Chapter 138 – Veteran Player (2)

It had been an arduous path.

He had united the fractious demonkin and built a force capable of standing against the Seven Kingdoms.

The first thing the Demon King, Dantalian, did was gather talented individuals.

Masters of combat, politics, administration, training, and more.

He actively recruited hidden talents from every corner, regardless of gender or race.

He rose up to topple a society where injustice was accepted as the norm.

And as he gradually brought down the Seven Kingdoms, he was enjoying a string of victories.

That was when the Hero appeared.

The Hero who shattered all of Dantalian’s ambitions.

Just a little further. What he desired was within arm’s reach.

He wanted to kill the Hero who blocked his path. He had attempted to assassinate him several times and formulated countless equations for victory to defeat him.

But the Hero’s followers grew larger, and the demonkin’s forces gradually weakened.

In truth, the demonkin had only been united for a few years, so their cohesion was shallow.

The tide of battle was turning against them.

Dantalian realized that any further fighting would only force his subordinates into meaningless sacrifice.

If ideals could be achieved through sacrifice, it would not be a pointless death. But to die for an unattainable dream was nothing more than a dog’s death, devoid of meaning.

Dantalian cursed the timing of a hero like the Hero appearing on the side of the Seven Kingdoms.

If not for him, he could have brought the Seven Kingdoms to their knees.

He knew what would happen after the Demon King’s army fell.

Once the Demon King’s army was gone, the Hero would no longer have any value.

No, the Hero was already the savior of the nations. His existence and honor were known to people all across the continent.

He was a savior, a true hero of the age.

Would the leaders of the Seven Kingdoms truly welcome such a being?

No.

A hero more popular than the kings and knights of each kingdom was a nuisance to them.

From now on, the Seven Kingdoms would be split by seven different ideologies, each moving to secure its own interests.

In that chaos, the only way for the Demon King’s army to survive was to hide in the remote lands, far from the turmoil of war.

The allied forces of the Seven Kingdoms, led by the Hero, reached the Demon King’s castle.

The Demon King made his final choice.

He did not flee. He chose to face the Hero in a final duel.

Everyone tried to stop him, especially Olivier, who screamed and struggled until she was dragged away by other subordinates.

The retainers who had once filled the throne room were no longer there.

He sat on the lonely throne, waiting for the Hero.

*Creeak.*

Soon, the Hero opened the doors to the throne room and stepped inside.

He could see the Holy Sword Laevatein in the Hero’s hand, wreathed in golden flames.

A smile touched the lips of the Demon King, Dantalian.

He knew he was bound to lose. But in this moment, he felt the thrill of a pure warrior, not a king.

Besides, if his end was to be orchestrated by an unparalleled hero…

The Hero wore an expression that said he had expected this.

There was no need for a long conversation between them.

The battle between the Hero and the Demon King unfolded.

The Demon King surged toward the Hero in a chaotic storm of demonic energy, but the Hero swung his holy sword in a horizontal arc, extinguishing it all.

The outcome of the battle was already leaning in the Hero’s favor.

At the end of a fierce fight, the Demon King Dantalian lay on the floor, impaled by the holy sword, coughing up blood as he awaited his impending death.

The Hero looked down at him with an unreadable expression.

“They say killing the Demon King places a curse upon you.”

The dying Dantalian was puzzled by the Hero’s absurd words.

There was no such curse.

When you die, you die. Besides, the Hero’s body was blessed by the goddess.

Flimsy black magic couldn’t even give him a common cold.

“That kind of baseless rumor…”

“It is a baseless rumor. Because I’m the one who made it.”

“…?”

He couldn’t understand why the Hero was telling him this as he lay dying.

Why would the Hero, of all people, need to create such a rumor?

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a rumor. As proof, no one is entering the throne room because they’re afraid of the curse.”

Using the battle outside as an excuse, none of the Hero’s party members had come in.

Normally, to capture a monarch like the Demon King, his companions should have been by his side.

“Heh, heheh.”

A laugh formed on the Demon King’s lips.

Despite the pain in his chest causing him to cough up more blood, he felt a sense of amusement.

“Yes, you understand it well…”

“In my country, there’s a saying about casting aside those who are no longer useful. I’ll probably be next.”

The Hero was no fool.

Besides, the Demon King would never have been defeated by a fool.

“Hero… what is your goal…?”

For this man, defeating the Demon King couldn’t possibly be the end of his objective.

Someone fighting reluctantly, just to return to their own world, could not have such eyes.

The Demon King knew it instinctively.

Those were the eyes of a man filled with conviction.

“Probably the same as yours,” the Hero said.

And the Demon King understood.

Even without any further explanation.

“Don’t worry.”

The Hero opened his mouth.

“You will achieve your dream in the name of the defeated.”

The Demon King felt a sense of amusement.

He had planned to evacuate his capable subordinates and have them wait for an opportunity while the Seven Kingdoms tore each other apart.

By then, the Hero would be long gone.

But he changed his plan.

The Demon King accessed his inventory.

The Hero didn’t show any caution, even as he watched the Demon King’s movements.

Whether it was boldness or disregard, the Demon King couldn’t tell. But he believed it was the former.

As enemies, they knew each other well.

Had they met under different circumstances, they might have become the closest of friends.

“Take… this.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not a cursed item, at least.”

The Demon King made a dark joke as he lay dying.

“At the very least… just once. You should be able… to command my legion.”

It was the talisman that symbolized the Demon King Dantalian.

“How do you know what I’ll use it for?”

To the Hero’s question, the Demon King replied.

“Probably…”

The Demon King stared directly at the Hero through his fading vision.

“The same as me…”

They had shared the same dream.

While fighting the Demon King’s army, the Hero had seen the twisted side of this world.

He was no longer an outsider. He existed in this world, had become a person of this world.

“I will not let your death be in vain.”

After that, the Demon King was reincarnated as Im Jae-joon.

He met the reincarnated Olivier by chance and heard the story of what happened after his death.

It was proclaimed across the continent that the Hero had been tainted by demonic energy from the Demon King’s curse and had been sacrificed for the greater good.

But it was all a lie.

The Hero had survived in the continent’s borderlands, in the territory of Margrave Rania.

The kingdoms, learning of this belatedly, ordered Lord Rania to arrest the Hero. But the Margrave, who held a grudge against the king, refused.

Immediately, the kingdom’s army was dispatched to attack the Rania territory.

A great battle of Rania’s 5,000 against the kingdom’s 30,000.

It was a fight anyone would have expected the kingdom’s army to win. But the Hero, who was thought to have lost his power and become a wreck, utterly crushed the kingdom’s forces.

The continent trembled at the Hero’s return.

His very existence was a threat.

The continent framed the Hero as the new Demon King.

Though no one believed it, they proclaimed that he had lost his human dignity due to the Demon King’s curse.

Naturally, they also lied that the Rania territory had been tainted by the Demon King.

A civil war erupted in the Aitesos Kingdom.

A battle between an old king who wanted to be a hero and a young hero who sought no glory.

Allied forces, backed by a neighboring kingdom, moved to strike the Rania territory.

The Hero won the civil war.

Furthermore, to end the bloody wars of the Seven Kingdoms that stained the continent, he led his own legion.

It was the beginning of the Ten Years’ War, a war to wash away blood with blood.

Many people followed the Hero. And the Demon King’s army, carrying on their master’s will.

When the continental war finally came to an end, a new world had dawned.

All the corrupt leaders were executed, and a new council of leaders fit for the new world was formed, creating a Round Table.

It wasn’t perfect, but a wave of change had begun.

* * *

“What’s the plan?”

Hyunbin’s voice shattered Im Jae-joon’s reverie.

“The 100 mages you’re looking for are a global organization. On the surface, they operate under the name ‘Union’.”

Union.

A worldwide hunter association.

“Even in Korea alone, there are a great many people involved. Including the agency director who was so friendly to you.”

“I’ll have to wipe them all out.”

It was the same this time.

Im Jae-joon gave a self-deprecating smile at Hyunbin’s response.

He was the same guy, now and then.

“To do that, our influence needs to become even greater than it is now.”

“Right. First, we need to take the number one guild ranking.”

“No, even that’s not enough.”

Hanul Guild, which had plummeted from the top 21, was now ranked 3rd.

And it was a very narrow margin behind 1st and 2nd place.

“The Hwarang Guild seems to be in serious financial trouble.”

“Hwarang?”

“Yes. I want to acquire them.”

The Hwarang Guild had several star-level hunters.

The former team leader known for his skill in scouting unknown hunters.

And the ‘Mad Dog’ Hunter Kim Cheol-su, whom Hyunbin had personally trained. There were others with plenty of potential as well.

However, Hwarang’s parent company was suffering from severe management issues, so the guild was faltering without proper support.

“We’ll swallow Hwarang and grow larger. And I plan to establish our new team’s home base in Seoul.”

“Seoul?”

Seoul was already home to the 1st ranked Shinhwa Guild and the 2nd ranked Tushin Guild.

And Hanul would be joining the fray.

“Yes. There’s a risk, but whoever takes Seoul will become number one in the future.”

“The old men at the group won’t like that.”

Im Jae-joon smiled at Hyunbin’s words.

Hanul Group, the guild’s parent company, was based in Seongnam.

There was no way they would permit a move to Seoul.

After all, every company within the group existed for the sake of the parent company’s name.

“We still have to go.”

Im Jae-joon replied as if he already knew.

“I have no intention of clinging to the small title of a Hanul Group director.”

Im Jae-joon’s eyes showed that he had already made up his mind.

“And you?”

If Im Jae-joon was good at being a Demon King, then Hyunbin was good at being a Hero.

Their goals and thoughts were aligned.

“No need to test the waters.”

A corner of Hyunbin’s mouth lifted into a smirk.

“I will stand at the very top.”

Lee Han-seong’s death. And the instructions he gave to Ria the elf.

Hyunbin, too, had begun preparations to change everything, with himself at the center.

That was why he had built his brand image up until now.

* * *

To be a symbol.

That was the only answer I had come to, the one I had derived after experiencing eleven years of war.

If I couldn’t create the world that those who died for my ideals wanted to see, I would have no right to face them.

That’s why I used force to build the ideal world they had longed for.

Of course, it’s a memory I never want to relive. To prevent that, I must become a symbol.

So that no one would dare touch my people. So that no one would dare challenge me.

Until now, I had been confined within the name of Hanul for the sake of growth and to build my team.

Now, I must fill not just Hanul, but this entire country with my influence.

I created an image to become a hero who would remain in everyone’s memory.

Im Jae-joon must have also finished his groundwork to reveal his presence and take his place at the center of the group.

Im Jae-joon needs to gain control of the group’s management, and I need to display power that overwhelms the other guilds.

-Current synchronization rate is 77%.

That’s enough.

Now, I must take the title of the strongest in the country.

“Team Leader.”

“Oh, Hyun-ji?”

As I was leaving the Association President’s office, I saw Seo Hyun-ji waiting outside.

She was at the agency’s research institute. When did she get here?

“When did you get here?”

“The sparring was over anyway, so I didn’t have anything else to do.”

“Ah, I see. You were doing great earlier. Since you were at it, you should have hung out with the others a bit more.”

“Tae-yang and Ja-rang are still going at it…”

Honestly, those two really hate to lose.

A bitter smile escaped me without my realizing.

Seo Hyun-ji was staring at me quietly.

“Ah, right.”

I did say I’d grant her a wish if she won.

“A promise is a promise. What do you want for your prize?”

“Want to get a cup of coffee first?”

“Coffee? Is that your wish?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

I guess not.

I went down to the guild’s coffee shop with Seo Hyun-ji, and we each grabbed an iced americano before heading into the team office.

It was empty, probably because everyone was either still having fun fighting at the research institute or had wandered off somewhere else.

“You’ve gotten a lot stronger, Hyun-ji. At first, you really didn’t know how to do anything.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Team Leader.”

“My, what’s with the cute talk?”

“…”

I thought she would say it was all because she was so great.

“Um, about that wish. Can I use it to ask about your past?”

“My past? You mean mine?”

“Yes, from long ago. There’s something I’ve been curious about.”

What a relief. It wasn’t some outrageous wish.

I immediately relaxed, crossed my legs arrogantly, and gave a self-satisfied nod.