her answer was simple. ¡°I don¡¯t think you would be interested in scheming.¡± ¡°Is that your go-to option?!¡± ¡°That is simply the way of the Black Dragon Clan.¡± From the beginning, persuading the elders was to get her marriage with Limon approved. Gathering support from the other clans and the elders was only the first step in laying the foundation to taking over the Seven Dragons Association. It was not a good idea for Limon to take part in that process. Threats with brute force may bring immediate effects, but it was bound to get backlash later. Then was it okay to blackmail them? Surprisingly, yes! In fact, it was even applaudable! The Black Dragon Clan took pride in their conspiracies and schemes, and elaborate threats were considered to be a strategy among their repertoire. In fact, having someone holding a weakness against them was to be shamed for. ¡®What the hell is wrong with your Black Dragon Clan¡­¡¯ Limon clicked his tongue at the true essence of the Seven Dragons Association. As expected of the descendents of the dragons, they truly surpassed the nature of this world. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you if you wish to take part. But the Master of Swords dislikes showing off his powers when it¡¯s not necessary, right?¡± ¡°¡­You know me a little too well.¡± ¡°I am his bride, after all.¡± ¡°You forgot ¡®future¡¯. ¡®Future¡¯ bride.¡± Though he bantered, he did not deny what she said. He didn¡¯t hesitate to use his sword when it was needed, but he did not take it out at all if it wasn¡¯t. Considering Limon¡¯s own principles, this case was clearly the latter. Though he would have helped her as he held the title of her groom, it was true he didn¡¯t want to show off his strength when Li Chingwei was fine on her own. Plus, he could guess what she wasn¡¯t bothering to explain to him. ¡®So it¡¯s a leadership issue, huh?¡¯ Limon was the one getting married into Li Chingwei¡¯s home. From a third party¡¯s point of view, Limon not only getting Hotel Leviathan¡¯s stocks, but also leading their marriage would look like he was threatening Li Chingwei. With that being said, it was rather crucial that Li Chingwei led the marriage instead. It would show that she supported this marriage. ¡°Besides, I promised you.¡± ¡°Huh? Promise what?¡± Nodding as he understood the situation, Limon quickly stopped. Li Chingwei smiled brightly. ¡°That I would let you live without ever having to lift a finger as long as you married me.¡± ¡°¡­You were serious about that?¡± ¡°Of course I was.¡± Not giving him work was part of the marriage terms. Asking him for help before they even had a wedding¡­ Limon put on an odd expression at Li Chingwei¡¯s casual attitude. ¡°I appreciate that and all, but if I do as you say, I would just be a trophy husband leeching off the money of the woman I married.¡± ¡°Is that wrong?¡± ¡°Are you really just going to make me a trophy husband?!¡± ¡°The Master of Swords is a secret weapon against the Constellations. Secret weapons aren¡¯t meant to be used so easily.¡± You¡¯re not wrong, but¡­¡± Limon looked conflicted. In terms of strategy, it was the right move to keep Limon as a human weapon on standby. But was it morally okay to live as a trophy husband after getting married to a much younger woman? ¡°Besides, you¡¯re already being charged for treason. It would be better for the Master of Swords to lay low for now,¡± she answered nonchalantly. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to get resolved soon.¡± ¡°¡­???¡± Question marks formed above Li Chingwei¡¯s head. He wasn¡¯t just framed. He had also live streamed himself holding the President hostage. Even with all her wit and scheming, she couldn¡¯t think of a way out of those charges. It was only natural for her to be skeptical that it would get ¡®resolved soon¡¯. But she wasn¡¯t skeptical for long. ¡°Uhm¡­ So you¡¯ll be able to go around publicly in the near future?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s going to arrest me, at the very least.¡± Despite the vague and groundless answer, Li Chingwei did not question further. She trusted it would get figured out when Limon said so himself. After a while of thinking, she smiled brightly. ¡°Then I might have something you can help me with.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 52 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 52: Divergence Limon¡¯s eyes shot open as he pulled out his sword from under his pillow, and got into position to attack. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked slowly. A final cold-blooded word for anyone who dared to come for him¡ªthe warning of a swordmaster not even a monarch could ignore. On the other end, a voice courtly replied. ¡°Room service, sir.¡± ¡°¡­What service?¡± ¡°Room service. Your breakfast is here.¡± A remarkably polite answer was heard from the other side of the door. Limon blinked blankly and looked at his surroundings. A huge bed in an exceptionally wide room. A carpet sat and paintings were strewn about on the walls. Only after slowly taking in the explicably luxurious room did Limon loosen up. ¡®Oh, right. This is Hotel Leviathan, huh?¡¯ One could say habits are a scary thing. And old ones die hard. It had been multiple days since he started staying at Hotel Leviathan, and yet, here Limon was, waking up with his sword drawn again. Limon sighed at his own stupidity. He knew it was safe in his head, but his body could only perceive this place as enemy territory from his long feud with the Seven Dragons Association. ¡°May I come in?¡± ¡°Uh, sure.¡± Shing¡ª Limon put away his sword. In came an elderly man in a suit pushing a wagon. He wasn¡¯t the slightest bit fazed seeing Limon with his sword out. As if he was already familiar with Limon¡¯s manners now, he calmly set the table. From setting the napkin-wrapped silverware, the steaming hot pumpkin soup, toast with slow cooked eggs and bacon, to the lemon water, all of it looked straight out of a muted video. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of sound and Yo Ouin¡¯s presence could barely even be felt in the room. Limon clicked his tongue. ¡®This is why I can¡¯t fucking relax¡­¡¯ Those who weren¡¯t aware would have simply admired that Yo Ouin¡¯s silent and concise methods were the paragon of customer service. But Limon knew. That silence was not for the comfort of the guest, but merely the strict results of being an assassin. Of course it was¡­ This was the Hotel Leviathan. It was basically the Black Dragon Clan¡¯s nest before it was the best hotel in the world. That was why Limon made a sarcastic remark as he took a bite out of his toast. ¡°Can the general manager of a hotel really be catering to room service like this?¡± ¡°It is the duty of a general manager to provide special service for special guests.¡± ¡°What a fucking honor.¡± ¡°It is my honor as well.¡± Limon looked Yo Ouin up and down. It was impossible to tell if he was being sarcastic or genuine that he¡¯d never expected to be serving Limon Asphelder as a guest. Grumbling in his head complaining about how hard it was to deal with the Black Dragon Clan, he finished his toast. ¡°Well¡­ Special service or not, I¡¯ll give it to you. The food¡­ It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you. I meant the head chef who made this dish.¡± ¡°That is all the more reason I should thank you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Limon blinked, looking back and forth between his empty plate and Yo Ouin. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you made that.¡± ¡°As mentioned before, it is the general manager¡¯s duty to provide special services.¡± ¡°¡­My ass. All a general manager has to be good at is managing shit. Why the fuck are you good at cooking?¡± Limon unknowingly furrowed his brows. The toast was crisp, the fried eggs had just the right amount of yolk¡ªand the seasoning, exceptional. The dish¡¯s simplicity only served to make the exceptional cooking stand out even more. Anyone would say that it was the work of a first class chef. Yo Ouin did not lift his head high, however. He simply answered like it was just some trivial hobby of his. ¡°One tends to acquire various skills after living for so long.¡± ¡°¡­Are you taking the piss out of me right now? That I¡¯m just a geezer who still can¡¯t do anything but swing a sword?¡± ¡°I would never, sir.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Fuck your never.¡± Limon scoffed at the general manager¡¯s civility and downed the pumpkin soup directly from the bowl. Even if his responses were annoying, there was no reason to turn down a perfectly good meal unless it was poisoned. He finished off his breakfast with the lemon water until something came to mind. ¡°What about the princess?¡± ¡°She is currently out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s barely six. What¡¯s there to be so busy about?¡± ¡°There are new, urgent matters to be taken care of thanks to a certain someone.¡± ¡®It¡¯s all your fault she¡¯s busy.¡¯ ¡°You should have paid more attention to your members. It would have taken some weight off her shoulders if she had someone to pass over the work to.¡± ¡®The princess was busy because you¡¯re not dependable.¡¯ ¡°I have my regrets on that matter as well, but there are certain affairs within the clan that only the princess can take care of.¡± ¡®It is none of an outsider¡¯s business.¡¯ ¡°What a shame. I would have been able to help. If only we had a wedding!¡± ¡®Just know that I¡¯ll be your superior once I get married.¡¯ It was the very definition of a running battle. Neither hesitated to spit venom at the other. But contrary to their hellish exchange of words, they were both calm¡ªfar too calm. Limon and Yo Ouin were both experienced and strong individuals. Both went through wars that could have had their heads blown off in the blink of an eye. Banter like this was nothing but a lighthearted joke when they could stick a blade in someone¡¯s heart with a smile. After their friendly conversation, Yo Ouin courtly asked as he was cleaning the table. ¡°What are you planning to do today, sir?¡± ¡°Screw plans. Like I¡¯d have anything to do here,¡± Limon scoffed. There was only one thing he had been doing for the past few days. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go do some morning training.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** He swung his sword. Not fast, but slowly. His grip was tight, like he was holding a boulder. The flow of his blade was a work of art¡ªso slow it seemed frozen, but never actually seizing to move. It had the art of extreme liberation. It was mesmerizing¡ªyou couldn¡¯t take your eyes off it once you saw it. ¡°Ah, fuck.¡± But the wielder of the sword suddenly ended his 4 hours of stoic training with a vulgarity. He scrunched his face as he put away his sword and wiped the sweat off his face with a towel. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough.¡± It was a peculiar situation, and he wasn¡¯t talking about his training. Swordsmanship training was routine for Limon. Unless he was too busy, it was a regular part of his life he would pour hours into daily. The problem was his expression. It was rare for Limon to not look refreshed after training, but frustrated. It only happened when he was to stop for urgent matters, or when he wasn¡¯t pleased with the flow of his sword. Of course, no one was interrupting Limon for any emergencies, and the flow of his sword was exemplary. There was only one reason he was aggravated. He didn¡¯t get any results. ¡°That snaky fucker, what the hell did it leave in me?¡± Limon clicked his tongue. Not being able to go out in public due to being charged for treason wasn¡¯t the only reason he was putting his all into his training for the past few days. Ever since he cut down ¡®The Snake that Connects Ends¡¯, there had been a feeling of divergence in him. At first, he thought it was a curse. He¡¯d been cursed by plenty of fools before he killed them before, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a constellation had thrown a tantrum at him. But he soon realized¡­ This was something much more troublesome and unwelcome than a curse. It was the fragments of shattered starlight that were absorbed into him after he had cut the snake. ¡°Fuckin¡¯ hell, what¡¯s up with these jackass constellations and them injecting shit into everything and everyone whenever they¡¯re cut? Nutcases, man. Nutcases.¡± He¡¯d experienced the symptoms for a while now. From being able to see the constellations, to the system messages that showed something getting absorbed into his body whenever he cut a constellation. It was easy to assume that ¡®something¡¯ was inside of him. The problem was what that something was. ¡®It¡¯s been useful so far.¡¯ It must have been the constellation¡¯s powers, and although unwelcome,l it wasn¡¯t that bad if being able to see them was the only thing coming out of it. After all, it¡¯s convenient to be able to see who you want to cut. Perhaps there were other ways to use this power and he just wasn¡¯t aware of it yet. But what if that wasn¡¯t all? What if there were other things mixed in with the starlights? What if the personas of the constellations were absorbed into him as well? What if that turned him into one of them? ¡°I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this at all.¡± Limon clicked his tongue. It could just be paranoia, but he had to be on guard. Especially when he¡¯d seen the fate of Park Hyun-gun after gobbling up every opportunity for power from the stars with a brain as smooth as his. Not to mention the divergence he felt. Divergence: Something of a different nature. The fact he could feel this in the first place told him that the wheels weren¡¯t turning right. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m just constipated.¡¯ Once before he went back in time, when he had cut down those three constellations, and another while he was trying to take down Lee Chun-gi. Those were the times he absorbed the fragments of constellations. And yet, he¡¯d never felt this feeling of divergence before he cut the snake. Perhaps he was feeling so full and constipated because of how much he¡¯d absorbed from the snake. Or it could just be a synastry issue. Maybe he¡¯ll adjust to it over time. ¡®There¡¯s no knowing if I actually have heavy metal poisoning when I think it¡¯s just simple constipation.¡¯ Limon wasn¡¯t all optimistic about this, either. Getting better over time also meant it could also get worse. He especially couldn¡¯t just depend on the passage of time when he didn¡¯t know when or how many constellations he¡¯d cut in the future. On top of that, the feeling of divergence going away wouldn¡¯t resolve all of his problems. ¡®Having powers I can¡¯t control are bound to be a problem sooner or later.¡¯ Limon¡¯s power to ¡®see the constellations¡¯ wasn¡¯t there because he wanted them. It just activated all by itself. But what if he got powers like ¡®making eye contact with someone turns them to stone¡¯ or ¡®anyone who hears his voice kills them¡¯ and it automatically activates? It would spell disaster. ¡®I have to learn to control it, at the very least¡­¡¯ That was why Limon was training until he sweat, which didn¡¯t happen very often. After all, there¡¯s no better way for a swordmaster to meditate and control himself than swordsmanship. The problem was that the results were far from satisfactory. Whether he changed his training style, did nothing but swing swords all day, or even when he meditated¡ªno matter what method he used, nothing allowed him to control his ability. On the upside, the divergence did went away a little. At this rate, it¡¯d only take another 10 years. His frustration was only natural. ¡°Tsk, do I have to go another way about this?¡± He scratched the back of his head. He may be a swordsman, but he knew that not all problems could be fixed with a sword. Swordsmanship was ultimately for battle. There were people with expertise in complicated matters for this very reason. He just didn¡¯t want to ask them for help, that¡¯s all. Of course, there was no reason for him to not hold hands with another group when he¡¯d already done it with his sworn enemy, the Seven Dragons Association¡­ ¡°¡­Fine, I¡¯ll think about it for now.¡± Limon came to a conclusion. It had only been a few days since he¡¯d started training. Not only was it too early to determine that his efforts were truly fruitless, it wasn¡¯t the time for him to meet others so hastily either. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯d have to settle this treason charge first to do anything.¡± Limon lightly clicked his tongue until something came to mind as he turned to the calendar. ¡®Come to think of it, isn¡¯t that today?¡¯ He counted the days for a bit. After making sure it wasn¡¯t late yet after recalling his memory, Li mon left the training room as he muttered to himself. ¡°Let¡¯s see, I don¡¯t feel like going all the way to my room just to watch TV¡­ Where¡¯s a good place to watch¡­¡± Limon narrowed his eyes as he continued forward and turned his head to the side. ¡°Ah, I know a place.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 53 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle ] Chapter 53: Is there a warrant for hope? ¡®God, how did I get here¡­¡¯ Hotel Leviathan was the greatest there was. Fitting its renown, it had gyms, training grounds, saunas, counseling, tailor shops, conference rooms, gun stores, art galleries, salons, and many more different facilities. And among those was a nursery. ¡®What is this, some discount orphanage?¡¯ Of course, not many used the nursery¡ªreason being that Leviathan¡¯s main guests were far from anything related to nursing. But this facility was still part of Hotel Leviathan, and Cheon Suran held pride in her work there. That is¡ªuntil a few days ago¡ªwhen she was suddenly placed in charge of 23 children. ¡®Why do I have to look after the kids that nutcase swordsman brought over?¡¯ Experienced and knowledgeable in anything related to childcare and education, taking care of a few dozen things was nothing for her. After all, she was the one in charge of an entire facility. And yet, there were two reasons she was frustrated. The first being that these children were brought by the Master of Swords, of all people. The second was that one girl in particular was being far too quiet. ¡®I don¡¯t even know what to do with this child.¡¯ Song Shia. She was practically the oldest among the 23. One of the essentials when it came to childcare was managing various things like their habits and likings. She was especially difficult to approach when even the children older than her treated her like an older sibling. ¡®I don¡¯t like her.¡¯ As soon as Suran laid eyes on the girl, she immediately knew¡ªthe only thing that made her a normal girl was her appearance. Shia was no ordinary child. Her abnormalcy was evident whenever Suran saw her during her free time, whenever she wasn¡¯t catering to the other children. Just what was Shia doing? Well, quite the opposite, actually. The problem was that she wasn¡¯t doing anything. She did not play. She did not play. She did not rest. Shia did not even sleep. The way she sat still was beyond weird¡ªinhuman, even. It was rather frightening seeing those dead eyes. Suran felt like she was watching a machine with a dead battery, even a corpse. And for a while, Suran looked at Shia with unfavorable eyes. ¡®I really just want to leave her alone, but¡­¡¯ She finally concealed her discomfort as she walked up to Shia, a smile on her face. ¡°Uhm, Shia?¡± ¡°What can I help you with?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come to you for help. I want to help you, actually.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any help.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that¡­ Listen, our hotel has a great counselor. It would be good for you to meet them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need therapy.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not therapy¡­¡± ¡°Then I really don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Three negatives, all without hesitation. Suran couldn¡¯t help but swear in her head. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to get therapy, you dumb bitch!¡¯ She would have done anything to make Shia gradually open up if she was just a teenage girl going through puberty and building walls around herself. But Shia¡¯s case was different. She wasn¡¯t pretending to be interested. She truly just did not care. She wasn¡¯t building walls either, since there was nothing to build around in the first place. It may seem like a small difference, but to someone as skilled in child psychology as Suran, that small difference was a massive headache. The good news was that Shia wasn¡¯t completely helpless. The bad news was that her only source of help wasn¡¯t Suran herself, or anyone else in the nursery¡ªand most definitely not anyone in Hotel Leviathan. ¡°What¡¯s up, dead fish eyes? You bothering your teacher again?¡± At that moment, Shia¡ªwho hadn¡¯t moved an inch before that no matter what Suran tried¡ª turned her head. ¡°¡­I never bothered her.¡± ¡°Yeah, right. She¡¯s clearly struggling because of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault.¡± ¡°Then smile a little, yeah? Your teacher¡¯s freaking out because of your eyes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to smile.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. You wouldn¡¯t last a day in society.¡± A white-haired man came out of nowhere carrying a laughing child on his shoulders. Cheon Suran quickly bowed as she saw Limon. ¡°Welcome, Master of Swords.¡± ¡°Sup, Miss Cheon. Seems like the kids are giving you a hard time.¡± ¡°O-Of course not. I am apologetic that the children are troubled because of my incompetence.¡± ¡°Incompetence? It¡¯s incredible you¡¯re even handling these hellcats,¡± Limon casually praised. ¡°Ah, yes, yes¡­¡± Suran couldn¡¯t help but feel awkward when the compliment was coming from Limon Asphelder. ¡®Why would the princess ever consider him as her husband?¡¯ Limon Asphelder was the greatest, the worst enemy of the Seven Dragons Association. Even as a low-level employee in the Black Dragon Clan, she was well aware of his notoriety¡ªto the point where she felt fear and disgust at the sight of him despite the changing times. She felt like dying inside trying to treat Limon, the future king¡¯s son-in-law, with respect. ¡°Woah, it¡¯s Grandpa Limon!¡± ¡°Grandpa, I wanna shoulder ride too! Shoulder ride!¡± ¡°Oi, I told you to call me ¡®hyung¡¯, not ¡®grandpa¡¯!¡± ¡°Liar! Na-kyung told me that any old man with white hair is a grandpa!¡± ¡°Na-kyung, that little¡­ Fine, then have a taste of this!¡± ¡°Ooooh, Grandpa¡¯s mad!¡± The children crowded seeing Limon. Suran had a strange look on her face seeing him nonchalantly play with them. It was like seeing a machine gun hanging its laundry, or Satan himself giving a psychology seminar. Limon didn¡¯t pay any attention to her as he changed the diaper of a crying baby and held out his hand to Shia. ¡°Hey, dead fish eyes. Hand me a new diaper.¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°And a baby bottle. Kid looks hungry.¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°And a rattle¡­¡± ¡°Here.¡± It was a demonstration of an expert assistant. Shia handed him everything he needed before he even finished his sentences. Limon changed the diaper, gave the baby their bottle, and shook the rattle. Like that, they calmed down the crying baby that would have taken at least an hour for Suran. Limon smirked seeing Shia. ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve always done.¡± ¡°You were pretty awkward with it a few days ago, though.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know where everything was then.¡± Shia answered bluntly. It was so nonchalant, she sounded dead inside. But Limon wasn¡¯t bothered. He just asked her questions as he played with the children. ¡°Anything you need?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I can tell you¡¯re worried about school.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For once, she stayed silent. Sure enough, in the nursery, there were elementary, middle, and high school kids. As much as they were forced to take a break from school after losing their home, getting kidnapped, and then rescued, school was clearly a big concern. Limon scoffed and turned his head to Suran. ¡°Miss Cheon, any updates on what I asked you?¡± ¡°I have the school materials ready, but it will need a few more days to get the children their own instructor.¡± ¡°Huh? When did I tell you to get them individual instructors?¡± Limon tilted his head. She answered confidently as a child specialist. ¡°It was determined by my own discretion, as the children¡¯s education levels are different for each age. At times like this, the difference in education levels are much more pronounced.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Immediately, her shoulders recoiled again. She¡¯d carried it out because she knew it was the right thing to do, but she didn¡¯t know what she would say if Limon asked why she did what she wasn¡¯t even asked to do. ¡°Hm¡­ Then let¡¯s just do that, then. I don¡¯t know how kids these days are taught.¡± Thankfully, Limon did not blame her. Rather, he delegated full authority to her with a nod. Feeling like she narrowly escaped death, Cheon Suran sent a prayer of thanks to the Founding Black Dragon. Limon turned back to Shia. ¡°How¡¯s that? Now you won¡¯t have to worry about school, yeah?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­¡­¡± Shia answered with silence once again. How could there be anything to worry about? For the orphans who had never seen a tutor, let alone a meager cram school, having a private instructor was an unfathomable luxury. That was why Shia spoke after staring vacantly at Limon. ¡°Limon oppa.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you calling me that?¡± ¡°I thought I should call you that when you told the other kids to call you hyung.¡± ¡°Can you address me by literally anything else?¡± ¡°Do you want me to call you brother?¡± ¡°Just say uncle¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle Limon.¡± Her stubbornness won. Limon pressed down on his temples while Shia remained stoic. ¡°Why are you so good to us, Uncle Limon?¡± Uncle or whatever it may be, he was still a complete stranger to them¡ªthey could turn the other way and act like they knew nothing about each other. In truth, that¡¯s what most adults did. Even Suran, the manager of the nursery, was just looking after them because it was her job. It was obvious that deep down, she didn¡¯t like them. But Limon? Why was he helping them? It was more suspicious than strange. Limon¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°Because that¡¯s what Na-kyung would have done.¡± As soon as she heard that name, a glimmer of light shone in Shia¡¯s eyes. But that didn¡¯t last long. In a flash, her eyes were settled once more as she told Limon in a quiet voice so the other children wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°You¡¯re not Na-kyung unnie.¡± ¡°I am not.¡± ¡°Na-kyung unnie is dead.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Limon agreed with nonchalance. Though it made her death all the more gruesome, Shia wasn¡¯t sad. She simply continued in a tired voice. ¡°If you know, then don¡¯t say that useless stuff.¡± ¡°What¡¯s useless?¡± ¡°You giving us hope.¡± Yoo Na-kyung wasn¡¯t just a nice charity worker to the children of Hanbit Orphanage. She was their most dependable family, a future they could look up to, a dream they didn¡¯t have to throw away. Her very existence gave them hope. And so, Shia knew what it meant when Limon said that he¡¯d take her place¡ªhow much hope that would bring to the other children. She knew far too well that she refused it. Limon narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Should I not?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shia deadpanned. Looking straight into Limon¡¯s golden eyes, she spoke in a low voice. ¡°Giving something just to take it back is worse than not giving it at all.¡± Delicious meals and wide beds, good education and plentiful time for rest. On top of that, Limon¡¯s trustworthy protection. Their lives at Leviathan were luxurious, yes. So luxurious, the despair they would feel once it gets taken away was unfathomable. She didn¡¯t care if it was just her. She no longer expected anything, and you couldn¡¯t be disappointed if you don¡¯t expect anything to begin with. But that wasn¡¯t the case for the other children. They would be gravely hurt if the hope Limon gave them disappeared. Shia was coldly telling him to not give them hope if it was going to go away someday. Limon chuckled. ¡°I have a lot of questions for you¡­ but let me ask just one first.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Why are you so sure the hope I¡¯m giving you is going to disappear someday?¡± Limon was confident. Whether he was told that cheap sympathy was bound to disappear quickly. Whether he was told he was going to die as fast as Yoo Na-kyung. He was confident to answer that he was not taking care of the kids out of sympathy, nor was he going to die. After all, he was the last swordmaster who had lived over the vast reaches of time. He was Limon Asphelder. But his smile froze in place as Shia gave her answer. ¡°Of course, because Uncle Limon is jobless.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Not to mention, you committed treason. You¡¯re a criminal.¡± How could a broke man with no income on the run give them hope? Shia coldly criticized as if she was judging a date¡¯s appearance and wealth. Limon stared at her in silence for a while. ¡°¡­Where did you get that from?¡± ¡°The news.¡± ¡°Have they been blaring out that I¡¯ve been fired on the news, too?¡± ¡°No, I could just tell when a full-grown adult was playing with children in the middle of the day.¡± ¡°Well you sure damn know how to read the room fast.¡± ¡°Na-kyung unnie told us it¡¯s crucial for an orphan to be quick to read the room to survive as an orphan.¡± ¡®Did she ever tell you to have a filter on your mouth?¡¯ Limon barely swallowed down the words on the tip of his tongue. He knew he had to manage his expectations. There was no way Yoo Na-kyung would have taught them such a thing when she was someone who would keep her mouth afloat even when drowning. ¡®Urgh, to think she was my subordinate¡­¡¯ For a moment, he felt skeptical he caused all that chaos just for her blood debt. He sighed, scratching his cheeks. ¡°I mean, I am an unemployed criminal. But those charges are going to get dropped soon and I¡¯m going to get a job, all right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what all unemployed criminals say.¡± ¡°¡­Am I really that untrustworthy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for it to be otherwise.¡± ¡°Hm. A reason to trust, you say.¡± Talking to a brick wall is common when one is little. Limon crossed his arms as Shia declared her distrust with an unwavering voice. As if he was recalling something, he put a mysterious smile on his face. ¡°Are you going to get some hope once I get my treason charges dropped?¡± Shia flinched at his words. She didn¡¯t know Limon¡¯s intentions. Even at her young age, she knew it was impossible to get his charges dropped when he¡¯d held the president hostage. ¡°Then I might be able to consider you trying to replace Na-kyung unnie.¡± She sounded truly dead inside. It was clear she didn¡¯t even believe Limon for a minute. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what you said.¡± Looking satisfied with her answer, Limon smiled meaningfully. He turned to Suran, who had been listening to their conversation with an inexplicable expression. ¡°Miss Cheon, can we take a look at the TV?¡± ¡°The TV?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She was confused by the randomness. Shia did not hide her suspicion. Limon told them in a playful voice. ¡°There¡¯s going to be some awfully interesting news today.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 54 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle ] Chapter 54: Press Release The attack on the Blue House incident, where Limon infiltrated the Blue House, wiped out its security, and held the president hostage. It was not an exaggeration to say that the entire nation had been plastered with that one piece of news over the past couple of days. Not only was the incident that much of a big deal, there were also many corners to dig into. The fact that the culprit was a hero of a past nation, the fact his intentions were unknown, the fact Limon couldn¡¯t be stopped, and the scene of the Blue House in absolute ruins. And to top that off, Limon and Lee Chun-gi¡¯s relationship. Each and every factor was full of suspicion headline-worthy. There were even programs dedicated to this case alone. ¡°Oi, Reporter Kim. Any sources?¡± ¡°Lots. It¡¯s booming thanks to humanity¡¯s guardian.¡± ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon. None of that common easy stuff. I mean more like ¡®why humanity¡¯s guardian committed treason.¡¯¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d be here if I knew that? I¡¯d already be on the run with the article if I did.¡± The press was also curious about the truth behind this case. In fact, their curiosity was much worse than everyone else. As easy as it was for them to access information, there were also that much more confusing and conflicting sources. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure this is real life.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Just think about it. You think it makes any sense he crashed the Blue House all by himself? Look how many high-level players there were, from the president to the security guards!¡± ¡°He¡¯s humanity¡¯s guardian, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s back when there weren¡¯t any players. Isn¡¯t he just a civilian with some above average swordsmanship?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± They¡¯d heard testimonies at the academy of those who fought Limon. It¡¯s just that the testimonies were ridiculous. He¡¯d caught a bomb with his sword. The bullets dodged him. His sword cut through skills. With the testimonies being that absurd, it was almost suspicious¡ªas if they were all on psychedelics. Of course, realistically, it was the general consensus that the government was giving false testimonies. With the common sense being that an ordinary civilian could not possibly do what even a player couldn¡¯t, it was a purely logical conclusion to come to. ¡°Besides that, what about the part where he crashed in through the main doors?¡± ¡°Uhm, it¡¯s probably because they didn¡¯t want to give out the real intrusion route, right?¡± ¡°Of course. What nutcase would actually do that? Unless their brain is made out of udon noodles or something.¡± Two regretful truths: Limon was not someone within the scope of common sense. And although his brain wasn¡¯t made out of flour, he was a man who¡¯d been called a mad dog for practically an eternity. ¡°You know, I looked into some old records mentioning Limon while I was at it, and man, it really is something.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°Yeah. They all say something like he split the seas with one swing of a sword, or went around the world 37 times in a single day. It¡¯s all going way past fiction at this point.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. Damn those old folk and their exaggerations¡­¡± ¡°I guess those exaggerations worked in the past. They had to use something for propaganda.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s back when people thought Robin Hood was real. Who would believe such a thing nowadays?¡± That was why those who worked in the press all had migraines over this. They were experts in making one fact into ten different things and creating issues and gossip over things that didn¡¯t even happen. But that had its limits. As much as all eyes were on them already, it was hard to send out false testimonies or records like they were real. The citizens aside, their boss would be the first person to kick their ass. ¡°Damnit, the Blue House needs to do a press release if we¡¯re going to publish anything. What¡¯s up with the media blackout without even feeding us anything?¡± ¡°I know, right? Normally, they would have been straight up about it.¡± Another reason the press couldn¡¯t publish anything was due to the government¡¯s peculiar response. When incidents like this happen, the government usually sends out a press release saying ¡®the crisis is over, everyone can relax.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter if no one believed it. The fact they were lying through their teeth would assure people the government was going around like normal and everything was fine. And there were a surprising number of people who actually believed it, too. But this time in particular, the government was pushing back their press release far more than what would be normal. No, they went beyond pushing it back. They were silencing various media networks. It was as if they were scared of hitting someone¡¯s nerves if any nonsense went out. And thanks to that, all sorts of rumors were going around the world. ¡°The president is already dead.¡± ¡°Limon ran off overseas.¡± ¡°Everything was a government setup.¡± The press would have typically been on the frontlines either spreading or denying those false rumors. But they couldn¡¯t even handle the hot gossip because they had to tiptoe around the government. It was driving them crazy. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for now. Maybe today, something reasonable will come out.¡± ¡°It better. It¡¯s the first press release they¡¯re doing after the incident.¡± It was why they were on the edge of their seats. Depending on the contents of the press release later that day, they would finally be able to publish something. Some of them were dead set on using this chance to ask sensitive questions. Blue House spokesperson or not, they were going to show them the consequences of neglecting the peoples¡¯ right to knowledge. Creek¡ª But moments later, from the cameramen mindlessly recording the press conference room, to the reporters firing up their commentaries with vigor. Every single person in the room could only freeze with their eyes popping out of their sockets as the doors opened. A man walked in. The reporters went blank, unsure if they were dreaming. He ignored their gazes as he walked up to the podium. His hair was down to cover one eye as the man in a white suit adjusted his newly made spectacle. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A tranquil voice asked with a stoic expression. Yet one sentence from him made the frozen reporters jump with fright. Infinite Monarch Lee Chun-gi looked into the camera as he continued in a low voice. ¡°Start the press conference.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Chaos, shock, confusion. The reporters in the press conference room as well as almost everyone watching the broadcast was feeling the same thing. ¡°< Uhm, sir? We were told this meeting was arranged for the Blue House¡¯s official statement¡­>¡± ¡°< That is correct.>¡± ¡°< ¡­Then why is the Infinite Monarch holding the press conference?>¡± A reporter asked hesitatingly, unable to hold back their bewilderment. It was a question on behalf of everyone. Lee Chun-gi was a Monarch who did not go on camera unless it was absolutely necessary. It was extremely rare for him to talk to the reporters directly. Even in the Infinity Guild press conferences, he would send a spokesperson. Yet here he was, in the Blue House press conference room. It was truly out of the blue. Some reporters even looked around the room, thinking they¡¯d come to the wrong conference. But as soon as Lee Chun-gi started to speak, they were swept into a completely different state of confusion than before. ¡°< I will be the spokesperson for the Blue House today.>¡± ¡°< ¡­¡­???>¡± Question marks appeared above the reporters¡¯ heads in unison. It was like they couldn¡¯t believe their own ears, or their brains were refusing to understand. Every single one of them froze with a blank face as if they were under [Status Effect: Confusion]. Barely managing to get themselves together, they opened their mouths with a look of bewilderment. ¡°< Why? What kind of nonsense is that?!>¡± It was nonsense. That was the only way to put it. Lee Chun-gi may be a Monarch and the guildmaster of Infinity Guild, but he was not a government affiliate. He did not have the right, the authority, or the grounds to speak for the Blue House. It was like a movie star, professional athlete, or the CEO of a major company speaking on behalf of the Blue House. A reasonable point to be made indeed. They could only be baffled. But Lee Chun-gi cut off their confusion in a beat. ¡°< Is there a problem?>¡± In an instant, every single reporter who looked like they were itching to ask more questions shut up. Lee Chun-gi slowly looked at each reporter like he was open to any complaints they had. As soon as the reporters made eye contact with his infinitely tranquil ones, they¡¯d realized. Unlike any other celebrity, he was not someone they could dare challenge authority. Of course, not many realized skills such as [Coercion], [Subjugation], and [Threat] were secretly influencing them. Not that it mattered if they knew. This was the Infinite Monarch standing in front of them. One of the ten absolute rulers of this world. It was a simple dictum. He wasn¡¯t accepting silence as a yes, he was forcing it to be as such. And no one stepped up to argue. Adjusting his spectacles in the silence he¡¯d so easily acquired, Lee Chun-gi continued. ¡°< First, as all of you may know, I will start with an official statement regarding the small incident at the Blue House that happened a few days ago.>¡± ¡®Small incident?¡¯ ¡®Holding the President hostage was a small incident?¡¯ ¡®How?¡¯ The statement hadn¡¯t even begun. The opening alone made either the reporters¡¯ eyes dart back and forth, or contort their faces. If the person speaking was a spokesperson¡­ No, even the president himself, there would have been a flood of questions. ¡°< Let me begin with the conclusion.>¡± But they did not know it was really only just the beginning. The opening was nothing compared to the shock they would get at Lee Chun-gi¡¯s following statements. ¡°< It was all a ¡®show.>¡± ¡°< ¡­What?>¡± ¡°< In other words, the high-level players¡¯ attempt at a coup d¡¯etat and the Blue House invasion was all part of emergency drill training.>¡± The reporters¡¯ jaws dropped to the floor. But Lee Chun-gi did not give them any regard. With a stoic face as always, he continued. ¡°< This was due to concerns over the recent increase in social indifference to the criminal activities of high-level players, and with the special cooperation of the PAB with the government¡­>¡± It was all a planned drill. The hostage situation was all a play. It confirmed many problems with the Blue House¡¯s security and emergency response system. They would reform the PAB to resolve these issues, and there would be smoother responses regarding high-level player deviations. Furthermore, the Infinity Guild will take liability for the damages caused in the Blue House from the training. So on, and so forth. With some long winded explanation, the bottom line was simple. All of this was just a ¡®show¡¯ and they were to act like nothing ever happened. In a way, it was a very Blue House-like statement, but it was all the more baffling as the reporters finally flipped out. ¡°< Do you expect us to believe that?!>¡± ¡°< What will you do if you don¡¯t?>¡± ¡°< What¡­?!>¡± ¡°< Are you going to put your careers on the line to claim that Mr. Asphelder suddenly committed treason and that the government couldn¡¯t save the president from getting held hostage?>¡± As soon as they heard that, the reporters were at a loss for words once again. It was true. That would be even more unrealistic. Especially when ¡®putting their careers on the line¡¯ didn¡¯t sound like a joke, they could only fall silent. To take responsibility for their articles was something much too unfamiliar and difficult for them. They only put their energy into gossip and scandals without an ounce of interest about the actual truth, after all. Lee Chun-gi calmly told them. ¡°< If you aren¡¯t, please shut up.>¡± If you can¡¯t take the responsibility, consider it at the very least. If you aren¡¯t even going to think about that, then don¡¯t bother to run your mouths in the first place. ¡®He was going to make anyone who ignores this warning responsible himself.¡¯ ¡ªWas what he said, in short. A reporter finally snapped and shouted out. ¡°< Th-this is media suppression!>¡± Lee Chun-gi did not bat an eye. ¡°< Suppression¡­ What a funny thing to say.>¡± His eyes bore into the reporter¡¯s as he continued. ¡°< All I told you was to take responsibility for what you publish. If that is suppression, are you saying you¡¯re going to spread canards you can¡¯t even stand behind?>¡± ¡°< ¡­¡­>¡± The reporter shut up with a blue face before he could even make a point. Lee Chun-gi took his eyes away from the man and scanned the press conference room. ¡°< Any other questions?>¡± It was a final confirmation, a last chance. But no one raised their hands. Rather, they either flinched or darted their eyes, hastily averting themselves from any responsibility. As if he didn¡¯t have any expectations in the first place, or as if he already knew this would be their reaction, Lee Chun-gi looked away from the reporters with a stoic face and faced the camera. ¡°< Then the press conference is over.>¡± With an overly simple ending, the cameramen, as well as the studios and announcers all went blank. Having wrapped up the press conference, Lee Chun-gi walked out. The empty podium was stuck onto the TV screen until the dead silent room started buzzing with murmurs. A white-haired man stared. Only after staring at the screen for a long, long time did Limon express his thoughts. ¡°¡­¡­Wow.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 55 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 55: Clearing My Name? A Surprise to Go Down in Legends¡­ People appalled by the Blue House¡¯s statement that the [Blue House attack] was part of an emergency drill. National Peace Party House Representative: ¡°No matter what reason it may be, making a fool of the people is unacceptable.¡± Why did Infinite Monarch Lee Chun-gi speak for the Blue House? As expected, all of the newspapers were plastered with a single issue. Lee Chun-gi¡¯s press conference was that impactful. The world was already helter-skelter from the incident. And like a flooding dungeon, the press release was what finally made it overflow. ¡°< This is all a conspiracy!>¡± ¡°< What do you mean?>¡± ¡°< Just think about it! Does it make sense they would decimate the Blue House all for a drill? This is a conspiracy for the current government to improve its approval ratings!>¡± ¡°< No, I think you¡¯re going too far. If you look at the current crime rates of high-level players¡­>¡± There were debate programs discussing whether it was a ridiculous scheme, or if this emergency drill was really necessary. ¡°< **** this. I sold all my stocks because I thought there was going to be a civil war. What is this, April Fool¡¯s? I can¡¯t believe this was a nationwide scam.>¡± ¡°< congrats¡ïyou¡¯re¡ïa sucka>¡± ¡°< You¡¯re the dumbass for falling for it.>¡± ¡°< you thought a geezer swordmaster could topple the Blue House on his own? He¡¯s not even a Monarch LOL>¡± ¡°< There was too much murder in his eyes for it to be an act, man.>¡± ¡°< swordmaster XXX bluffmaster OOO.¡±> Internet forums were laughing and cursing as if this was all a thing of the past. ¡°< In the age when even the Blue House is collapsing! We have a big sale on special items just for you!>¡± ¡°< That¡¯s right. This product is a hallucinatory item officially approved by the Infinite Guild, and it was used while plotting the Blue House incident¡­¡­>¡± Home shopping networks, advertisement firms, and various companies tried to turn this into an opportunity to make money. It was like a herd of ants running towards honey. Everyone was heads over heels splitting hairs over Lee Chun-gi¡¯s press release. The course of discussion went in so many different ways that even in the same form of media, the claims and arguments were miles apart from one another. But there was one thing. One similarity in every single conversation. ¡°There really isn¡¯t anyone who thinks the Master of Swords would commit treason.¡± Li Chingwei, the girl dressed in an oriental dress, muttered. Limon scoffed. ¡°Ya think? That dimwit intimidated everyone to not run their mouths if they can¡¯t take the responsibility for it.¡± ¡°But there are always people who talk more when they¡¯re silenced.¡± ¡°That depends.¡± Limon set down the paper he was reading and looked at Li Chingwei. She was tilting her head. ¡°Attention seekers are the ones who talk the most at times like these. And right now, all of the attention is on that dimwit. Who would turn their heads to a goner like me?¡± Limon had hit the nail on the head. The center of every conversation going on all over the world was on the current government and Lee Chun-gi.No one was thinking about Limon. Even those claiming it was a conspiracy or were suspicious weren¡¯t considering for a minute Limon would have actually committed treason. Of course, If Limon was actually guilty of treason, that meant they would have to accept it¡ªthat the Blue House did take a fall, that the President was held hostage. That it was all real. By an ordinary man who didn¡¯t even make a deal with a Constellation, let alone a high-level player, at that. For the current generation who considered swordmasters to be goners of the past, it was simply impossible to wrap their heads around. It just wasn¡¯t the common belief. ¡°So people just believe what they want to believe, I see.¡± ¡°Common belief goes beyond logic for them, after all.¡± Turning a fan on when you sleep will kill you. Taking a picture robs you of your soul. The sun goes around the Earth. All of these were ridiculous superstitions if one actually stopped to think about it. And yet, there was an entire generation of people who believed such things, and it wasn¡¯t because they were foolish. It was because that was the common belief. In that sense, Lee Chun-gi¡¯s press release was quite exquisite. He¡¯d just given reasonable grounds for everyone grasping at straws for a way to understand this situation in a way that would fit their common beliefs. How ridiculous those grounds were did not matter. ¡°He planned all of this in his press conference¡­ I see that the Infinite Monarch is more of a strategist than I thought.¡± ¡°A strategist? Get outta here.¡± Fitting for a member of the Black Dragon Clan, Li Chingwei expressed awe for Lee Chun-gi¡¯s tactics. Limon looked dumbfounded for a moment and responded with sarcasm. ¡°I can assure you, that little shit just flipped everything over because he was too lazy to resolve every little matter.¡± ¡°Are you saying there was no strategy involved?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Li Chingwei widened her eyes. For the Black Dragon Clan, where scheming and conspiracies were in their blood, holding a press release that absurd without thinking was beyond their imagination. But Limon nodded without hesitation as he told her why he thought so. ¡°I did that too.¡± ¡°That is¡­ incredibly persuasive.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Limon was once an absolute ruler as well. He was well aware it is the way of an absolute ruler to suppress with authority rather than bother himself with troublesome strategies and using one¡¯s head. Normally, it would have been a foolish abuse of power, but the fact that he was the absolute ruler was the resolution to everything. After all, that was the essence of an absolute ruler. Why was this entire situation just a ¡®show¡¯? Because the person saying it was Lee Chun-gi. The people would not have accepted it so easily if it had been anyone else. ¡°I should have known when he said he would take care of it on his own¡­¡­ I¡¯m the dimwit for believing that son of a bitch.¡± ¡°At least you cleared your name.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not a sucker.¡± ¡°Oh, uhm. Is the difference between a dimwit and a sucker that drastic?¡± ¡°As drastic as premature ejaculation and a eunuch.¡± ¡°Very drastic indeed¡­¡­¡± She muttered as if moved by how wise that metaphor was. ¡°But aren¡¯t you disappointed?¡± ¡°A little. If I¡¯d known sooner, I would have given that shit a better beating.¡± ¡°Not that. You lost your opportunity to regain your renown by announcing you beat the Infinite Monarch.¡± ¡°Renown? Yeah, right. Putting a little pimp back in his place isn¡¯t anything to flaunt.¡± His treason charges were dropped thanks to the press conference, but so was the truth that he beat the Infinite Monarch. Anyone else would have shed tears, but Limon wasn¡¯t disappointed. He continued apathetically. ¡°Besides, even if that came into the light, who would believe that? Those bastards would pluck their eyes out in denial even if they witnessed it first-hand.¡± ¡°That certainly is true.¡± Li Chingwei candidly agreed. People¡¯s reactions to the press conference made it evident just how substantial the devotion to common belief was. Not to mention, she was the very person who made such beliefs over the past several decades in an attempt to ruin Limon. ¡°And most importantly, I¡¯d rather pretend it never happened than have swarms of those flies crowding around me.¡± Li chingwei blinked. Finally understanding what he was trying to say, she smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be a convenient sword.¡± ¡°Some people really have to eat shit to know it¡¯s not chocolate.¡± There was no doubt he would regain his renown if people believed he took down Lee Chun-gi. But that meant that more people would also try to use him. Even Lee Chun-gi, the absolute ruler of this age, had a parasite named Park Hyun-gun. As much as he didn¡¯t have influence or an affiliated group, people would believe he¡¯d be more easy to manipulate. Of course, sometimes, those people could be useful for Limon. But nothing could be more annoying for Limon when his hands were already full with the Constellations. Not to mention, he hated using his powers beyond what was absolutely necessary. ¡°Well, at least I won the bet. I¡¯m happy with it.¡± ¡°A bet?¡± ¡°Yep. there¡¯s a dead fish eyes who bet I couldn¡¯t drop my charges.¡± He chuckled thinking about the face Shia made when she watched Lee Chun-gi¡¯s press conference. She was aghast, as if she¡¯d seen the sky crumble down. Limon dug his body deeper into the couch. With amusement in his eyes, he looked at Li Chingwei. ¡°So, will that make it easier to get our marriage accepted by the elders?¡± Limon asked about his own marriage as if it was someone else¡¯s business. As ironic as it was, Li Chingwei wasn¡¯t a bit shaken. She simply responded with a bright smile. ¡°I already got it.¡± ¡°¡­You got approval? Already?¡± ¡°Yes, though there are some additional conditions. They¡¯re not too difficult, so it¡¯s safe to assume they¡¯re going to say yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they would have disapproved in the first place if it was so easy.¡± ¡°Well, of course. The elders are well aware of the Master of Sword¡¯s power. I¡¯m sure they soon realized they wanted the Master of Swords on their side after saying no.¡± Limon had a perplexed look on his face as Li Chingwei answered with nonchalance. As old as he was, he knew how stubborn old geezers could be once they set their minds on something. If the elders had changed their minds so quickly, didn¡¯t that mean someone had driven them into a corner they couldn¡¯t get out of? ¡°Tsk. I was happy too soon about getting my charges dropped.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too down. There is most certainly good that comes from the Master of Swords clearing his name.¡± ¡°That you can blatantly use me as your sword now?¡± ¡°No. We can now hold our wedding confidently.¡± ¡°How sad. I have nothing to argue against.¡± Limon said with a chuckle. Whether it was Limon, who could wipe out a measly nation with a few swings of his sword, or Li Chingwei, who could crumble the global economy with a few orders¡ª A treason charge was all that was for them. ¡°Anyways, we just have to hold our wedding now, right?¡± ¡°There are just a few procedures.¡± ¡°Procedures?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a princess of the Seven Dragons Association, after all. From choosing the wedding hall, to which guests to invite¡ªthere¡¯s quite a lot to prepare.¡± ¡°Hmm, that is true¡­¡± Limon slowly nodded. Even ordinary newlyweds spent months to years planning their wedding. Let alone Li Chingwei, a master of the Seven Dragons Association and owner of the Seven Dragon Group. Her wedding could not be done over a day. ¡°Well, let me know if you need any help. I have more than enough time, anyways.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll help out with what I can.¡± Limon stoically nodded. Li Chingwei looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Then, will you spare some time tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure, doesn¡¯t really matter¡­ Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I have to take care of in the near future. I absolutely need help from the Master of Swords.¡± ¡°Any bastard that needs killing?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then do you need me to crush something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, either.¡± Limon guessed like a true swordsman would after shortly pondering what he could be needed for. Li Chingwei let out a stifled laugh. She put a meaningful smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s much rather the opposite.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 56 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 56: Caged Bluebird Standing afar, Limon slowly turned his head and took a look around. ¡°Hey, princess. Didn¡¯t you bring me here because there was something you absolutely needed me to do?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then what is this?¡± He looked more confused than before. ¡°Why, it¡¯s an inspection.¡± ¡°An inspection?¡± ¡°Yes. documents can¡¯t tell you everything, after all.¡± ¡°I mean, I know that too.¡± Limon scratched his cheek. He, too, preferred action over thinking. He believed a single swing of his sword was better than reading a swordsmanship book a hundred times, and in that sense, he understood where Li Chingwei was coming from. The reason he was so perplexed was the location. ¡°But I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re making me do an inspection in an amusement park like this¡­¡± From a glance, the rollercoaster was beat up and worn. The haunted house looked legitimately haunted. The museum of magic was as shabby as an old warehouse, and there were sparsely any shops on the streets. Looking well over 30 years old, the vast amusement park looked as archaic as a historical relic. Dumbfounded, Limon looked around again and added on, ¡°Not to mention, you made me bring the kids too.¡± That¡¯s right. Li Chingwei did not come here with Limon alone. To put it nicely, there was some delightful company. Bluntly speaking, however, there was just a crowd of useless parasites. ¡°Look there! It¡¯s a merry go around! I¡¯ve never seen one before!¡± ¡°Woah, I didn¡¯t think I would ever come to an amusement park.¡± ¡°Thank me, you guys! We¡¯re here because it¡¯s my birthday next month!¡± ¡°But today is my birthday!¡± ¡°Oh? It is?¡± Those parasites were the children. All 23 of them from the Hanbit Orphanage ran around the amusement park in excitement. Limon found himself getting kidnapped with the children to this place while he went along without much thought. He couldn¡¯t help but be baffled. Li Chingwei casually responded. ¡°Well of course, I came here for the Master of Swords and the children.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before? To make the place of Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s death into somewhere children can play.¡± ¡°Oh, that? What about it?¡± He needed some time to reload his memories, as he¡¯d said it so lightheartedly that he forgot it used to be the Liberation Brigade¡¯s main base. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, and decided the best place for children to play in is an amusement park.¡± It¡¯s just that her answer itself was not so simple. Limon stopped to think with question marks above his head due to the unexpected answer as his face turned into a look of bewilderment. ¡°¡­So you¡¯re inspecting other places before making an amusement park there? To use it as reference?¡± ¡°It¡¯s basic to consider profitability before starting a business.¡± ¡°You lost all profitability the moment you considered my empty idea seriously¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s the way of the Seven Dragons Association to make the impossible possible.¡± Li Chingwei nonchalantly said it was easy to turn a doomed business around with the power of the Seven Dragons Association. She smiled seeing Limon¡¯s begrudging expression at her playful, yet oddly serious claim. ¡°Of course, there is the pretext that I can earn points from the Master of Swords.¡± ¡°That was your real plan all along?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a little extra while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°While you¡¯re at it? It sounds like you¡¯re just putting the cart before the horse.¡± Limon¡¯s expression turned peculiar. Anyone who had raised even a single child would know just how much work it is, let alone going to an amusement park with 23 of them. But to have an inspection on top too? No matter how he looked at it, this seemed personal. ¡°So do you not want to?¡± Li chingwei asked with a bright smile, as if she could read his mind. He stared at her. Turning his head, he saw the children bickering over which ride to go on first, ultimately deciding over rock paper scissors. He let out a chuckle. ¡°I never said that.¡± Enjoying the amusement park with the children and his bride. The familial, heartwarming thought was the decisive moment his plans for that day were determined. Although¡­ There were quite some differences from that of a normal family, considering the age difference to his bride was at least centuries apart and there were 23 children. But Limon didn¡¯t care much for those minor issues. He simply reached a fist out to where the children were. ¡°Rock, paper, scissors! Rock, paper, scissors! All right, I¡¯ll choose the ride since I won.¡± Anyone got a problem?¡± ¡°Heyyyy! No fair, you only just came in!¡± ¡°Grandpa Limon is foul!¡± ¡°Cheater grandpa, cheater!¡± Flick¡ª ¡°Owww!¡± ¡°Any more problems? Letting you all know in advance, anyone who goes astray better brace themselves to get a hundred flicks to their sorry little forehead.¡± Thanks to his experience, reflexes, and brazen-face, Limon easily won rock paper scissors. Snickering, he led the children around the amusement park. Some of the children who wanted to play more freely puffed up their cheeks. But as they went on, bright smiles soon appeared on their faces instead. Of course. Hanbit Orphanage had never been very well-off, and most of the children had never been in an amusement park. If they had, it was too long ago. On top of that, Limon led the way surprisingly well. ¡°Grandpa! I wanna ride the bumper car! The bumper car!¡± ¡°The bumper cars? Hm, the line¡¯s gonna be a 30 minute wait. Let¡¯s go somewhere else first.¡± ¡°But I like bumper cars¡­¡± ¡°Jeez, I told you we¡¯re going later. Eunsoo, you can ride the red car since it¡¯s your favorite color.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Do you want me to swear on my sword?¡± He was skilled at handling the children. Not only that, he minimized the wait times as he gave them balloons and toys, pictures, and ice cream. He was so adept at it, in fact, it was like he¡¯d worked as an amusement park guide for at least a decade. While they were walking around he noticed the childrens¡¯ faces getting flushed. He clapped his hands. ¡°All right. Time for a 30 minute break.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°Huhh?¡± ¡°No break! More play!¡± ¡°Hey brats, stop whining. Old people like me need their rest.¡± Of course, there was no way Limon was actually exhausted. He was just being considerate to the children. Li Chingwei watched as Limon called for a break in good timing and bought the children drinks. She smiled. ¡°You really are good with children.¡± ¡°I¡¯m old, after all.¡± ¡°Not all elderly people are good with children, though.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not a swordmaster.¡± ¡°Does being a swordmaster make you skilled with children?¡± ¡°No, but you won¡¯t get any back pain no matter how much you play with them,¡± Limon snickered. As if moved by his statement, Li Chingwei slowly nodded her head. ¡°So you say, masters are different no matter what they do.¡± ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t be so serious when it¡¯s a joke. Unlike the masters in your Seven Dragons Association, I¡¯m just a swordsman.¡± Limon was astringent. The masters of the Seven Dragons Association were beings who reached the top in multiple fields. Depending on their innate Psionics and trained secret curriculum, they not only had the power of a high-level player, but also superhuman abilities in their fields of expertise. That was the reason the Seven Dragons Association continued to exist over several centuries. Mind reading politicians. Particularly seductive celebrities. Chefs with shocking skills. Businessmen who knew how to hit the jackpot. Veterinarians who could communicate with animals. Having the superhuman ability of Psionics, the masters of the Seven Dragons Association showed their prominence no matter which field they were in. Of course, they were only active within the shadows, but many still came for them in pursuit of their strengths. That was the potential of Psionics¡ªthe power that came from the Seven Dragons who once overthrew the very Gods and ruled the world. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± That was why Limon looked confused seeing Li Chingwei tilt her head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing, I was just wondering if one should really call a swordmaster a mere swordsman.¡± ¡°Swordmasters aren¡¯t all that much. We¡¯re just a little bit better at swinging a sword around, and don¡¯t die when we¡¯re old.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Li Chingwei had a peculiar expression. Limon wasn¡¯t being very persuasive when he was the very person who slayed the Demon God and achieved eternal youth and immortality. But Limon wasn¡¯t trying to persuade her. He simply looked at her instead. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t know you could dress like that.¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡°No, it fits you well¡­ I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s something a princess would wear.¡± A loose, boxy t-shirt and a baseball cap, with shorts that showed off her lean legs. Instead of the oriental dress she always wore, Li Chingwei¡¯s casual attire was so out of place that she looked like a different person. Did it not look good on her? Not at all. Thanks to her beauty, she showed the cuteness of a popular idol. The immutable law of natural beauty, so to speak. ¡°Haha, I have times when I want to wear something else as well. Of course, I was also intending to disguise myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can really disguise anything when you¡¯re out with me¡­¡± She seemed excited to hear that it fit her well, as she spoke with a brighter smile than usual. Limon scratched his cheek. Just then, a girl with eyes as dead as a corpse came up to them. ¡°Are you done with your conversation?¡± ¡°What? Something else you wanna eat?¡± ¡°No, break time is almost over.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Limon scratched his head as he looked back to where the children were. He got up and took out the map of the amusement park. ¡°Where were we headed to again?¡± ¡°The place that traps empty-headed babies who only look cute on the outside and sells their bodies.¡± ¡°¡­Just call it a zoo. People are going to give us weird looks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°A truth kids don¡¯t have to know.¡± All while grumbling about Shia¡¯s comment, Limon led the children to the zoo. The zoo was as battered as the other facilities, with only a few animals roaming around in basic metal cages. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a lion! A lion!¡± ¡°Over here, lion!¡± ¡°Grandpa, can I give the lion chips?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± But even with the sorry number of animals, the children were ecstatic. They would argue whether an animal was a squirrel or a mouse, and get shocked to find out it was actually a monkey. They would get caught trying to give the animals food and get their foreheads flicked. A pair of dead fish eyes without a single change in expression would scare the animals. How happy they were! He was almost starting to feel regretful that he didn¡¯t bring the children here sooner. ¡®They would have gone crazy if Na-kyung was here.¡¯ Was it because they were from the same orphanage, or because they¡¯d been influenced by Na-kyung? They were so excessively vigorous that they looked childishly foolish. Limon put on a bittersweet smile when¡ª ¡°Grandpa. Bird, bird.¡± ¡°What? You need to go to the bathroom?¡± ¡°No! Bluebird, bluebird!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The child reached out their arms. Their fingers pointed to a small baby bird sitting in the middle of a roomy birdcage. Limon had an inexplicable look on his face. The fuzzy feathers were as blue as the autumn skies. On the top of its head was a single white feather sticking out. It was small, like it was still just a baby. It was cute, and it particularly stood out among the few birds in the zoo. But Limon¡¯s expression was inexplicable for other reasons. ¡®Why does that thing look so tired?¡¯ As if it was tired of being a spectacle, the baby bird slouched its wings with its back turned to the visitors. It looked so fatigued that if it wasn¡¯t for the fuzzy baby feathers, it would have looked like an elderly bird who was living past its intended lifespan. ¡°Grandpa, I want that!¡± ¡°Hey, brat. You can¡¯t buy animals at a zoo.¡± Thanks to the children being so noisy, the baby bird turned its head around ever so slightly. Seeing Limon and the children, it was just about to turn back around apathetically until it suddenly shot back around. It was so vigorous that it felt like it could have broken its chubby neck. But the baby bird didn¡¯t care. As if flaunting how flexible its neck was, the bird swung its head back and forth between each of the 23 children. Its eyes grew wider and wider after each child, and after scanning past Shia it met eyes with Limon. Its beak opened agape. Squeaaaak?! A cry of astonishment rang through the air. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 57 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 57: Abyssal Black Magic ¡°Holy shit.¡± Limon furrowed his brows. It wasn¡¯t just because the sound coming from its tiny beak was so uproarious. He also didn¡¯t expect the docile bird that was dead silent just moments ago would create such an outburst so suddenly. But that was only the beginning. Squeak squeak squeak! Sq, squeaaak! As if one wasn¡¯t enough, the baby bird shot up from its cage as it continued to let out screeches. It raised both its wings high up in the sky, waving one wing like that of a human being as it continued to make odd movements. ¡°¡­What the hell is up with that bird?¡± It was a brouhaha, a pandemonium. Limon was dumbstruck seeing the baby bird frantically move about like a stranded man catching the sight of a boat in the distance. Li Chingwei, who was reading the direction board next to him, answered. ¡°It says that the bluebird of the Florine is a rare species.¡± ¡°Florine, you say¡­ Wasn¡¯t there a witch called that in the past?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems that that witch had created this species through familiar spirits. It is smarter than other birds and has a longer lifespan to boot.¡± ¡°Does it suddenly go insane as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see that on here.¡± ¡°Hm, I guess this little guy¡¯s just weird then.¡± Squeak, squeaaak! The baby bird jumped up and down as if begging for them to stop talking and look at it. Seeing this, Limon recalled the familiar spirits of the witches he saw in the past. He slowly shook his head. Perhaps it would have been understandable if it was a dark mage, but he didn¡¯t think a witch would create such a nutcase of an entire animal species. ¡°Do you know why it¡¯s acting like that?¡± ¡°I apologize. While I am an inheritor of the Hundred Beast Formations, it is not a curriculum I am familiar with.¡± ¡°But you at least have a rough idea of it, right?¡± ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± She tilted her head. The baby bird¡¯s reflection shown in Li Chinwei¡¯s beautiful, obsidian eyes. Her face turned into a look of surprise. ¡°I can tell it¡¯s very happy to see you for some reason¡­¡­ But I can¡¯t read any further into it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. As the Master of Swords may know, Psionics can be used for all purposes, but it is not omnipotent.¡± Although the Psionics of the Black Dragon Clan could read minds, it was very limited. Limon knew that it didn¡¯t work quite as well on animals with a different cognition from humans, or those with a strong will like high-level players. Without those limitations, he probably couldn¡¯t have crashed into the Seven Dragons Association as he pleased in the first place. ¡°Well too bad, then.¡± And so, he simply nodded in agreement. ¡°All right, guys. Time to go.¡± SQUEEEEEAAAAK?!?! The baby bird opened its eyes as wide as a giant bubble as if it heard something it wasn¡¯t supposed to. Even Shia, who was staring at the bird with dead eyes, turned to Limon in surprise. ¡°Already?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stay here forever,¡± Limon said nonchalantly. The baby bird was weird no doubt, but that was all there was. Limon had seen all sorts of animals throughout his long life¡ªfrom the human-beast chimera, elementals that were the leading forces of the elemental crisis, to the predators who devoured entire islands. It wasn¡¯t weird enough for him to bother. Squeak, squeaaak! ¡°It looks like it really doesn¡¯t want us to leave,¡± Shia said on behalf of the children. Whether it was because they¡¯d never seen a rare species before, or because they still had some sensitivity left in them thanks to their young age¡ªthe children hesitated to leave the bird¡¯s side. Limon shrugged. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t mind¡­¡­ But you guys won¡¯t be able to get on the rest of the rides.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°No bumper car?¡± Finally realizing the reality of things, the children¡¯s faces all turned into that of shock. Looking back and forth between the children¡¯s heartrending eyes and the baby bird, Shia set on a decision. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry.¡± Squeak?! The baby bird¡¯s beak opened agape like how Caesar did when Brutus stabbed his back. But Shia did not double down on her decision. There was always a chance to return sympathy, but they might not go to an amusement park again. Being the practical elder sister of the children, Shia wanted them to enjoy as many rides as possible. ¡°Sorry, bluebird.¡± ¡°Bye¡­¡± Squeak! Squaaak! Squeaaaaaaaack! As if it was hanging on to a thread, the baby bird cried out even more desperately than before as it flapped its wings. But the children, though looking back in disappointment, trotted along to follow Limon. Squeeeee¡­.. After a moment of being lost on what to do, the baby bird shut its beak in determination. It stepped back a few steps. Squeezing its eyes shut, it started running as it spread its wings wide open to fly. It was a leap for freedom, a leap only beasts with wings could attempt. Flop! Of course, the outcome was pathetic. There was no way it could have possibly gained any momentum with its barely developed wings. The baby bird fell straight down from its nest as it struggled, landing flat on the floor of the cage. Squeak. Fortunately, it weighed so little that it didn¡¯t get hurt, and the baby bird immediately shot up to start running again. But shortly after, it had no choice but to abruptly stop sprinting. The final boss of this zoo, the birdcage, stood in its way. Squeek, squeeeek. Failing to force its small body through the cage, the baby bird looked down at its chubby stomach in resentment. It seemed to ponder for a bit, and then started desperately grabbing onto the bars with its wings. It was truly a futile act. Even if the bars of the birdcage were narrow, it would be impossible to bend them as a baby bird. It was not a rhino or a bear. But a shocking thing happened immediately after. Poof! The baby bird seemed to disappear amidst struggling with the bars in its grasp, and it reappeared outside of the cage. It was a spectacle that would make one doubt their own eyes¡ªutterly impossible. It was absolutely impossible to get out of those narrow bars with the small but chubby body of a baby bird¡­ Unless it used teleportation¡­? Squeaaaak. Both fortunately and unfortunately for the bird, no one saw it escape the cage. There weren¡¯t many visitors in the zoo, after all. Trot trot trot trot. Having safely gotten out of the cage without garnering attention, the bird started to run again in a strangely fatigued manner. Towards where Limon¡¯s group headed to just moments before¡­ *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Meanwhile, Limon could only be dumbfounded. They had left the zoo to get on as many rides as possible, but an unexpected obstacle had made it rather hard to do so. ¡°¡­This is under construction as well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it says, at least.¡± ¡°Just how many facilities are ¡®under construction¡¯ in this amusement park?¡± ¡°It¡¯s old. Probably because there are that many broken facilities.¡± ¡°But this is going overboard¡­¡± Limon clicked his tongue. If it was just one or two facilities, Limon would have accepted it. But after the zoo, there were already four ¡®under construction¡¯ signs¡ªseven if they included the ones they saw before the zoo. It was getting to the point where it was unclear whether this was a running amusement park or a construction site. The facilities they¡¯d seen up to this point weren¡¯t all that different, either. The unicorn on the merry go around was hornless. The Ferris wheel stopped mid-cycle. The pirate ship was much too slow. Blissfully unaware, most of the children enjoyed them. But that only applied to the kids who had never been to an amusement park before. Those who had gone to any amusement park even once tilted their heads. ¡®Huh? Is this the same ride I remember?¡¯ ¡°I chose this spot for inspection because it was globally renowned in the past, but it seems I have made a mistake.¡± ¡°So you did have some plans for inspection after all.¡± ¡°They say to get a crimson skirt, after all.¡± t/n: crimson skirt: Idiom meaning ¡®other things being equal, choose the better one. Derived from ¡®if you have to choose between two women, marry the virgin¡¯ ¡°¡­Do you even know what that means?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it mean it¡¯s better to get a red skirt so the blood splatters don¡¯t show?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with you giving evil twists to phrases?!¡± Limon was dumbstruck by Li Chingwei¡¯s beaming statement. But he didn¡¯t press her any further. He couldn¡¯t in the sudden situation they found themselves in. Swoosh! ¡°Aaaack!¡± ¡°Grandpa. Rain, rain!¡± ¡°¡­The damn fuck?¡± Adding insult to injury, rain started pouring down from the sky. Running from the strong downpour, Limon took the children to a nearby building as he turned around to Li Chingwei. In a rush to get away from the rain, they¡¯d come to the museum of magic. It was hard to tell if it was an entertainment facility full of junk or a warehouse. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the weather was clear today, princess?¡± ¡°That was the forecast when I checked it.¡± ¡°Then why is it raining?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know?¡± The downpour was so strong that Li Chingwei, despite only being in the rain for a short minute, was completely drenched from head to toe. The answer to his question came from an unexpected source. ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s like that sometimes. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± An employee with snow white hair in a silk magician¡¯s hat spoke. Limon looked at him with suspicion. ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s like this sometimes? It rains on clear days?¡± ¡°The fountain system broke a while ago. It happens a couple times a month since ¡®bout a decade ago.¡± ¡°So this is fountain water, and not rain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­What kind of fountain water rains from the damn sky?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fountain system that was made from a deal with an elemental. There used to be visitors coming just for the fountain, but that¡¯s all in the past now.¡± The old man sentimentally gazed into the distance. Shaking the memories away, he continued as he rummaged in something. ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t be too upset. We give free tickets and umbrellas on days like these.¡± The man extended out a pile of plastic umbrellas and tickets. Limon stared blankly at his accustomed demeanor. He looked so used to it that he looked aloof. He turned back to Li Chingwei. ¡°You sure this is an amusement park, princess?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡­ I think so?¡± Limon sighed seeing her smile awkwardly, a little embarrassed. But the real trouble was someone else. ¡°Does that mean we can¡¯t use the facilities anymore?¡± ¡°Well, now, the outdoor facilities won¡¯t be operating. But you can still come into places like our museum of magic.¡± ¡°What does ¡®not operating¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go on rides anymore¡­?¡± Already exhausted from walking in vain, the drenched children looked like they were on the verge of tears hearing they couldn¡¯t go on any more rides. ¡®Fuck, we¡¯re fucked.¡¯ Tears welled up in their eyes. Limon groaned looking at the children about to burst. He knew one crying child would lead to everyone else crying like water tipping over an overflowing cup. He turned back around to the old man. ¡°Oi, so the museum of magic is open?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°Then do something the kids would like. You¡¯re an entertainment facility, you gotta have something.¡± ¡°Hoho, leave it to me. I have just the thing.¡± The old man wheezed. He got up and dug through the pile of junk. Clunk. He lightly set down a long box on the table. ¡°¡­?¡± As soon as he saw it, Limon¡¯s expression turned peculiar. The old man seemed to hold in his laughter as if he knew they were going to expect fireworks or a toy to come out of the box. But instead, a stale, moldy stench of magic brushed past his nose from the crevice of the box. ¡®This isn¡¯t just a toy.¡¯ ¡°What are you waiting for? Open the box.¡± He looked at the man suspiciously as he urged him to open the box. With Shia silently adding pressure for him to do anything to keep the children occupied, accompanied with Li Chingwei¡¯s curious gaze, Limon finally opened it. Creeeek. Inside the box, the thing was sound asleep. It was an old, tattered antique. Yet it had a structural beauty more exquisite and beautiful than any gem as the mysterious relic radiated a seductive black glow. It was the ¡®Black Abyssal Violin¡¯. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 58 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 58: The Cursed Violin ¡°This is¡­¡± Limon instinctively let out a groan the minute he saw the violin of the Black Abyss. It wasn¡¯t just the overflowing, decrepit scent of magic incomparably worse to when it was just rotting inside of the box. It was also the flickering energy of the light, faint as a firefly under a dim light. Others would not have known. Even the swordmaster was considered a goner in the Iron Age. Not many would have recognized a magic tool that was rare, even in the Heroes¡¯ Age, but Limon had seen all different manners of magic items. He could recognize it immediately from just a glance. Maybe it was impossible not to recognize it. The energy emanating from it, in a way, was the most familiar to Limon. ¡°Oi, you old bastard! This is a cursed violin!¡± Limon had hunted down dark mages to the point he got sick of them in the past. The ¡®cursed¡¯ treasures they possessed, the violin had the same somber energy as them. Demonic swords that drank blood, armor that made its wearer go berserk, lamps that granted wishes at the cost of one¡¯s lifespan¡­ Limon¡¯s fury upon seeing the object could bring a full-grown adult to tears, let alone comfort the crying children. ¡°Hey now, watch your mouth. How dare you call a holy violin made from the Muse¡¯s priest cursed?¡± ¡°Holy, my ass. You think I wouldn¡¯t know that half the cursed objects that appear come from the temples?¡± ¡°¡­Are you a mage?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t use magic, but I¡¯ve definitely beat up quite a few priests and witches.¡± Limon patted the sword on his waist. He¡¯d spent most of his life fighting and had many enemies. Among them were not just dark mages, but also priests who brainwashed people for evangelism, and witches who experimented on humans. Dark mages were fundamentally evil, but that didn¡¯t mean those who used light magic granted by the gods were good. Each god had different morals, after all. Hence, Limon could only scoff when the old man claimed the cursed violin to be holy just because a priest had made it. ¡°Ahem! Jeez, don¡¯t get me wrong, now. This is a violin made with proper magic.¡± ¡°Yeah, a properly cursed violin.¡± ¡°Ah, go on and hold it if you really don¡¯t believe me. I will give up my life should something bad happen.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Whether it was because of his sword, or his murderous gaze, the old man desperately claimed his innocence. Limon looked at him with doubt. He knew just how dangerous magic was. To tell him to hold that cursed object could only come off as nonsense to him. ¡°How about we listen to him for now?¡± An unexpected voice came to the old man¡¯s defense. ¡°You want me to do it?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think he is lying. If it really was dangerous, it wouldn¡¯t be in a place like this,¡± Li Chingwei said with a smile. Turning her head slightly behind her, she added playfully, ¡°besides, I think the children are going to cry soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The children really did look moments away from an outburst. Limon furrowed his brows. He didn¡¯t want to touch something so suspicious, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the children from crying otherwise. Was he going to leave the children, who were guaranteed to cry, or bear his doubts? The answer was chosen from the beginning. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see how great this thing is to be causing such a fuss about.¡± He rubbed his face and grumbled, holding up the violin. It wasn¡¯t just for the children. Half of it was out of curiosity, too. Just what was this violin to radiate such strong energy? The other half was his confidence that a measly inanimate object would be unable to do anything to him. It was prideful, sure, but he was Limon Asphelder. The last swordmaster. He¡¯d survived a curse from the Demon God themself, the final boss of dark magic, and even cut his own throat at one point. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In an instant, Limon fixed the violin to his shoulder and got in position with the bow. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** Oh, how natural his movements were! ¡°Master of Swords, you know how to play the violin?¡± Li Chingwei looked on with interest as even the children widened their eyes. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never held an instrument in my entire life.¡± ¡°Then how is your posture so good?¡± She was perplexed. Limon had the stance of a professional violinist who¡¯d done nothing but hold a bow his entire life. Limon answered apathetically. ¡°A curse, of course.¡± ¡°Hey. I said it¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°Same thing, geezer. What else would you call a violin that moves the holder against their will?¡± ¡°I told ya. It¡¯s a holy violin that the Muse¡¯s priest made,¡± the old man snickered. Long ago, there was a priest who served the Goddess of Art, the Muse. He wanted to dedicate a beautiful performance to his beloved goddess. Unfortunately¡­ The priest was tone deaf. In agony from this divine punishment, the devout priest changed tactics.If he couldn¡¯t perform, he would just create an instrument that would play majestic pieces for him. Blessed by the muse, he spent his whole life creating it¡ªhis magnum opus. The Black Abyssal Violin. ¡°Told ya it¡¯s great. It makes anyone able to perform, even if you¡¯ve never even held a violin in your life.¡± ¡°¡­But you can¡¯t stop playing until the piece ends.¡± ¡°Ah, how¡¯d ya know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s a cursed item, you senile fucking geezer!¡± Limon had a rough idea of the principles behind the creation of the violin. ¡®This is just the instrumental version of the Cursed Sword, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ The Cursed Sword controlled its wielder¡¯s body to attack anyone it saw. Likewise, there was a surprising number of cursed items that granted its owner skills with a blade. Using swordsmanship allowed one to cut down more people, after all. The Abyssal Black Violin was fundamentally similar. Swords and instruments. Swordsmanship and performance. The fact that they both physically forced the holder to use the intended techniques made them fruits of the same tree. ¡®The method is pretty genius, actually.¡¯ Limon was impressed, in all honesty. Using a curse to make up for one¡¯s lack of musical skill was a first, even for Limon. The position, the fingering, chords¡­ It all naturally came to him. On top of that, the curse would end as soon as he finished playing. It was certainly deserving of being called a magical instrument. ¡°What are ya doing? Go on, play it.¡± And yet, Limon looked disapproving. It wasn¡¯t just because the old man¡¯s sly face urging him to play was suspicious. Why was such a useful instrument just rotting away in an old amusement park? Plus, a cursed instrument with this refinement was strange to begin with. ¡®This old fuck¡¯s got something behind his back.¡¯ But despite his doubts, Limon didn¡¯t choose to break the curse. He simply rested the bow back onto the strings. Either way, the children were no longer on the verge of tears. They were all watching Limon, mesmerized. And Limon could always break free from this measly curse if something felt off. He gave up and moved as the violin told him to. *** ¡®Hoho, another victim of the poor violin.¡¯ The old man smiled with delight, looking at Limon with a playful glee in his eyes. ¡®What kind of silly piece are ya gonna play this time?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t exactly fooled Limon. It was all true that the Abyssal Black Violin was a proper magical instrument made by the Muse¡¯s priest. But he hadn¡¯t told him everything, either. Like the fact the priest never got to play properly, even with the violin. In some way, that was the obvious outcome. It would have been impossible for a tone deaf priest to play perfectly on a violin. Of course, the priest was aware of this problem. And so, he modeled dozens of the greatest instrumentalists of his time and with the blessing of the Muse, tried creating the most ideal heavenly tune. Surprisingly, it was a success. Aside from his tone deafness, the priest had a divine talent for magic. There was only one problem¡ªhe couldn¡¯t play it himself. ¡®Only a divine being can play divine music.¡¯ Even if it were the same instrument, a performance greatly depended on the player¡¯s arm and finger length, their senses and artistry, and other small minute details. But the priest had ignored all those differences, and instilled dozens of musicians¡¯ artistry into the curse. As a result, it had become impossible for any single human to play. Even the top violinists entered a state of confusion and ended up playing a mess. ¡®What a poor violin.¡¯ Unable to handle the despair, the Muse¡¯s saint ended up taking his own life. The Abyssal Black Violin was indeed cursed. It was capable of even killing a potential absolute ruler of the Iron Age. That was why this violin was rotting in a place like this when it should have been considered a sacred relic. Not only was it impossible to play properly, no one would want an instrument with such ominous beginnings. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the violin¡¯s fault. But there was nothing anyone could do about it. People only cared about the outcome. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t have been treated as a children¡¯s toy¡­ If only it had met the right owner.¡¯ That was something the old man often thought. If only the violin had met an owner with all the ideal gifts of a musician¡ªa body that could play any instrument, accompanied with superhuman senses and a heavenly aesthetic. An instrument that could play tunes that touched even gods. ¡®Well, such a human can¡¯t exist, anyway.¡¯ The old man knew better than anyone else that it was a futile daydream. He had looked over this museum of magic for decades. From apostle-rank martial artists who had mastered the Seven Dragons Association¡¯s secret curriculums, to high-level players who had instrumental skills. Not even they, with all their superhuman abilities, could bear the curse of the violin. And so, the old man looked forward to what blasphemous tune would come out of this violin this time. He wondered if Limon would buy the recorded security camera footage installed in the museum, or demand it be deleted. But the minute Limon raised his bow, placed it lightly on the violin, and slid it across the string¡ª Ziing. The old man lost the smile on his face. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 59 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 59: The Gift of the Devil Limon has lived for a long time. He¡¯d been through a lot, too. That includes the time when he¡¯d lost control of his own body under the curse of a dark mage. But in this moment, an odd sensation he had never felt before swept over him. Ziing. The bow slid across the strings and a light vibration rang through the air. It was as light and sentimental as the maytime breeze going past a deep forest spring. Zing. The fingers of his left hand gripping the neck of the violin pushed the strings like he was caressing a lover. And each time, the sound of the Abyssal Black Violin shifted dramatically. It would let out a sharp, nimble gust as if he was cutting it with a sword. Just when it quietened down to collect its breath, it would start running again like a virgin getting chased by the devil. How fascinating. This was the first time he¡¯d ever held a violin. Limon couldn¡¯t believe that such a performance was possible just by leaving his body to the curse and following its meticulous directions. The sound coming from the violin was most surprising. It constantly changed like the twitter of birds. It let out a fierce burst as if it was suddenly dancing. It bounced off his fingers. It would settle down with sorrow, as its weeps of woe turned into a cry, a raging cry tearing down. The speed and angle of the bow, the finger positions on the strings¡ª Miniscule adjustments changed the vibration of the strings as the music shifted to infinity. Perhaps he was drunk on it. Forgetting everything on his mind, he moved his fingers according to the tune in his head before the curse could lead him further. Even faster, more brilliantly, more beautifully. It was already an explosion of melody. Like a single leaf crossing the stormy oceans, the curse forced the impossible at each and every moment. The devil¡¯s temptation would have been impossible even if one broke all of their fingers and tore their muscles. But he did it. The body of someone who swung their sword trillions of times and trained their senses by escaping death countless times easily handled the overwhelming music. It wasn¡¯t enlightenment, god no. It was evolution. On a centuries-old giant sequoia blossomed a flower of potential. A human who had surpassed the limits and an instrument with the blessing of God harmonized to create a divine performance sweeping over the world in full bloom. Limon was in a trance. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been playing. But the melody in his head came to a stop, and so did the bow in his hand. The fluttering melody gradually came to an end, and the world fell silent. *** ¡°¡­¡­¡± The old man hadn¡¯t lied, after all. The curse disappeared as soon as the music stopped. Despite being freed, Limon couldn¡¯t bring himself to let the violin down right away. All he¡¯d done was play one piece. Pleasant fatigue swept over him. All that could be heard was an odd silence, as if the entire world had been listening to his music. ¡°Whew¡­¡± He didn¡¯t stay frozen for too long. With a deep breath, he shook off the fatigue and lingering essence of the performance, and put the violin and bow back into the box. ¡°I apologize for calling you senile. This violin is a magical instrument for sure.¡± It was simple acceptance, an honest apology for misjudging the violin as a mere cursed instrument. But the old man did not react. He was frozen, a living statue with a rigid face. ¡°Old man? Oi, old man?¡± Limon waved his hand in his face. Wondering if he¡¯d really turned senile, he turned around¡ªonly to be further bewildered seeing the others. It wasn¡¯t the children with their mouths open, nor was it Shia with an inexplicable expression on her face. Li Chingwei stared blankly at him. The tear rolling down her face was what took Limon by surprise. ¡°Princess¡­ Why are you crying?¡± ¡°¡­Am I?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Li Chingwei patted her cheeks with one hand. She stared at her wet fingers, and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, I did cry.¡± She seemed shocked. She sounded like she had a screw loose, unlike her usual calm demeanor. In a way, she was the most out of it among everyone else in the room. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Limon asked reluctantly. ¡°Yes, I think I was just a bit moved by your grace¡¯s majestic performance.¡± Limon¡¯s expression turned more inexplicable than before her calm answer. The only thing calm about her was her tone of voice. Addressing him that way, talking about her tears as if it were someone else¡¯s¡ªnothing she said was fine. ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± But Limon didn¡¯t bother to point it out. He simply nodded and moved on. One would have called it irresponsible, but Li Chingwei seemed rather glad as she smiled. ¡°¡­¡­That piece¡­¡± The frozen old man finally came back to his senses as he blurted out a question. ¡°That piece you just played. Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°The name of the piece?¡± Limon tilted his head. All he¡¯d done was play the melody in his head as the curse led him. He didn¡¯t actually know what song it was. But his long years of life hadn¡¯t been for nothing. After a while of thinking, he¡¯d remembered a piece he¡¯d heard in the corner of a run down warehouse. ¡°I dunno¡­ I think there was something similar played by Papago, or whatever their name was. It was called ¡®Caps¡¯ or something.¡± ¡°The 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, OP. 1 by Paganini.¡± ¡°Ah yeah, that.¡± It was far from ¡®that¡¯, but Limon nodded unyieldingly. Being bold and unyielding was something he had acquired over his long life. But the old man did not fault him. He just looked uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s an odd piece¡­ Only Paganini himself was able to play it properly.¡± Niccolo Paganini. A violinist who made musical history in the 19th century. It is said there has not been a single being who has perfectly presented all of Paganini¡¯s compositions. Born with abnormally long and flexible fingers, he created a piece that only he could play with his innate genius. It was a hellish song that took techniques beyond human skill. Countless musicians had tried to play his piece, but it was nothing more than a technical imitation. And so,he was coined as the ¡®Devil¡¯s Violinist¡¯. The prodigy of the 19th century who created a legend for the violin. There were even tales that he¡¯d sold his soul to the devil for his music. ¡°But now, I know.¡± ¡°Know what?¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°Paganini didn¡¯t compose the 24 Caprices solely to show off his techniques.¡± The old man simpered, laughing at himself for just now realizing this. He looked at Limon. ¡°And that playing a divine melody doesn¡¯t take a divine being, but the Devil¡¯s gift.¡± Perhaps it was pure awe. Envy towards his talent and youth. Or regret that it had taken this long to meet Limon. The old man¡¯s eyes had various layers of emotion. Limon scoffed. ¡°Devil¡¯s gift? My ass. All I did was play as the curse told me.¡± ¡°Indeed, that is a performance that would take more than a century of practice to play without the magical violin.¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you accepting that a little too fast?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the truth, isn¡¯t it?¡± Is there a problem? The old man seemed to ask back. Limon clicked his tongue but did not argue back. The performance was made possible because of the Abyssal Black Violin. It was a heavenly melody because it directed the most ideal musical techniques, from the subtle angles of the bow to his detailed finger positions¡ªnotwithstanding the fact the curse in itself was impossible to endure for a normal human being. But Limon wasn¡¯t aware of that. Any swordsmanship came naturally to the body of a swordmaster, and this was something he could easily take on. It wasn¡¯t difficult at all for him. ¡°You can keep it.¡± ¡°What?¡± That was why Limon was dumbstruck when the old man slid the box with the Abyssal Black Violin towards him. ¡°Keep it? Me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s become a cursed violin thanks to you.¡± The old man smiled bitterly. He was just a keeper in an old, ruined amusement park now, but he too had stepped foot into the world of magic in a previous life. He knew instinctively that the Abyssal Black Violin was now unusable. It would have been different if it had stayed unaware¡ªlike a gourmand never going back to fast food after a taste of the finest foods, the violin who now found a holder capable of enduring it could never accept just any good musician ever again. ¡°I don¡¯t need a cursed instrument.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you to take it. If you really can¡¯t, just think of it as a prize for a great performance.¡± The old man did not falter at Limon¡¯s rejection. He simply held up two fingers. ¡°But promise me two things.¡± ¡°¡­Why are there terms for a prize?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no free prize without some conditions.¡± It¡¯s common knowledge these days: they only say it¡¯s free, but really, there are terms like sharing private information and new subscriptions. The old man spoke carefreely, but he went back to being serious in an instant. ¡°The first is to never give that violin to anyone else. If there really isn¡¯t any use for it, seal it at a temple, or burn and destroy it.¡± ¡°Well isn¡¯t that a damn proper fuckin¡¯ method to get rid of a cursed item.¡± ¡°The proper way is proven to be the most effective, ya know.¡± The old man no longer denied that it was cursed. Furrowing his brows at his brazen attitude, Limon asked in a tired voice. ¡°What¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°Oh, that one¡¯s easy.¡± The old man¡¯s lips curved into a smile, and tapped the box with his fingers. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes. When you can perform a proper piece, I¡¯d like you to come here again and play this violin.¡± ¡°Was this one not enough for you?¡± ¡°It was enough for me. You didn¡¯t look very happy, though.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t look happy?¡± ¡°Were you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Limon did not answer the old man with a purposeful smile. Instead, his eyes bore into the box. Whether it was a cursed or magical instrument, it was nothing more than junk to him. Limon was a swordmaster. He wasn¡¯t all that interested in anything besides swords, and he was a swordsman who had never felt bad about that. But a certain sensation of something dissolving deep inside of his body the instant he played the violin, together with the faint stimulus that lingered for a brief moment made Limon give an unexpected answer. ¡°I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll come back before you bite the dust.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you to play in the amusement park.¡± ¡°What if this place goes down and out?¡± ¡°Well, what can ya do. I¡¯ll just have to accept that fate.¡± ¡°Fate, you say¡­¡± Limon snickered and picked up the box containing the Abyssal Black Violin. He handed the plastic umbrellas to the children, still in a trance from the performance. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me, old man. I don¡¯t care about music, fate¡ª or whatever it is ¡ªreally don¡¯t go well together with me.¡± ¡°Aight, then. Catch ya next time.¡± Limon left the museum of magic without a definite promise. The old man watched his figure fade amidst the pouring rain. He smiled deviously. ¡®I really gotta live long.¡¯ The old man remembered. He remembered Limon saying this was his first time holding an instrument. He remembered him looking discontent after giving goosebumps to everyone listening with the swooning performance. Could a human being, discontent after playing a piece that shocked even the sun and moon when it was his first time even holding an instrument, really just store that violin away? What kind of performance would Limon put on once he was satisfied with himself? With the heart of a little girl in love for the first time, the old man dug into his silk hat. Taking out an old coin, he cleaned it with his sleeve and flipped it after a short spell. ¡°Muhama la Rodon sibaLa Un Maktoob.¡± Ting¡ª Immediately after, a hairy black hand came out of the shadows and snared the coin. As if stained with ink, the remains of the jet black hand completely wiped away all traces of the rain and footprints Limon and the children left behind. It was while the old man was nonchalantly straightening his silk hat as he looked at the instantly clean floor. ¡°Hm?¡± He blinked. He stood up from his seat and peaked his head out of the museum of magic. Looking at the now-clear skies, he looked perplexed. ¡°What? It already stopped?¡± Once the rain started pouring, it lasted a minimum of a quarter to half of a day. But this time, it stopped in less than an hour. Taken aback, the old man¡¯s face filled with suspicion. There was no memorial ceremony, nor had an elementalist come. He couldn¡¯t see the reason the weather suddenly calmed down. ¡°Did that stubborn mule finally come to their senses? Or¡­¡­?¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 60 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 60: Why Do You Look Like That? Splish¡ª Splash¡ª In the amusement park¡¯s downpour, an escapee trudged along slowly. It was a baby bird with soft blue feathers and a white streak sticking out of the top of its head. It was gravely regretting its choice to leave its cage. It had been fine until it escaped the zoo¡ªtriumphant, even. Nothing could possibly get in its way after overcoming the obstacle that was its bird cage. But that was a severe lapse in judgment. Rain suddenly started pouring down. Its feathers got soaked and made its body heavy. The resulting drop in stamina made it evident just how rash of a decision it was to escape. Squeaaak. The baby bird pondered. It really should have waited a few more months for all of its feathers to properly grow out first. It could have then easily flown away. Considering that, this current escape was a failure¡ªit was no better than having not escaped at all. Unfortunately, the baby bluebird had no choice. Waiting any longer in their cage was not an option for it. Rather, it came to regret not reaching the decision sooner. Squeak! But there was no turning back now for the bird. With a short cry of vigor, it started running through the rain. Flop! ¡­Until it slid on its behind not even 20 steps in. Someone once said the mind overcomes the body. Sadly, that maxim was of no use to the baby bird. No matter how much grit it put in, or how much determination it had, its feeble body had already reached its limit just from wandering a little in the rain. Squeak¡­¡­ Perhaps its mind had reached its limits as well. Or it simply lost the energy to even stay on its feet. Dejected, the baby bird stayed on the ground as it wept. It looked up to the sky. If only it didn¡¯t rain. It wouldn¡¯t have been drenched and lost in the first place. If only the weather was in good condition. Even worse, since everyone had gone indoors to escape the rain, it had become even harder to find them. It put the baby bird in low spirits. Shiver. To worsen its despair, the cold energy spread through its body. Actually, more than just cold energy. Cold needles pierced every inch of its body to the bone. This might actually be dangerous, the baby bird thought. Even a fully grown mother bird would have gone ill from walking around in this weather, let alone a baby bird with fuzz for feathers. The flu wouldn¡¯t be the only thing it caught if it continued going around in the rain like this. Squeeeak. If it had known its death would be so pathetic, it never would have reincarnated. While it lamented its own birth¡ª Ziiing. ¡­Squeak? It rang through the air. A heavenly melody that could be heard crystal clear even in the rain. Ever so pure and brilliant, it was as if the rain was part of the performance. The sound so beautiful and alluring, the baby bird subconsciously got up from the ground. Slowly, it followed the source of that wondrous melody. As if in a trance, it dragged its waning body across the pouring rain. The moment it arrived at a run-down building with ¡°The Museum of Magic¡± on it, the baby bird widened its eyes. Squeak? It wasn¡¯t just because it had found the children it was going after. The source of this majestic tune, the performer under a faint light was a white-haired man, impossible to not recognize. Accompanied with the image of a translucent girl floating in the air above him, the bird¡¯s mind went blank. ¡­¡­??? Doubting its own mind, it rubbed its eyes with its wings. Question marks formed above the bird¡¯s head when it saw nothing change. What it was seeing could not be real. Just where were the speakers attached to the violin, for it to make such a¡­ real sound? But not too long after, the baby bird fell backwards. Its stamina had already gone way past its limits. It knew it couldn¡¯t go to sleep like this, but it was unable to even open its eyes anymore. The relief flooding its heart and the overwhelmingly pure melody had cut off the nerves that allowed the bird to remain on its feet as it drifted off. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s the bird¡­¡± Just then, it heard the voice of a child. ¡°¡­Tired, bird? Do you¡­ me to¡­¡­¡± Already going in and out of consciousness, the bird could not properly understand the child. It could only feel something wrap around it with the sound of something rustling. As it was wrapped in warmth, the baby bird listened to the sound of the heavenly tune of the violin as it, for the first time in its life, fell into a cozy slumber. *** ¡°Hah? What did you say was in this kid¡¯s backpack?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ probably¡­¡± ¡°Woah?¡± ¡°Is it¡­?¡± ¡°Uhm, let¡¯s first¡­¡± In a dreamlike state, it heard whispers every once in a while. The voice was too poignant of an echo to be reality and too longing for it to be a dream. The poignance was as profound as death. The longing was sweet as honey. The baby bird fell into a deeper slumber. Whilst wandering in an infinite dream, time continued to pass. Time passed, passed, and passed¡­ And when it finally opened its eyes, the very first thing the baby bird saw was a naked body. ¡­Squeak? Perhaps it was not yet fully awake, or in shock from the sight it was looking at. For a few seconds, the bird stayed frozen like a shot down pigeon. And then, it let out a screech. Squeeeeeeeak?!?! ¡°Hm?¡± Without a single area of fat, a white-haired man showed off his lean torso as he wiped the sweat off with a towel. Limon raised his head. Seeing the baby bird covering its eyes with its feathers, he asked nonchalantly. ¡°Oh, hey. Are you finally up?¡± As if he was startled for nothing, Limon lightly clicked his tongue as he finished wiping himself down. ¡°I figured you had died from how long you didn¡¯t get up. You¡¯re pretty tenacious for being so small, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sq-squeak. Even after hearing him tease it, the baby bird was still out of it. It didn¡¯t have the headspace to be angered by the comment. Where was it? Why was Limon in front of it? What was going on? The baby bird couldn¡¯t understand anything when it had just woken up from its long slumber. But Limon didn¡¯t bat an eye seeing the swamped baby bird. He simply dragged a nearby chair close and sat on it backwards, resting his chin on the top rail as he locked eyes with the bird at eye-level. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Squeak? Not understanding what he was saying, the baby bird blinked. It was too out of the ordinary for Limon to interrogate a bird. ¡°There is a lot I want to hear from you¡­ But let me ask you this first.¡± Unlike the perplexed baby bird, Limon was ever so calm. Or that¡¯s how he appeared to be, at least. But as soon as it looked into his eyes, the baby bird realized¡ªthe only thing truly calm about him was his outward expression. He, too, was disturbed by this situation as well. His golden eyes looked unnaturally troubled, and a sword was in his hand before the bird could even notice him take it out. The most unsettling of all, was the unexpected question that followed. It knew this situation was impossible for Limon to understand as well. ¡°Why¡¯s a dead brat back looking like that?¡± ¡­Squeak? One could call it its past life. The bird looked nothing like what it had previously. And yet, its shocked, widened eyes looked uncannily similar to back when it was still a human. Limon reluctantly called her name. ¡°Yoo Na-kyung.¡± *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°Ah, indeed.¡± In the amusement park Limon¡¯s group had visited, a group of people slowly nodded as they looked over the area from the highest view. ¡°To sum it up, we are fools.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We missed the beat completely and stepped in the wrong direction.¡± ¡°You play drums, walking? The traditional music of this nation?¡± ¡°¡­It means our target is already gone. Will you understand if I said this is a failed mission, crazy comrade?¡± ¡°Aha, okay. I got it.¡± The blonde woman nodded with a bright smile, but once again tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why target gone? Information error?¡± ¡°Oh dear crazy comrade, how would I know? Ask the bastard who got the information.¡± A man with braided hair relentlessly spat with a gentle voice and a smile. The blonde woman turned her head to the other side as she looked at the other young man next to her. ¡°Comrad, did you make another mistake?¡± ¡°What?! Why are you comrades doing this to me! The information was absolutely certain this time! ¡°But why no target?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I would like to know as well. It was there the last time I checked. Unless someone pulled something over our eyes, there is no way it would disappear, you see.¡± The young man with slit eyes cried out. The blonde woman¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Could it be¡­ Information leak?¡± ¡°Are you saying that someone, knowing we were here, hid or took away the target?¡± ¡°The timing is too good.¡± ¡°If what our crazy comrade says is right, that means that someone knew of our plans. A plan we hadn¡¯t even reported to our superiors and one we took measures right before carrying it out.¡± ¡°Internal spy, then¡­ Possible?¡± ¡°And who would that spy be? It is certainly not me. I was the commander of this operation.¡± The blonde woman¡¯s eyes turned to the man with slanted eyes again. ¡°Do not Look at me like that. I would have done it secretly if I was taking any measures. Why would I be up to any funny business if I was the one who got the information?¡± ¡°Because comrad stupid?¡± ¡°Do not treat me like I have noodles for brains! I am going to carry out these operations by myself if you keep doing that!¡± Getting such a vehement reaction out of the young man with slit eyes, the blonde woman sincerely bowed to apologize. ¡°¡­Sorry. Coincidence¡­ Now that I think of it.¡± Feeling somewhat better from the apology, the young man stopped steaming to look at the man with braided hair. ¡°So what now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°How about we withdraw for now and investigate further? I need to figure out if this was merely a coincidence or if it was premeditated.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ For a stupid comrade, you do have a point there.¡± ¡°¡­Leave out that offensive part, please.¡± ¡°All right. A certain stupid someone made a good point.¡± ¡°That was not the offensive part!¡± ¡°You got this. Comrade is a comrade, even if have screw loose.¡± ¡°And you are the last person I want to hear that from, comrade!!¡± The young man with slit eyes busily moved his hand amidst grumbling as the blonde woman patted his back. Deep in thought seeing his two comrades, the man with braided hair spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll inspect everyone who came here in the last 48 hours.¡± ¡°Are you really going to do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty. We can¡¯t give up so easily just because something¡¯s not going our way.¡± He gave the young man with slit eyes and the blonde woman orders as he put on a gentle smile. ¡°For Comrade Kang Seok, who died in vain for us to act freely in this country.¡± ¡°Oh? That sacrifice?¡± ¡°Did that comrade know nothing, though?¡± ¡°Obviously, Comrade Kang Seok didn¡¯t see his death coming. But he was still happy to carry out his mission. He¡¯s a true role model for sacrificing oneself.¡± ¡°¡­Is that not just not being disposable?¡± Atop the ferris wheel that occasionally stopped in between rotations, the three people whispering to each other suddenly disappeared. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 61 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 61: Whatever! Limon knew all manner of things could happen in life. For example, a baby bird appeared in one of the children¡¯s backpacks after their visit to the amusement park. A baby bird which happened to be of a very rare species that managed to escape from its cage and the zoo, all the while dying from the flu. ¡°Hah? What did you say was in this kid¡¯s backpack?¡± ¡°That¡¯s uh¡­ A baby bird. Seems it came from the zoo according to the children.¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look to be in good condition from being in the rain, so we sent it to the veterinarian in Leviathan for treatment. What should we do now?¡± ¡°Ugh, treat it first. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Yes, Master of Swords.¡± And like that, Limon was reluctant but unsurprised when he first found out. He simply clicked his tongue at the fact a weird bird was causing trouble. ¡°Good god. All this because a zoo couldn¡¯t handle a damn bird.¡± The following day, Limon returned to the amusement park while grumbling throughout. The bird wasn¡¯t just something off the street. It was clearly from the zoo¡ªand it was of a rare species, at that. The children taking it away couldn¡¯t just be passed off as an honest mistake. Perhaps they were just a mild-mannered person, or they recognized Limon. Maybe it was because Li Chingwei had been the middleman who got them in contact. Whatever it was, the zoo employee did not blame the children for secretly taking the baby bird. In fact, they actually chattered in relief. ¡°Thank you for contacting us. We were quite startled thinking we had lost the Bluebird of the Florine thanks to some player¡¯s sick prank.¡± ¡°A player¡¯s rank?¡± ¡°The CCTV footage displayed signs of interference from a dimensional player.¡± ¡°Well, that is a first. It¡¯s not everyday you see a player pull such a petty prank¡­¡± ¡°Yes, and the police weren¡¯t very cooperative because of that.¡± ¡°It would be an annoyance for the police to get involved, but too small for the PAB to get involved.¡± Perhaps he was just worried for the baby bird, or concerned that he would have to take responsibility for losing it. The employee had put in quite a bit of legwork to look into this case and investigate the camera footage. Unlike him, Limon only listened out of habit as a former PAB agent. He didn¡¯t care about who the perpetrator was, or what their intentions were. It might have been different if it were a predator like a tiger or a wolf, but letting a single baby bird loose was too trivial of an incident for him to step in¡ªeven if it were a rare species. ¡°But we should still take measures, don¡¯t you think? The CCTV shows clear evidence.¡± However, Limon quickly changed his mind after the employee showed him the CCTV footage. It was right after the baby bird disappeared in a poof and reappeared outside the cage. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Limon was a former PAB agent. He was also a swordmaster with senses better than even the best tracer players. And so, he knew. Even between multiple dimensional players, the skills they used had small differences unique to each player. Just as humans had different fingerprints from one another, so were the ripple caused by¡¸Teleportation¡¹. ¡®What the hell is that?¡¯ That was why his eyes shot wide open when he saw the ripple that appeared when the bird teleported. Of course, as old as the facility was, he couldn¡¯t see it very clearly thanks to the blurry footage. But he knew. That ripple was most familiar to him. It was one he¡¯d seen multiple times a day. One he thought he would never see ever again. That was when Limon gave an unexpected offer to the employee. ¡°Hey, what do I have to do to raise that bird?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I suddenly want that bird. Like real fuckin¡¯ bad. So tell me how I can buy it.¡± ¡°Uhm, this bird is a rare species that cannot be kept as a pet and raised.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m telling you. Tell me which government office I have to go to and what documents I need to bring to get that rare ass bird in my hands. You¡¯re affiliated with the zoo, so you would know such gimmicks, won¡¯t ya?¡± The zoo employee¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor. Just moments before, the man came across as a conscientious person who aided in finding a lost animal. And now, he¡¯d just turned into a smuggler. But what could he do? This was Limon Asphelder he was talking to. Whether it was real or not, he was the man who raided the Blue House and held the president hostage¡ªall the while broadcasting it live across the entire nation. He was not someone to get on the bad side of. The rest went by at lightning speed. The documents, all containing Limon¡¯s name, were all processed at supersonic speeds as soon as they reached the affiliating office. Not a single government worker wanted to get involved with Limon just for a mere bird. ¡°Wow, are we raising this bird now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the bestest grandpa ever!¡± The children were blissfully unaware of the truth, and were delighted to hear that they would be raising the bird. Meanwhile, Limon was deep in thought. Just why was the ripple of space so familiar to him? There were many unanswered questions Limon could not answer, even after his lifetime of hardship¡ªtoo many questions. ¡®Is this some sort of scheme too? Obviously, he was suspicious. There were too many uncanny things for it to simply be a coincidence. But those suspicions grinded to a halt once he watched the baby bird sound asleep in its bird cage. His vision went black. The revelation was truly out of left field. ¡°¡­Is this for fucking real?¡± Limon was dumbstruck as the eye that gave him the ability to see Constellations suddenly activate. Even if the power activated on its own, all for just one bird? But that wasn¡¯t all of it. He could see the birdcage as darkness stained his vision. Where the small blue baby bird was just moments ago, now stood a small woman. The space ripple from the CCTV footage, the odd reactions of the baby bird, and what his vision showed him¡ª The conclusion that stemmed from it all was completely baffling. And so, Limon could not let go of his suspicions while taking care of the bird in his room. But the moment it woke up from its slumber, Limon came to accept the truth. He had no choice but to. A baby bird peeping at his abs while pretending to hide its eyes with its wings could only be Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s reincarnation. That was what led up to this situation Limon was in now. And why he was interrogating it with a sword in his hand. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°So to sum it up¡­ You saw a white feather after you died and was reborn as a bird when you followed it?¡± Squeak. ¡°And after you were reincarnated, you found yourself trapped in a bird cage, unable to do anything. Squeak. ¡°But then you saw me coming with the children, and went through with the escape to follow us?¡± Squeak! ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re sure you didn¡¯t get revived with dark magic or possessed that bird¡¯s body as a cursed evil spirit?¡± Sqsqsqueak! The baby bird glared as it kicked the phone, as if to cry out why he would think that nonsense. Though, even after seeing her look like the very definition of ¡®falsely accused¡¯, Limon wasn¡¯t convinced. With a suspicious look, he tapped his sword with his fingers. ¡°Hmmmm, should I believe that?¡± Squeak! Squeak! The baby bird hit its chest with its wings. Its feelings of injustice and frustration were clear to see, but Limon¡¯s response was cold. In truth, Limon didn¡¯t doubt that the baby bird was the reincarnation of Yoo Na-kyung. With various attempts of communication with it, it was made evident it had all of her memories. But that was the problem. ¡°I mean, even if you are Na-kyung, there¡¯s no telling if you got caught up in a dark mage¡¯s stunt, you know? It¡¯s rule 18 for them to use dead guys for evil.¡± The dead cannot be revived. That was an absolute law in the past. A truth no absolute ruler could deny. Not the Seven Dragons, not the Word Wielders. The only exception came with dark magic, which denied all providence. From human bombs who didn¡¯t know they were zombies, to phantom assassins who were once colleagues¡­ Limon had gone through all kinds of trouble dealing with dark mages and their various revival antics. It was natural for him to be suspicious of his former subordinate. ¡°Well, this is an age where anything can happen and it won¡¯t be weird¡­¡± Times are always¡¯a changing, of course. Skills didn¡¯t exist in the past. In the Iron Age where there were players, what was impossible couldn¡¯t be easily determined. In fact, one of the ten Monarchs was the Resurrection Monarch, who had a mysterious cheat skill of ¡®dying¡¯. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m completely in the dark about what¡¯s going on.¡¯ Limon thought back to the snow white feather that vanished as quickly as it appeared on Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s body before he had left her. If that was the feather she had seen after dying, it wasn¡¯t entirely hard to believe that she was actually reincarnated. The problem was that Limon Asphelder was persuasion¡¯s final boss. Perhaps it was the stubbornness of an old man, or his experience that a dead man would be better off staying dead. With a serious look on his face, he spat out complete and utter nonsense. ¡°¡­How about you just die and get reincarnated without the trouble of your past memories? I can send you off pretty painlessly.¡± Squeak?! The bird¡¯s beak opened agape. Finally coming back to its senses, the bird hysterically jumped around. Squeeak, squeak! Sqsqsqueak! You want to kill your subordinate a second time?! What color is your blood, huh?! I¡¯m the fool for dying so easily! ¡­Is what was assumed to be said, as it cried out in a way Yoo Na-kyung would have. It glared at Limon with resentment. Pecking away at the phone screen, it flopped backwards on the desk with its chubby stomach to the sky as it chirped out. Squeak squeeak! ¡¶Whatever!¡· Kill me if you can. The baby bird looked confident¡ª vigorous, even ¡ªboastful despite its tiny size. Limon pressed his lips together. ¡®It really does look like Na-kyung¡¯s reincarnation.¡¯ Not anyone could act this brazen in front of him with all his murderous energy. Only Yoo Na-kyung, who made it her second nature to act cocky to him, could do such a thing. Limon fell deeper in thought. ¡®Just what do I do with her?¡¯ Limon may be a swordmaster, but he was still a human. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t welcome seeing her again, especially not when he had to take her life with his own hands due to unavoidable circumstances. He wasn¡¯t pondering whether to send her back to nirvana just because he was doubtful of someone¡¯s schemes. ¡°Let me ask you a serious question, Na-kyung.¡± Squeak? What? It¡¯s not like you to be serious. The bird seemed to say as it lifted its head, tilting it to the side. Limon didn¡¯t laugh at her worn out state. Rather, his expression was grave. ¡°Do you really want to live like this? You can¡¯t be all that happy stuck with the memories of your past life while in that state. Right?¡± Limon had seen many dark mages. Among them were some good dark mages, who became who they were to revive lost family or lovers. But the outcome was tragic. The revived would¡¯ve typically returned as zombies or evil spirits. Even those who received something close to perfect resuscitation would later go mad with agony. The symptoms were even worse if it was someone else¡¯s physical body, especially so if it was vastly different from their original body. The difference in mind and body is simply too much to bear. Limon was telling Yoo Na-kyung that it would be hard to live happily as a human, much less as a bird. But the baby bird¡¯s response was absolute. Squeak! You worry too much. The baby bird answered energetically as it stuck out its paunch. Hearing the crystal clear response, Limon fell silent. And he let out a chuckle. ¡°Alright, then. That¡¯s all.¡± He might come to regret this decision. It might have been better to ignore her. But ultimately, Limon accepted Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s choice to live a new life. He may have been fired, but that was still the duty of a superior looking after a foolish subordinate. ¡°But let¡¯s set aside the fact that you¡¯re going to live as a bird for now. What are you going to do?¡± Squeak? ¡°I mean if you¡¯re going to reveal this to the others.¡± Squeeak! ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t your answer a bit rushed? You know you can contemplate on this one for a while.¡± Squeak, squeak. Having already made up its mind, the baby bird shook its head firmly. In response, Limon slowly nodded as her surprisingly fast decision. ¡°Oh well. It¡¯s not going to do you any good to let them know¡­¡± The only merit that came with revealing her past life was that it would be easier to be taken seriously. On the other hand, she would turn into a rare spectacle. Even worse, taken for animal testing. There was a mountain of demerits that came with it. Perhaps not unless there was someone who could help, like Limon. With such a dependable cooperator, there really was no reason to come out as a reincarnate. Except for one thing. ¡°Are you going to keep this a secret from the children of the orphanage as well? I know a couple of kids who would be more than welcoming.¡± Squee, squeeeak¡­. As if it was hard for her to answer, she hesitated. Limon chuckled as the bird averted his eyes. It was interesting to see that even the ever-so-brazen Yoo Na-kyung was embarrassed to tell the children she treated as siblings that she was reborn as a bird. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll keep it to myself for the time being.¡± He had left it open in the air for her to let him know should she change her mind, but the bird still did not answer. It simply sighed in relief. ¡°Hm, then there should be a new name to call you from now on¡­¡± Squeak? Limon pondered for a bit. He faced the baby bird with a purposeful smile, who was looking at him with both anticipation and concern in its eyes. ¡°What d¡¯ya think about ¡®Squeak¡¯, since you squeak so much?¡± Squeaksqueaksqueaksqueaksqueeeeeeaeaaaaak?! damnyoubossi¡¯dratherdiei¡¯dratherdiepleasejustkillmeyougoodfornothingbutahotbodysenileanimalabuser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Chapter 62 [Translator ¨C woni] [Proofreader ¨C sharlottle] Chapter 62: Will You Be a Fool For Me? The baby bird was eventually named ¡®Blue¡¯. It was a once-in-multiple-lifetimes event for Yoo Na-kyung to be naming her own reincarnation¡ªnot only that, to name herself by throwing a tantrum, screaming that she¡¯d rather die. Although, the decision to keep her true identity a secret remained. ¡°That is a first. I didn¡¯t expect the Master of Swords to take a liking to this bird, enough to want to raise it himself.¡± That was why Yoo Na-kyung was perched on Limon¡¯s head, all the while acting like a typical bird would under Li Chingwei¡¯s gaze. ¡°Oh, it was Na-kyung in its past life.¡± Squeak?! And it was also the reason why Yoo Na-kyung reacted ghastly to Limon¡¯s nonchalant comment. How flustered she was! As she lost her balance and was about to fall, she clung unto Limon¡¯s hair and let out a sigh of relief. But neither Limon nor Li Chingwei paid any mind to it. All Li Chingwei did was tilt her head to the side. ¡°Is Na-kyung the one the Master of Swords collected his blood debt for?¡± ¡°She¡¯s also the one who left the children to me.¡± ¡°Seeing that you introduced her to me¡­ This isn¡¯t just any reincarnation. Does she have the memories of her previous life?¡± ¡°Yep. It also looks like she can still use ¡¸Teleportation¡¹ as well.¡± ¡°I see¡­ No wonder it was so difficult to read her mind. She wasn¡¯t just any animal, but a high-level player.¡± Her reaction would be the very definition of ¡®calm¡¯. Meanwhile, Yoo Na-kyung looked absentmindedly at the two people talking about her like a house pet. Coming back to her senses, she jumped back onto Limon¡¯s head and confronted him. Squeak! Squeaksqueaksqueak!¡± ¡°Huh? Why am I spilling everything after promising to keep it a secret?¡± Squeeak! ¡°Tsk, tsk. You can¡¯t fool her. You really think the princess of the Black Dragon Clan would fall for your ridiculous bird act?¡± Squeak, squeee¡­ ¡°Perfect acting? My ass. You sure can run your mouth for someone who got caught using a phone by the janitor yesterday.¡± Squeeeeeaaaa¡­¡­ There was a limit to deceiving Li Chingwei when she had the ability to read minds. It¡¯s better to just come out clean from the start when you¡¯re going to get caught anyway. The blue bird groaned. She knew that it really was better to do as he said when he was being as blunt as he was. ¡°Stop poking me, you brat. My head¡¯s not your nest.¡± Still, she wasn¡¯t happy about it. She pecked the top of Limon¡¯s head in protest. Although, in truth, Limon wasn¡¯t any bit fazed. He simply picked up his tea cup to continue drinking. Watching the two across from her with a peculiar gaze, Li Chingwei asked. ¡°Master of Swords. When did you learn how to talk to animals?¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Then what was that conversation?¡± ¡°Conversation? I just figured that¡¯s what this buffoon would say and gave a rough answer to that.¡± ¡°But the communication is too natural to be just a ¡®rough answer¡¯.¡± ¡°She was my only team member. If I can¡¯t even do that much, I don¡¯t deserve to be a superior. Imagine all the operations we worked on together.¡± ¡°I envy that.¡± ¡°Envy what? It¡¯s just annoying.¡± The only reason they were able to communicate was thanks to how vocal Na-kyung was. Ultimately, it boiled down to Limon talking to a mute. It frustrated him. ¡°I have something to ask you about that, actually. Could you get me an item?¡± ¡°An item?¡± ¡°Yeah, a telepathy item she could use. Even better if it has a communication feature.¡± Squeak? Yoo Na-kyung widened her eyes, while Li Chingwei nodded. ¡°So that is why you revealed it to me? I would find out sooner or later with that request.¡± ¡°Well, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, you would have discovered it either way,¡± Limon shrugged. Having not realized his intentions, Yoo Na-kyung looked impressed. ¡°And I don¡¯t have the money to buy items.¡± ¡­Squea. In an instant, the bird¡¯s eyes that were burning aflame with admiration died out like she was watching a little girl get robbed. Even the cheapest items costed millions. It was the equivalent to buying a house. The way Limon asked for such an item so brazenly, of course Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s gaze would turn into dismay. But Li Chingwei simply nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about money. Simple telepathy items aren¡¯t that rare. It won¡¯t be hard to find one.¡± She was a princess of the Seven Dragons Association. No matter how far the Black Dragon Clan had fallen, a few items were still just chump change. Not to mention, the Seven Dragons Association was the very gray eminence behind the manipulation of dungeon byproduct prices. There was no way Limon would feel any sort of trouble asking for a single item when he knew all those secrets. ¡°I hate to call it a trade, but may I ask you for a small favor as well?¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Yes, it isn¡¯t too difficult.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care as long as it¡¯s not hard¡­ What is it?¡± Limon nodded without hesitation. This was the first time Li Chingwei had asked of anything from Limon since their engagement. Limon intended on doing anything she asked of him. But when he¡¯d heard her ¡®small favor¡¯, he could only fall silent. ¡°Take charge of a company for me,¡± Li Chingwei beamed. *** Translator ¨C woni Proofreader ¨C sharlottle *** ¡°¡­What now?¡± ¡°The Black Dragon Clan has a lot of subsidiaries. Please go to one of them and work. And produce some results, while you¡¯re at it. Disorientated, he stared at her. Realizing he hadn¡¯t heard her wrong, Limon reluctantly asked. ¡°Just where did that come from?¡± ¡°Do you not believe this to be my personal wish?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have let me loaf around all this time if that was the case. Yo Ouin¡¯s there in case you suddenly decide to change your mind, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°As expected. You¡¯re keen.¡± Agreeing with a bitter smile, Li Chingwei explained to Limon with a troubled expression on her face. The elders are the ones behind this request.¡±¡°Your elders?¡± ¡°Yes. Since I decided to pass over most of my clan¡¯s assets as dowry when we get married, They said that they wanted to see the Master of Sword¡¯s business management skills.¡± ¡°They wanna see if I¡¯ll blow the rest of the clan¡¯s money down the drain.¡± ¡°Basically.¡± ¡°And if I fail this test?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t cancel the marriage, but I would have to renegotiate with them.¡± ¡­What a lofty way to say that the marriage will be pushed back indefinitely. Unless you¡¯ve got some other piece of blackmail for them?¡± Limon clicked his tongue in spirit. ¡®No wonder those geezers accepted the marriage so easily.¡¯ The Black Dragon Clan elders hadn¡¯t actually accepted their marriage. Instead, they just placed an impossible condition for Limon so they would have reason to oppose it. He had made a mistake mindlessly agreeing when Li Chingwei told him that it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. ¡°Why are you telling me this only now?¡± ¡°It was too minor of a matter to discuss.¡± ¡°You do know the consequences if I ruin that ¡®minor matter¡¯, right?¡± ¡°But you will rightfully get hold of your shares and the natural support of the clan if you do.¡± Li Chingwei was telling him that there was no need to think about failure when he was going to succeed in the end anyway. Despite that, Limon hesitated. ¡°I know nothing about management or business, princess. In fact, I¡¯ve never even made money with something other than swinging a sword around.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Then, why are you entrusting an entire company to me?¡± ¡°Well, of course, I believe in the promise the Master of Swords made¡ªthat the Black Dragon Clan is just the beginning to devouring the entirety of the Seven Dragons Association.¡± Li Chingwei answered immediately without hesitation. She was beaming. ¡°One who is destined to have the Seven Dragons Association, the conglomerate with all of the world¡¯s riches, would surely be able to handle this much with ease. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°¡­Would I be a dick if I said no?¡± ¡°Of course not. I would just be a fool for believing in the Master of Swords.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same thing.¡± Limon scratched his cheek. It was a bit out of left field, but he had expected something like this ever since deciding to take hold of money and power. In the end, it was something he had to do if he was going to dominate the Seven Dragons Association. Limon furrowed his brows, deep in thought. ¡°Princess,¡± he sighed. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am really sorry, but will you be a fool for me?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± Perhaps she had thought that he would say yes with no questions asked. Li Chingwei blinked widely as doubt swept over her face. ¡°Are you saying that you won¡¯t take charge of a subsidiary?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­Uhm, did I ask for something too difficult? Or are you vexed that I kept their terms from you until now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to. This was something I asked for, anyway,¡± Limon calmly pointed out. Being one of the rare times she was taken aback, she was in a flurry. ¡°But now isn¡¯t the time. I have to put everything aside and train.¡± ¡°¡­Train? The Master of Swords?¡± ¡°Yes. It is necessary for our other objective.¡± Li Chingwei¡¯s expression turned into one of mystery as she heard Limon¡¯s serious voice. Their objective was getting a hold of the Seven Dragons Association in its entirety, but that was just the means to an end¡ªthey had another ultimate goal. The pretense behind Limon¡¯s words was clear. ¡°This is to go against the constellations.¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ Then, I guess I have no choice. We cannot lose a dime over a penny.¡±= Li Chingwei gave in without hesitation. From the start, what she wanted from Limon was his power to challenge the constellations. To get in the way of his training by dragging him into politics or business was nothing more than mistaking the means for the end. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help you when I said that you could come to me if you needed anything before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. ¡®Those matters¡¯ are what I wanted from the Master of Swords. I¡¯ll take care of ¡®these matters¡¯.¡± ¡°Can you really?¡± ¡°Yes, although I¡¯ll have to cut some corners. As long as the Master of Swords helps me without it getting in the way of his training, I am sure everything will work out fine.¡± ¡°What a dependable bride you are.¡± ¡°Right? There aren¡¯t a lot of adept brides like me.¡± Limon chuckled seeing Li Chingwei¡¯s playful smile. She wouldn¡¯t have asked him in the first place if it was something that was easy to take care of. And yet, he believed her words. She was Li Chingwei, the Black Dragon Princess. The girl who used whatever was required to achieve her goals. Just then¡ª Squeak? Squeaksqueak? Yoo Na-kyung, who had been listening in to their conversation in disbelief, finally pecked at Limon¡¯s head. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t told you yet, have I?¡± He didn¡¯t look at her strangely for too long. Guessing what Yoo Na-kyung would have said correctly as always, Limon answered with suave. ¡°I¡¯m getting married to her.¡± ¡­Squeak? Yoo Na-kyung¡¯s pupils contracted. As if to ask what kind of nonsense joke that was, she tilted her head. Only after looking back and forth between Limon and Li Chingwei calmly nodding did she realize they were being serious. Her beak dropped to the floor. ¡°Oh yeah, could you connect me to someone? It¡¯s for my training.¡± But Limon didn¡¯t care whatever face Yoo Nakyung was making. ¡°Do you need a sparring partner?¡± ¡°Nope, a violinist.¡± ¡°Leave it to me. I shall bring an Apostle-rank master representing the Black Dragon¡ª ¡­What did you just say?¡± Li Chingwei paused absentmindedly amidst her confident answer. Limon awkwardly scratched his cheek. ¡°The training I need right now isn¡¯t for the sword. It¡¯s violin practice.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª