◈ Episode 275. The Merciless Ones (1)
-Attached file: Photo
-Waaah! What’s this? Our Hoyeol went and did it again?
-He runs away from home for two whole weeks and comes back a celebrity, lol—(dancing doggo-ticon)
-Sistersㅡㅡ is that really the right reaction???
“Hah.”
Lee Yerim let out a hollow laugh.
-The title floating in the top right!!!!! Look at that!!!
-Top right? Small letters are hard for me to see these daysㅜㅜ-Yerim, why are you hurting your eldest sister like that?
-You’re only one or two years older at most, why the dramatics??
It couldn’t be helped.
Tap tap tap tap.
She kindly transcribed the words in the screenshot.
-Dragon Lord, Black Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol. Roars Toward the World.
-That’s the broadcast title?
-Yupㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ-(clapping seal-ticon)
-No, unni, is this really something to just be happy about?!!
Being proud of Hoyeol and happy for him.
The whole world and our mom and dad are enough for that, aren’t they?
Why, there have to be a few people teasing him too for things to be balanced.
Undeterred by the unwanted reactions, she typed.
-BlackㅋㅋㅋㅋDarkㅋㅋㅋㅋDragonㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ-If he’s a dragon, isn’t that really good?
-Right~? Just hearing the name makes him sound amazing~-Ha………………….
Only one year, two years.
She never thought she’d feel a generation gap with her sisters in all her thirty years of life.
How could they possibly think that sort of modifier, that sort of title, was cool?!
-Unnis, you really don’t remember???-(tilting-head seal-ticon)
-When Hoyeol was little
-When you teased Hoyeol like you were catching a rat?
-When did I ever tease him like that?
-You’re still doing it now, Yerim ㅎㅎ-Anyway, why bring up the old days?
-I mean when our youngest was in middle school
Lee Yerim vaguely remembered.
Hoyeol’s second year of middle school.
But Lee Eunhye and Lee Jiyun did not.
And understandably so.
-If Hoyeol was in his second year of middle school…….
-Then you and I were in high school, unni?
-Right, back then we barely had time to see each other’s facesㅜㅜ-(emoticon of a soul leaving the mouth)……
Now that she thought about it, that was true.
Four siblings, each born a year apart.
Her sisters had been busy adapting to high school.
And they must have had their hands full just trying not to show how much the family fortunes were declining. The only one who could really say she had witnessed Hoyeol’s middle school second year was herself.
“……
Seriously, if I drink again, I’m a dog.”
Only herself, whose memory had deteriorated from frequent drinking, singing, and dancing!
Lee Yerim swallowed a sigh.
……
Forget it.
-Fine. I shouldn’t have said anything
-What do you mean, don’t say anything? We need to prepare-……
Prepare? Prepare to tease him?
-What are you talking about? We should at least throw a congratulatory party
-A party? I was missing Mom anywayㅎㅎ
Ding!
-Attached file: Photo
-Our Arang looks so excitedㅋㅋㅋㅋ She won’t even let me hold her, but she sticks to Hoyeol just fine? Auntie is already feeling very hurt, Arang
-Sigh
“The Lee family is so harmonious. So harmonious.”
If it was good, it was good, so she should fix her attitude.
“Honestly, what’s so important about teasing him?”
In truth, she had only given up because she couldn’t remember.
“I’ll let you off for now, our youngest.”
Lee Yerim pretended to give up like an adult and let out a laugh.
Then, lastly, she tapped the screen.
That was right.
The participants in this group chat.
Including the youngest, Hoyeol, numbered four in total.
-You heard that, right, Hoyeol? If you have time, let’s see each other’s faces sometime~*
……
Had she really gone insane?
There had only been one missed call from that sworn enemy, so I’d thought she’d finally come to her senses. But this, she had been saying truly outrageous things in the group chat……!
‘She remembered after all!’
To bring up those days to Number 1 and Number 2.
I, Lee Hoyeol, fell into serious contemplation.
Should I erase that sworn enemy’s memories with magic?
But that truly was nothing more than an impulsive wish of mine.
Because the words that came out were the exact opposite of how I felt.
“I am glad to see you seem to be at peace, my esteemed sisters.”
Hey, Granfell.
With my face, maybe when it comes to Mom and Dad, fine.
But don’t make such a wistful expression while thinking of my blood relatives.
Especially not while thinking of Number 3, that sworn enemy, of all people……!
You speak casually even to an emperor and to dragons who have lived through eternity. So why, when it comes to my older sisters, do you address them as “esteemed sisters” with such unfailing extreme politeness?
“I ought to pay my respects to them properly.”
Thanks to you, the goosebumps won’t leave my body!
But when had Granfell’s formality ever taken my circumstances into consideration?
In the end, I sent a reply in an extremely deferential tone.
“I shall visit after I have at least placed a comma.”
To think I could avoid my sworn enemy without going against my pride.
At times like this, even the excessive burdens I had taken on proved useful…….
Lastly, I looked at the photo and murmured.
“I am pleased to see you growing up splendidly.”
The only thought on which Granfell and I agreed was regarding my niece, Arang. Truly, every time I saw her, she had grown so much……. This uncle is already worried, Arang.
‘……
Worried that you might understand what that means.’
When I moved my finger, the previous photo appeared.
It was a TV screen captured with a camera.
More precisely, it was the title of a program about me.
[Dragon Lord, Black Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol. Roars Toward the World.]
Behold, the overflowing froth.
The process of the Black Dark Dragon becoming a Dragon Lord.
The process of this damned loose tongue becoming reality……!
“So the world has truly heard it.”
VBC Broadcasting Station, was it?
I’ll remember that name clearly……!
Because they had truly delivered such a grand coup de grâce.
Granfell’s pride flared up, and I could no longer gloss over it.
‘In the end, I’ll have to run my mouth about it myself.’
At the present time.
The Magic Tower lobby.
And in front of the Yusra Golden Palace, there was a sea of reporters waiting for me. Originally, after finishing the Holy War Alliance meeting, I had intended to head straight to the Zero Mountains.
Leveling up.
Clearing the Hundred Thousand Caves.
Encountering Unification Under Heaven.
To seize all three birds with one stone, I had no time to waste. If I followed my heart, reporters or whatever be damned. I wanted to manifest a portal and warp to the Zero Mountains.
“If so, there is no need to hesitate any longer.”
Click—
As you can see, my prideful footsteps were heading toward the main gate of the Golden Palace.
As I straightened my attire, I also organized my thoughts.
Yes, Hoyeol.
If you can’t avoid it.
And you can’t enjoy it…….
‘Think as rationally as possible.’
I, who had materialized [Legend, Black Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol], knew this well.
The effect of [Legend] was not proportional to my strength.
How widely that [Legend] resounded.
And what sort of grandeur it possessed.
The degree to which its effect manifested changed according to those factors.
‘Just like in Antonium.’
So, as if separating public and private matters.
Let’s think of shame and the growth of [Legend] separately.
Reporters.
In front of cameras that would be broadcast to the entire world.
Me declaring that I was the Black Dark Dragon?
It would be a sincerely dreadful experience.
But to put it simply…….
‘The more dreadful it is, the stronger my legend becomes.’
This time, it wasn’t rationalization to protect the dignity of me, Lee Hoyeol.
It was an unvarnished fact.
Thinking of it that way, the burden on my heart lightened a little.
No, rather than that, it would be more accurate to say I became resigned.
‘Fine, then say whatever you want, loose tongue.’
The Lionheart Knights.
“We have been waiting, Commander-in-Chief.”
Enoch bowed his head to me.
“At your word, I will open the doors.”
Murmur, murmur—
A clamor came through the thick doors.
I could feel just how many people had gathered without needing to check.
But now that I had made up my mind, there was no hesitation.
I said,
“Please do.”
Creak!
As Enoch bowed his head once more, the doors opened.
No cheers rang out.
Naturally.
‘I unintentionally disciplined that side too, after all…….’
Forced injection of formality.
Thanks to that, I stepped forward amid a quiet silence.
As if the Arcana Continent weren’t enough, now even reality.
It was a damned massive stage that no one had ever experienced.
But if this too was a stage meant for me, I would play along.
No, beyond playing along, I would swallow it whole.
If this too was a weight given to me, then I had no choice but to shoulder it for all to see.
I opened my mouth.
“There is nothing to fear.”
Everyone’s gazes focused on me.
“Black Dark Dragon.”
At the word that left my mouth, the audience stirred for a moment.
But who was Granfell?
A being who always surpassed everyone’s expectations.
“That, too, is merely a ‘part’ of me.”
“……!!!”
To think he could add several times more froth with just one sentence.
Granfell-style speech certainly had reliable performance.
At the same time, I became seriously worried about the future.
When this press conference ended, what sort of being would I have become……?
*
Unification Under Heaven’s elite executives numbered five in total.
They were called the Five Stars under Heaven, known as the Five Stars. However, that information was naturally a secret to the outside world, and even within Unification Under Heaven, not many knew it.
In fact, even among the Five Stars themselves, they did not know that the other was one of the Five Stars.
But all of it was Ryu O Junchun’s plan.
What he needed was loyalty toward himself, their sovereign.
Not close relationships among the Five Stars.
Why, had it not been repeated countless times even in the history of great nations?
The history of kings losing their heads to rebellions raised by their subjects.
The woman in the rabbit mask.
One of the Five Stars, Yu Jio, observed the other party.
Judging by the red banners, they belonged to the same Unification Under Heaven.
“What might you be doing here?”
However, this was not a scheduled meeting.
Unification Under Heaven was a supermassive guild beyond a mere large guild.
Its number of guild members was more than double that of the alliance of Shining, Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker, which were classified as large guilds. Accordingly, Unification Under Heaven operated according to strict rules.
“This area is under the jurisdiction of this body. Of Lady Yu Jio, you see?”
Yu Jio assessed the other side’s numbers.
There were fewer than ten of them.
‘Judging by their forces, they’re not Five Stars.’
Tch, what kind of ridiculous mind game was this among allies…….
At times, Yu Jio felt empty like this.
She merely endured it, telling herself that even this inefficient process was for her lord.
And so she had a question.
‘But why are they hiding their faces?’
There was no rule stating that only the Five Stars had to hide their faces.
However, aside from the Five Stars, who had to be cautious of one another, there was no reason to cover one’s face with a mask. As could be seen even now, it only invited unnecessary suspicion.
‘And with masks I’ve never seen before, at that.’
They were neither the pig mask nor the wolf mask suspected of belonging to the Five Stars.
Yu Jio shrugged.
So that was what this was…….
Could they possibly be bastards impersonating the Five Stars?
“I did hear such news. That there were people inside selling the reputation of the Five Stars by using the trait of their identities being unknown. I didn’t think it was true, but you’re quite bold, aren’t you?”
Yu Jio had many complaints about the structure of Unification Under Heaven.
But she understood and accepted it.
Yes, everything was because her lord was far too merciful.
Regardless of level, even Supernovas.
It was because he had taken in all the half-baked people who had nowhere else to go.
So what she had to do as one of the Five Stars was simple.
“Before he blames himself, it is my duty to deal with you.”
One Hundred.
Ssssss!
Yu Jio’s special task force surrounded the ten or so opponents.
At this point, had they noticed and frozen up?
She was not an impostor like them.
She was the true star under heaven.
Yu Jio examined her cracked fingernail and said,
“Unfortunately, I have no intention of letting you off even if you beg.”
Even if they were real Five Stars, she had no intention of letting it pass.
Yu Jio could say with confidence.
That she alone was enough to act as her lord’s hands and feet.
That the other stars were nothing more than obstacles disturbing the space between her lord and herself.
Until now, she had merely endured because she had no justification.
“Don’t feel wronged. I told you over and over before we entered the Zero Mountains, didn’t I? The only one allowed to set foot in my territory is my lord.”
That was right.
What she had spread out like a spiderweb was not a territory, but a trap.
Whether Five Stars or brats impersonating the Five Stars.
If they were caught in it, they could never escape.
Yu Jio let out a soft chuckle.
“My loyalty will be understood by my lord as well.”
Ssssss!
Yu Jio’s special task force accelerated even more.
Until they were at a hair-trigger distance.
Just as they drew close to the enemy.
A calm voice rang out.
“See? Did I not say so?”
“You were right. I should’ve just trusted you, old man.”
“Just because the geezer got one thing right, now he’s full of himself…….”
Yu Jio doubted her ears.
……
What were they babbling about?
Then she doubted her eyes.
Jingle!……
In this situation, they were exchanging money? Anyone could see it. They were settling the results of a wager. Whatever the wager had been about, they were doing it on the verge of losing their lives.
The one called the old man chuckled.
“It’s a tactic you see often. Disrupting an organization’s internal hierarchy, that is. Look, doesn’t it make the organization easier to manage, just like now? The sight of them each believing themselves to be the true executive, competing of their own accord, proving their loyalty of their own accord.”……
That bastard was spouting senile nonsense, wasn’t he?
No matter how you looked at it, he was talking about him.
But that was all.
Beneath the rabbit mask, Yu Ji-o ground his teeth and said,
“You’re babbling whatever comes to mind to get out of this.”
Swoosh—then, this time, something enormous moved.
Had it been squatting there until now?
A huge figure, three or four heads taller than an ordinary person, came into view.
“Enough of the old geezer’s showing off. Just keep watch.”
“Who’s there to see anything in the Zero Mountains? Keulkeul.”
“Well, that’s true too.”
“Wahaha. Looks like there’ll be one more mask.”
Thud.
Thud.
Then they threw something down onto the ground.
Yu Ji-o flinched when he confirmed what the objects were.
They really were masks.
“Pig, Wolf……?”
They were the masks of the two men he had thought were among the Five Stars.
They had stripped off the masks of the Five Stars……
They had done such a thing and survived……?
There was only one possibility that came to mind.‘……
They’re dead? Two of the Five Stars?’By the time he thought something was wrong, it was already too late.
A cold voice continued.
“Unification Under Heaven, was it? It isn’t an organization for its members. And it’s certainly not an organization like ours, where we help one another. You don’t even have to look far. You can tell just from the pointless tricks you played with the hierarchy. Isn’t that right, old man?”
“Of course.”
“It’s an organization for one leader alone.”
“……!”
Yu Ji-o did not refute it.
Because those words were utterly correct.
But at the same time, chills ran down his spine.‘It isn’t easy for outsiders to see through us.’Even if a spy had infiltrated the inside.
His lord had considered even that possibility.
Surely no one should have been able to see through them easily.
But they were different.
A languid voice came to him.
“No need to be surprised. The truth is, this sort of thing is our specialty. Annoying as it is.”
Their specialty……?
“Infiltration, operations, collapse, violence, threats, plunder. And murder.”
“……!!!”
“Thanks to that, it’s painfully obvious, you could say.”
At that moment, before his own life, Yu Ji-o thought first of Unification Under Heaven and Ryu O-jwinchun. They had infiltrated the organization, defeated two of the Five Stars, and were now calmly laying everything bare.
He could be certain.
They were clearly a threat to his lord.‘……There are not many who can threaten my lord.’Rocks?
No, Shining had long since fallen beneath the feet of Unification Under Heaven.
Then there was only one choice left.
Even now.
The man setting the world abuzz, the Dark Dragon.
Yu Ji-o shouted with hostility.
“Lee Ho-yeol……!!”
But what came back was a voice that had grown even colder.
As though speaking while looking into a mirror.
It was a self-mocking voice.
“Do not attach his name to trash like us.”
At the same time.
About ten figures moved.
To be exact, nine shadows.
Swoosh—beneath the shadows, crow masks came into view.
Click—one of the masked figures loaded a crossbow and said,
“We’re not as merciful as he is, you see.”